CHAPTER 596: ALL OF IT!

"All this time I couldn’t find the source of the poison," Nnenna said, voice low but steady. "I never suspected the medicine because Carl made it himself, nobody else helped. But by God’s grace, a few days ago I decided to test it."

She paused, letting the weight of that land.

"Carl ran the ingredients through me while he was trying to teach me. So I tested the medicine he made. When I did, I found traces of an arsenide derivative."

A ripple of shock passed through the court. People leaned forward, breath held.

"When I searched Nanny’s room," Nnenna went on, pointing without breaking eye contact, "I found the same compound in the secret compartment behind her wardrobe. Now think, who has access to His Highness’s room? Who could slip poison into his medicine?"

Nanny snapped, voice sharp with panic. "You’re forgetting, both of us have access! And the medicine is kept in a locked box. I don’t know the passcode. How could I open it?"

Nnenna came down the short stairs, each step deliberate. She faced Nanny and struck every point like a hammer.

"You may not know the code now," she said, "but you spent time in his room. You told me he sleeps after his meal, so you’ve seen him take his medicine. You must have seen him open the box at least once. From that, you could have learned the code. Or while he slept, you could have used his fingerprints."

Her words landed. The courtroom fell into a tense silence.

Gasps rose. Cynthia clutched her shawl, eyes wide. Nanny’s hand flew to her throat; her face went white. Lora’s mouth opened, then closed, sudden, cold fear swept over her features.

Everyone’s eyes locked on Nanny. The weight of Nnenna’s accusations hung in the air like a blade waiting to fall. But instead of breaking down, Nanny suddenly laughed, sharp and mocking.

"Impressive," she sneered. "Everything you’ve said is quite impressive. And maybe... maybe it could even be the key to solving this mess. But you’re wrong again, girl. I’m not the only one who could tamper with His Highness’s medicine. You, yes, you, the one he trusts most, could have done it just as easily. Wasn’t it after you arrived that his condition grew worse?"

Her words made some heads turn. The suspicion she cast spread like wildfire.

But Nnenna didn’t flinch. She tilted her head slightly and answered coolly, "Yet I wasn’t here when his illness began, was I?"

The reminder struck, and murmurs rippled through the court.

"That only proves one thing," Nanny pressed on, shrugging her shoulders with false ease. "Both of us are suspects until proven guilty. Don’t think you can pin this on me, little girl. I know you’ve always wanted me out of Carl’s life. But it won’t be that easy. You’re just a child, born yesterday! and you think you can walk into this castle and twist it however you like? Pathetic."

Her words were like poisoned darts, and some of the staff wavered under her scorn. Whispers started, people questioning, some even nodding faintly at her reasoning.

Nnenna’s lips curved into a calm smile, sharp with confidence. "If I were you," she said lightly, "I would save the cockiness."

She pulled out her phone and raised it for all to see. "Exhibit Three. Let’s end this once and for all, shall we?"

The atmosphere snapped tight. Even Daniel froze.

"In here," Nnenna continued, her tone steady but her eyes blazing, "is evidence that Nanny has been conspiring with an outsider to bring Carl down. Do you all remember what the housekeeper said when he was arrested?" She turned her gaze on Daniel. "He mentioned someone... Queen Athena."

Gasps erupted, and the tension spiked like lightning.

"And from what I have here," Nnenna concluded, her phone held firmly, "it is obvious who Nanny has been conspiring with."

"That’s a lie!" Nanny shot back, her voice rising, trembling with fury. "You keep spinning stories, one after another, with no truth in you at all. I always thought your only flaw was ignoring rules and protocols, but now I see you’re nothing more than a manipulator, a liar. How could I possibly be communicating with the queen of a kingdom across the continent? Why would she even speak to someone like me? If you’re so sure of your so called evidence, then show us what’s on your phone. Let everyone see what kind of lie you’ve cooked up this time!"

"Gladly," Nnenna replied, calm but sharp, her lips curling into the faintest smile.

She walked closer to the Prime Minister, unlocking her phone with deliberate slowness. Daniel leaned forward as well, curiosity tugging at him despite himself. The chamber grew heavy with silence, every breath held, waiting.

Seconds ticked by. Daniel’s face darkened as his eyes scanned the screen. The Prime Minister stayed composed, his expression carefully guarded.

Finally, Daniel snapped. He turned, his voice like a whip. "Guards, arrest this woman!" he pointed at Nanny, his command echoing through the hall. Gasps rippled through the chamber like a sudden storm.

"What?!" Nanny staggered back, her face pale. "Daniel, what’s the meaning of this? You can’t just arrest me, I did nothing!"

"You did nothing?" Daniel barked, his anger hotter than the day he discovered the housekeeper’s betrayal. He grabbed the phone, thrusting the screen high for all to see. "Look at this! I know the password to his medicine box, I’ll put the poison in traces so he won’t notice the change. Here are the pictures of his movements, all taken before my husband came back to collect them. And this—" his voice broke with rage as he jabbed at the words, "this message: Don’t worry, Queen Athena. Everything will be settled in a few months."

The hall erupted in murmurs, every eye on Nanny. Daniel’s voice dropped, trembling with disbelief and fury.

"These are in your handwriting. All of it."

"And you’re just going to believe it, Daniel?" Nanny shot back, her voice desperate but still sharp.