Transferred to another life

**Chapter Forty-Seven: The Shadow of Suspicion**

The dinner ended in uncomfortable silence, the weight of the accusations still hanging heavy in the air. Olivia remained calm on the surface, but her mind was whirling with possibilities. Matthew's accusations had come out of nowhere, but they were too specific to be random. He knew something—or at least, suspected it. But how?

As the family dispersed from the dining room, Olivia excused herself and returned to her chambers. The fire crackled softly, but the warmth did nothing to soothe her nerves. She paced the room, her fingers brushing the wood of the hidden compartment behind the fireplace where her alchemy set lay tucked away.

She had to think this through. Matthew had accused her of dark magic in front of the entire family, something that should have been lost with the original Olivia. He shouldn't have known. Unless...

*Could he have found something?* Olivia thought, her eyes narrowing. Had Matthew somehow stumbled upon the original Olivia's secrets? Was that why he was so certain of her guilt? It was a dangerous game he was playing, one she couldn't afford to lose.

### **Confronting the Possibility**

Sitting down at her desk, Olivia pulled out an old notebook—one she had inherited along with the rest of the original Olivia's belongings. It was filled with notes, scribbles, and half-finished alchemical formulas. Flipping through its yellowed pages, Olivia looked for any clues that might suggest how Matthew could know so much.

Nothing stood out immediately. The spells were vague, nothing directly pointing to dark magic. But Olivia knew better than to dismiss her brother's claims as mere speculation. He was sharp—too sharp for his own good. And if he'd found something, anything that could link her to the original Olivia's darker side, he would use it against her.

She needed to act quickly.

*If he knows too much, I'll have to stop him,* she thought grimly, her mind already calculating. *But first, I need to make sure Aunt Beatrice is fully under my influence.*

Olivia rose and moved to the hidden alchemy set behind the fireplace. She quickly gathered the necessary ingredients, her hands moving with practiced precision as she began brewing a stronger version of the suggestion potion. This one would ensure Aunt Beatrice's complete loyalty—something Olivia would need in the days ahead.

As the potion simmered, Olivia's thoughts returned to Matthew. His sudden recovery was suspicious. He had been bedridden for weeks, and now he was healthy and alert, ready to accuse her. She had underestimated him, and that was a mistake she couldn't afford to repeat.

*What if he had someone helping him?* The thought chilled her. If Matthew had aligned himself with someone else in the family—someone who knew about her past—then she was in more danger than she'd realized.

### **The Next Step**

By the time the potion was ready, Olivia's mind was set. She needed to move quickly and decisively. The next step would be cementing Aunt Beatrice's loyalty and casting further doubt on Matthew.

The following morning, Olivia prepared herself for another family meal. She knew today's breakfast would be just as tense as last night's dinner, but she had a plan.

At the breakfast table, Aunt Beatrice took her usual seat next to Olivia, drawing more suspicious glances from the family. Clara whispered something to one of their cousins, her gaze never leaving Olivia. Charles, as usual, was quiet, his stern eyes focused on his plate. But Matthew—Matthew watched Olivia with a cold, calculating expression, as if he was waiting for her to slip up.

"Good morning, Olivia," Aunt Beatrice said warmly, placing a hand on Olivia's arm. "I was thinking we could take a walk in the gardens later. Clear our heads after all this unpleasantness."

Olivia smiled, though she could feel the tension building around the table. "I'd love that, Aunt Beatrice."

Before the conversation could go any further, Matthew cleared his throat. "I think we need to discuss what happened last night," he said, his voice hard. "We can't just brush over these accusations."

Charles nodded in agreement, setting down his fork. "Matthew's right. There are questions that need answering, Olivia. This family cannot afford any more secrets."

Olivia's heart raced, but she remained composed. "I agree. But I think we should be careful about throwing around baseless accusations, especially ones as serious as dark magic."

Matthew leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "Baseless? I think you're hiding something, Olivia. You've been acting strange for weeks, and now suddenly Aunt Beatrice is your closest ally? You've never been close with her before."

"I don't see why it's suspicious for me to spend time with my aunt," Olivia replied coolly. "Especially when I've been the one under attack by this family."

Clara snickered under her breath. "You've been acting like the victim, but maybe we should be looking at you more closely, Olivia. Matthew isn't the only one who's noticed."

"Enough!" Aunt Beatrice's voice rang out, startling everyone at the table. "This bickering needs to stop. Olivia is part of this family, and I won't stand by while she's treated like an outsider."

The room fell into stunned silence. Aunt Beatrice had always been a quiet observer, never one to take sides in family disputes. For her to speak out so strongly in Olivia's defense was unusual—suspicious, even.

Charles frowned, his eyes shifting between Olivia and Beatrice. "Beatrice, are you sure you're not being influenced here? This sudden loyalty to Olivia seems...odd."

Olivia felt the tension rising, but she kept her face neutral. "I think Aunt Beatrice is just showing the kindness this family seems to have forgotten."

Matthew's gaze never left Olivia. "Or maybe Aunt Beatrice has been influenced by something else. We've seen what you're capable of, Olivia."

The insinuation hung in the air, and Olivia felt the weight of his words pressing down on her. *He knows too much,* she thought again, her mind racing. But how?

As the family continued to argue, Olivia remained silent, her thoughts turning inward. Matthew's knowledge, his accusations—they were too specific to ignore. He was digging into her past, and she needed to find out how.

But for now, she would bide her time. Matthew might know something, but Olivia still held the advantage. She had Aunt Beatrice on her side, and soon, the rest of the family would fall in line.

*Matthew thinks he can outplay me,* she thought, her eyes darkening with resolve. *But he has no idea who he's really dealing with.*

As breakfast ended in more tension and suspicion, Olivia quietly plotted her next move. If Matthew wanted a war, she was more than ready to fight.