Chapter 3

I returned to my stronghold.

Chloe and I had come to this place together.

This was our home. I had arranged for her body to be brought here.

I would hold her funeral in the stronghold.

I absolutely would not allow Arthur to defile her again.

I stood by Chloe's coffin, a chilling sadness in my heart.

Chloe had always been my sunshine since she was a child.

Lively, cheerful, pure of heart.

She always preferred mature, strong men.

Arthur happened to be that kind of man -- outwardly gentle, but with a forceful personality.

Chloe truly fell in love with him later on.

Chloe once even giggled and told me she didn't want to go back.

She wanted me to stay with her too.

But even such a pure Chloe was now forced into an uncertain fate between life and death.

How could I not hate them?

Chloe and I had vastly different personalities.

I had always been one to hold grudges, to exact an eye for an eye.

If someone even dirtied my shoes, I'd make sure to ruin something of theirs.

How much more so now, when I'd been humiliated and trampled on?

I just wondered if they could truly withstand my wrath.

"Chief Operative, Arthur is at the gate, insisting on coming in."

My subordinate came in to report. I had already guessed Arthur wouldn't give up easily.

But his belated affection meant less than dirt.

Arthur had long since lost his chance.

"Arthur, I won't let you disturb Chloe again. And you don't need to cause a scene here."

I stood in the main hall, coldly looking at the disheveled Arthur.

"Valerie! Chloe was my wife, you can't stop me!"

Arthur cried out, his voice hoarse.

The corner of my mouth turned up in a half-smile, half-sneer.

"If I'm not mistaken, you tore up your marriage certificate a long time ago."

When Seraphina first returned, for some reason, she always seemed to be at odds with Chloe.

Incidents of her provoking Chloe behind her back were endless.

Chloe, furious, taught her a lesson, only for Seraphina to run and tell tales.

Arthur argued with Chloe over it many times.

Chloe never said much during these arguments; she just came to me to drink in silence.

Once sober, she would continue to dote on Arthur, showering him with care.

I fumed at her meekness, wanting to stand up for her several times, but she always refused.

Until one time, Chloe accompanied Arthur to a dinner party at the main manor, and Seraphina cornered Chloe in the back garden.

I don't know the exact details of what happened then. When we arrived, Chloe and Seraphina were both being pulled out of the swimming pool.

Seraphina immediately knelt before Dante.

"Godfather, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have angered Ms. Chloe and argued with her. I fell in myself, Ms. Chloe didn't push me."

Again, her feigned vulnerability.

Chloe watched her coldly. It was the first time I'd seen that expression on Chloe's face.

Before Dante could speak, Arthur stepped forward and demanded to know what had happened from Chloe.

I only heard Chloe's hoarse voice ask him, "That signet ring, did you give it to her?"

Arthur froze, and I was equally surprised.

The signet ring was a symbol of Chloe's family heritage; she had given it to Arthur as a token of their love.

"It's pure gold, and Seraphina's health isn't great. They say it can ward off the cold. Since you gave it to me, I can do with it as I please."

Chloe scoffed, "Do you even know I'm your wife? You gave the token you gave me to another woman?"

In front of so many people, Dante couldn't allow them to argue, so he ordered them to go home and sort it out.

What happened after they went back, I don't know.

I only know that the next day, a distraught Chloe found me, saying Arthur had torn up their marriage certificate.