Awakening Love: Reborn to Be His Duchess Chapter 303: None Left Unscathed

"They'll probably end up divorcing," Lydia said after a while.

For once, the meek softness that usually filled her eyes was gone. A flicker of excitement shone there instead.

Nina looked confused.

"Divorcing? What does that mean?"

Lydia gently stroked her daughter's hair.

"It means that once they separate, I'll be the lady of Havenstead Manor. And you, sweetheart, won't be some poor cousin living in someone else's house anymore. You'll be the young lady of the manor, with money, status, everything that comes with it."

Nina blinked. "Oh..."

Lydia looked at her daughter's blank expression with a mix of amusement and irritation.

"You really are a silly girl. Havenstead Manor is full of wealth and comfort. Once we take control, you and I will never have to worry about money again. We'll have more than we could ever spend."

But when she remembered Alistair's hesitation earlier, the smile slowly faded from her face.

Clearly, he did not really want the divorce.

Which meant she would have to push things along herself.

A thought suddenly came to her mind, and her eyes lit up.

She walked to her vanity, opened a hidden drawer, and took out a small object she kept carefully hidden.

Back at Duskmoor Manor, Elowen followed her aunt all the way to her rooms.

Several times she wanted to say something, hoping to persuade Elspeth to reconsider.

After all, Elspeth had been married to Alistair for decades, while her stay at Duskmoor Manor had only lasted a few days. What if she regretted such a sudden decision later?

The world was rarely kind to women who left their marriages. Just imagining the gossip was enough to make Elowen's stomach tighten.

At the same time, she did not want to interfere with Elspeth's decision.

She felt completely torn and had no idea how to begin. Elspeth broke the silence first.

"Ella, do you know why I married Alistair in the first place?"

Elowen thought for a moment.

"Because he was the Marquess of Havenstead? The family had a respected title and a decent reputation."

Elspeth chuckled.

"Oh, silly Ella. There are plenty of lords and nobles in this world. Most of them only look impressive on the surface. Behind those grand titles, some of them can barely afford to pay their servants."

She rested her chin on her hand as her gaze drifted into the past.

"Havenstead Manor was exactly like that when I first married into the family.

"Even before the wedding, the estate was already struggling. Officially they said they were cutting expenses and dismissing servants to save money, but the truth was much simpler. There just wasn't enough money to pay them.

"The marquess was dying and burning through money on medicine, while Alistair was still studying for the imperial examinations. Every day was a struggle."

Elowen asked softly, "Then why did you marry him, Aunt?"

Elspeth shrugged. "Because Alistair was incredibly handsome."

"You've never seen what he was like when he was younger," she said with a faint smile. "He looked as though he'd stepped straight out of a painting. Tall, sharp-eyed, effortlessly elegant. The first time we met was at the polo grounds. He kept complimenting my riding the entire afternoon. After that, he treated me as if I were the center of his world. If I'd told him to ride east, he wouldn't even have considered going west. Tell me honestly... how many young women could have resisted someone like that?"

She smiled faintly. "I certainly couldn't."

To be fair, Alistair was still a handsome man even now.

Elowen nodded. "That makes sense. Anyone would fall for that."

She hesitated before continuing, "But now he has a title and an official salary. Life at Havenstead Manor seems comfortable enough."

Elspeth laughed quietly, though there was clear irony in her voice.

"You think his salary covers even a fraction of the household expenses? There are dozens of mouths to feed, endless social obligations, gifts to prepare, and business matters to handle. Everything costs money."

She shook her head slightly.

"If I hadn't quietly filled the financial gaps with my own money all these years, Havenstead Manor would never have been able to maintain the image it shows the outside world today."

That night, Elowen lay across the bed in a soft yellow nightgown, completely absorbed in the book she was reading. Her feet swung lazily behind her as she turned the pages.

Cassian entered the room after bathing and immediately noticed a plate of cakes on the table.

He picked one up, took a bite, and looked toward the bed. "Ella, did you bake these yourself today?"

Elowen barely looked up from the book. "Mhm."

After a moment she added casually, "Aunt Elspeth was feeling down today, so I made her favorite cakes to cheer her up. I made extra for you."

Cassian's expression softened when he heard that, and he reached for another cake.

Elowen asked casually, "So, do you like them?"

"They're really good."

Even though he had already eaten dinner earlier, Cassian still pulled out a chair and sat down at the table, clearly planning to finish the entire plate of pastries.

As he continued eating, he asked, "I heard that Aunt brought up separating from the Marquess of Havenstead again today?"