Carissa looked up, her lashes wet with tears. "In any case, I will always remember this kindness. No matter what you ask of me in the future, as long as it doesn't go against my conscience, I will do it for you."Rafael's expression turned serious. "I don't need you to do anything for me. If there's one thing I ask, it's that you live well. Live happily, live a life full of joy. That's how you can honor your family's spirits in heaven."Her heart trembled slightly, and a single tear slid down her cheeks. Her tearful eyes were filled with confusion. "Why are you so good to me?"Rafael felt his heart breaking at the sight of her like this. He recalled her fierce and determined figure on the battlefield, yet now, she was so delicate and vulnerable. He couldn't hide the tenderness in his eyes and had to turn his face away. "Why wouldn't I treat you well? You're my betrothed, after all. We're going to spend our lives together."Carissa should have been moved, but she had heard simil
When Rafael saw Carissa on the Southern Frontier battlefield, his emotions were a whirlwind of complexity.He would often, almost subconsciously, bring up her husband, but she would avoid the topic. That was when he realized that Barrett might not be treating her well.This thought alone had made his fists clench countless times.It wasn't until later that he learned she had divorced. Barrett hadn't recognized her worth. It was absurd! Rafael committed the name to memory—Barrett Warren, a man unworthy of the gift of sight.The fury Rafael felt then was so intense that he wished he could gouge out Barrett’s eyes for causing her such pain.After the anger subsided, Rafael felt a surge of selfish joy, though he carefully masked it. He couldn't let anyone know he was secretly celebrating.During the days they fought side by side, he had to constantly conceal his feelings. He had to remind himself repeatedly not to let even a trace of personal emotion show in his eyes.Three year
The next day, Ryan woke up. He was still in pain, but it wasn't as unbearable as when his bone was being reset.Despite the discomfort, he forced a smile to reassure Carissa and the rest of the family. His resilience was heart-wrenching to witness.Even so, the acupuncture in his throat continued. Rowan insisted it couldn't be stopped. Since they didn't do it yesterday because of the bone-setting, it couldn't be skipped today.Especially since Ryan had cried out during the procedure, which had proven the treatment to be effective. So, both Sebastian and Rowan believed that the poison in Ryan's body was being expelled faster than expected.Additionally, the withdrawal symptoms from the Peony Bliss had not resurfaced, which greatly surprised Sebastian. He knew that even for adults who committed to quitting, the process could take over six months. Yet, here was a seven-year-old child with such an indomitable will.In a private conversation with Rowan, Sebastian said, "The Duke of
Carissa nodded thoughtfully, then asked, "So, may I ask, in which aspect of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, or trustworthiness does society find him lacking?""It's because your second marriage has harmed him," Samuel replied."My second marriage has nothing to do with him. My remarriage is my own affair," Carissa responded.Her voice was calm and steady, showing none of the shame Samuel expected. "Let me ask you this: does the law forbid a second marriage after a divorce, or is it merely a social custom? Are there not others in society who have remarried? Does benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, or trustworthiness dictate that a woman cannot marry again? And another question: if a woman is abandoned, must she then retreat to a life of solitude, living out her days in misery to satisfy society's expectations?"Samuel sneered, "You twist words to make them pleasing, but true virtue is rare!"Unable to counter Carissa's reasoning, he chose to dismiss her
However, Carissa suddenly recalled that the Prince family had indeed come to propose marriage. It was Oliver's younger cousin, but Melanie hadn't been impressed.Forget the past. It was better to move on. She and Rafael were set to marry in two months. What had happened in the past was as if it had died yesterday, and what lay ahead was as if it was born today.They would bid farewell to the past, and look forward to a new beginning.The weather was getting colder, and the orchids in the courtyard had begun to bud. It was expected that they would bloom in a few days, but this year, they bloomed early. Frederick said it was an auspicious sign.Ryan could now get out of bed, but he could only walk a few steps before needing to return and lie down again.The Duke of Northwatch's household was also busily preparing for the wedding. The bridal gown had been in production since the engagement day, entrusted to the embroiderers of Enchanted Boutique. In the capital, many prominen
However, two days later, an invitation arrived. The Earl of Silverstone family's matriarch, Evelyn Turner, was coming to visit the next day with Viola.When Lily reported this, she said, "Perhaps we should just avoid seeing them. We don't know what they want. If they're here to inquire about the Warren family, they should have done so long ago, not after the wedding has been arranged and the bridal gown is already in preparation."Carissa agreed that it might be best not to meet them, and asked, "How was the invitation worded?"Lily replied, "It says they’re coming to congratulate us on our young lord's return, but that's just an excuse. Lord Ryan has been back for a while now. Why didn't they visit sooner?"Carissa thought for a while, and said, "You should respond by saying that Ryan is still recovering from his injuries, and is not in a condition to receive guests. Once he has fully recovered, I will take him to visit them."Lily nodded in agreement, and went to deliver the mes
In the evening, Rafael came to visit Ryan. His words of comfort were more effective than those of Rowan or Carissa.Rafael's reassurance was simple and direct: "A true man must learn the way of patience and endurance."Upon hearing this, Ryan immediately felt at ease, accepting the treatment calmly and obediently.Rafael spent half an hour with him, practicing writing. Ryan's handwriting had improved significantly. The flexibility of his fingers had increased, and his progress was gratifying.Clearly, Ryan was quite talkative. While Rafael accompanied him, he asked numerous questions, all trivial and conversational in nature.Rafael patiently answered every question, no matter how inconsequential.After a while, Carissa instructed the staff to prepare dinner and invited Rafael to stay for the evening meal.Rafael now occasionally dined at Northwatch Estate. Lily had figured out his food preferences—he wasn't particularly fond of sweets but could tolerate them, and he wasn't keen
Salvador's desire to settle the score on Carissa's behalf by arranging for Barrett to marry a woman who had been divorced after just a year seemed rather pointed. Ironically, Carissa had also been married to Barrett for only a year before their separation.It was possible Viola might not agree to this match. But since it was the king's edict, it left her with little choice.The visit from Evelyn and Viola might have been an attempt to gauge what kind of person Barrett was. Salvador's actions made Carissa feel that she might be dragging Viola into this situation. This wasn't settling a score for Carissa, but creating an enemy for her.It seemed necessary for Carissa to meet Viola, at least to clear the air and prevent any hostility towards the Duke of Northwatch's family. It didn't matter much for Carissa's own sake, but she wanted to avoid creating lingering resentment toward the Duke of Northwatch's household, as Ryan would eventually take charge of it.Rafael noticed the conc