From the moment Christopher had announced their engagement, Beatrice had viewed Elena not as a daughter-in-law, but as a blemish. Elena’s origins were tragically modest—a librarian’s daughter from a quiet, unremarkable town. She possessed grace, intelligence, and a deep well of kindness, but she lacked the one currency Beatrice valued above all else: lineage. To the matriarch, Elena’s presence was a constant, infuriating reminder of her son’s one significant act of rebellion.