Now that Vi was pregnant, her thoughts were often clouded, and she was overly sensitive. When she heard about Barrett’s promotion, she felt joy. But upon learning that Carissa was his superior, tears filled her eyes.


    She leaned against Barrett’s arm, choking on her words


    <b>“</b>I’m not jealous of her, but how can she possibly hold power over you? You discovered the evidence of Grand Princess Eleanor’s treachery. If it weren’t for you, the grand princess‘ ambitions might still be hidden from everyone.


    “I just can’t ept it! Why are you always overshadowed by her? When ites to contributions and achievements, haven’t you surpassed her? How could the king allow a woman to be themander? To let a woman oversee the Mystic Army, along with the Crown Guard and the Royal Guard–it’s absurd! The men have lost all their dignity!”


    Barrett listened to her choked voice and felt a twinge of irritation in his heart. He remembered the assassin who had faced him that night–he knew exactly who that person was.


    Was this credit truly his? No, it was handed to him by someone else.


    Barrett suspected that the person had already known about Eleanor’s plot and nned to expose her scheme during the Emberfest Festival. Barrett just happened to be in the right ce at the right time. He had chased down the assassin in the western courtyard and stumbled upon those weapons in the dungeon.


    He didn’t understand why the Hell Monarch himself didn’t expose Eleanor, but instead had the Capital Guard and the Garrison Unit do it.


    It was such a significant achievement!


    Why give the credit to the Capital Guard and the Garrison Unit?


    Perhaps because he was the Hell Monarch, well–known for his military prowess, and simply didn’t care about such des.


    A shadow crossed Barrett’s eyes. In the end, it all came down to one’s origins.


    What Rafael didn’t want was something Barrett could never earn, even if he gave everything he had.


    “Stop thinking about it. At least I’ve been promoted,” Barrett said, pushing down the bitterness in his heart and offering Vi a gentle smile. “From now on, you’ll be the wife of the Crown Guard’smander.” This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    “But when will the Warren family return to its former glory? Carissa is your superior, and she’ll continue to keep you under her thumb. She harbors resentment toward you, and if she schemes against you, you might not <b>even </b>keep your position as the Crown Guard’smander.”


    Barrett wiped away her tears with his finger. “That won’t happen. She’s not that kind of person.”


    Vi swatted his hand away, her expression turning icy with anger. “Are you defending her? If she’s not that kind of person, then what kind of person is <b>she</b>? Don’t tell me that even now, with our child on the way, you still can’t let go of her!”


    Vi could never forget what Aurora had said–that Barrett still had feelings for Carissa. She hadn’t cared


    before, but now that she was determined to build a future with him, she couldn’t tolerate the idea that he still had space in his heart for another woman.


    Barrett’s patience wore thin as he saw her turning angry. “Can you please stop overthinking everything? You doubt everything and everyone! Carissa is the Hell Monarch’s princess consort now. She has nothing to do with me. Why do you keep bringing her up?”


    “What? I can’t mention her at all?” Vi stood up, tears welling in her eyes from anger. “Barrett, dare swear to heaven that she means nothing to you?”


    do you


    Barrett closed his eyes for a moment, his chest rising and falling as he struggled to contain his anger. He opened his eyes and red at her fiercely. “Have you had enough? Why can’t we just live our lives? Why do you have to keep bringing her up?”


    “I want you to swear!” Vi grabbed his pillow and mmed it against him. “Swear it!”


    The pillow hit Barrett’s injury, causing him to wince in pain.


    He shouted, “Enough! This is ridiculous! My promotion should be a joyful matter. Why do you keep mixing her into it? Does it really matter to you whether I think about her or not? And what about you? Do you still think about Thomas? What have you done? Have I ever questioned you about it? Can’t we just live in peace?”


    Hearing things that made her feel embarrassed and furious, Vi felt her head explode with rage. She pped his face. “Shut up!”


    As the sound of her p echoed in the room, both of them froze.


    Barrett touched his face in disbelief. “You…hit me!”