Chapter 2
The news of the broken engagement spread like wildfire through the Betrico.
Everyone said I was ungrateful.
Edward had risked his life for me, and yet I abandoned him when he was gravely injured and disfigured.
I became the heartless woman everyone in the city loved to hate.
The Sinclair family's doorstep was nearly worn down by scholars and nobles, all coming to give me a piece of their mind.
My father was so furious that he smashed a few cups, demanding if I had lost my mind.
I told him the whole story about locking the west wing.
He fell silent.
The Sinclair family might not be as prestigious as the Harrington family, but we were respectable and upright.
My father would never allow his daughter to be manipulated like that.
"What do you want to do?" he asked.
"I'm going to find out who started the fire and slam the evidence right in Edward's face," I replied.
I sent the Sinclair family's most trusted agents to look into it.
In less than three days, they came back with information.
Turned out, before the west wing went up in flames, Vivian's personal maid had bought two big barrels of kerosene from a shop on the east side of town.
The shopkeeper was greedy. I gave him enough dollars, and he told me everything I wanted to know.
With the signed confession, I headed straight for Northgate Manor.
Edward's leg had been saved, but he would never walk normally again.
He was sitting in a wheelchair; he looked genuinely pleased to see me. "Charlotte, you finally came to see me."
Edward thought I was here to beg for forgiveness.
He reached out to grab my hand, but I dodged him.
I threw the confession right at him. "Why don't you take a look at this, Lord Edward?"
Edward picked up the paper, and as he read, his expression instantly turned grim. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means exactly what it says. Vivian set the fire; she was trying to kill me," I said.
Edward crumpled the confession into a ball and tossed it to the floor. "That's ridiculous! Vivian can't even stand the sight of a chicken being killed; how could she possibly set a fire?
"You must've beaten a confession out of someone to frame her!"
I looked at Edward, and there was no anger left in me, just pity.
This was the man I had loved for a decade.
"It's all in black and white, plus the shopkeeper's testimony. Do you still refuse to believe me?" I asked.
Edward took a deep breath, his tone softening. "Charlotte, I know you're upset about how I treated you that day.
"But you can't spread rumors about Vivian out of jealousy.
"She's an orphan, with no one to rely on. I only see her as a little sister.
"I've sworn I'll only ever marry you. What else could you possibly want?"
I looked at him, so smug and self-righteous.
He acted as if making me his wife was some huge favor, as if I should be grateful.
"You honestly disgust me, Edward," I said.
I didn't want to waste another word on him. I turned on my heel and left.
Edward shouted after me. "Charlotte! When will you stop causing trouble? Are you really going to ruin Vivian until she has nothing left?"
I stopped in my tracks and turned to face him. "She tried to burn me alive. Edward, you're protecting a killer; sooner or later, you'll get what's coming to you."
After leaving Northgate Manor, I went straight to the Central Magistrate's Court.
The Chief Magistrate broke out in a cold sweat when he saw the complaint I handed him.
Stuck between the Sinclair family and the Harrington family, he knew he couldn't afford to piss off either side.
"Lady Charlotte, maybe we could settle this privately?" he suggested.
"No. This needs to be a public trial," I insisted, standing my ground.
The Chief Magistrate had no choice but to send officials to Northgate Manor to summon Vivian.
When Edward found out, he went absolutely berserk.
He stormed in with his wheelchair. His guards surrounded the Central Magistrate's Court.
In front of everyone, Edward pulled Vivian behind him. "Anyone who dares lay a finger on her, I'll take their life myself."
Vivian cowered behind him, trembling like a leaf.
The crowd whispered and cast glances.
"Lady Charlotte is too cruel; she's really pushing that poor orphan girl to the edge."
"Now that's what I call a devoted man. Lord Edward really stands by his woman."
In the end, Edward ended up driving the court guards away.