Chapter 2

After hearing that Lucas had gone to the perfume shop, I felt at ease and made my way to Shepherd Manor.

Jolie Shepherd, Lucas's mother, and I were having wine in the main hall.

I said, "The wedding is set for next month—"

"Evelyn!" Lucas burst in, dragging Grace behind him. "How dare you go behind my back and come to my mother to arrange our marriage without asking me?"

He shot Jolie a furious look. "Mother, how could you decide my marriage without considering how I feel?

"I don't care for Evelyn at all. My heart belongs to Grace. I will only marry her. No matter how much you try to pressure me, I won't give in."

Grace stood there, biting her lip, looking fragile and innocent, but I caught the smug, mocking glance she threw my way.

Jolie was taken aback for a moment. "Lucas, that's not—"

Lucas, always quick to anger, glared at me again. "Evelyn, you ought to have some self-awareness. Can you not see how much we all despise you?

"Do you think getting my mother to pressure me will make me marry you? I suppose the last time your handkerchief ended up in the gutter wasn't enough of a lesson—"

"Lucas, that's enough!" Jolie snapped, her voice sharp with anger.

Lucas let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Mother, the only woman who will ever be my wife is Grace. If you want to give me a concubine, fine. I'll treat her like any other servant waiting on you."

"Lucas, how dare you—" Jolie was so furious she could barely speak, but Lucas had already dragged Grace away.

I gently steadied Jolie, offering comfort, and she looked at me with deep apology in her eyes.

I shook my head. "He'll realize it's all a misunderstanding eventually. I never wanted to marry Lucas anyway. I don't care what he says about me."

Jolie noticed the distance in my voice. She sighed quietly and said with frustration, "Fine. Let him figure it out himself. Let him see how foolish and blind he's been to misjudge you."

As I stepped out of Shepherd Manor, I happened to run into Charles, Andrew, Lucas, and Grace gathered by the carriage.

I kept my expression calm, looked away, and walked right past them without a word.

"Evelyn!" Grace suddenly rushed forward to block my path. "Please don't get the wrong idea. Lucas was only using me as an excuse earlier. There's nothing between us."

"Grace, why bother explaining to her? I only did that to shake off her constant clinging," Lucas snorted.

I kept my expression cold and turned to leave.

But Grace suddenly grabbed my hand. "Evelyn, Charles, Andrew, and Lucas are taking me for a field trip to fly kites. I told them to wait for you so you could join us."

"I hope you'll come and we can have fun together like old times," she said in a gentle voice, but her nails dug into my skin, betraying her true intentions.

I hissed in pain and yanked my hand away.

She screamed, threw herself backward, making it look as though I had shoved her hard.

"Grace!" Charles, Andrew, and Lucas rushed to catch her.

Lucas glared at me, his eyes blazing. "Evelyn! Grace was being kind, inviting you to fly kites with us, and you dared to push her right in front of us?"

Andrew's face went cold. "Grace was trying to get us to be patient with you, to overlook your behavior. And you still treated her so rudely in front of us? I suppose the last time wasn't enough of a lesson for you."

Charles spoke in a deep, unyielding tone. "Evelyn. Apologize."

Grace nestled close to them, looking as fragile as ever, but her eyes flashed with smug triumph as she glanced at me.

"I did nothing wrong. I won't be apologizing. What are you going to do about it?" I said, completely unmoved, and turned to leave.

Charles's icy voice followed me. "Evelyn, Grace is what matters most. If you harm her again, do not expect the three of us to care about any so-called friendship."

I let out a sarcastic laugh. There wasn't any friendship left between us anyway.

*****

With the wedding approaching, I spent nearly all my time by my mother's side.

That day, we went to Cloudview Abbey to pray. Charles, Andrew, and Lucas came along as well. While our mothers were absorbed in their devotions, the rest of us were left to wander the grounds.

I didn't feel like staying with them, so I took Nova and headed up to the orchard halfway up the hill. Then the skies opened. A sudden storm turned the path slick, and I ended up falling into a hollow.

Nova was frantic, doing her best to pull me out.

As I struggled to climb up, several strong hands reached down and hauled me out. It was Charles, Andrew, and Lucas.

"The elders sent us to find you," Lucas said, his voice blunt.

Nova and I shared an umbrella while the three of them walked beside us.

With the rain making the path to the mountaintop abbey too dangerous, we turned toward a nearby estate instead. We walked the whole way in silence.

Perhaps we were all remembering the past. This path and that old summer estate used to echo with our laughter.

The first verse they ever learned was about a boy and his childhood sweetheart. It used to be their favorite.

None of us thought we would end up like this.

Now they chose Grace over me every time, believed her without question, and gave her everything. All I received were lectures, slights, and their utter disdain.