Once he became the Marquess, he simply slotted Edith into the role of his wife and raised her children as his own.

By the time I dragged myself to his door, Finn had long since forgotten that my daughter and I existed.

So much so that when we died miserably in my past life, he didn't shed a single tear.

If anything, he was relieved he wouldn't have to write up divorce papers after all.

This time, no matter what it took, I would change my daughter's fate and my own.

Hildegarde and I knelt at the gates of the ducal estate. The servants couldn't bear the sight of us and reported our arrival five or six times. Two hours later, my father finally came out.

"Reduced to this sorry state, and NOW you remember you have a father?"

He held a riding crop in his hand and raised it as if to strike me. I didn't flinch, didn't move to dodge. Instead, I stepped closer.

"Your daughter knows she was wrong. Beat me, kill me, do whatever you see fit."

"I regret not listening to you back then. I put my trust in the wrong man."

Tears streamed down my father's weathered face. He didn't strike me. He threw the crop to the ground and pulled me to my feet with trembling hands.

"You were so heartless back then. You threw away your own father and your home for a man. But since you know you were wrong, cut those ties clean and come home where you belong!"

"As long as you sever that cursed bond completely, you are still the Duchess of Ashford, and this estate is still yours."

He told me to change out of my rags, but I shook my head.

His expression shifted. "Don't tell me you still intend to have dealings with that man?"

I smiled faintly. "He wronged me this deeply. You think I can just turn the page? I need to make him pay first."

That same day, I took Hildegarde to the Eastholm Marquess Manor and sent word inside.

"Tell Finn Acevedo his wife has come home."

The guards at the gate took one look at my tattered clothes, wrinkled their noses, and grabbed their sticks to shove us away.

"Where'd you beggars crawl out from? This is the Eastholm Marquess Manor!"

"The lady of the house is hosting a banquet for the most powerful nobles in the capital. If you disturb her guests, you and your little brat won't have enough lives to pay for it!"

"Go on, get! Get out of here!"

I'd expected exactly this. I deliberately stepped back, dropped to my knees, and raised my voice for the whole street to hear.