The Abandoned Luna's Journey to Power (by Emily Reed) novel Chapter 297

Chapter 297 Interrogation

Cindy’s POV:

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Queen Isabella sucked in a sharp breath, her hat jerking as the heavy ledger slipped from her fingers and slammed onto the floor, pages suttering everywhere.

“Marial Explain this to me! What is the meaning of this?!”

She trembled with rage, pointing at the fallen leger. “Last quarter, you claimed a loss of 3,000 gold coins, and I believed you. This quarter, the shop is overflowing with customers how are we losing even more? Do you take me for blind? For a fool?!”

Maria was clearly prepared. Instead of panicking she dropped to her knees with a loud thud, tears springing forth instantly, her carefully maintained face collapsing into theatrical misery.

“Your Majesty, I swear I’m being framed! This is an injustice!”

She knocked her head against the floor while waling. “You misunderstand. The crowd you saw yesterday was false prosperity! We were clearing out defective stock from before the New Year. The warehouse was overflowing with flawed goods that were about to rot. If we hadn’t staged that sale to recover a little capital just to pay wages, how could we have dared make such a spectacle?”

She lifted her tear-streaked face, eyes reddened looking the picture of loyal hardship. “These past months, the shop has been deserted. Without the several thousand gold coins you and Princess Margaret provided earlier, this quarter loss would have exceeded 20,000 gold coins! I even used my own salary to keep the business afloat…”

“Lies!”

The queen slammed her hand on the table so hard the teacups rattled. “Yesterday, Duchess Spencer and I saw it with our own eyes. The noble ladies walked in and out carrying armfuls of purchases. Were those bags filled with air? Were the smiles on their faces imaginary?”

“Your Majesty, you really misunderstood.”

Maria’s eyes flickered as she seized the opportunity. “Yesterday was a clearance event-selling at one-tenth or even one-fifth of the price just to build buzz. If you don’t believe me, you may go again today. The sale continues. Even so after costs and labor, we are still losing money to maintain our reputation.”

She spoke with absolute conviction.

The queen faltered.

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13:05 Tue, Feb 24 0.

Chapter 297 Interrogation

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As a sheltered omega unfamiliar with commercial trickery, she understood little of business

Seeing Maria so certain-even inviting inspection-her fury wavered, replaced by creeping doubt.

Had she misjudged? Was business truly so cruel

Watching the queen’s resolve weaken, I let out a silent scoff behind the curtain.

Hopeless.

Without intervention, this gilded songbird would be bled dry by Margaret and her accomplices for life.

“Enough”

I drew aside the curtain and stepped forward.

My boots struck the polished marble with crisp, deliberate rhythm.

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