Marriage of Convenience

Bianca de Blanchefort, wed to Zachary de Arno in a union of mere convenience, found herself cast aside by the Arno family following his demise. Her reputation for extravagance, recklessness, and scandalous conduct left her with no refuge—the once-proud Blanchefort lineage had crumbled, forcing her into exile at a remote convent near the border. Her story ended ignobly, sprawled across frigid stone tiles, branded as a dishonorable villainess. Yet fate intervened, hurling her back through time.

Could this truly be the past? The gnawing hunger, the bone-deep exhaustion, the sharp clarity of her surroundings—none of this was illusion or fantasy. If this was reality, if divine providence had granted her a second chance…

Marriage, she resolved, was nothing more than a transaction. Securing Zachary’s heir would ensure financial stability, safeguarding both her dowry and the lands of Blanchefort and Arno from the clutches of that wretched viscount. By charm or coercion, she would bear her husband’s child.

Her thoughts sharpened into calculation. “What was the exact value of my dowry?”

“Four hundred calves, nine hundred swine, a hundred silver pieces, three hundred bolts of silk, two chests of gemstones, and a tract of land—enough to sustain the Arno estate for two full years.”

A slow smile curled her lips. “Don’t you believe restitution is overdue?”