Chapter 2

"Therefore, I have chosen Zelenya. She's the most pitiful of the five children. Her birth mother died early, her father doesn't care for her, and her grandmother doesn't love her. In this family, her life is worse than that of a servant."

"As for my own four…" I paused as my eyes swept over the four little faces, which looked so lost. “They have their father, their grandmother, and their aunt. They have no worries about food or clothing. But Zelenya has nothing at all. It is only right that I take her with me.”

My words rang out loud and clear, and the servants around us started whispering among themselves.

Humphrey's expression became more contorted with anger.

He cared more about his reputation than anything else. And I had just put him in a moral dilemma.

If he still tried to stop me from taking Zelenya, it would only cement his reputation as a heartless father to his late wife's daughter.

"Very well then!" Humphrey suddenly guffawed. "Istina, since you're so heartless, don't blame me for being merciless!"

His eyes then took on a steely glint. "You can forget taking your dowry with you!"

This was his ace up his sleeve. He figured that, after I got abandoned by my husband and became penniless while burdened with a child, I would have no way to make a living and would beg him to take me back.

I simply smiled. "General Zellmer, have you forgotten? My dowry isn't only some gold and silver jewelry.

"I also have a three-winged mansion in the south of the city, and fifty acres of prime farmland on the outskirts. I personally handed you the deeds for both, remember?"

Humphrey's face clouded over at once.

I continued, "So, if you don't send those deeds and the items on my dowry list to my new residence within three days, I'll see you in court.

"I'll make sure everyone in the capital gets to hear for themselves how you, General Humphrey Zellmer, stole your first wife's dowry and mistreated her daughter."

With that, I didn't give him another glance. With Zelenya trembling silently with fear in my arms, I left the General's Estate resolutely.

Behind me, Humphrey's furious roars and the children's heart-wrenching cries reverberated through the rooms.

I was torn by anguish. But I knew I couldn't turn back.

From today on, I, Istina Snowdon, would live for myself and the child in my arms.

*****

I settled into the house in the south of the city. This was the private property my mother left me before her passing. Luckily, I had the foresight to make a duplicate of the deed and keep it hidden.

The place had been empty for years and was quite rundown.

I used the last few pounds and shillings I had on me to hire two servants and buy some basic supplies like flour, oil, and salt.

Zelenya was very sensible too. She didn't cry or make a fuss but simply followed me quietly. Whenever she could, she would help out with some simple chores like wiping tables and sweeping the floor.

That night, I heated some water and gave her a proper bath, which was long overdue.

After taking off her drab gray clothes, I saw that her thin body was covered in bruises.

This was the result of pinching by the servants at the General's Estate.

My heart ached so terribly that it felt like countless pins were piercing it.

I dabbed medicine on her bruises as gently as I could. She grimaced from the pain, but she just bit her lip and did not cry out.

"If it hurts, it's fine to cry," I told her softly.

Zelenya's tears came pouring out all at once. She threw herself into my arms and cried her heart out.

This girl had suffered so much over the years.

The next day, the General's butler came by. He brought my dowry list with a very sour expression.

It would seem that Humphrey had backed down, after all.

I went through the list and realized half of the original items were missing, including the property deeds.

All the priceless jewelry, antiques, and paintings were missing completely.

I gave a dismissive laugh and slammed the list down on the table.

"Go back and tell your general the list isn't complete. I'll give him three more days. If everything isn't here by then, I'll file my case with the magistrate's office."

The butler slunk away sheepishly with the list.

*****

Before long, the news spread like wildfire. The whole capital was gossiping about how General Humphrey Zellmer had dissolved his marriage with Istina Snowdon and how the ex-wife had chosen to leave her own four children behind and take only his late first wife's daughter with her.

However, there were countless variations of the main story.

Some rumors painted me as a vicious woman, while others described me as an angel.

One afternoon, Humphrey's sister, Sayetta, came knocking at my door.

As soon as she saw me, she wagged her finger at me and started lecturing, "Istina! Have you no shame? Thanks to you, my brother can't even show his face in public anymore!"

I was in the main hall, teaching Zelenya how to read. When that uninvited guest started yelling, I issued a warning without even looking at her, "You're not welcome here. Get lost."

"You!" Sayetta began shaking with rage. "Who do you think you are? Your husband has forsaken you, yet you are still acting so high and mighty! My brother is going to marry the legitimate daughter of the Pleinbury Marquis soon. Just you wait and see!"

I raised an eyebrow. So he was planning to marry the daughter of the Pleinbury Marquis.

That was why he was so eager to forsake me. It was because he wanted to marry up.

"Well, let me congratulate General Humphrey in advance. And please help me pass him the message. He'd better return all my belongings intact, or else," I said crisply.