In the final days of the year, Julian and Francesca stayed at the old family estate.

Thanks to Francesca’s meticulous care, the Hale household ran like a well-oiled machine. Every detail, inside and out, was managed with precision, and all the necessary social obligations were handled flawlessly. The upper echelons of Kingsward City’s elite circles were abuzz: Julian Hale had married an extraordinarily capable wife.

But Mrs. Hale didn’t share in the general ...