Chapter 1

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 anything. Ultimately, she’s really just a concubine in disguise,” Carissa replied, remaining indifferent.

Barrett frowned. “What does it matter? Aurora and I developed feelings for each other on the battlefield. We earned this marriage through our achievements. I don’t need your approval.”

Carissa smiled mockingly. “Developed feelings, huh? Do you remember what you said to me before you left for war?”

On their wedding night a year ago, Barrett had left to lead reinforcements on an expedition.

Before leaving, he had lifted his wife’s veil and promised her, “Carrisa Sinclair, you’re the only woman I’ll ever love in my life. I will never take a concubine!”

Feeling awkward, Barrett turned away. “Forget what I said. When I married you, I didn’t understand love. I thought you were a suitable match for a wife until I met Rory.”

Talking about the woman he loved, his eyes softened and filled with deep affection. He turned back to Carissa and added, “She’s unlike any woman I’ve ever met. I love her deeply. I hope you’ll agree to this.”

Carissa felt a lump in her throat.

Despite feeling a mix of disgust and unwillingness, she still asked, “What about your parents? Do they agree?”

“They do. It was a royal edict. Besides, Aurora is straightforward, cheerful, and lovable. She visited my mother a while ago.”

They agreed? Hah… How ironic! Everything Carissa had done over the past year had all been for nothing.

“Is she currently in the mansion?” Carissa asked, lifting her brow.

Barrett spoke of Aurora Yates with a softness in his voice, “Yes, she’s talking to my mother. She’s made her very happy. Even her health seems to be improving.”

“Improving?” Carissa felt a whirlwind of emotions. “When you went to war, your mother was seriously ill. I brought in the best physician to treat her. I managed the estate’s affairs by day and stayed up nights by her bedside. It was only because of this that her condition started to improve.”

Carissa wasn’t seeking praise. She was stating the facts of her exhausting year.

“But seeing Aurora has made my mother feel even better,” Barrett said earnestly. “I know this is unfair to you, but for the greater good, please support Aurora and me.”

Carissa pressed her lips into a thin line as she blinked away the tears in her eyes and sharpened her gaze. “Invite General Yates over. I have a few things to ask her.”

“There’s no need for that. Carissa, she’s different from any woman you know. She’s a general, and she’s above the usual household squabbles. She wouldn’t want to meet you,” Barrett refused instantly.

Carissa retorted, “What kind of women do I know? What kind of woman am I to you? Have you forgotten? I’m also the daughter of a noble family. My father and my six brothers died on the Southern Frontier three years ago-”

“That’s them,” Barrett interrupted. “But you’re a delicate woman suited for the comforts of home. Aurora has no respect for such women. She’s straightforward and unrestrained. If she meets you, she might say things you won’t like. Why put yourself through that?”

As Carissa looked up, the striking beauty mark under the corner of her eye became more evident in the light.

She calmly said, “It’s fine. If she says anything unpleasant, I’ll ignore it. Understanding the bigger picture and acting with dignity are essential virtues for any matriarch. Don’t you trust me?”

Chapter 2

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.

“Don’t call him that!” Carissa gave her a stern look. “We never consummated the marriage. He’s not your lord. Go fetch my dowry list.”

“Why the dowry list?” Lulu asked, puzzled.

Carissa tapped her on the forehead. “Silly girl, why would we stay in this house any longer?”

Lulu held her forehead and gasped. “But your mother arranged this marriage, and your father wanted you to marry and have children.”

Tears finally welled up in Carissa’s eyes at the mention of her parents.

Her father had stayed loyal to her mother, never taking a concubine. They had six sons and one daughter. All her brothers followed her father to the battlefield. Three years ago, none returned from the Southern Frontier.

Though she was a girl, Carissa came from a family of warriors and started training as a child. At the age of seven, she was sent to study under a master, where she also learned military strategy.

When she returned home at fifteen, she learned her father and brothers had died a year earlier.

Her mother, who had gone blind from crying too much, held Carissa close and said, “You must live like the noble girls in the kingdom. Find a good husband, marry, have children, and lead a peaceful life. You’re the only child I have left.”

Carissa felt like someone had gouged her heart out. The pain she felt was so intense she couldn’t even bring herself to cry.

Determined to please her mother, she spent a year mastering the traditional values and duties expected of a noblewoman. She also learned accounting and how to manage a household.

Not only was Carissa the Marquis of Northwatch’s daughter, but she was also known for her beauty. So, suitors flooded their doorstep. Her mother had chosen Barrett because he had sworn he would never take another wife if he married Carissa.

But six months ago, tragedy struck.

All the residents of Northwatch Estate were massacred. No one was spared, not even the children or servants. Each victim suffered numerous knife wounds, and their bodies were brutally dismembered.

Carissa’s youngest nephew had been only two and a half years old, born after the death of her third brother.

The local authorities and garrison unit captured a few of the assailants. After further investigation, they were discovered to be spies from an enemy kingdom, Westhaven.

The war at the front line was raging, yet these spies didn’t hesitate to reveal themselves just to annihilate her family. The manner of the massacre suggested it was more of a personal vengeance than anything else.

When Carissa received the news, she rushed home, only to find her grandmother’s and mother’s gruesomely dismembered bodies.

Blood stained every corner of the residence, and the dead were left in agonizing states.

Now, Carissa was the lone survivor of the marquis’ family. The idea of restoring her family’s former glory seemed impossible—at least to outsiders. They saw her merely as a delicate, fragile woman.

However, Aurora was different. She had earned military merits for her contribution to the war and became the first female general in history. Even the queen dowager had high praise for her.

With Aurora supporting Barrett, his future would be more secure. That was the reason the Warren family readily agreed to the marriage.