Byletta, daughter of a viscount, was known not only for her skill with a sword but also for her sharp business acumen. For eight years, she had been married to Arnald, the son of a count. Yet not once had they met—he had been away at war since the day their union was sealed.
When the war finally came to an end, Byletta made up her mind. Before even seeing his face, she sent him a letter, brief and unwavering:
“Dear Sir, I would like to ask for a divorce.”
Arnald, a strikingly handsome man who had never known what it meant to love, came home to meet the woman who had been his wife in name alone. Their first meeting took place in the quiet of their bedroom, and to her surprise, he proposed a wager.
“If you win, I’ll grant you the divorce,” he said calmly. “But if I win… we remain husband and wife. Forever.”
Then came the condition—one so unexpected it left her breathless.
“If I can get you with child within a month… I win.”
Byletta had never imagined that her path to freedom would begin with such an outrageous challenge.
