Chapter 3

Because I was supposed to marry into the Everton family, I had already bribed a few of their servants for information.

The news they sent was that after I left, Edward had gone ahead and married Lily. Laura had apparently sneered, "Edward, I forbid you from going to the Sinclair family to grovel. She thinks her massive wealth gives her power over us? Please. I'll teach her that in a noble house, a merchant's daughter like her is lucky to marry you!

"When your father returns, we'll demand she double the money as an apology for her 'outburst' before we even let her back in the house!"

Lily chimed in, "My love, the news that she's barren is already out. Who else will marry her now? She has nowhere to go but to you. Your mother is right. Ignore her for a few days. Break her spirit. Teach her that her husband is her master."

Edward, thinking this was sound advice, relaxed and spent the next few days in blissful honeymoon with Lily.

He never expected that two months later, his father, Dylan Everton, would storm back, clutching a secret letter from the city. The moment he walked in, he kicked Edward viciously. "You idiot! I worked so hard to arrange this marriage for our family. The bride was at our very doorstep, and you managed to ruin it?

"Get over there right now. Apologize. Grovel. I don't care if you have to lick her boots. Get that girl back in this family!"

Laura shrieked, "My lord, why did you hit him? Charlotte is disrespectful, disobedient, and utterly without virtue! A woman like that would be lucky to marry into our family!"

Fuming, Dylan roared, "Shut up! Your coddling has ruined him! Do you think the Sinclair family is a family to be trifled with? Charlotte's aunt is the King's new favorite consort! Everyone is trying to get into their good graces. If Edward marries her, his future is set!"

Laura mumbled, "But her father is just a merchant. Surely a girl from the trade class isn't fit to rule our family in the future."

"Social standing doesn't pay our debts! She is the woman who pulled your son from a watery grave. You want to reward the savior of this family by forcing her into the position of a mere concubine? Have you forgotten that we have a reputation to maintain?

"Think for once! Once she officially marries into our family, her vast fortune becomes ours to command. We can wipe out every debt and deficit plaguing this estate in a single stroke. And with her aunt whispering in the King's ear at court, Edward's path to the top is practically paved in gold.

"You are both fools! What is wrong with you? You've destroyed a perfect opportunity.

"Both of you will go and apologize immediately. Beg her to come back!

"Does Lily have any right to be Edward's second wife? The contract states the Sinclair heiress is the future lady. How could you pull a stunt like that on the wedding day and offend someone with connections to the palace? Are you trying to speed up our family's ruin?

"When you go to Sinclair Manor, take Lily with you. Make it clear she is nothing more than a concubine. Put their minds at ease."

Thoroughly chastised, Laura and Edward broke out in a cold sweat. They quickly gathered gifts and rushed to our home.

The moment Edward entered our house, he dropped to his knees with a loud thud and begged, "Charlotte, it's all my fault. I've come to beg for your forgiveness."

Laura grabbed my hand, pleading, "Edward was drunk that day, so he didn't know what he was doing. Please, don't be angry with him. When he sobered up, he was so devastated that he fell terribly ill. He only just recovered and rushed straight here to apologize.

"Look, he picked out all these gifts himself. He wants to choose a new day to marry you as his one and only wife, with all the ceremony you deserve."

Edward nodded, crawling closer on his knees. "Charlotte, I promise you, Lily has been demoted to a concubine. She will never stand in your way," he said.

With unshed tears, Lily looked at me and promised, "Charlotte, from now on, I will always respect you. I will never overstep again."

My father slammed his hand on the table, barking, "Is my daughter a toy you can pick up and discard at will? Guards! Throw this junk out!

"And show Edward and his mother the door. We are not worthy of your noble house. I have already found a suitable husband for my daughter. You can find someone else to marry."

Laura's face hardened as she spat, "We have humbled ourselves and come to apologize. You should know when to quit. Besides us, who would dare marry your barren daughter? In any noble house, she'd be a concubine. We're offering her the position of main wife out of respect for her aunt. Don't be ungrateful!

"We've even demoted Lily, who is carrying the Everton heir, to a concubine for you! What more do you want?"

"Mommy! Why aren't you playing with me?" A tiny girl, no older than two years old, toddled over and hugged my leg, looking as cute as a little angel.

Edward's face went white. "What did she call you?" he asked.

Pearl Austin hugged my leg tighter and looked up at him, murmuring, "Mommy."

Edward shot to his feet with a livid face and slapped me hard across the cheek. "You whore! You dare cheat on me?" he yelled.

Laura shrieked, "You shameless girl, Charlotte Sinclair! You've been hiding a bastard this whole time? Do you know what they do to women like you? You should be drowned in a cage!

"You want to marry into our house now? Not unless you double the gold your family yields to us! Edward, I know this is a disgrace to your name, but a woman like you doesn't even have the standing to be a properly kept mistress, let alone a lady!

"This was all a lie! You cheated on us before you were even married and had this bastard!

"Guards! Seize her and this bastard child! Drown them both in a cage!"

The servants followed behind them surged forward. Pearl clung to my leg, looking at Edward and his mother with wide, terrified eyes.

I tried to soothe her, but before I could speak, an icy voice cut through the chaos.

"Who dares to say they will drown my daughter in a cage?"