New World, New Life: I Became A Bigshot In The Ancient World
Chapter 152: CHARLOTTE & GEORGE (1)

Chapter 152: CHARLOTTE & GEORGE (1)

Two days after Catherine had visited the palace with her children, Charlotte visited the palace for an audience with Rowaine.

They sipped tea in silence for a few minutes before Charlotte finally spoke up, carefully putting down her tea cup.

"Your majesty, I would like to make a request." She lowered her head.

Rowaine nodded for her to go on. She already knew what Charlotte wanted to say. "Is it about the divorce?" She asked, calmly sipping her tea, not looking the least bit fazed.

Charlotte was stunned, staring at Rowaine in surprise. How did the Queen know? Had the Grand Duchess told her?

She quickly regained her composure and replied,

"You are correct, your majesty. It is because I wish to seek a divorce from my husband."

"Have you signed the divorce agreement?"

"Yes, your majesty."

"What about the Marquis?" Rowaine asked. "Is the Marquis aware of your intentions?"

"He hasn’t signed them." Charlotte paused. Her expression tightened imperceptibly as she answered the second question. "... Not yet. I haven’t told him yet."

Rowaine raised her brows.

"That’s why I came to you, your majesty. Just in case he refuses to sign them." Charlotte explained.

"You understand the consequences of pursuing this, Charlotte. Divorce is not easily granted, especially among nobility."

"I am aware," Charlotte replied, keeping her voice steady. "That is why I intend to seek an audience with the king. His decision will be final."

Her meaning was simple. She wanted Rowaine to help in convincing the king.

Rowaine hummed, then put down her teacup. She opened her mouth to speak. Her tone was still formal but now milder, "Is this really what you want, Charlotte?"

"Yes, your majesty." Charlotte averted her eyes, a flicker of sadness crossing her features. "I cannot continue in a marriage that brings me no happiness. I believe it is the right choice, for myself."

When she had gotten married, she had never considered this possibility. And she knew that if her husband hadn’t been unfaithful, she would never even have the thought of divorce.

But they had come to this point now. A forlorn, self-deprecating smile formed on her face.

Rowaine stared at the beautiful brown skin woman in front of her, feeling pity. She finally stated, "If you are set on this path, Charlotte, I will support you."

Charlotte’s head snapped up in surprise. The Queen was agreeing so quickly?

She calmed down when Rowaine opened her mouth to speak. Of course there had to be a condition. She waited to hear Rowaine’s condition for helping her.

"But what about the child?"

The question shocked Charlotte and caught her off guard. ’Wade?’

She had been waiting for the Queen to state a condition for helping her and did not expect to be asked this instead.

"Wade?" She asked the question that was on her mind aloud, her voice tinged with confusion.

"You can leave the Marquis, but what about Wade?" Rowaine asked more clearly.

"All the more so why I want a divorce," Charlotte put down her teacup soberly. "Whenever I see that child, I am reminded of my husband’s affair. I cannot even bear to look at his face. That is how much I despise him." She finished.

Rowaine hummed, "Is that really how you feel about him? Do you believe those words? Do you mean them?" Her gaze fixed on Charlotte, studying her.

Charlotte lowered her eyes and stared at the tea swirling in the teacup. Under the table, her hand trembled.

"Nevertheless," Rowaine continued, indicating she wasn’t done. "I want you to think about your decision for a month. If you still insist on seeking divorce after that period, I will not stop you or try to dissuade you. I will talk to the King, and I will support you. You have my word."

Charlotte looked up at her immediately and nodded. So the Queen’s condition was for her to wait one more month. She released a soft sigh.

She curtsied. "Thank you for your benevolence, your majesty."

Charlotte left the palace feeling conflicted. She was certain that she still wouldn’t change her mind at the end of the time period.

She entered the carriage, "Coachman, please return to the mansion."

"Yes, madam." The coachman rode to the Oswalt mansion.

Charlotte was silent the whole ride to the mansion.

"Welcome back, madam." Her servant, Natalia greeted. She was the same servant Catherine had ordered to leave the greenhouse.

Charlotte nodded and managed a smile at her.

"Did Her Majesty agree to the divorce? To support you?" Natalia asked in a low voice as they headed to Charlotte’s room.

Charlotte looked around quickly. There were some maids around. Had they heard anything? The maids were still busy cleaning. They didn’t look like they had.

She gave Natalia a reprimanding look. "Be careful!" She uttered in a low voice. Did Natalia know that someone could hear?

Natalia realized her slip up and bowed. "Please pardon my mistake, my lady."

Charlotte nodded in acceptance.

She paused her steps, then continued and answered the maid’s earlier question. "Her Majesty... yes."

She didn’t know what stopped her from telling her trusted personal maid that the Queen had agreed to help her but had asked her to wait a month.

She entered her room with Natalia who closed the door behind them.

"That’s great. My lady can finally leave the Marquis." Natalia seemed genuinely happy.

"Natalia."

"Yes, my lady?" Natalia paused.

"I would like to rest."

"Eh? Oh yes, my lady. Please call me if you need anything." Natalia bowed and exited the room.

The room was finally silent. Charlotte was now alone with her thoughts and had time to think again.

She picked up a paper folded neatly between the covers of a book. It was a completed letter. She hesitated on whether to send the letter or not.

"I’m not sure how mother and father will react..." She muttered.

On the letter was stated the incident surrounding when George brought the child back home, till the present when she wanted to get a divorce.

She hadn’t even told her parents about what happened. She knew that they would be livid at George, and perhaps sad and hurt that she hadn’t told them. She remembered the Queen’s words of talking to the King after a month.

She put the letter back between the folds of the book. She wouldn’t tell her parents until the month was over.

After some time, Charlotte left her room. Just as she was about to head to the mansion’s garden, she saw the child and the Butler approaching her.

"Madam." The butler bowed.

Wade bowed too. "Greetings, Marchioness Oswalt."

Staring at him, the Queen’s words echoed in her mind; ’Is that really how you feel about him?’

Charlotte didn’t know.

That was the face, the child she wanted to hate. Wished to hate. Because no matter how much she despised him, she couldn’t bring herself to hate him. Maybe it was because she knew deep down that it wasn’t his fault. He was just a child. Perhaps that was why she couldn’t—

"... Madam?"

"Ah." She was brought out of her thoughts when the butler called her. Only then did she realize that she had not responded to the greeting.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts and nodded in response to the greeting, then gestured to the Butler to continue since it seemed he had something to tell her.

The Butler raised his hands respectfully, pretending not to notice her drifting attention.

"Madam, this arrived from her grace, the Winston Madam." He said.

Only then did Charlotte notice the tray containing a sealed envelope and a knife in his hands.

She nodded and collected the exquisite envelope from the butler. She cut open the wax holding the envelope and opened the letter.

"An invitation to a tea party." She muttered. It was an invitation for her and Wade to a tea party hosted by Duchess Winston in a few days.

George had travelled to the Oswalt Fief a week ago. That was why she had used that opportunity to go to the palace for an audience with the queen. He would return in a few days.

"Shall I burn it and write to the Duchess that you will not be able to attend?" The butler asked.

Charlotte shook her head. She had been rejecting the invitations on the pretext that she was sick but that could only stall for so long. She couldn’t avoid this anymore. It could be seen as disrespecting the duchess who was higher in status than her.

As long as she didn’t get divorced from the Marquis, she would have to attend social events. In this one month that she would wait for, she would have to attend those tea parties that she couldn’t refuse.

She sighed and folded the letter, returning it to the butler. "Write a reply to the duchess. I will attend the tea party with the young master."

The young master... She had never called his name, at least not in his presence.

She remembered the first time they met, when her husband brought him to the mansion a year ago.