Chapter 5

Earl said, "When I was attacked, Lady Nicole shielded me with her body. She was gravely injured, and she lost the baby. I feel deeply guilty, so I gave her a mansion and had the imperial physician take care of her.

"I cherish and love Lady Nicole, yet you treat her with nothing but abuse. Do you still respect me as your ruler? Do you even care about morals and proper conduct?

"As for the man she was accused of having an affair with, even as she was dying, Lady Nicole remembered she was your wife, but you never cared about her at all!"

Earl' words struck Aiken like a curse sealing his fate.

Aiken couldn't stop trembling.

Back then, he'd basked in glory as he received his rewards. Now, he was a shadow of that man.

When disaster loomed, even animals would try to claw a way out, let alone Aiken.

He was getting anxious, scrambling to defend himself.

He said, "I know I was late to protect you, Your Highness, and that's on me. But I'm not to blame here.

"When Nicole was living at my estate, she constantly bullied and abused Roxanne and took advantage of her pregnancy to do whatever she wanted.

"Right before I left, she deliberately stole my signal flare, so I had no way of knowing you were being ambushed!"

As soon as he said that, my peace was thrown into chaos all over again.

I let out a bitter laugh.

The signal flare I'd begged for was now being called something I stole.

Aiken kept his head lowered, fear written all over his face, but his words rang out clear.

He said, "Your Highness, there's something you don't know. After I became the top martial scholar, all I wanted was to marry my childhood sweetheart, Roxanne.

"But before I could, Nicole's father snatched me up right after the results were announced. He threatened me that if I didn't marry Nicole, he'd kill Roxanne.

"Back then, he was the Minister of War, and he even said he'd strip me of my hard-earned title.

"I grew up with nothing and fought tooth and nail for everything I have. I couldn't gamble with Roxanne's life or my future.

"After marrying Nicole, I tried to be a good husband, but I never expected her to be so possessive. She took over the whole estate and wouldn't let any woman get close to me.

"Even when Roxanne came to seek shelter, Nicole slammed the door in her face. She even wanted to sell Roxanne off to a pimp.

"Roxanne and I grew up together. I could never let her fall that low. That's why I made her my concubine.

"This time, I was on duty just as you ordered, but Nicole suddenly claimed her stomach hurt and asked me to check on her. By the time I came back out, the signal flare was gone.

"Nicole's father was executed by your command for corruption. I can't help but suspect that everything today was part of Nicole's scheme. Your Highness, please trust me!"

Aiken bowed deeply, his fervor and zeal making him look every inch the loyal minister.

I knew that was not the truth at all.

With my battered body, I knelt on the ground, my eyes shimmering with tears as I gazed up at Earl.

I said, "Your Highness, please see the truth. Back then, Aiken came to our house and begged my father to let him marry me.

"My father didn't want to agree at first, but Aiken knelt outside our door for three days straight until my father finally gave in.

"It caused such a stir that storytellers still talk about it. If you don't believe me, you can send someone to ask around.

"Aiken didn't take a concubine at first, but it wasn't because of me. He kept Roxanne as his mistress outside the estate, living like they were in paradise, while pinning all the blame on me.

"As for my father, he never took bribes or embezzled anything. It was Aiken who was corrupt. He hid all the gold and silver he embezzled in my father's study, then reported him, just to help Roxanne's brother climb the ranks."

My voice came out rough and broken.

I couldn't hide the burning hatred in my eyes.

The only one who ever really loved me in this world, besides my mother, who died already, was my father. The day he was thrown in prison, I found out I was pregnant.

So Aiken locked me away in the mansion. I thought he was doing it out of love, trying to spare me the pain of seeing my father suffer.

It wasn't until later in my previous life that I realized Aiken had set my father up. He was terrified I'd go out, see the gold and silver they dug out of my father's study, and speak up for him.