It was at this moment that Carissa arrived. From outside, she could already tell something was wrong. Some people were stuck outside, unable to get in, but they were busy gossiping and trying to figure out what was going on.


    Once inside, Carissa quickly took in the scene, her eyes darting over the group of people and hearing their angry usations. She understood what had happened at once.


    The moment she appeared, the parents surged toward her, asking how they should proceed. Though none dared directly question her, the tone of their words clearly showed their demand for an exnation.


    Their words were firm butcked the earlier harshness.


    Carissa''s face remainedposed, though inside, a storm of anger brewed. She couldn''t believe that on thest day before the holiday, something like this had happened.


    The academy gates were supposed to be open today to allow the students to take their belongings home. Since most of the students came from noble families, the servants were always under strict orders. There was no reason to expect any trouble.


    Yet, the intruders had seized the opportunity. With the gates opening and parents on their way, they slipped in unnoticed, giving them the perfect chance to cause chaos. They managed to force their way in and, at the same time, create a situation where the young women could have been assaulted, igniting the fury of everyone present.


    This was a direct attack on Gracewood Women''s Academy.


    "I will make sure everyone receives a full exnation," Carissa said.


    "Your Grace, how will you exin this situation? Who would believe it when we say our daughters were not harmed?" one of the parents demanded.


    "That''s right! So many men burst in, and there were so many witnesses. Even if nothing happened, it will be said that something did," someone else added.


    "Why didn''t the academy have more guards in ce?" someone else questioned.


    Seeing Carissa being cornered, Rosalind wiped her tears and stood up, her voice ringing out. "Please don''t worry, everyone. None of the students were harmed. The intruders only managed to grab me. No one else was touched."


    A stunned silence followed her words.


    No one had expected Rosalind to take the me for what happened.


    Even if she had indeed been held by the intruder, it would have been better to conceal such a thing. How could she admit it openly in front of everyone?


    With so many people around and so many mouths to speak, Rosalind''s admission would surely ruin her reputation once the word got out.


    Catherine quickly responded, "You weren''t really grabbed. Don''t speak such nonsense. The intruder didn''t seed."


    But Rosalind raised her voice, resolute. "The intruder really did manage to hold me in his arms, but thankfully, no harm came to the students. Everyone is fine. Please don''t worry."


    A hushed silence fell over the room.


    Some cast mocking looks her way,


    while others regarded her with pity, A few understood her reasoning-she was trying to protect the students. As Trevor''s daughter, if the me fell on her alone, the gossip outside would focus only on her and wouldn''t drag the other


    young women into it.


    The story would now be that an intruder hade into the academy and tried to assault Rosalind, rather than the original fact that the assants had intended to vite all the students present.


    Carissa watched Rosalind with a heavy heart. If only she had arrived sooner, maybe this would never have happened.


    ire was filled with guilt. She had been in the restroom. Had she been present, she could have intercepted the intruders the moment they charged in. She could have driven them into a corner, forced them to the ground, or expelled them from the premises through the back doors.


    Carissa turned to ire and said, "Bring me a basin of cold water."


    It didn''t take long for Carissa to notice the peculiar red in the man''s eyes-something had been done to him. It was clear now that he had been drugged, making him fearless in his brazen actions.


    A basin of cold water was soon


    brought, and Carissa poured it over


    ve


    the man. His body shook violently, curling inward as he tried to regain control. His eyes, though zed with confusion, were still hungrily scanning the young women around him, his gaze fixed on their faces and chests.


    ??? ?


    He appeared to be in his forties, his face rough and sunburned, with stubble lining his chin. His clothes were simple, nothing remarkable about them, and hisplexion was raw from exposure to the elements. Though not tall, he was stocky, the build of aborer ustomed to hard work.