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
Back to me—Violet—again, and I had to complain a little.About my husband, Isaac Prince, of course.Heavens help me, but that man truly had a talent for being infuriating!Before our marriage, we had come to an agreement. In the future, whatever I chose to do, he would not interfere, would not advise, and most certainly would not involve himself.Well, it had only been a year since our wedding, and that agreement had already gone out the window. Now, he insisted on doing everything with me.But could he even be part of the work I did? Of course not.The Pathfinders Guild had strict rules, and there was even a rather fearsome man—Sage Everett—keeping watch. If they ever discovered I had taken Isaac with me to personally punish people in my own way... Wouldn't they grind my bones to dust?Yet, Isaac claimed he was a man of the martial arts world, and that in such a world, one settled debts of gratitude and grudges alike. And yes, that included other people's grudges too. He argued
At times, I taught my students to face life with courage and own up to their mistakes. Yet, I had not done so myself.All these years, I had hardly seen Thomas. If there was an event where he might be present, I would quietly avoid it.Back when I was still stubborn, Zoey had scolded me, saying I owed Thomas an apology. At the time, I didn't quite agree. In fact, I felt rather aggrieved.But thinking back now—what was I so aggrieved about? Who truly owed me anything? Had the heavens not already treated me kindly enough? Everything I lost, I brought upon myself.More than once, I had unfolded a sheet of parchment, intending to write him a sincere apology from the heart. Yet, each time I put a quill to paper, the ink would fall, but not a single word would follow.I feared the letter would seem sudden and out of place, that it might stir suspicion in his wife's heart, or in Barrett's. Even though Barrett and I were husband and wife in name only, I still didn't wish to disturb the pe
It had been a month since I arrived at Victory Pass, and I began to wonder what I ought to do with myself.Though I was Barrett's wife in name, in truth, we had very little to do with each other. He spent most of his time at the camp, only returning now and then. As such, I had plenty of time on my hands and thought I might start a little trade.Victory Pass was not quite as I had imagined. I thought a border town like this would surely be cold and short on supplies. But to my surprise, one could buy almost anything here—save for things like the finest jewels and luxurious brocade.That was not to say they couldn't be found at all. When merchant caravans brought such treasures, they were quickly stored away and sent on to Orivenia, where they would be sold to nobles and the wealthy.The common folk in Victory Pass bought ornaments for their prettiness rather than their worth, and no one really cared whether they were costly or not.I had been thinking about what sort of business I
I heard Franklin endured quite a few rejections from Isaac. In the end, Franklin had no choice but to release Merrick and send him to plead on their behalf—only then was Gabriel rescued.With the matter settled, they were deeply grateful to Isaac, though they all knew it had been a calculated move. What else could they do? After all, their son had behaved badly and been caught in the act.When Merrick learned of his mother's mistreatment of Courtney, he kept quiet for a time. However, once they were married, he made it clear that he wished to live separately. He didn't want to cause a rift in the family, but in Starhaven's official evaluations, being dutiful towards family mattered more than talent. A single accusation of being disloyal could end a person's career.Merrick's reason for wanting to live separately was perfectly reasonable—he said he needed peace and quiet to prepare for his upcoming exams. His family was too large, so the distractions would make it difficult to focus.
I finally understood Cari's plan.Maya had made a scene at the Prince family's residence, and would naturally have to go there and apologize. But the real plan was to use the scandal around Gabriel's disgrace to put pressure on the Saunders family. From now on, even if Courtney married into their family, they would be too scared to mistreat her.With both leverage and a secret weapon in hand, it was a solid move.But for me, today was about getting some justice, especially with Maya. I wasn't going to leave without making my point.Once Michael and the others left, I turned to Maya. "I heard you say that your family is one of high standing and noble reputation. Truly, that's a laugh. What kind of noble family would kidnap a woman and make a scene by beating up someone at another person's residence?"I was ready to tear your whole house apart and expose your hypocrisy to the city today, but you're lucky. Since Merrick genuinely cares for Courtney, I don't want to make things too ug
The reactions of the Saunders family were telling. They stood frozen, as if they couldn't believe what they were hearing. It was clear that no one in the capital had warned them, and they hadn't heard anything about it.Seizing the opportunity, I spoke again, my voice icy, "Who doesn't know that my husband, the third son of the Prince family, dotes on Courtney more than anyone? She's been wronged so severely, and he's beside himself with worry."I had to talk him out of rushing to the grand queen dowager to complain about this. But since I'm here, whoever it was that raised their hand against Courtney should step forward and accept the consequences."Isaac, while holding many positions in the capital, was most known as my husband, an apprentice of the Pathfinders Guild, the armory's overseer in the Ministry of Defense, and the owner of several enterprises in the capital. His connection to the Prince family was downplayed, but it still proved useful in situations like this.Among hi
Let me tell you about the day the Saunders family crossed a line even I, Violet Spencer, couldn't ignore.It was beyond outrageous!The Saunders family held nothing more than a minor earl's title, yet Maya dared act so arrogantly! In all my years alive, I had encountered plenty of ill-mannered women, but never had I encountered one among the powerful and influential.When I heard that they had dragged Courtney out and slapped her, calling her shameless for having feelings for a young man, I wanted to storm into Averton Estate, break down their door, and give them a taste of their own medicine.Cari was angry too, but she reminded me that we couldn't just go rushing in without thinking. The most important thing was to check on Courtney and Viola—who knew if they might do something rash?I had to admit, Cari had been in court long enough to know how to handle these things. She could stay calm when it mattered most.I rushed straight to the Prince family's residence. As I feared, I
When did I truly realize how wrong I was?It wasn't when Thomas returned, nor was it after my divorce from Barrett, nor even when the Prince family fell into misfortune.No, it was when talks were going on to arrange the marriage of my niece, Courtney.During the Prince family's fall from grace, I was imprisoned and narrowly escaped death. As I reflected on the past, I knew I had made mistakes and was willing to change. But I wasn't fully aware of just how deep my mistakes went.At the time, I thought it was all my own problem. No matter how much I suffered, it was my burden alone. No one else had the right to speak on it.I knew that my sister-in-law, Zoey, had suffered because of my stubbornness. She had worked tirelessly, running here and there, trying to help me, and perhaps I had grown accustomed to her always doing that for me. Because of that, I felt both gratitude and respect for her.Still, I wasn't ready to face the full weight of my past. I didn't want to dwell on it—i
Carissa stopped and turned back to me. "Her family treats her well. It's just that things didn't go smoothly when they were arranging for her niece's marriage. Thankfully, that niece is now married to a good man."I think Viola worries that, being unmarried at her age—twice wed, no less—she might invite gossip. She doesn't want to burden her nephews and nieces or trouble her sister-in-law."I nodded, thinking of Zoey—the fierce woman who was also kind-hearted. She had one son and one daughter, as well as more children from her late husband's concubines. She had likely faced many challenges while arranging marriages for all her children. I imagined the amount of gossip and judgment she must have endured.I truly cared for Zoey like a sister-in-law, and I felt for all she had gone through."Think it over," Carissa said.I nodded, then glanced outside, where there wasn't a soul in sight.I couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you afraid that Prince Rafael might grow jealous, you being her