Chapter 283 "Why don't you find someone yourself..."
I finally found out. Like all wives, I was the last to discover it. Their affair was common knowledge. I hit, argued, and made a scene. I scratched my husband's face, neck, and arms until they bled. I rushed to the mistress's house and beat her from upstairs to downstairs. I even brought in helpers to beat the mistress until she was bruised and swollen, lying on the ground unable to move.
All of this only made her husband love her more and pity her more. She acquired more jewels, houses, and maids, and even entered the palace as a high-ranking official, sharing power with me. When I confronted my husband about it, he casually said, "You're working too hard all by yourself; having more help is always a good thing."
“I don’t need any help,” I said.
No, you do need to.
He rejected my request outright, leaving me with a resolute back view.
I went berserk and tried to beat my mistress again, but this time, she was surrounded by many guards who stopped me.
I cried and screamed, throwing vases, picture frames, and candlesticks at my mistress, but the guards stopped me.
When I was exhausted and sitting on the carpet catching my breath, my mistress smiled slightly and said, "So this is what a superwoman is like. You may be lucky enough to meet the best man on this continent, but you are the one who understands men the least. The understanding, appreciation, affirmation, and sense of being needed that men crave, you can't get any of that from them."
I wanted to retort, but I was so angry that I couldn't utter a complete sentence: "You slut, you slut."
"You are capable in managing affairs, but you are too domineering and autocratic. No man likes a domineering woman. His Excellency the Duke and I are truly in love. In any relationship that lasts, the man will gain more than just physical pleasure."
Unexpectedly, that very night, the mistress was murdered. Her throat was slit, and she died a gruesome death on the carpet in the room, with blood everywhere.
I was accused of murder. My husband locked me in the room, forbidding me to leave. I pounded on the door, sobbing and screaming, calling him a bastard.
I wrote to Aurora, asking her to take me back to the capital. But the capital now relies mainly on the Duke's support, and how could she possibly offend him? I secretly wrote to Bernot, Manberia, and the Elf King, hoping they could help me, but all my letters were intercepted. My husband even slapped me twice, scolding me for still contacting my old lovers.
Exhausted both physically and mentally, I filed for divorce. But how could that be possible? For the aristocracy, divorce is a disgrace.
I was locked in my room for three months. When I came out, my husband had a new mistress. I was now a duchess in name only, stripped of all my authority over the palace.
I've started living a life like someone who's retired. I spend my days lying in a rocking chair, basking in the sun, doing absolutely nothing.
Another year passed. Ares, my husband's illegitimate son, launched a rebellion. When the rebels stormed the palace, my husband fled with his mistress, and I was forgotten. Ares's sharp sword was pointed at my neck. I laughed out loud. What is there to fear in death, what is there to grieve in life?
Just as the sword tip was about to slice into my neck, a sharp pain struck, and I woke up.
I touched my neck; thankfully, it was still there.
"Madam, Madam!" the head maid called out, knocking on the door.
"What is it?" I put on my outer robe and hurriedly got up.
The head maidservant rushed in as she opened the door, shouting urgently, "A civil war has broken out in the western capital! The chieftain has turned against us, leading his troops into the palace and forcing King Hyja to abdicate!!!"
“Where is the Duke of Avana?” I asked.
"He set off for the western border three hours ago."
It seems he had already received the news.
Beside the fireplace in the crimson living room, Aurora said to me, who was yawning, "I wonder if this fire will reach our capital, since it's not too far away."
"What does their seizure of the throne have to do with me?! Why are they causing us trouble?!" I retorted.
“I heard,” Aurora said slowly, “that the Duke of Avana was also involved and played a very important role.”
"So what? What business is it of ours?"
“I’ve heard,” Aurora said, even more slowly, “that the Duke of Avana has proposed to you, and I very much hope that you will say yes.”
Does that mean if I marry him, then it's none of our business?
I laughed and said, "Don't worry, I won't marry him."
“But I hope you will marry him. He wields immense power in the north, is of pure noble blood, and is exceptionally capable. In every respect, he is a suitable candidate.”
"If you like him, then marry him."
"If possible, I would really like to marry him, but he's not interested in me."
"Then introduce him to other people, maybe one of them will take a liking to him. It's impossible for me, I will never marry him."
“Mother, the capital is now teetering on the brink of collapse, with a huge financial deficit. You must consider the future of the capital.”
"Why don't you marry a rich man yourself?!"
“I’ve been on several blind dates, but none of them have been successful,” Aurora sighed. “The high-ranking nobles don’t even look at me, and I don’t look at the middle and lower-ranking nobles either. The high-ranking nobles dislike me because I’m an illegitimate child, exiled by the Elf King, with two grown children, and the royal city is in financial trouble. Being a mistress is fine, but being a wife is impossible. But the money I get as a mistress can’t support my royal city, and I won’t get any property rights as a wife, so I gave up. I’ve also been on blind dates with top-tier wealthy merchants, but they don’t look at me either, and middle-tier wealthy merchants can’t support my royal city, so they’re not on my radar.”
“This is a lesson for your practice,” I said. “You can’t impose your problems on me.”
“But Mother, you also live in the capital. You enjoy the benefits of the capital and the protection of your daughter. You can’t just sit idly by.”
"You were able to reclaim this royal city thanks to me. Whether you reclaimed it in my name or I lent you my troops, I contributed, so why shouldn't I enjoy the benefits of the royal city?!"
"But Mother, the capital is about to fall, what benefits will you still be able to enjoy?!"
I stood up coldly and left. "Like I said, you have to figure out your own problems."
At dawn, I stood in the printing factory's workshop and received the newly printed newspaper. The front page featured Bernard's breakup letter to me. As agreed, Avana should send me inside information tonight. We've signed an agreement; he shouldn't go back on his word.
Nothing is more important than making money these days.
Looking up, I was surprised to see Nathan. He was dressed in a well-fitting black shirt and sharp black trousers, looking dazzling and charming in the gray-white morning light.
"So early?! What a diligent child!" I greeted him with a smile.
“I’m not a child.” Nathan approached me and smiled. “I knew you would come early this morning, so I came early. I didn’t expect you to come even earlier.”
"Isn't it expected that I'd arrive early? There's some very important news to release today, and I need to make sure it's accurate," I said.
"Are you really going to publish this news?!" Nathan looked at the breakup letter in the newspaper in my hand.
What do you think?!
"I don't think it matters how you are; what matters is that you're happy."
"I'm very happy." I put the newspaper back in the sample magazine box. "You'll have to work overtime these next few days; there's important news coming."
As I walked toward the door, Nathan's voice came from behind me, "I heard that the Duke of Avanna has proposed to you."
I turned to him and smiled, "Children shouldn't meddle in adult matters."
He frowned slightly, but there was nothing he could do about it.
After the breakup letter was publicly released, I became the laughingstock of others. The proud and aloof superpowered woman had actually been dumped by a man, and by the very man who had always held her in his heart. But this joke didn't last long; a massive civil war broke out in the West, and then in the East, quickly diverting people's attention.
In the West, several noble families joined forces to force King Hyja to name King Midian's grandson as crown prince, because Hyja's son was gay and unable to consummate the marriage. In the East, the Duran family, the former king of the East and queen of Nere, resurfaced and were determined to seize the throne, dethroning the half-blood prince and installing the legitimate grand-nephew of the former king of the East.
I publish the latest news from the Westerlands every two weeks. The newspaper is in high demand; in fact, sales exploded after the breakup letter was published, and now sales are even higher, almost selling out as soon as it hits the streets. The Duke of Avana has kept his promise and sends me a letter every week, which I immediately write, format, and proofread, sometimes even including pictures.
The Duke of Avana conveyed to me mostly information that could be publicly released, but which most people would never have known without his help. For example, how the powerful nobles and King Hyja forced him to submit. For three days, King Hyja had only been allowed the simplest food and had no wine. In the middle of the night, King Hyja escaped through a window to the garden, but was chased there by the nobles. He tripped and fell into the lake, screaming for help, and was rescued by the guards, looking utterly disheveled. Queen Hyja secretly mobilized her private army, which clashed with the nobles' private armies, leaving the palace in a bloody mess.
Occasionally, I'd receive news from the East. The King of the East's army clashed with the Duran family's private soldiers, who were using underground passages. The fighting was fierce, with corpses strewn everywhere and heavy losses; the common people dared not venture out. The palace was heavily guarded, but occasionally stragglers would still manage to sneak in, attempting to take the King of the East's head. However, the ever-suspicious King of the East would discover their attempts, summoning his already prepared guards, leading to another major battle. The blood on the palace floor tiles was so deep it couldn't be washed away.
My hands always tremble when I write press releases, whether it's about the West or the East.
Throughout history, power struggles have always resulted in the suffering and harm of the working class.
My news reports didn't cause any trouble for the internal strife because they were too far behind. With newspapers only published every two weeks, these events were long past; how could they possibly have any impact?!
But the nobles remained interested in these matters, especially the nobles from other countries who were not directly involved; it was a topic of conversation for them during their leisure time.
My advertising revenue quadrupled—only a fool wouldn't make money this way, this is the perfect time to strike. My wallet quickly became bulging, and the financial crisis in the capital city was temporarily alleviated.
I am now in the position of chief financial officer, and all the finances of the royal city are under my control.
Aurora was initially reluctant, as she had always held the reins of the finances. But I told her that if she didn't let me manage it, I wouldn't contribute a single penny. She had no choice but to relinquish control. I suspect this is a delaying tactic, a way to weather the storm first, and then gradually reclaim power later. If she truly has that ability, I will return the power to her—it's good that she handles her own affairs.
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