Chapter 4
"Or are you hoping your 'devoted' wife and I, two sisters, will serve the same husband together?" I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm.
With every word I uttered, Grant's expression grew even more sour.
Wanda, standing beside him, was already in tears, her body trembling as if she might collapse at any moment.
"Winnie, dear sister, I was wrong, I really was... I shouldn't have let myself be blinded. Please, forgive me. I don't want anything anymore. I'll leave right now..." she sobbed desperately.
She looked so pitiful that, in the past, Grant would've been at her side in a heartbeat, his heart aching for her.
But now, Grant looked at her with nothing but pure disgust and hatred.
If it weren't for this woman, he wouldn't be in this mess.
"Get out!" he whipped around and barked at Wanda.
Wanda shuddered, frightened by Grant's menacing expression, and her sobs stopped abruptly.
What a farce.
I saw it all clearly.
"Mr. Tyler," I turned to Wallace, giving him a slight nod. "Thank you for your patience despite the disturbance in the residence."
Wallace's smile returned as he immediately understood.
"Baroness Winnie, you flatter me. His Majesty's gift, your residence on St. Merlin Street, has been thoroughly cleaned. It's the most scenic spot in Sauberheim. The carriage is ready whenever you wish to depart," he said.
"Okay." I nodded, without giving the pair on the floor another glance.
"Daisy, Lily," I called out.
"At your service, my lady," My two personal maids stepped forward immediately.
Yesterday, they were all jittery and worried after their lady lost her standing, but today, both of them stood tall, grinning from ear to ear.
"Go pack up all my mother's dowry; don't leave behind a single thing, not even a thread," I ordered.
"Yes, my lady," they replied.
"And," I paused, sweeping my gaze over the servants, "anyone I brought into this household who wants to leave with me, come along. If you want to stay, that's fine—but from now on, you'll have nothing to do with me."
With that, I turned and headed toward my own courtyard.
Behind me, Grant's desperate cries echoed.
"Winnie! Winifred Sarratt! You can't just walk away! Stop!" he shouted.
I didn't look back.
Grant, whatever was between us is already broken.
From today on, I am Baroness Winnie.
And you? You're just General Grant.
From now on, there's nothing left between us.
I didn't waste any time.
Or rather, I'd been ready for this all along.
From the moment Grant's memorial reached Sauberheim, the Queen had already sent word to me.
She was my mother's lifelong confidante, and she'd always treated me as if I were her own daughter.
Grant's actions had completely enraged the woman who ruled the inner palace.
That was why His Majesty issued the decree today.
It was called a reward, but in truth, it was her way of supporting me—giving me the freedom to break free from this mire without a second thought.
My dowry had always been kept in a separate storeroom, and the key was always in my possession.
Daisy and Lily, together with a few loyal housekeepers, quickly inventoried everything and loaded it onto the carriage.
As for those fair-weather servants, they were sobbing and pleading for me to take them along.
I didn't pay any of them the slightest attention.
Anyone who turned their back on their mistress wasn't worthy to follow me.
Grant was blocked by several guards, unable to get anywhere near my courtyard.
Those guards were brought by Wallace, standing for the royal prestige.
Even if Grant was bold enough, he wouldn't dare to barge in.
He could only watch helplessly as box after box of my dowry was carried out of the residence, and as the servants who once belonged to him now bowed and scraped before me.
His face went from pale to livid, then to a deep, dark shade of fury.
Just then, a piercing voice cut through the air.
"Hold it right there! Where do you think you're hauling off the Sarratt family's things?"
Wanda's mother, Anastasia Hewitt, came charging over with a handful of servants, planting herself in front of the last carriage, her face twisted with fury.
Anastasia was my father's favorite mistress, always bossing everyone around in the Sarratt family.
She'd always thought it was a massive injustice that my mother, just a merchant's daughter, got to be the lady of the house.
Now that her own daughter was married to the general, Anastasia was absolutely full of herself.
"Winnie, don't think just because you're Baroness now that you're suddenly so high and mighty!" she snapped.
Her sharp, narrow eyes narrowed into slits as she jabbed a finger right at my nose.
"You married into the Silva family, so your dowry belongs to them! Now that you're leaving the general, all this stuff should stay here to compensate him for what he's lost!" she shouted.
Beside her, Wanda clutched her swollen face, nervously tugging at Anastasia's sleeve.
"Mother, just let it go..." Wanda pleaded softly.
"Let it go? What nonsense!" Anastasia snapped, shoving Wanda aside. "You useless girl, you can't even keep your own man, and now you're letting her empty out the whole house."