Ace Returns: Ex-Husband, Kneel

Yvonne Carlo spent three years as a stand-in bride. Mona, Marcus's first love and Yvonne's sister, disappeared the night before her own wedding. Yvonne was married off in Mona's place. Marcus never trusted her. When Mona is cornered at Blue Bar, Marcus blames Yvonne on the spot. He orders thugs to break her hands and leave her to them. Yvonne insists she is innocent. Nobody listens. The attack lands, and her sealed memories unlock.

She remembers. Six years earlier, she was Death, the Federation's most feared ace commander. She erased her own memory for family and for the man she loved. The reward was betrayal. With her memories back, she kills one attacker and calls Jasper. "Time to collect on everything they owe me."

Back at the Carlo house, the family demands she kneel for Mona. Yvonne refuses. She kicks Mona’s leg, forcing her to kneel. Yvonne announces a divorce within two days, calls Marcus trash, and adds that Mona is the one who likes recycling garbage. The family calls it a disgrace. Then she changes upstairs before leaving for Death's return banquet, an invitation she does not have.

At the entrance, Mona and Malcolm try to humiliate her. Yvonne makes one call to Jasper. He comes out to receive her personally and hands her his card. She publicly severs all ties with the Carlo family. Marcus shows up, then Evan, the youngest commander of the military region. Marcus offers a condition: if Yvonne passes the Federation qualifiers, he will sign the divorce papers. She accepts.

The tests are basic screening, thirty percent harder than last year. Yvonne lands every answer at the passing mark. The examiner stops basic combat and says she passed. Mona asks how it went. Yvonne answers with a question of her own.