Chapter 3

Now that we were no longer husband and wife, it was only right that we sleep in separate rooms.

When I went back to the side room by myself, I ran into Henry chopping wood in the backyard.

The six-year-old glanced at me and called out, "Mom."

He was polite, but there was a cold distance between us.

I didn't bother trying to be all warm and friendly like I used to. I just quietly took the axe from him and said, just as cold, "You're about to be the imperial great-grandson. You shouldn't be doing this kind of work anymore."

Henry froze for a second, clearly thrown off by my attitude. He looked a bit lost, not sure what to do with himself.

After a long pause, he tried to make small talk. "Mom, once we get to Aurelia, you won't have to work in the fields anymore."

I shook my head calmly. "I just planted my new seedlings. They need me here. I'm not going to Aurelia—"

Before I could finish, Evelyn came out of the house, holding Henry's homework in her hands.

Henry's frosty look vanished instantly, replaced by a genuine kid's grin.

He slipped his arm around Evelyn's and looked up at her expectantly, saying, "Evelyn, did I do a good job on my homework today?"

Ever since Henry was old enough to understand things, he was always trailing after Evelyn.

I once overheard some village kids ask him why he never stuck close to his real mother.

He said Evelyn was beautiful, always gentle as a spring breeze, and she was good at everything, music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, you name it.

Not like me. My skin was wrinkled from working under the sun, I was always loud, and besides doing chores, I was good for nothing.

Whenever this came up, he'd let out a grown-up sigh and say he wished Evelyn were his real mom.

I never really paid much attention before, just figured kids say whatever comes to mind.

But now I got it. He really meant every word.

Evelyn ruffled Henry's hair and smiled. "Not bad at all. You've really improved."

Then she suddenly realized it might not be right, so she handed the homework to me. "Charlotte, you should take a look too."

Henry instinctively frowned. "My mom can't read. Why bother?"

Memories came flooding back.

Back then, I just couldn't let Edward go. I clung to him, begging desperately for him to take me with him.

Henry stood off to the side, his face twisted in annoyance. "What would you even do if you came? Chop wood? Cook? Wash clothes? Work in the fields?"

He added, "Mom, Dad's about to become the heir to the throne. His wife should be someone like Evelyn, accomplished, elegant, and educated.

"Just don't make things worse for us, and stop embarrassing us."

My own son, the one I carried for nine months, ended up saying things that cut deeper than anything Edward ever did.

If I were just a joke to him, then I was not going to get involved this time.

Guess I was finally letting him have the mom he always wanted.

I took a step back, refusing to take the homework from Evelyn.

Instead, I echoed Henry's words, "Evelyn, the kid's right. I don't know a thing, so I shouldn't be telling anyone what to do."

"From now on, you don't need to tell me anything about him. Sorry that you'll have to handle everything for him now," I said.

Evelyn looked a bit guilty as she said, "Charlotte, I did try to talk Edward out of the whole wife swap thing, but he just wouldn't change his mind.

"But don't worry. The King gave him three days to deal with everything. I'll see if I can talk some sense into him."

In my previous life, I couldn't stand Evelyn, always thinking she was the one putting ideas in Edward's head.

But when I was locked away in the palace, she did everything she could to stop Edward from turning me into a living corpse.

When her efforts failed, she secretly brought me food and water, told me stories about how Henry was growing up, and gave me hope to keep living.

And when life became truly unbearable, she was the one who made sure a maid ended my suffering for good.

So now that I lived through it all again, I finally got that she was just as powerless as I was. I let go of the resentment I used to hold against her.

I shook my head calmly and said, "Evelyn, you don't need to persuade me anymore. I'm not doing this out of resentment.

"Edward and I were never a good match. Our backgrounds were worlds apart. If he'd met you earlier and you'd been able to help him, I wouldn't have ended up marrying him at all.

"I'm just accepting the truth now. With someone like me, it's pointless to keep reaching for the clouds when I'm just mud on the ground."

Seeing Evelyn still wanted to persuade me, I gave her a gentle lie. "Evelyn, you know better than anyone how clueless I am. If I really became the crown prince's official wife, they'd eat me alive.

"If you truly care about me, just wait until you're settled in Aurelia and everything's safe. Then you can come for me. There's no need to rush."

Evelyn sighed and finally nodded.

It was the first time Henry had ever seen me so easygoing, and he wasn't as cold as before.

But he still kept that serious little grown-up look and said, "Mom, just stay here and don't wander off, alright? Once we're all settled, Dad and I will come get you."

"Okay," I replied.