Yuvan had returned to the capital with his entire family, and they were now settled in. After greeting the queen dowager and the king, Yuvan brought Fiona and his new princess consort, Molly Spencer, to Hell Monarch Estate.Rafael was on leave that day, and happened to be home. Seeing Yuvan arrive unannounced again stirred some frustration in him.Yuvan was Rafael's uncle. As such, there was no excuse not to meet with him, especially when he came with his whole family. However, it would've been more appropriate for Rafael to bring Carissa to Horizon Estate to pay a visit—that would've followed the proper etiquette. Now, his uncle had taken the initiative to come by. It made Rafael look as though he was arrogant and dismissive, like he had completely disregarded his place in the family hierarchy.Left with no choice, Rafael asked his mother to join them. It could still be somewhat appropriate to say that Yuvan and his family had come to visit Helen.The two men, uncle and nephew,
Rafael and Carissa both stood up and rushed outside, only to find Viola with her hair in disarray, gripping a dagger tightly against her own neck. She pressed it down hard enough that blood was already seeping from the cut.Her maid trailed behind her, pale as a ghost. Poppy had tried to stop Viola, but it had been in vain. Viola had insisted on going to Hell Monarch Estate, even stopping along the way to buy the dagger.When Viola spotted Carissa, her eyes were bloodshot with rage. "Carissa, what grudge do we have? Why are you trying to ruin me like this?" Viola screamed.Carissa remained calm and instructed Luke, "Send someone to Silverstone Estate and Valor Estate. Have them come take Mrs. Warren home."Luke nodded, and hurried off.Carissa turned to Rafael. "You should go back inside. I'll handle this."Rafael glanced at Viola, and saw how unstable she looked with the dagger still in hand. "Be careful not to hurt yourself by accident," he warned before heading back. As
In the side hall, the two women sat facing each other.Carissa eyed the dagger still pressed against Viola's neck, and frowned. "Are you really going to keep holding that dagger to your throat? If you truly want to die, go throw yourself against the gates of Hell Monarch Estate. All this drama just makes you look ridiculous."Viola wiped her tears with the back of her hand, her face pale and stubborn. "Carissa, destroying someone's marriage is a sin! You're truly vicious."Carissa sat up straight, her posture as rigid as ever. "When did I destroy your marriage? Whatever happens between you and Barrett is your business, not mine. You've always had a poor sense of right and wrong. When Valor Estate was attacked, I was the one who saved you all."Viola's voice turned cold. "That's beside the point! You didn't save us for my sake. I don't owe you any gratitude."Carissa laughed incredulously. "I don't need your gratitude. Just tell me—what have I done to ruin your marriage?"Viola
At Grace Mansion, the lanterns in the corridors cast intricate shadows on the window frames, resembling beasts looming on the walls.Carissa Sinclair sat on a chair with her hands folded in her lap, her slender body hidden beneath plain clothes. She looked at the man before her—her husband whom she had spent a year waiting for.Barrett Warren was still wearing his slightly-worn battle armor. Standing under the dim light, he looked commanding and handsome. His face showed a mix of determination and a touch of regret."Carissa, the king has issued a royal edict for this marriage. Aurora will be joining our household. There's no question about it," said Barrett.Carissa's eyes clouded with confusion. "The queen dowager has said that General Yates is a model for all women in the kingdom. Would she be willing to be a concubine?"Barrett's eyes flashed with a hint of annoyance. "No, she won’t be a concubine. She’ll be my legal wife and equal to you.""Calling her that doesn't change an
Barrett sighed in frustration. “Why put yourself through this? There was a royal edict for this marriage. Even when Aurora moves in, you’ll be in separate wings. She won’t compete with you for control of the household. She doesn’t care about those things.”“Do you really think I’m attached to managing this household?” Carissa countered.Running this mansion was no easy task. Just the monthly medicine for Barrett’s mother cost dozens of silver coins. Then, there was food, clothing, and social obligations—all these things required money.This household was practically a hollow shell. Over the past year, Carissa had used much of her dowry to keep things running.And this was her reward.“Enough, I won’t argue with you. I just needed to inform you. Whether you agree or not changes nothing,” said Barrett, his patience wearing thin.As Carissa watched him leave in a huff, she felt even more bitter.“My lady, my lord was too much!” said Lulu, Carissa’s maid, wiping her tears away.“Do
Lulu brought over the dowry list and explained, "This year alone, you've spent over six thousand silver coins to support the household. However, the shops, houses, and estates remain untouched. All the bank savings, along with the property deeds and land titles your mother left, are locked up in the chest."Carissa glanced at the list. "Alright."Just looking at the list put her in a melancholy mood. Her mother had given her such a substantial dowry, fearing she would suffer hardships in her husband's home."My lady, where can we go? Are we returning to Northwatch Estate? Or should we go back to Meadow Ridge?" Lulu asked, looking distressed.Images of the bloodstained estate and the tragic deaths of her family members flashed through Carissa’s mind, causing a sudden pang of pain in her heart."Anywhere is better than staying here.""If you leave, you’ll be giving them exactly what they want.""So be it. If I stay, I’ll spend my whole life suffering as I watch those two be affect
Rebecca forced a smile. "How can I decide that after meeting her only once? But since the king has arranged the marriage, it’s a done deal. In the future, she and Barrett will earn military merits together, while you manage the household and enjoy the benefits of their hard work. Isn’t that nice?""Yes, I'm sure," Carissa replied with a smile. "But it’s quite unfair to make General Yates a concubine."Rebecca laughed. "You silly child, how could she be a concubine? The king’s edict makes her Barrett's legal wife. Also, she’s a military officer who holds an official rank. Officials can’t be concubines. She'll be a legal wife like you. There won't be any distinction between ranks for the two of you.""No distinction? Is there such a custom in our kingdom?" Carissa asked.Rebecca’s expression grew a bit colder. "Carissa, you’ve always been sensible. Now that you’ve married into our family, you should prioritize us. According to the Defense Minister, Aurora’s contributions in this batt
The Warren family members exchanged puzzled glances. None expected the usually agreeable Carissa to stand her ground so firmly this time.She even defied Rebecca, the matriarch of the family!“She’ll come around. She doesn’t have any other choice,” Rebecca said coldly.That was true.With Carissa's family gone, she had no one to rely on except the Warren family. Besides, she was still Barrett's rightful wife, and it wasn’t like she had been mistreated.-Early the next morning, Carissa and Lulu returned to Northwatch Estate.The estate was bleak and covered in fallen leaves. After just half a year of neglect, the courtyard was overgrown with weeds that were taller than a person. Stepping back into the estate, Carissa’s heart ached fiercely.Six months ago, she had collapsed upon hearing that her family had been massacred. She had wept when she saw the lifeless bodies of her grandmother and mother—their corpses cold and devoid of warmth. Every corner of the estate had been stain