Cold sweat broke out across my back in an instant.

Edmund walked over and took my hand, guiding me toward the bed. Just as I was about to sit down, Josy suddenly lunged at me. Her sharp claws tore through my outer robe, aimed squarely at my belly.

"Oh my, kittens are just so playful. It's fine, it's fine. Leah, just go change your clothes.

"I heard from the maids that you had some iron plates custom-made the other day and put them inside your clothes for protection. There's no war going on. What could you possibly need protection from?"

Edmund's gaze was fixed firmly on my clothing as he spoke in that gentle voice of his.

I smiled. Then, I slipped off my outer robe, revealing the thin inner garment underneath.

"Iron plates? I have no idea what you're talking about. Whichever maid made that up should be thrown out and sold off."

Then I walked over to Josy of my own accord, picked her up, and stroked her gently.

Confusion flickered through Josy's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by satisfaction. She narrowed her eyes contentedly and rested her paws on my wrist, pressing down in secret.

Edmund held me in his arms as well, and the three of us lay down together just like that.

Wearing iron plates all day was hardly comfortable. When I bathed that afternoon, I had coated my entire body in the skin-toned layer instead. Now it covered me seamlessly from head to toe, like a second skin.

Even if I slept beside Josy with nothing on, she would never be able to touch the real me. And by morning, the coating would naturally loosen and sag, making it look as though I had truly aged.

I slept through to dawn.

Edmund was already up. Josy was plastered against me, desperate to spend every single second at my side, greedily draining away at something unseen.

"See? The cat just adores you."

Edmund glanced at my visibly looser skin and nodded with satisfaction.

I looked right back at him, unflinching.

"She really does. I ought to pay Jocelyn a visit and bring her a generous gift to thank her."

The moment I mentioned visiting, Edmund went quiet and immediately looked away.

I held Josy close to my chest and said sweetly, "But this little cat is just too precious. I can't bear to part with her. I won't even want to leave my room for at least half a month."

That put Edmund entirely at ease. He turned and walked out through the courtyard gate.

I had counted the days. Today, Edmund was leaving the city to attend a gathering with some of his old colleagues. He would likely be gone for seven days. That gave me seven full days to settle my score with Jocelyn.

Just then, Ember came in.

"The 50 feral toms are all rounded up, my lady. What would you like to do?"

I nodded and walked over to the vanity mirror.

Moments later, a shriek echoed through the Hughes estate.

"How did I age this much? If my husband sees me like this and stops caring for me, what will I do? All of you, get out! Go find me something that will keep me young forever. Don't come back until you do!

"And if any of you breathe a word to my husband about how I look, I'll have you beaten to death!"

Every maid in the household scrambled and went running.

My expression had long since returned to normal. Josy, still in my arms, was panicking. She seemed to realize something was wrong and thrashed wildly, trying to escape.

I tucked Josy gently into her cage and smiled. "I've found you 50 wild and vigorous little husbands. Are you excited?"

Seven days later, Edmund's carriage pulled up outside the estate gates.

The entire Hughes estate was draped in white for mourning. He frowned and asked the maid who came out to greet him.

"What happened here?"

There I was, hunched over like a woman on the brink of her final years, kneeling before the funeral altar with tears streaming down my aged face.

"While you were away, Jocelyn passed suddenly. Her body was already rotting in her quarters by the time we found her. I had no choice but to have her cremated and give her a proper send-off."

Edmund's expression changed.

"Where's the cat?"

Ember brought the cage over. Inside sat a white cat with a massive belly and spindly little legs.

I muttered the words through my grief, "The cat went into heat, and I was worried she'd suffer, so I found plenty of toms to keep her company. She's already carrying kittens."