Chapter 317

Carissa accompanied her relatives and friends to watch the theater troupe. Ryan also wanted to go. Back when he was a beggar, he used to sneak into the theater to beg for food. Sometimes, he would become so engrossed in the performance that he would be caught, beaten, and thrown out. This difficult past made him cherish everything he had now.

This time, he was able to sit in a proper seat without fear of being chased away. As the music and drums of the performance began, the festive atmosphere grew, and Carissa felt the joy of the celebration. Her mood lightened. After all, one had to move forward in life, step by step, no matter what. At least she still had Ryan by her side.

Carissa glanced at the program. She’d never been particularly interested in theater, so she didn’t know much about it. She decided to let Solomon’s wife, Emily, choose the performance. They enjoyed theater and knew which performances were best suited for a joyous occasion like this.

Emily selected a performance called A Happy Union. Whether it was an entertaining performance or not was beside the point—it was certainly fitting for the occasion. The story was about a general who fell in love with the daughter of a high-ranking official. Their marriage, arranged by their parents and a matchmaker, led to mutual love, and they were married.

Shortly after their wedding, the general was sent off to war, where he remained for three years. During that time, his wife managed the household and cared for his parents, enduring many hardships. Meanwhile, the general faced numerous life-and-death situations on the battlefield.

In the end, the general returned victorious and was granted a marquis title. On the day of his ennoblement, he hosted a banquet. He held his wife’s hand, tears in his eyes, and shared with everyone how hard she had worked and how grateful he was. He declared that marrying her was the greatest blessing of his life.

The performance concluded with a happy ending, as expected. Halfway through, Emily realized she had made a mistake in choosing this particular performance, but it was too late to stop it. She could only watch with a growing sense of unease, frequently glancing at Carissa, worried that the performance might upset her.

Everyone watched in silence, and when the actors came out for their final bows, Carissa led the applause and offered praises, prompting the others to follow suit. Emily leaned over to Carissa and whispered, “I hadn’t seen this performance before. I didn’t know it would be like this. Please don’t take it to heart, and don’t be upset with your aunt.”

Carissa smiled and said, “Aunt Emily, the performance was quite good, and it had a happy ending.” Seeing that Carissa genuinely wasn’t upset, Emily felt more at ease. “Yes, that’s how it should be. Any man with a conscience would appreciate his wife’s hardships. But there are some who lack that conscience…”

Chapter 317 +25 BONUS

Well, those without a conscience aren’t worth thinking about. From now on, may every day be a good one for you. Everyone joined in, offering their well-wishes and hoping to spread some good fortune.

After the performance, no one was in the mood to watch more, so they all decided to go and look at the dowry instead. The Sinclair family had added quite a bit to the dowry. Although it was mostly made up of silk, furniture, and other such items, the sheer number of chests being delivered to Hell Monarch Estate would certainly be impressive. There were also plenty of gold and silver jewelry—elegant gold bracelets and rings, much more refined than the heavy gold bracelet Kyle had given her.

Carissa felt no trace of anger anymore. She understood that she had been at fault. Kyle and Winona had already helped her so much. If she continued to hold a grudge, it would show a lack of maturity and an insatiable heart. Her earlier discontent stemmed from being pampered at Meadow Ridge. She had assumed that, aside from Everett, everyone in the guild would spoil her forever. But who was to blame for her failure to nurture those relationships properly?

Meanwhile, Hell Monarch Estate was abuzz with grand festivities. The celebration was nothing short of extravagant. They had begun feasting the day before, and all invited guests could partake in the banquet for three days.

Rafael was feeling an indescribable sense of urgency. Every moment seemed to crawl by—painfully slow. From morning to noon felt like a year had passed, and from noon to evening, another year seemed to drag on. His mind was constantly occupied with finding an excuse to visit Northwatch Estate. It had been many days since he last saw Carissa, and he was desperate to see her again.

But the Royal Astronomer, summoned by the Protocol Department’s minister to oversee the ceremony, had declared that it was bad luck for the couple to meet in the days leading up to the wedding. So, Rafael couldn’t find a valid reason to leave. On the surface, he appeared calm. But inside, it felt like a thousand ants were gnawing at him, pushing him towards Northwatch Estate.

As night fell, he finally stepped out of Hell Monarch Estate, only to be stopped in his tracks by Jacob.