Lulu returned shortly afterward with the dowry records clutched in both hands. She placed them on the table and flipped through the pages before speaking.
"My lady, you have spent more than six thousand silver coins supporting the household this year alone. But the shops, houses, and estates in your name have not been touched. The money in the banks is still untouched too. Your mother’s property deeds and land titles are all locked safely in the chest."
Cassandra lowered her eyes to the records. "All right."
Her fingers rested against the edge of the pages. She had known her mother had prepared a generous dowry for her. Even before Cassandra married Adrian, her mother had worried that her daughter might suffer in her mate’s household and had made sure she would always have something of her own. Now, looking at the figures, Cassandra could almost hear her mother’s voice. No matter what happens, you must never let yourself have nowhere to go.
Cassandra closed the records.
"My lady," Lulu asked hesitantly, "where will we go if we leave? Back to Northwatch Estate? Or perhaps Meadow Ridge?"
The mention of Northwatch made Cassandra’s fingers stiffen. Blood. Broken bodies. Her mother’s lifeless form. Her grandmother’s remains. The memories flashed through her mind so vividly that she had to draw a slow breath through her nose.
"Anywhere is better than staying here."
Lulu’s eyes reddened. "But if you leave, won’t you be giving them exactly what they want?"
Cassandra looked toward the window. The fading sunlight cast a pale glow across the room. "So be it." Her voice was quiet. "If I stay, I will spend the rest of my life watching those two parade their affection in front of me." Her hand slowly closed over the dowry records. "I cannot live like that."
She turned toward Lulu. "I have to live well. That is the only way I can give my parents and my brothers peace in the afterlife."
"My lady..." Lulu covered her mouth, but the tears spilled anyway. She had been born and raised at Northwatch Estate. Her entire family had lived there too. They were all dead now. Every time Lulu closed her eyes, she could still see the estate as it had looked when they returned. The blood. The bodies. The silence where there had once been voices. Going back was almost impossible to imagine. "Isn’t there another way?" she whispered.
Cassandra’s gaze hardened. "There is."
Lulu looked at her.
"I could go before the Alpha King and use my family’s achievements to demand that he revoke the decree." Her expression remained composed. "And if he refuses, I could kill myself in protest."
Lulu’s face drained of color. "My lady, you cannot!"
Cassandra stared at her for a beat before the corner of her mouth lifted. "Do you really think I am that foolish?"
Lulu blinked.
"If I manage to see the Alpha King, I will not ask him to revoke the decree." Cassandra’s eyes gleamed. "I will ask for an official separation."
Adrian had been granted the right to take Aurora as his mate because of the Alpha King’s decree. Then Cassandra would have the same right to leave. She would not sneak away from the Warren household like a discarded woman. She would leave with her dignity intact and an official decree to prove it. Besides, the wealth her family had left behind was more than enough to support her for the rest of her life. She had already given the Warren family enough. She would not give them another thing.
Before Lulu could respond, a voice sounded from outside. "Madam Cassandra, the matriarch requests your presence."
Lulu glanced toward the door. "That is Jade. She is Madam Rebecca’s personal maid." Her voice dropped. "It seems Madam Rebecca wants to persuade you to accept General Yates."
Cassandra straightened. "Then let us go."
The sun was sinking when Cassandra stepped into the corridor. The evening sky burned red above Valor Estate, and the autumn wind slipped through the courtyard, carrying the sharp scent of fallen leaves.
The estate had once been a prestigious residence. Years ago, the late Alpha King had bestowed it upon Adrian’s grandfather as a reward for his service to the pack. But the Warren family’s glory had faded with the passing of generations. Most of the Warren men had chosen the battlefield over the council chambers. Only a handful had entered the royal court as officials. Adrian’s father, Jonathan, had never risen very far in the royal administration. His second uncle, Gregory, held only a minor position within the Royal Citadel. Adrian and his eldest brother, Benjamin, had done better. Both had established themselves as capable warriors. But before their recent victory, neither had held a particularly impressive rank. They had only been fourth-ranked military commanders. The entire Warren family still lived under one roof at Valor Estate. Splitting the family apart now would only expose how much the once-powerful household had declined.
With Lulu beside her, Cassandra walked toward Rebecca’s chambers. When she entered, she found the room already crowded.
Rebecca’s complexion looked considerably better than it had before. She was sitting upright against the pillows, and the moment she saw Cassandra, a warm smile spread across her face. "You are here."
Benjamin was seated nearby with his wife, Amelia Morgan. Adrian’s sister, Serena, was there as well, along with several of the children from the Warren family’s secondary branch. Adrian’s second aunt, Charlotte Lewis, sat off to one side. Unlike everyone else, she barely acknowledged Cassandra. Her cold gaze traveled over Cassandra before settling elsewhere.
Cassandra did not react. "Hello, Mother. Aunt Charlotte. Benjamin. Amelia." Her greeting was polite and measured.
"Cassandra, come here." Rebecca patted the empty space beside her bed.
Cassandra approached and sat down.
Rebecca immediately reached for her hand, holding it between both of hers. "Now that Adrian is home, you finally have someone to rely on." Her voice was gentle. "This past year has been so difficult for you. First, you had to manage the household alone. Then your family..." Rebecca sighed. "You are the only one left of the Marquis of Northwatch’s family. Thankfully, all of that is behind you now."
Cassandra looked down at the hand covering hers. There was nothing wrong with Rebecca’s words on the surface. But the message underneath them was clear. The Sinclair family was gone. Cassandra had no one left. The Warren family was all she had now. She should know her place.
Cassandra slowly withdrew her hand. "Mother."
Rebecca’s smile faltered slightly.
"I heard you met General Yates today."
The room went quiet. Rebecca had clearly expected Cassandra to accept the comfort being offered before discussing Aurora. Instead, Cassandra had gone straight to the matter everyone had been carefully avoiding.
Rebecca’s smile returned, though it no longer looked quite as natural. "Yes, I did." She adjusted the blanket over her lap. "She is... rather rough around the edges." Rebecca paused, then glanced at Cassandra. "She certainly does not compare to you when it comes to looks."
Cassandra held her mother-in-law’s gaze. "So you are saying you do not like her?"