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.

stern look. "We never consummated the marriage. He's not your lord. Go

list?" Lulu

"Silly girl, why would we stay in this house any

gasped. "But your mother arranged this marriage, and your father

finally welled up in Carissa's eyes at the

loyal to her mother, never taking a concubine. They had six sons and one daughter. All her brothers followed

to study under a master, where she also learned military strategy. When she returned home at fifteen,

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

pain she felt was so intense

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

for her beauty. So, suitors flooded their doorstep. Her

six months ago,

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,

a few of the assailants. After further investigation,

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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