Due to Carissa''s wedding, Violet had first returned home to help her family, then gone to assist the Inferno Guild with the gifts to add to Carissa''s trousseau.


    Though this had urred more than a month ago, Yuvan would have had to travel from Valken to the Spencer family''s residence in Ebonflow if he had gone to propose marriage. Considering the time it took to travel, Yuvan likely arrived to propose shortly after Violet''s return to the Inferno Guild.


    The Spencer family had sent people to help with the gift preparations just a few days after Violet''s return to the Inferno Guild. That meant that by the time Violet met with the other Spencer family members in the capital, they probably hadn''t heard the news yet.


    "How shameless can Prince Yuvan be? How old is he? How dare hee to propose marriage to me? When was the divorce agreement sent? It''s possible he came to propose first, then sent the divorce agreement. That old scoundrel-I''ll have him chopped up!" eximed Violet, outraged.


    Perhaps it was because Yuvan''s name was repeatedly mentioned, but the tears in Avis'' eyes began to fall. Then, her dull eyes finally focused, and she looked steadily at Carissa.


    Recognition dawned on her face.


    With a sob, Avis began to cry. Her tears flowed uncontrobly, and her cries were piercingly sorrowful. Her weeping was so intense, it seemed like she might choke. She gasped for breath but could hardly catch it. Soon, she was coughing and vomiting blood, the bright red droplets staining the floor.


    A horrified Carissa gently patted her aunt''s back and wiped away the blood. Yet, the blood kepting up in steady streams until Avis eventually lost consciousness.


    Ivy and Jasmine, seemingly ustomed to such emergencies, helped Avis lie down and began administering acupuncture. They crushed pills and forced them into her mouth. The attending maids cleaned up the blood and attended to Avis with practiced efficiency.


    Carissa stood frozen. Even when a maid brought water to clean her blood-stained hands, she remained unresponsive.


    Violet tapped her lightly. "Wash your hands. We''ll see how she is after the acupuncture."


    Only then did Carissa finally submerge her hands in warm water, her whole body trembling uncontrobly. She was aware of her aunt''s illness, but hadn''t realized it was this severe.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    A chill of fear and dread settled in Carissa''s heart-a fear she knew all too well, the kind that came with the thought of losing a loved one. Her heart seemed to sink into darkness.


    After the acupuncture and another dose of medicine, Avis gradually began to regain consciousness. She looked even more frail than before, but she recognized Carissa. Avis reached out for her niece''s hand, her eyes welling with tears once again.


    Carissa hurriedly reassured, "Aunt Avis, I''m doing fine now. I''m married to Prince Rafael, and he treats me very well."


    "Is that true?" Avis'' eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you sure you''re not... lying to me?"


    "No, it''s true. You can ask them." Carissa gestured to Ivy and Violet. "Ask them."


    Violet looked at Avis and nodded. "It''s true."


    Violet was conflicted.


    Yuvan, that old scoundrel, had caused Avis so much suffering, and now, he wanted to cast her aside and marry someone else. Just thinking about it was revolting.


    Violet wondered how her


    grandfather and father would refuse him-would they scold him fiercely and chase him away? Probably not. Her grandfather and father always cared about their reputation. No matter how awful Yuvan was, he was still a prince. It wouldn''t be proper to openly confront him.


    But if Violet had been present, she would have pointed a finger at him and berated him.


    Who cared if he was a prince?


    Violet felt that this situation was the most disgusting thing she had ever encountered in her entire life, bar none. Yuvan was in his forties by now, wasn''t he? What on earth was that old man thinking, trying to marry her?


    Meanwhile, Carissa focused onforting Avis. Once the older woman''s emotions had stabilized a bit, Carissa began to tell her about her current situation.


    Avis grasped her niece''s hand,


    crying as she spoke, "I know about your divorce. I also know you went to the battlefield, and I worried every day that you would... I''m so relieved that everything is well now and that you''ve found a good husband. It


    eases my heart."


    She sighed deeply, herplexion now tinged with gray. "It''s all my fault for arranging that marriage for you. Every night, I dream of your mothering to scold me. Her spirit must hate me deeply." As she spoke, she began to cry once more.