Carissa accompanied her relatives and friends to watch the theater troupe. Ryan wanted to go, too. Back when he was a beggar, he used to sneak into the theater to beg for food. Sometimes, he would get so engrossed in the performance that he would be caught and beaten before being thrown out.This time, he was able to sit in a proper seat, without any fear of being chased away. His difficult past made him cherish everything he had now.As the music and drums of the performance began, the festive atmosphere grew, and Carissa could feel the joy of the celebration. Her mood lightened a little.After all, one had to move forward in life step by step, no matter what. At least she still had Ryan by her side.Carissa glanced at the program. She'd never been particularly interested in theater performances, so she didn't know much about it. She decided to let Solomon's wife, Emily, choose the performance instead. They enjoyed theater performances, and knew which performances were best su
Jacob's face remained expressionless as he issued an order to the guards. "Escort His Highness back to entertain the guests. He is not to leave the estate until tomorrow evening, when the wedding procession begins. If he leaves before then, all the guards will have their salaries docked for three months."With Jacob's command, the guards all turned their hawk-like eyes to Rafael, forcing him to step back. Slowly, Rafael retreated, getting increasingly further from the entrance.Rafael rolled his eyes. "What are you all trying to do? I just had a bit too much to drink while entertaining the guests. I wanted to go out and get some fresh air to sober up."Jacob gave another order. "Bring a bucket of hangover remedy for the prince!"A whole bucket…?!Rafael glared at Jacob furiously, but Jacob remained unmoved, his heart as hard as a stone. Even if Rafael looked at him like he wanted to gouge his eyes out, it didn't faze Jacob.Luke, who had been running around non-stop, came joggi
Thinking about all of this, Helen felt a mix of emotions.When Rafael was on the battlefield before this, he would refuse any mention of marriage. The resoluteness he expressed in his letters had led her to believe that this son of hers was prepared to remain a bachelor for life. Yet, as soon as he returned victorious, he announced he wanted to marry Carissa.Granted, Carissa was a divorcee, but at least it meant he was willing to take a wife. Besides, after investigating, they found out that Barrett had never touched her. She was still a virgin, so it was acceptable, if only barely.Accompanied by Gillian, Helen entered the newlywed suite on the eastern side of the building. White wedding banners adorned every wall, and new furniture was draped in white silk, tied with intricate decorative knots. The intricate knots were a traditional wedding touch, and they were called Eternal Knots, which represent eternal love and harmonious union.Nearly every new item had a white ribbon on
Helen thought it over, and realized that it made sense. Even though Rafael was on the battlefield at the time, if he had truly wanted to stop the marriage, it shouldn't have been too difficult, right?But she failed to consider the vast distances involved. Even if Carissa had married and had children, Rafael might not have known about it. She also didn't realize the dangers he faced on the battlefield, where he was focused on winning the war. He had assumed Melanie would keep her promise, so he didn't worry about it and only wanted to secure victory and return to the capital as quickly as possible.Unaware of these details, Helen simply felt that having Carissa as her daughter-in-law was a blemish on her otherwise perfect life. Her emotions were conflicted. She was happy that her son was getting married, but unhappy that he was marrying Carissa.-Meanwhile, preparations were also underway at Valor Estate and Silverstone Estate for tomorrow's grand event.This would be Barrett's
Aurora seemed to know the answer in her heart, but she remained unsettled and unwilling to accept it. "When you loved me, was it just a momentary infatuation?" she asked. Barrett remained unable to answer. He didn't know.His feelings for Aurora were genuine at the time, but whether they were merely a passing fancy, he couldn't clearly say.Because after marrying Aurora and divorcing Carissa, he felt a pang of regret. He remembered telling Solomon that he hoped Carissa wouldn't regret her decision, but in truth, he knew that he himself had begun to regret it.Didn't he love Aurora then? He certainly did. But couldn't a man's heart hold space for two women?How many men take multiple wives and concubines? Carissa couldn't accept it, and perhaps he was angered by his own broken promises. In any case, with Melanie now dead, he no longer needed to answer to the Duke of Northwatch's family for his promises.Maybe he had thought he had Carissa under control. After all, she was an
Silverstone Estate was bustling with activity. Thanks to Oliver's commanding position in the Hell Monarch Army, the estate was alive with excitement. Although the wedding was scheduled for the following day, the festivities had already begun with a grand banquet today.When Viola received the divorce letter and left the Farrell family, they felt a sense of obligation toward their daughter-in-law. In addition to returning the dowry, they provided her with a substantial amount of silver coins. They even gave her Thomas's military pension, and purchased land for her.Being from a military background, the Farrell family felt that Viola shouldn't spend her life in hardship. At that time, Viola had insisted she would never remarry. The Farrells worried that without money or land, her life could be very difficult. Hence, they gave her a considerable amount. The wedding gown from Enchanted Boutique, which usually required a six-month advance booking, was secured for her with additional sil
On the twenty-fourth day of December, a snowstorm had swept through the morning. The sky was overcast, and the biting wind cut through like a blade.Lily gazed at the gloomy sky, and prayed, "Today, our mistress is getting married. Heaven has already been unkind to the Sinclair family and to our mistress. Could you please grant us a clear day? I will pray diligently to the Lord every day."Early this morning, Carissa was awakened and taken by the staff from Elegance Atelier. They were there to cleanse her face, ensuring it was properly cared for so that her makeup would look its best.The staff applied some sort of paste to her face, instructing her to lie still and not speak. Feeling overwhelmed and having barely slept the night before, Carissa soon fell into a deep sleep while lying down on a chaise lounge.It was only last night that she had fully resigned herself to the fact that her master, Violet, and the others wouldn't be coming. Although she understood it was her own doing
Before long, Ryan returned in his new clothes.Over the past few months, he had grown taller. The outfit, which had been custom-made, fit him perfectly. The white silk satin was embroidered with rabbits, and the outfit featured a small cape made of leather with a black exterior and blue lining. The hood of the cape, when draped over his back, gave him the appearance of a young hero. His hair was tied up with a blue silk ribbon, making him look both adorable and festive."Let me see," Carissa said, holding his hand and inspecting him from top to bottom. His freshly powdered face was still flushed and warm, but he wore a beaming smile. "Gosh! Is this our boy, Ryan? I almost didn't recognize you. You look truly wonderful."Ryan blushed slightly. "Those are just things to say to little kids, Aunt Carissa. I'm not a little kid anymore.""Of course you are," Carissa said with affection. "In my eyes, you will always be a little kid." She hugged him, feeling the warmth of family.Sally