Chapter 31
“Alright!” Theodore replied as he wiped tears from his eyes.
Though he couldn’t see the young girl before him clearly, he could feel her spirited determination and was deeply relieved.
“Let’s not linger here any longer. You might pick up some bad luck. I’m leaving now; you should also depart soon,” Theodore added.
“I will, Granduncle Theodore,” Carissa replied respectfully.
Standing up, she walked her great–granduncle and Solomon out of the manor.
Beatrice also decided to leave. Initially, she had planned to speak with Carissa. But since the older woman had stayed silent while the Warren family gave Carissa a hard time, Beatrice didn’t have the nerve to say anything now. So, she would act like she hadn’t come today.
The Warren family remained rooted in place, seemingly unable to accept this outcome.
Carissa was suddenly the legitimate daughter of a duke, and her husband could even inherit the title. This was unprecedented. How was it possible for someone with a different surname to inherit the title?
But the king’s edict was clear–it was permissible.
If Barrett hadn’t divorced Carissa, he could have inherited the title. This unexpected wealth and glory had slipped through their fingers.
After everything they had done, the Warren family had gained nothing. They hadn’t even secured a penny of Carissa’s dowry.
While they were frozen in place, Carissa returned to her room.
Lily, Holly, and the other maids had packed everything neatly. Lulu was also with them. Carissa hadn’t. allowed them to accompany her earlier, instead instructing them to stay behind to pack.
“The dowry items include many tables and cabinets that we can’t move right now. We’ll send someone to take them away tomorrow,” Holly said.
“That’s right. Even if it’s a spittoon, we must take it with us. Don’t leave anything for them!” Lily said vehemently.
Carissa nodded. “Let’s go back to Northwatch Estate!”
Her dowry had included two carriages. After loading everything onto them, a servant hired two more carriages. They departed from Valor Estate in a grand procession.
Everyone from the Warren family hid in the main hall, none of them daring to come out to try and stop Carissa from leaving.
The king had issued a divorce edict, severing the connection between Carrisa and the Warren family. Moreover, she was now a duke’s daughter and had the queen dowager’s support. The Warren family couldn’t afford to offend her.
After a while, Jonathan quietly said, “Actually, this was a very good match. Carissa would have been a great daughter–in–law. It’s just that our family wasn’t lucky enough to have such a match come to fruition.
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“Barrett, what do you see in Aurora? How is she better than Carissa?” Amelia asked, looking at her brother-
in–law.
Barrett opened his mouth, but then remembered the letter he received from Aurora before he divorced Carissa. He couldn’t find a single word to say. Instead, he recalled Carissa’s indifferent remark about how he wasn’t as honorable as he claimed to be.
Amelia sighed. “Even after Aurora joins our family, I’m afraid we still won’t be able to call Sebastian over to treat Mom. Also, I doubt Aurora will care for Mom like Carissa did. She used to sleep in the same room as Mom because she was afraid Mom might fall ill at night.”
“Was she really so attentive?” asked Barrett, unwilling to admit his disappointment. “Maybe she was just pretending.”
“If she was pretending, she did a good job of it. I hope Aurora can learn a thing or two from Carissa,” Amelia said with some annoyance.
She was irritated because she didn’t think Aurora would take care of Rebecca. That meant it would fall to Amelia to care for the older woman.
“No, Aurora will also care for Mom after she marries into our family,” Barrett declared firmly.
“We’ll see,” Amelia replied.
A displeased Serena remarked, “Amelia, why are you saying these things now? If you like Carissa so much, why don’t you leave with her?”
Amelia glanced lightly at her younger sister–in–law and said, “Carissa treated me well. Many of my clothes and jewelry were gifts from her. Is there anything wrong with me speaking up for her? Unlike some people who take so much from others and then badmouth them.”
Having said that, she ignored Serena’s dark expression and walked away.
Amelia was upset. She was now in charge of a household that had no money or goods to their name. Despite that, they would still have to spend a lot of money on Rebecca’s medicine, as well as sell the remaining shops they owned to afford the engagement gifts for Aurora.
The Warren family was truly as poor as could be.
Chapter 32
In the evening, Aurora had someone tell Barrett to meet her by the lake. As they walked, Barrett remained
silent.
Aurora was still unaware of the situation. She had expected him to explain the divorce voluntarily when they met up. But to her surprise, he didn’t say a single word. Also, there were scratches on his face, as if a
cat had clawed him.
you take half
After walking for a while, she stopped and couldn’t help but ask, “Did you divorce her? Did you her dowry?”
As the dusk gently illuminated Aurora’s somewhat tanned face, Barrett suddenly thought of Carissa’s bright and beautiful face. His heart twinged with pain.
Seeing how Barrett remained silent with a pained look, Aurora couldn’t help but get angry.
“You didn’t deduct it? Didn’t I ask someone to send you a letter, telling you to deduct half of her dowry? The Warren family has minimal funds left. If you didn’t keep some of her dowry, how are we supposed to
live in the future?”
Barrett looked at her and replied, “But that was her dowry. It didn’t belong to me, and it wasn’t something i earned. Aurora, are you marrying me just to avoid the hardships of life?”
“That’s not what I meant.” Aurora turned away, not wanting him to see the calculating glint in her eyes. “I was only hoping that we could focus on making military achievements together rather than worrying
about money.”
“If we live frugally, we’ll get by. It’s not like my family is destitute,” Barrett said.
Aurora turned back to him and asked, “So, you really didn’t deduct it? She took all of her dowry?”
Seeing the disappointment and anger in Aurora’s eyes, Barrett suddenly felt a chill in his heart, as well as a sense of bleakness.
“When it came time to sign the divorce papers, a royal edict arrived. It turns out Carissa had already gone to the palace earlier to seek an edict for divorce. From the beginning, she planned to get a divorce and had no intention of sharing her position as my wife with you,” Barrett explained.
“What?”
“She said it wasn’t something worth doing.”
Aurora scoffed. “Not worth doing? Did she really say that? I didn’t even mind it, but she actually said it wasn’t worth sharing the position with me? Hah! That’s utterly ridiculous. Who does she think she is?”
Barrett flatly added, “Today, His Majesty’s edict posthumously elevated the Marquis of Northwatch to the Duke of Northwatch, and the title is hereditary for three generations. She is now the daughter of a duke. Her future husband can inherit the title, or she can adopt and nurture an heir from a collateral branch of the Sinclair family to inherit the title.”
Aurora was dumbfounded. “What? How could His Majesty issue such an edict? Her future husband can inherit the title? How is that possible? Doesn’t this mean…”
Didn’t that mean Carissa was now highly desirable?
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Initially, it didn’t matter whether Barrett unilaterally divorced Carissa or if they mutually agreed to a divorce. Either way, Carissa would still have been an abandoned woman. Even if someone did want to marry her in the future, it wouldn’t be anyone from a respectable family.
But now, things were different. The king had given Carissa a great way out.
Marrying her meant inheriting the title of a duke and everything that came with it, so it was likely that noble families in the capital would flock to her.
But why? Something like this had never happened before. Why would the king set such a precedent for
her?
“Aurora, she knows how to fight!” Barrett exclaimed.
As he looked at the leaves falling by the lake, he remembered how Carissa had used leaves to harm him. He probably wouldn’t be able to achieve that level of skill in his lifetime.
“Fight? As in the kind of sword dance that women do? Why does that matter?” Aurora sneered.
Barrett continued dully, “She might know sword–dancing too, but I’m talking about her combat skills. When I fought her today, she used leaves to injure my face.”
Aurora shook her head in disbelief. “I don’t believe it. How is that possible? You exaggerated by saying she knows how to fight, and now you’re saying she can pick up leaves and use them to hurt people? Impossible. I’ve never heard of anyone who can do that.”
“She didn’t pick up the leaves. She propelled them with her inner force. There was no need to pick them, up,” Barrett explained.
Aurora looked at him skeptically. “Are you lying to me? I don’t believe it. You’re exaggerating too much
D
Chapter 33
Barrett fell silent. He had suffered a thorough defeat in today’s battle against Carissa, and it was embarrassing to talk about it.
“Is it really true?” Aurora pressed.
Barrett sighed. “Forget it, let’s not talk about this.”
Pouting. Aurora punched him playfully. “I knew you were lying to me. Anyway, it doesn’t matter how she left. As long as everything’s settled, it’s fine.
“Since she said it’s not worth sharing the position of your wife with me, I actually feel the same. The cunning methods she learned while managing the household affairs are beyond my ability to match.
That’s also where her real talent lies.”
She tilted her head and faced Barett. “I can’t learn her skills, but if you want me to sweet–talk you like her, I can manage that.”
Aurora held her hands to her chest, smiled gently, and called in a cute voice, “Honey!”
She shivered dramatically. “Oh my god, that was so disgusting! How does she act like that?”
Barrett shivered too. Aurora’s deliberate act had reminded him that Carissa never did such things. She spoke softly, but her tone was neither humble nor overbearing. Her attitude was gentle but firm, and she never spoke nonsense.
Aurora skipped away happily. Although Barrett hadn’t taken half of Carissa’s dowry, it didn’t change the fact that she was gone. Aurora would soon be Barrett’s only rightful wife, without having to share the position with another woman.
Both losses and gains were simply a part of life.
The open–minded Aurora didn’t want to be as pretentious as Carissa.
Instead of following after Aurora, Barrett sat down by the lake instead.
When the divorce edict arrived, it felt like a gust of wind had blown away the fog that clouded his confused mind.
He remembered many things–seeing Carissa for the first time, proposing marriage, and being ecstatic when she agreed to marry him after asking him a few questions. He recalled the preparations for their wedding and how reluctant he was to leave Carissa when he had to go off to war on their wedding day.
Even whilst marching to war, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about how he had lifted Carissa’s veil. The memory of her stunning beauty had shaken him to the core. He could hardly believe Carissa had agreed to marry him; that they were now husband and wife.
Later, as the war raged on and many of his friends fell in battle, Barrett no longer thought of Carissa. Instead, he focused on strategizing with Aurora and their fellow soldiers, trying to figure out how to defeat the enemy.
When he saw Aurora mount her horse with heroic grace, he realized that women could be valiant. Whilst on this battlefield of life and death, Carissa felt so far away from him.
And then a thought crossed his mind–perhaps a woman as refined and noble as Carissa wasn’t that
1/2
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great after all.
He fell in love with Aurora when she shared her thoughts. She believed women should be as strong as men, unneeding of protection because they could protect themselves. Aurora’s cheerfulness, bravery, and vigor made Barrett see Carissa as nothing more than a pretty face whose delicate life was protected by the blood and sacrifices of soldiers like them.
He seemed to forget the sacrifices of the Sinclair family’s seven heroes. Compared to them, what were his and Aurora’s accomplishments worth?
When Carissa arrived at Northwatch Estate, she noticed a new plaque bearing the estate’s name had been placed at the entrance. The royal chancellor had personally penned the words, which were then carefully carved onto the plaque by skilled craftsmen.
The main gates were wide open, letting Carissa enter the newly–renovated estate.
The main hall doors and courtyards had all been replaced, erasing any trace of blood or sword marks. Even the bloodstains on the walls, which couldn’t be washed away, were hidden behind a fresh coat of white paint.
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Chapter 34
Solomon came over to Northwatch Estate, bringing some of the younger members of the Sinclair family along with him to help Carissa unload and arrange everything. After they all hustled for a while, Solomon walked around the estate with Carissa.
Once bustling with life, the mansion now felt desolate,
“You’re the only lady of the duke’s estate now, and the servants you have are those who followed your from your natal home.
“You should find a steward to manage the household affairs and hire more servants for the rough work in the kitchen, garden, and stables, as well as to handle the carriages. If it’s inconvenient for you, I can help find some people for you,” said Solomon.
“Uncle Solomon, you’re busy with business. I wouldn’t want to trouble you. Holly and Lily will take care of it,” replied Carissa gratefully,
Solomon looked at his niece and sighed. “Family should never talk about not wanting to trouble each other. In the past, your father used to invite us to gather after returning from battles.
“Listening to his tales of danger on the battlefield both awed and scared us. But more than that, it filled us with pride. Now, there are no more warriors in the Sinclair family.”
Many descendants of the Sinclair family’s collateral branches chose to study or run businesses. It was a pity that such a distinguished family couldn’t produce more warriors.
Carissa remained silent, her eyes filled with sorrow.
“From now on, cut off all ties with the Warren family. Don’t resent or see them again. Just live your own life well,” Solomon advised.
“Don’t worry, Uncle Solomon. I understand,” Carissa said respectfully.
Observing his quiet, virtuous, and beautiful niece, Solomon added, “One day, Barrett will regret what he did.”
Carissa’s gaze turned cold and determined. “Perhaps, but I no longer care.”
The members of the Sinclair family could easily face challenges and let them go without lingering attachments.
Solomon nodded, satisfied with her unwavering determination. “Tomorrow, I’ll send someone to bring back the furniture included in your dowry. You don’t need to handle it.”
“Thank you, Uncle Solomon.”
Solomon waved goodbye as he left the estate.
After a discussion, Holly and Lily decided to contact an agent to help hire new servants, as that was a priority.
Although they only had one lady to serve, the Duke of Northwatch’s family was still of high status, Coupled with the fact that Carissa had just gotten a divorce, there was a certain standard they needed to maintain so that people would not look down on her.
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Apart from servants, they also needed to find a head steward. The servants who had accompanied Carissa to Valor Estate as part of her dowry
ere not qualified enough to fill that position…
Holly asked Carissa to make the final decision. Having managed Valor Estate for a year, Carissa understood the importance of the head steward and knew she couldn’t be hasty.
Since she couldn’t find a suitable candidate at the moment, she said, “Let’s wait for my uncle to come tomorrow and ask him to help find someone. In the meantime, you can go ahead and hire some new servants and teach them the rules.”
“Understood, my lady!” Holly nodded and left.
Back in the day, from the cleaning servants to the head maid and all the housekeepers at Northwatch Estate, everyone was well–behaved and followed the rules. The noble families in the capital all praised
them.
Unfortunately, they were all lost in that tragic massacre.
The newly hired servants needed careful education to maintain the Duke of Northwatch’s reputation. It was important to not let improper behavior tarnish the duke’s name.
Later in the evening, the agent arrived with a group of young male and female servants, ranging from twelve to twenty years old.
Carissa chose not to make the selection herself, leaving the task to Holly and Lily.
Currently, Lulu was Carissa’s only personal attendant. During the year they were at Valor Estate, three of the four servants who accompanied Carissa there as part of her dowry had been assigned tasks to manage the household. Now that they were back at Northwatch Estate, they were also in charge of some important affairs here.
So, the first task was to select more attendants for Carissa.
Noticing a few outstanding and composed people among the candidates, Holly asked for their names.
Those she pointed out stepped forward and replied, “We don’t have names yet. If you’re willing to take us in, please have the lady of the house give us names.”
Pleased to hear this, Holly then asked, “Can you read?
“We can recognize a few words here and there,” they replied in unison, indicating that the agent had taught them what to do before they arrived.
Comments
Chapter 35
Although the Duke of Northwatch’s family was known for their military background, Carissa was well- read, so she wanted her attendants to be literate as well.
“Alright, all of you can stay. Serve Lady Sinclair well. She will name you later,” said Holly.
The four were overjoyed.
“Thank you, Ms. Holly!”
“Don’t thank me yet. Serving Lady Sinclair comes with rules. If you don’t follow them well, you’ll end up as second- or third–tier maids,” Holly warned.
“We will definitely learn and follow the rules properly,” the four replied, bowing respectfully.
After Holly and Lily picked more servants to join the household, they instructed the agent to find coachmen, carpenters, stablemen, and gardeners. However, the positions of steward and accountant were too important to be left for the agent to procure.
“Rest assured, we will have some people tomorrow for your selection,” the agent promised.
After receiving his payment and handing over the contracts, the agent smiled and presented Holly and Lily with an envelope.
“Please consider using our services again in the future. If you need anything, feel free to contact us. We have expertise in various fields.”
Accepting the envelope, Holly and Lily simply nodded politely before having someone walk the agent out of the estate.
As Carissa had just returned to Northwatch Estate after getting a divorce, people were curious about her current situation. The senior servants of the household knew to remain tight–lipped to prevent these shrewd and cunning agents from making wild guesses and spreading rumors.
Since not everyone had arrived yet, Holly took the four personal attendants they hired to meet Carissa.
Carissa was now residing in Exquisite Pavilion, where she had lived before marriage. Since no one had lived there after her departure, there were no signs of refurbishment. Besides routine cleaning, no one had entered the place.
That was why Exquisite Pavilion had been empty when the massacre occurred, so there was no need to cover up blood stains with paint.
In Exquisite Pavilion, there was an armory where Carissa trained. Naturally, there was also a small study filled with books she had read. Most of them were related to military strategies and tactics.
Being married for a year had felt like a nightmare. If Carissa hadn’t gotten married, the assassins wouldn’t have been able to wipe out her entire family, as she could have fought them off with her martial arts skills.
Now, the Sinclair family had both war heroes and restless spirits.
Carissa stood in the armory, gazing at the weapons she had trained with–spears, swords, daggers, whips, and halberds. As the best apprentice of her guild, she had trained hard with the hope that one day, she would fight on the battlefield like her father and brothers.
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Unfortunately, her father and brothers had died in the battle on the Southern Frontier. Her mother had cried until she was almost blind, and only had one request for Carissa–to give up thoughts of war and weapons, and instead focus on settling down and starting a family to have a peaceful life..
Though Carissa had always been rebellious since childhood, opposing her parents on everything, this time, she had been obedient.
Studying under her mother and sister-in–law’s tutelage, she learned how to manage a household and handle estate affairs. She excelled in her studies and quickly grasped all that she was taught. Her mother had once said that her daughter might not become the best female general, but could certainly become the best lady of the house.
Yet, her mother had been wrong, and so had Carissa.
She should have rebelled and not followed her mother’s wishes. Then, her family wouldn’t have been wiped out.
The extermination of her entire family was something Carissa couldn’t comprehend. Why had the spies from the Westhaven done that?
The investigation by local authorities revealed that it was because Hector had achieved a great victory in the battle against Westhaven. He had defeated their forces of one hundred thousand with just ten thousand soldiers–humiliating the people of Westhaven.
When they returned to seek revenge, Barrett had fought back against them alongside Dominic, Carissa’s maternal grandfather. Once those soldiers were defeated, all the Westhaven spies in the capital were ordered to kill everyone in Northwatch Estate.
The investigation seemed logical on the surface, but fell apart upon closer examination.
Getting spies to infiltrate the capital was no easy task. It might have taken generations to cultivate such agents. They had no reason to go to such lengths to kill elderly people, women, and children just to vent
* their anger.
It wasn’t worth the effort. The king of Westhaven wouldn’t have issued such an order.
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D
Chapter 36
But this matter was impossible to investigate now. The spies were either dead or had disappeared back to Westhaven, where they couldn’t be found
Carissa couldn’t help but feel bitterness and pain as she thought of her father and brothers again.
They had once reclaimed the Southern Frontier, only to lose it again and die tragically on the battlefield. If the Hell Monarch could win the ongoing war and reclaim the Southern Frontier, it would fulfill the wishes of her father and brothers.
On her first night back home, Carissa didn’t sleep well Her dreams were filled with scenes of her mother, sister–in–law, nephews, and nieces being killed. After jolting awake in the middle of the night, she couldn’t fall back asleep. She spent the rest of the night lying in bed staring wide-eyed at the canopy, her mind racing,
From the wounds on her family members‘ bodies, Carissa could see how ruthless the assailants had been. It was clear that they had been venting their anger
Losing a battle shouldn’t have caused Westhaven to resort to such methods, especially since it wasn’t their first defeat. Previously, Carissa’s father and brothers had won a battle against the enemy kingdom, killing thirty thousand soldiers in the process. Yet, Westhaven’s spies hadn’t taken any action then
Why had that specific battle led to such a massive retaliation, to the point that they even revealed their identities to vent their anger by killing women and children?
Canssa tossed and turned, unable to sleep until dawn.
When Lulu came in to attend to her, she saw Carissa’s haggard face. Assuming her mistress was sad because of Barrett’s heartlessness, Lulu didn’t dare ask her about it, simply choosing to silently wipe away
her tears in secret.
The next day, Solomon took some of the younger members of the Sinclair family along with him to help retrieve the remaining items from Carrisa’s dowry from the Warren family. They took everything on the gift list–from sandalwood tables and chairs, to furniture and embroidered partition screens.
Every single thing. They didn’t want to leave anything for the Warren family
Rebecca cried and cursed Carissa for being disrespectful, selfish, jealous, and narrow–minded.
Hearing those words, Solomon exploded in anger, shouting fiercely, “How has my niece treated you since she married into your family? Ask around the neighborhood if anyone has anything bad to say about her! “Vet, you accuse her of being jealous and selfish? Why don’t you ask your son what shameful things he’s done? On their wedding day, he went off to battle and came back trying to use his war merits to marry
another woman.
“He even invited the elders of the two families and a matchmaker to dissolve the manage, hoping to keep her dowry. Is your family not guilty of such shameless acts? How dare you cry and shout here? Aren’t you afraid of the neighbors hearing and the whole city criticizing you for your shameless behavior? The Sinclair family earned everything on the dowry list with their war merits, and gave it all away, as well as gave their lives, to ensure Cari would be safe for the rest of her life!
“It’s only been a short time since they passed away, and you already wanted to take advantage of her and
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Chapter 36
But this matter was impossible to investigate now. The spies were either dead or had disappeared back to Westhaven, where they couldn’t be found.
Carissa couldn’t help but feel bitterness and pain as she thought of her father and brothers again.
They had once reclaimed the Southern Frontier, only to lose it again and die tragically on the battlefield. If the Hell Monarch could win the ongoing war and reclaim the Southern Frontier, it would fulfill the wishes of her father and brothers.
On her first night back home, Carissa didn’t sleep well. Her dreams were filled with scenes of her mother, sister–in–law, nephews, and nieces being killed. After jolting awake in the middle of the night, she couldn’t fall back asleep. She spent the rest of the night lying in bed staring wide–eyed at the canopy, her mind racing,
From the wounds on her family members‘ bodies, Carissa could see how ruthless the assailants had been. It was clear that they had been venting their anger.
Losing a battle shouldn’t have caused Westhaven to resort to such methods, especially since it wasn’t their first defeat. Previously, Carissa’s father and brothers had won a battle against the enemy kingdom, killing thirty thousand soldiers in the process. Yet, Westhaven’s spies hadn’t taken any action then.
Why had that specific battle led to such a massive retaliation, to the point that they even revealed their identities to vent their anger by killing women and children?
Carissa tossed and turned, unable to sleep until dawn.
When Lulu came in to attend to her, she saw Carissa’s haggard face. Assuming her mistress was sad because of Barrett’s heartlessness, Lulu didn’t dare ask her about it, simply choosing to silently wipe away
her tears in secret.
The next day, Solomon took some of the younger members of the Sinclair family along with him to help retrieve the remaining items from Carrisa’s dowry from the Warren family. They took everything on the gift list–from sandalwood tables and chairs, to furniture and embroidered partition screens.
Every single thing. They didn’t want to leave anything for the Warren family.
Rebecca cried and cursed Carissa for being disrespectful, selfish, jealous, and narrow–minded.
Hearing those words, Solomon exploded in anger, shouting fiercely, “How has my niece treated you since she married into your family? Ask around the neighborhood if anyone has anything bad to say about her!
“Yet, you accuse her of being jealous and selfish? Why don’t you ask your son what shameful things he’s done? On their wedding day, he went off to battle and came back trying to use his war merits to marry. another woman.
“He even invited the elders of the two families and a matchmaker to dissolve the marriage, hoping to keep her dowry. Is your family not guilty of such shameless acts? How dare you cry and shout here? Aren’t you afraid of the neighbors hearing and the whole city criticizing you for your shameless behavior?
The Sinclair family earned everything on the dowry list with their war merits, and gave it all away, as well as gave their lives, to ensure Cari would be safe for the rest of her lifel
“It’s only been a short time since they passed away, and you already wanted to take advantage of her and
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kick her out. Shameless!”
Pausing after his tirade, Solomon then ordered, “Don’t bother talking to these people. Take everything and go! Just move everything!”
Though Rebecca was furious and embarrassed, she was unable to retort.
When she saw them taking away a sandalwood and gold partition screen, she lunged forward. “You can take everything else, but you can’t take this partition screen!”
Solomon looked coldly at Barrett. “The empress dowager gave Cari this partition screen as part of her dowry. Do you think your family can afford such an item? Your greed has no limits!”
Feeling humiliated, Barrett’s face turned red as he stepped forward to pull his mother away.
“All these things belong to her. Give them back to her. They are just material possessions, aren’t they? I’ll earn enough to buy one for you in the future,” he declared loudly.
Despite Barrett restraining his mother, she continued to struggle.
Her hair was in disarray as she cursed loudly, “That ungrateful wretch is now nothing but an abandoned woman. Who would marry her? Even if anyone wants her, it’s only for the Duke of Norwatch’s title! There’s no way any respectable family in the capital would want to marry a discarded woman!”
Solomon snorted. “You don’t need to worry about that. Whether she remarries or stays in the estate has nothing to do with your family. From the moment the royal edict for the divorce was declared, the ties between her and your family were severed.”
Not wanting to look at Rebecca’s ugly face anymore, Solomon ordered firmly, “Move out!”
“Tell her that I hope she won’t regret this,” said Barrett, feeling dissatisfied and unable to accept the older man’s words.
“I will deliver your message. Goodbye!” Solomon responded coldly.
“He took everything! From now on, the family won’t even be able to afford my medicine!” yelled Rebecca. Barrett felt uneasy but could only comfort his mother, saying, “Don’t worry, Mom. Aurora and I will soon be needed at the Southern Frontier again. We’ll return with honor.”
Rebecca sobbed hoarsely. “How could she be so heartless? Wouldn’t she still have been wife? Why couldn’t she tolerate sharing the position? She’s just an orphan girl, yet she thinks of herself as
your rightful
a noble lady?!” 1
Barrett pursed his lips. Carissa was now the legitimate daughter of a duke, which meant she was naturally a noble lady.
“She deserved having her entire family annihilated! She deserved it! She deserved it!” Rebecca raged. (1
Barrett also found it strange
that spies from Westhaven had wiped out the Sinclair family. Why would they kill those elderly people, women, and children? It made no sense and wasn’t something worth doing.
But the Sinclair family’s matters were no longer his concern. He wouldn’t meddle anymore. When he first learned of the tragedy and wanted to investigate it for her, Carissa had declined the opportunity.
She would regret this.
Watching the Sinclair family’s valuable furniture being taken away, Rebecca’s heart ached. She looked at Amelia, who was standing on the veranda with a cold look.
“Why aren’t you trying to stop them?!” Rebecca snapped, angry at her daughter–in–law’s indifference.
“I wouldn’t do something so shameless,” Amelia calmly replied.
“How dare you defy me too?!”
. As Amelia looked at Rebecca, she recalled every little thing Carissa had done since joining the family a
year ago. Seeing her mother–in–law’s current fierce and malicious demeanor, Amelia couldn’t help but shiver.
“Defiance is good. Carissa was obedient, but what did that get her in the end? I hope when Aurora joins the family, she’ll be as respectful to you as Carissa was”
“She definitely will!” Rebecca glared at Amelia. “Don’t you mention that wretch’s name! If she were truly respectful, she wouldn’t have cut off my medicine supply!”
“I asked around. Carissa didn’t stop your medicine. Sebastian felt that the Warren family was ungrateful and unworthy, so he refused to come and treat you,” Amelia replied calmly.
Serena, who had just come out of the house and overheard Amelia, furiously exclaimed, “Amelia, how dare you speak to Mom like that? You’re defending an outsider and criticizing Mom! If Benjamin hears of this, he’ll certainly divorce you.”
Normally, Amelia would have rebuked Serena as the latter was younger than her. But having seen firsthand the misfortune of those in the Warren family, Amelia held her tongue.
After all, the men of the Warren family w
capable of divorcing their wives for no reason. Unlike Carissa,
Amelia had only two paths if her husband divorced her either become a nun or hang herself.
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“Alright, my mistake. I can’t afford to offend anyone!” Amelia said before turning and leaving.
Barrett clearly saw through Amelia’s show of strength, noticing the fleeting panic in her eyes. He understood what that expression meant very well.
He felt deeply conflicted. He had originally thought that returning victorious to the capital would mean a happy reunion with his family. He would have a capable wife managing the household, and also be able to enjoy cherished moments with his beloved. Together, they would face a promising future without any worries. 2
He never imagined things would end up like this.
But he quickly reassured himself that things would get better soon. The Civil Department would soon assign official positions to him and Aurora. Then, after they achieved great deeds on the Southern Frontier battlefield, Barrett would become a new noble in the court.
No one would dare criticize the Warren family again.
The Sinclair family and the late Duke of Northwatch were nothing compared to them. Even if Carissa was skilled in martial arts, she lacked battlefield strategy and combat experience. She and Aurora would never be the same.
Barrett silently repeated to himself, “Carissa, you will regret this!”
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Chapter 38
After Solomon and the other Sinclair family members moved all the dowry items back to Northwatch Estate, Carissa came out to thank them and invited everyone in for tea.
Solomon shook his head. “We’ve got other important matters to attend to, so we can’t stay for tea. By the way, Barrett asked me to give you a message. He hopes you won’t regret your decision.”
“I have nothing to say to him in response to his message. Since you have important matters, I won’t keep you,” Carissa replied calmly.
Pleased with her response, Solomon and the others left.
Even if the Sinclair family lost everything, they couldn’t lose their dignity.
It wasn’t that Solomon didn’t want to stay for tea, but Northwatch Estate was still in chaos. He was certain the new servants had yet to learn all the necessary rules and mannerisms.
Solomon–would have been okay with it, but he had brought along other family members. Too many people seeing the situation at Northwatch Estate might lead to gossip, and Carissa couldn’t afford to have any rumors spreading about her right now.
Returning to Exquisite Pavilion, Carissa wrote a letter asking for help to investigate the battle between Westhaven and Starhaven at Victory Pass, and had someone urgently send it to her guild.
She had her suspicions but didn’t dare confirm anything without evidence.
Her maternal grandfather, Dominic, as well as her third and seventh uncles were stationed at Victory Pass. At the end of last year, ten thousand troops had been transferred from Victory Pass to support the Southern Frontier. That left Donovan to request reinforcements from the court when Westhaven attacked, and Barrett and Aurora had been sent.
Carissa didn’t know what actually happened during the battle and couldn’t ask her grandfather or uncles directly. If her suspicions were correct, her grandfather, as the general, would be in serious trouble.
Over the next month, Carissa refused all visitors, though few came to see her anyway. The Sinclair family would only bother her if it was urgent. All the arrangements to staff the estate were completed, with all the newly hired servants having been taught manners and assigned to their respective duties.
To fill the accountant position, Solomon had recommended a man named Jason Lewis, who was said to be a reliable person. Other positions, from guards and coachmen to carpenters, gardeners, cooks, and errand boys, had also been filled.
Frederick Carter returned to serve as head steward of the outer estate.
He had previously worked at Northwatch Estate, but after injuring his leg in a horse–riding accident, he was allowed to go home and recover with his family. When Holly sought a new head steward for the outer estate, he turned up to interview for the position.
On Frederick’s first day back at the estate, the nearly sixty-year–old man cried in his room for a long time.
The Marquis of Northwatch had become a duke; the marquis‘ mansion had become a duke’s mansion. Carissa was now the sole survivor of the once–prosperous family, and she had been scorned by the Warren family and abandoned.
Frederick felt a deep sadness when he learned of this.
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Besides Lulu, four other maids chosen by Holly and Lily served as Carissa’s personal attendants. Carissa named them Pearl, Snow, Winter, and Joy. These five maids took excellent care of their mistress, serving her chicken soup and nourishing broths every day. After a month of this treatment, her beauty became even more striking.
Before the end of the year, Barrett married Aurora, and she joined the Warren family as Barrett’s rightful
wife.
The wedding was grand and impressive. Despite the earlier divorce scandal, the marriage had been decreed by the king, so many officials and even royal relatives attended the ceremony.
Seeing so many guests and the mountain of gifts made Rebecca feel some sense of restored dignity. After the newlyweds completed the ceremony, Rebecca couldn’t stop smiling. The Ministry of Defense credited Aurora as having made the greatest contribution in the recent battle, as she had led the negotiations for the peace treaty between Starhaven and Westhaven.
Rebecca was immensely proud that her son and daughter–in–law had brought peace to the border after years of conflict. But the party after the ceremony left the older woman dumbfounded and furious.
The Warren family had meticulously planned the guest list and seating arrangements. However, Aurora invited over a hundred soldiers to the banquet.
These soldiers arrived empty–handed in a noisy group. As the bride, Aurora was supposed to temporarily stay in her new room. But after hearing that her comrades had arrived, she personally went out to greet
them.
Perhaps her actions could be excused as the behavior of a free–spirited military woman, someone who would eventually fight and serve in official capacities like a man.
However, it was still unexpected!
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Chapter 39
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The problem was no one had told Rebecca that soldiers would be coming. And with over a hundred of them arriving, they took up many seats, leaving several other guests without a place to sit.
These guests were prominent civil and military officials, esteemed figures in court whose goodwill could greatly benefit Barrett’s career. But now, how were they to be accommodated? They were left standing in the cold, shivering and resentful,
Rebecca urgently turned to Amelia, demanding she find a solution. Amelia was equally stunned and at a loss, as she had arranged the seating based on the official guest list and no one had informed her about the additional guests.
The invited guests were equally shocked when they saw over a hundred unruly soldiers immediately sit down and start eating and drinking, laughing and joking loudly with the bride.
The scene looked bizarre and out of place. Many of the wedding guests were from prestigious families and had attended out of respect for the king. They had never encountered such a spectacle.
While the Warren family were not nobles, they had a long–standing heritage. How could a wedding decreed by the king turn
into such a chaotic event?
Some guests waited, hoping the host would make the necessary arrangements. But as time passed and no additional seats were set up, they realized what had happened.
No one openly complained, but they politely took their leave, citing having to deal with important matters at home as their reason for heading off. Many claimed they had simply come to pass on their congratulations and well wishes, so it didn’t matter if they missed the party.
Barrett was utterly bewildered, as he had no idea the soldiers would be attending. Watching the guests leave with their families, he felt as if he was being slapped repeatedly. His face burned with a mix of 
shame and anger.
Ignoring the guests still seated, he stormed over to Aurora and pulled her up. “Come with me. I need to speak with you.”
Aurora stood up and smiled at the soldiers. “You all keep drinking. I’ll be back soon.”
One soldier teased, “General Warren, are you in a hurry to get cozy with your bride? Hahaha!”
“Take it easy, General Warren. You’ll need to drink with us later.”
“Hahaha, exactly! This isn’t like at the army barracks!”
The seated guests became visibly uncomfortable at such crude remarks. Almost simultaneously, they stood up and left with their families without even saying goodbye.
Barrett was fuming.
Such talk might be fine in the barracks, but the guests in attendance today were high–ranking officials and nobility. Even one of the royal princes, Jerome, and his wife had come with their children. Now, they had also left their seats, leaving behind a meaningless remark before departing.
Hearing this, Barrett felt his face turn red. As he dragged Aurora to the back courtyard, he tried to tamp down his emotions that were alternating between anger and embarrassment.
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After pacing back and forth for a bit, he spoke in an obviously annoyed tone, “Why did you invite them? And why didn’t you tell us beforehand? Now, all the guests have left!”
Aurora had been drinking with her comrades and hadn’t noticed the guests leaving. She was different from the typical ladies of wealthy families.
As a general, what was wrong with being boisterous and celebrating with her fellow soldiers? She believed that showing camaraderie with the soldiers would earn admiration from the guests and demonstrate her unique qualities.
Shocked to hear that the guests had left, she glanced around and saw that only soldiers remained.
“Why did they leave?”
“There weren’t enough seats!” Barrett couldn’t help but get angry at Aurora’s ignorance of the situation. So, I’m asking why you invited the soldiers without telling us? They shouldn’t have been mixed with these guests.”
Aurora’s femper flared when she heard his words, retorting, “Are they looking down on the soldiers? What right do they have? These soldiers fought bloody battles to protect these people’s comfortable lives! Why shouldn’t the soldiers deserve to share in the celebration?”
Looking at his wife’s indignant face, Barrett couldn’t help but raise his voice as well, “It’s not about whether they deserve to or not. It’s just that we shouldn’t have invited soldiers to this event!
“They should be at their posts! You summoned over a hundred soldiers here just because you wanted to? you get permission from their commander? If not, they could face punishment for abandoning their posts!
“Even if General Lane approved it, you should have informed us. We could have set up more tables and kept them separate from the other guests. We could have prevented this mess of over a hundred guests having no seats!”
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Chapter 40
Aurora felt Barrett’s accusations were unreasonable.
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She scoffed and said, “We just got married today, and you’re already yelling at me. What will it be like in the future? These soldiers have fought alongside you and witnessed our love.
“Even if I didn’t tell you beforehand, who doesn’t prepare extra tables for a big wedding? And about them leaving their posts, that’s not for you to worry about. General Lane is an understanding person.”
Aurora’s strong stance made Barrett back down a bit. He didn’t want to argue on their wedding day.
He asked, “So, they left the barracks with General Lane’s permission?”
Aurora hadn’t actually asked the general, Gideon Lane. She had simply ordered the soldiers to attend. But she thought this detail wasn’t important and believed Gideon would understand.
Avoiding the question, she retorted, “It’s your poor planning that’s the issue. Go ask around, who doesn’t prepare extra seats for a big wedding? I don’t know who organized this wedding, but it’s so disgraceful. How can you blame me?”
Barrett felt guilty because he knew she had a point.
Large families often hosted open parties for the common folk and would usually prepare extra tables. If his mother and sister–in–law had set up an open party, the soldiers would have had places to sit without taking the guests‘ seats.
His frustration shifted to Amelia, who had organized the wedding. But seeing Aurora’s flushed face from drinking and recalling how warmly she had interacted with the soldiers, he suddenly felt annoyed.
“You should stop drinking and return to the room,” said Barrett.
Now that all the guests had left, Aurora realized there was no point in celebrating with the soldiers any longer. No one was there to see her unique qualities.
She nodded. “You should ask your sister–in–law why the wedding banquet was so poorly managed.”
“I’ll talk to her. Let me take you back to the room first,” Barrett replied.
The joy of the day was completely ruined, and he felt humiliated. He especially recalled Prince Jerome and his wife’s looks of disdain and the incomprehensible remark they made when they left–it was the worst insult Barrett had ever received!
Aurora was also furious. All the guests leaving was humiliating. She was the only female general praised by the empress dowager, and today should have been her moment to shine! Instead, it turned into a complete embarrassment.
She blamed Rebecca and Amelia for this mess. Aurora thought they were too stingy to host a proper party, which offended the guests and led to this situation. Although she was boiling with anger, she didn’t want to ruin her wedding day further. She decided to hold back and confront them tomorrow.
Even though Aurora didn’t have control over the household affairs, as she was the second lady of the -Warren family, she couldn’t tolerate such frugality and disgrace.
Back in their new room, Aurora grew increasingly upset. Since she learned that Barrett was divorcing Carissa and that she would be joining the Warren family as a rightful wife, she had been looking forward
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to this grand wedding.
The king had granted them this marriage for their military achievements, and it should have been unprecedentedly glorious.
After all, the guests were all of high status–royal family members as well as civil and military officials with their families. It was grander than when Carissa had married Barrett.
Aurora had hoped to meet these influential figures during the wedding toast, especially the officials from the Ministry of Defense and the Civil Department. They had yet to confirm her military rank, and she was growing impatient.
But all her plans were ruined by Amelia’s miserly and poor arrangements, making Aurora a laughingstock in the capital.
Aurora could already imagine Carissa’s gloating expression when the latter heard about what happened today. Thinking of Carissa’s smug expression made Aurora even angrier, but she had no outlet for her frustration. In a fit of rage, she flipped the table of food and wine in the room!
