Chapter 2

Laura watched in a panic as the wagons carrying my massive fortune began to turn around. "Stop her!" she yelled. "Soothe her pride for now. Let her believe she has won. Tell her Lily can be a servant. Once the baby is born, we'll fix it. Just get Charlotte in the door. Once she's under our roof, we shall do with her as we please."

Edward signaled his guards to block my path.

I scoffed. As the only heir to the Sinclair family, I had been protected by elite private security since I was in diapers. Before Edward's men could take two steps, my guards had their hands on their hilts, forming a wall of steel around me.

Edward lunged, grabbing for my shoulder. I turned and slapped him hard.

"Edward, you've broken the contract, and now you're attempting a kidnapping? Right here? Do you really want to see how the law treats a man who assaults a Sinclair?"

Edward was shaking with fury, roaring, "No matter who you marry, Charlotte, there will be other women! Why are you acting like this is some grand tragedy? You think your money buys you a faithful husband? You really are a merchant's daughter, reeking of nothing but coins and greed."

Lily threw herself at Edward, sobbing, "Edward!"

Then she turned those watery eyes on me, pleading, "Charlotte, why are you being so cruel? Don't you know why Edward had to do this?

"If you could actually provide him with an heir, he wouldn't have had to keep us a secret to protect your pride! Do you want the Everton name to die out because of your failings?

"I'm carrying his son. Once the heir is born, the house will be secure. You could have lived a comfortable life as his wife. Isn't that enough?"

I froze. I looked at Edward, waiting for him to deny it. He just looked at his boots.

A bitter sting hit my heart. Two years ago, Edward had fallen into the icy river outside Sinclair Manor. I was the one who saw him going under. I was the one who dove into the freezing water to drag his useless body to shore.

The fever from that day nearly killed me. I was bedridden for two months.

The doctors said the internal chill might make it difficult for me to conceive, but they never said it was impossible.

The Everton family had circled me like vultures from that day forth. Once they discovered I was the sole heiress of the Sinclair family, they came to our gates with hats in hand, pleading for a union to "honor my bravery."

It thus painted Edward as a man of honor who paid his debts. Besides, they could use my father's vast wealth to pay off their debts.

And now, Lily was standing in the street, telling the world I was barren. My eyes, stinging with a searing heat, flew to Edward. He could not meet my gaze.

"I... I didn't mean to tell her," he stammered. "I only told her... I just said she should have a few extra children so that we could adopt one to be yours. By then, people wouldn't talk...

"I was doing it for you, Charlotte!

"If you'd just cooperate, Lily said she'd let you be the legal mother of her firstborn. It's a perfect solution!"

I slapped him again, screaming, "You are truly a piece of work. If I'd known you were this spineless, I would have let the river take you. Saving you was the biggest mistake of my life.

"You disgust me."

I turned to leave, but he grabbed my sleeve one last time and begged, "Charlotte, stop being hysterical."

I pulled a sword from one of my guards and, with a clean shink, sliced the sleeve of my wedding dress right off, leaving the fabric in his hand.

"Drive!" I commanded.

When I arrived home, the house was still full of wedding guests. My parents looked pale after seeing me in a torn dress followed by a line of chests. "Charlotte? What on earth happened?" they asked.

I collapsed into my mother's arms, explaining, "Mother, you have to stand up for me! The Everton family has gone too far!"

After I told them everything, my father's face turned to stone.

He yelled, "Fine. If that's how the Everton family plays, this marriage is off.

"From now on, whatever happens to Edward is none of our business. And none of you need to do him any favors on my account."

For the two years since my engagement with Edward, my father had spent a fortune building Edward's career, paving his path with connections and money. The fool thought his rapid promotions were due to his own talent, never realizing my father had bought and paid for every step he took.

The entire Everton family had been enjoying free rein at Sinclair-owned shops. We never imagined it would only feed their arrogance and make them so bold.

The Everton family was in decline since their sons were rotters. If we could build their throne of gold, we could just as easily tear it down and leave them with nothing but the dirt beneath our feet!

The next day, the story flew through the capital like a bird on the wind: the heir of the Everton family had humiliated the Sinclair family's daughter on their wedding day, revealing he had gotten his cousin pregnant.

My family was not just merchants. We were the backbone of the economy. If not for my engagement, the line of suitors at our door would have been endless. After all, who doesn't love money?

Sure enough, the day the news broke, my mother's table was piled high with invitations to parties from the city's most powerful and noble families.