Once a first wife

In a tightly regulated future where marriage is a state‑managed contract, a woman named Sar finds herself standing before the Terran High Court, accused of “sexual incompetence” – a charge that could strip her of the coveted first‑wife status and the pension that comes with it. The trial is unprecedented; it is the first time a divorce has been pursued on a stigma‑based ground rather than the usual mutual incompatibility. As journalists and jurists watch, Sar’s fate threatens to reshape the legal framework that has governed personal relationships for generations.

Beyond the courtroom, Sar’s motivations are intimate and pragmatic. She worries that losing her designation now will deny her the chance to become a first‑wife again, a position that guarantees security for her children and herself in a society that values rank over affection. The story follows her determined defense, the clever maneuvers of her counsel, and the stark question of whether a woman can truly protect her identity when the law itself is twisted into a weapon.