# Chapter 5589: The Ledger of Fear
Hello everyone, it’s me again! How are you all doing? Today I will continue to walk with you through Chapter 5589 of "Married at First Sight." This chapter is a tight, tense little power struggle inside the Longbottom household. At first glance, it is only a conversation about accounts and loyalty, but underneath it is fear, ambition, and the quiet click of a trap closing around a guilty man. So let’s step into the hall and watch the new head of the family begin to clean house.
The chapter opens with Tony’s sharp voice cutting through the phone. He scolds Stuart without mercy: “Stuart, do you have any brains at all? You know what Laurence thinks of my son and me, don’t you? Even an idiot would know that he’ll come down on you faster if I show up there.”
Tony does not soften his words. He tells Stuart that the best option is for Tony to stay far away, while Stuart admits his wrongdoing. If Stuart returns some of the money he embezzled, Laurence might let him off the hook. But Tony warns him plainly: Stuart’s days as the butler are probably numbered. This is not only about the secondary residence. Once Laurence moves into the main estate, he will undoubtedly replace everyone there as well. Tony knows this pattern well—when he first became the acting head, he replaced all the staff too.
Stuart listens, and Tony’s words begin to sink in. He realizes the logic is sound. If he confesses and returns some of the money, Laurence might spare him. As Tony said, the worst-case scenario is losing the butler position. Stuart has made quite a bit of money over the years, so getting fired is not a total disaster. He could even start a small business of his own, and he owns extra properties he could rent out. Even if he stopped working altogether, the rental income alone would be enough to support him.
So Stuart thanks Tony for the advice.
After the call, Stuart retrieves the ledgers and returns to the hall. He is nervous, and his respect is now mixed with fear. He hands one book to Laurence and says respectfully, “This is one of the ledgers. It records the inventory of the supplies coming in and out of this villa.”
Laurence takes the book and flips through several pages. When he finds the records of this year’s fresh tea, he hands the book to Noelle and says, “From now on, I’ll handle external affairs, and you’ll manage things internally. Review these books and verify the records.”
Then he turns to Stuart. “There are other account books for this residence, aren’t there? Bring all of them over as well. Noelle will review them.”
He does not immediately punish Stuart. Instead, he instructs him to bring over all the books so Noelle can examine them. In other words, Laurence is starting a full audit of the secondary residence. Noelle will eventually become his wife and the matriarch of the Longbottom family. It is only natural for the lady of the house to review its accounts.
Stuart’s expression changes again. He stammers, “T-That’s not appropriate... Ms. Noelle is... She doesn’t have the authority to...”
Laurence cuts him off. “Why shouldn’t she? Noelle is my fiancée. I’ve made it clear from the beginning that she’s the only woman I’ll marry, which means she’ll be the matriarch of the family. Traditionally, the husband handles external affairs while the wife manages the household.
“I’ll manage Longbottom Corporation, while Noelle will take charge of the internal affairs. I’ll keep an eye on anything important, but for the most part, I’ll leave those matters to her.
“For now, I’m just letting her familiarize herself with her responsibilities and gain some experience. You don’t get to decide whether she has the authority or not—I do. Don’t forget. I’m the head of the family!”
Stuart is speechless.
When the Longbottom family had no official family head, even the acting head lacked full authority. They still had to show consideration for others and dared not be too overbearing because their powers were limited. However, a legitimate head was different. Laurence possesses full authority and certainly has the right to decide who can examine the accounts.
“Go and bring me every ledger for this residence. Noelle will take them back and review them carefully. Our family has gone thirty years without a legitimate head overseeing its affairs. I imagine there’ll be quite a few discrepancies accumulated in the records.”
“Yes, sir.”
Stuart does not argue further. He reluctantly leaves the hall.
When he reaches the yard outside, he calls Tony again and says, “Laurence wants to audit every book! He even has that female bodyguard of his investigate the accounts. He said the family has gone thirty years without a proper head overseeing its affairs, so there must be plenty of old discrepancies.”
Tony asks, “Didn’t you keep the books in good order?”
Stuart’s answer is pure panic: “Uncle Tony, no matter how carefully I prepare the accounts, Laurence will dig deeper. He’ll trace every transaction to its source and find out that I’ve falsified the books.”
And with that chilling realization, the chapter ends—Stuart’s lies are no longer safely buried in old ledgers, and Laurence’s quiet audit has become a blade hanging over his head.
## Reader’s Impressions & Star Rating
This was a short but wonderfully tense chapter. I loved how the conflict did not need shouting or dramatic violence; it was all in the power dynamics. Tony’s scolding, Stuart’s nervous calculations, and Laurence’s calm authority made the whole scene feel like a chess match. The best part was Laurence giving Noelle real authority in front of Stuart. It was not just a romantic gesture—it was a declaration that the old system is finished. Stuart’s final call to Tony was a perfect cliffhanger, because now we know the audit will expose him.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4.7 / 5 Stars
## Next Chapter Prediction
In the next chapter, I expect Noelle to begin the audit and quickly spot irregularities that Stuart tried to hide. Stuart may panic and try to destroy or alter evidence, or he may run back to Tony for a rescue that Tony is unwilling to give. Laurence will likely watch calmly, using the audit as a test of Noelle’s competence and as a way to purge the household. The real question is whether Stuart will confess fully or make one last desperate move—and whether Tony will betray him to protect himself.
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