Chapter 1

I was the first person in Coriatwin to learn that Lily Winters had returned.

That day, my husband, Richard Baldwin, didn't come home. Instead, he sent the butler with a divorce agreement and an enormous financial settlement.

After reading the letter aloud, the servant lowered his head, not daring to meet my eyes. "General Baldwin said you've always been devoted, and fears you may struggle to let go. He hopes you will take care of yourself and not keep clinging to him."

I set down my glass, signed the papers, pressed my seal beside my name, and handed them back without the slightest hesitation.

The butler's legs nearly gave out. "Lady Catherine, are you sure about this?"

"Get the carriage ready," I said calmly, "I'm going back to my parents' today."

Not long after, Richard received the divorce papers bearing my signature, and his hands started to shake.

Rumor had it that he smashed his study that very night.

*****

I was the first to hear that Lily Winters was back in Coriatwin.

The night before, I saw the Sterling family's signal flare bursting over Baldwin Manor.

That was my elder brother, Edward Sterling, letting me know that Lily was back and telling me to get ready.

I sat by the window and drank coffee all night.

As the sky began to lighten, the Baldwin family's butler, Peyton, rushed into my courtyard with two servants behind him.

Head lowered, he pulled out a letter and a heavy pouch from his pocket.

"Lady Catherine." Peyton's voice trembled.

I set my glass down with a soft clink against the table. "Go on."

My voice was calm.

Peyton took a deep breath, like he was forcing himself to go through with it, and opened the letter.

He said, "General Baldwin says his marriage to you is over. After three years together, he's leaving you a large sum of money and three houses. From now on, you go your separate ways."

He paused, then pulled out a divorce agreement and handed it over with both hands.

"General Baldwin also said that—" Peyton's voice got quieter, his eyes darting away. He didn't dare look at me.

He said, "General Baldwin said you have always been deeply devoted, and fears you may struggle to let go. He hopes you will take care of yourself and not keep clinging to him."

A heavy silence filled the room.

Rose, my maid, stood behind me, shaking with rage, her hands clenched so tight.

I laughed.

Devoted? Was that really how Richard saw me?

Well, he wasn't totally wrong. For three years, I took care of him, ran his entire household, and looked after his widowed mother in another town. I did everything for him.

Everyone in Coriatwin knew that I, Catherine Sterling, deeply loved Richard Baldwin, the General Northgate.

He was convinced I couldn't live without him. He was sure I would break down in tears, clinging to him, begging him not to leave.

He believed that once I saw the divorce papers, I would tear them apart in hysteria and threaten my own life to force him to stay.

That was why he did not dare return home. Instead, he went straight to his villa outside the city to comfort his childhood sweetheart, who returned not long ago and was feeling wronged.

He left the mess for the servants to deal with.

I extended my hand.

Rose immediately came over and handed me a pen.

Peyton's legs started to tremble when he saw me pick up the pen. "Lady Catherine, please calm down."

He thought I was about to write some kind of goodbye letter.

I ignored him and signed my name at the bottom of the papers.

My handwriting was graceful, but carried a determination that no one could break.

Then I dipped my seal into the red ink Rose handed me and pressed it over my signature. The whole thing was done in one smooth motion.

Finally, I handed the divorce papers back to Peyton. "Take it to him."

Peyton was stunned, holding the signed divorce papers like he didn't know what to do with them.

He trembled, and after a long pause, he finally managed to speak. "Lady Catherine, are you sure?"

"Yes." I picked up my glass again. "Have a carriage ready. I'm going back to my family's place today. I'm not taking anything that isn't mine."

Peyton's legs went weak; he nearly collapsed.

This wasn't how he thought it would go. It was nothing like what Richard had told him. He could feel that something bad was coming.