Chapter 18
Anna scoffed, crossing her arms. “A hundred dollars in cogg
gifts? Do they think
the Warren family is rolling in money? When you married into this family, your mother barely asked for anything. It was such a loss.”
I let out a dramatic sigh, playing along. “Tagree. My mother settled for too little,”
Anna laughed, but as the laughter faded, tears welled up in her eyes. She had been by my side. through everything, witnessing firsthand the sacrifices I’d made for Adrian. I had used the inheritance my parents left me to support his studies abroad for three years, believing in his grand promises–that I was his one and only, that he would never betray me.
Lies. All of it. And now here I was, left with nothing but a broken enagement and a man who had made it clear he had no intention of keeping his word.
Wiping her tears quickly, Anna excused herself to fetch the soup. She returned with a steaming bowl of watercress and another of chicken broth, inviting the other staff to share in the meal as well. Though my seperation from Adrian had not yet been publicly announced, the people I had brought from my family estate were fiercely loyal. They knew what was coming, and we had to prepare for the inevitable.
What worried Anna the most was the delay in the court’s approval of my divorce. If the judge sided with Adrian, refusing to recognize the dissolution as mutual, I could lose everything- including my share of the wealth I had brought into the agreement. They never supported
women.
“Why is this taking so long?” Anna muttered, frustration evident in her voice. “Are they waiting until after the wedding? That would be cruel. You shouldn’t have to stay here a second longer!
Later, I called Beatrice into my study to go over the financial accounts. We should have done this sooner, but with the chaos of the past few weeks, everything had been pushed aside.
I could tell Beatrice was reluctant to be involved. She had always been kind to me, but I knew where her true loyalties lay. Her husband, Fredrick, had made it clear–Vivian marrying into the Warren family would be a huge strategic advantage. With Adrian’s rising status in the business. world and Vivian’s powerful connections, the Warren name would gain even more influence.
My own background as the daughter of a wealthy, respected family once held weight, but my parents were gone, and my influence had faded. I had no illusions–Adrian and Vivian’s engagement had been carefully orchestrated for power, and I was just an inconvenience standing in the way of their perfect arrangement.
Iclenched my fists, willing my emotions to stay in check. No matter what happened, I wouldn’t go down quietly. If Adrian thought he could cast me aside like I meant nothing, he was about to learn just how wrong he was,
Beatrice stared at me, eyes wide with disbelief as I slid the account ledgers across the polished mahogany desk.
Chapter 18
+B Pearls
“Cassandra, you’re really taking the money back? That would leave the estate accounts completely empty!” she exclaimed, her voice barely concealing her panic.
I folded my hands in my lap, keeping my tone even. “Yes, Beatrice. The nine hundred thousand. dollars left in the accounts is money I personally loaned to this family. I’m simply reclaiming what’s mine. If everyone tightens their belts a little, we’ll get through it. Between your husband, Adrian, and the rest of the family’s earnings, things will balance out.”
She shook her head in disbelief. “How did we even get to this point? The Warrens are supposed to be one of the wealthiest families in the city”
I resisted the urge to laugh. I had asked myself that question a hundred times, even though I already knew the answer.
The estate had been crumbling long before I came into this family. Poor investments, reckless spending, and a complete disregard for financial planning had drained the once–thriving business empire. Instead of restructuring, the family had chosen to sell off assets, patching holes. in their sinking ship until nothing was left to sell.
And then there was Evelyn–Adrian’s mother. Her endless medical treatments, expensive. therapies, and private specialists had burned through whatever reserves the family had managed to hold on to. I had covered those costs for years, quietly paying the bills without complaint.
Until now.
I glanced at Beatrice, whose face had paled. “The truth is, this house has been running on my money for a long time. My dowry paid for the staff, the security, the maintenance. Without it, this place would’ve fallen apart years ago.”
Beatrice swallowed hard, her fingers gripping the edge of the desk. “I… I don’t know how to manage all of this. Cassandra, you should keep handling the estate finances.”
I exhaled slowly. “Not possible, Beatrice. Once Vivian moves in, you can use your health as an excuse and pass the responsibility to her. It’s only fair, isn’t it? After all, she’s about to become the new lady of the house.”
She considered my words carefully before nodding, understanding settling in her gaze.
I had once been the girl who believed love could withstand anything. That sacrifices were meant to be made for the people you cared about.
But I had learned my lesson.
I was done sacrificing
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