Chapter 2

The jolt of the bumpy carriage snapped me back to reality.

When I looked up again, the palace walls were right in front of me.

By palace rules, I had to greet the queen before anything else.

As I passed a garden, I caught sight of a woman leaning gracefully against the railing. She was slender, vibrant, and captivating.

Sunlight streamed down, washing over her in a golden glow.

She turned, and her features finally came into view.

That was Lady Grace Willis, Edward's new bride, the woman who had shattered all my hopes.

She was breathtakingly beautiful; every look and gesture exuded a seductive charm.

Her beauty was untouched and wild, a stark contrast to my poised grace.

Grace's eyes lingered on me, filled with both sympathy and caution.

She felt sorry for me; she knew Edward had pushed me into this "prison."

But she was guarded too, because I had once been the greatest obstacle in her pursuit of Edward.

I stopped in my tracks and threw her a cold look. I didn't need her pity, and she didn't have to be on guard.

Edward was history to me now. I wouldn't look back at him anymore.

Once I entered the palace, I was named the Chief Mistress.

I began to get to know Alexander, the king who dragged me into this place.

Alexander was sharp, but he couldn't care less about court politics. All he thought about was having fun.

He was a total flirt. His palace was full of pretty girls, and every few days, there was always a new face coming in.

But he was heartless, too, always keeping his guard up. Except for the queen, nobody else was allowed to spend the night in his chambers.

Whether he was all about romance or was heartless, it was none of my business.

He brought me into the palace so I could be his tool, help him handle those ministers who were against him, and keep his throne steady. That way, he could enjoy himself even more.

I decided to be a good tool in his hands, and I wouldn't bother dreaming about anything else.

After spending some time in the palace, I came to understand a lot.

Turned out Edward was right after all. Love meant nothing here.

Those women who truly loved the king, and whom he once cherished, had all met their end.

They were buried or were left to rot in the abandoned quarters, surviving on memories alone.

Only power could protect me, keep others from pushing me around, and make sure I wouldn't get tossed aside.

I started learning how to play the game and how to keep different factions in balance.

I took the initiative to approach Alexander, not to make him fall for me, but to understand his thoughts and what he was planning.

With the Ashford family behind me and my own intelligence, it didn't take long for Alexander to trust me.

He believed I could be the blade in his hand.

He started letting me look over some of the less important reports and would ask for my opinion on court matters.

I was careful with my advice, enough to show him I was smart, without drawing too much attention to myself.

I used his trust in me and the Ashford family's support to slowly build my own network, placing my people where I needed them and having them dig up information for me.

I even got those small families without any backing on my side, joining forces with them to stand up to the arrogant royal relatives.

Every step I took in the palace was calculated, and every move was mapped out. One wrong step, and I'd fall into an abyss with no way out.

Edward was a frequent presence in the palace, always coming to discuss state affairs.

Our eyes would meet through the shimmering curtain.

I was the king's woman, and he was the heir apparent to the Marquis of Lorindel.

That curtain kept us apart, but the real distance between us was far greater.

I learned to bow my head, to put on a smile, and to call him "Lord Edward" like we were strangers.

The girl who once stood in the snow, crying and asking him if he'd cared for her, was gone for good.

Every time the curtain was pulled aside, his eyes were completely emotionless, all business and nothing personal.

Whenever I faced that cold stare, my heart would hurt uncontrollably.

It wasn't a gut-wrenching pain, but a slow, persistent ache that kept slowly peeling back the scabs on old wounds.

After he left, I found myself staring at the spot where he'd stood, lost in thought.

I'd replay every frown, every smile, every little gesture of his over and over.

I really couldn't stand myself for acting this way.

What was I doing? Didn't he make it clear that day in the snow? He never belonged to me.

Grace's death was sudden.

That night, heavy snow was swirling down, turning the world into a vast, silent white.

I was reading an urgent report when my maid burst in, barely able to get the words out. "My lady, Lady Grace suddenly fell ill. The royal physician said there was nothing they could do. She wanted to see you."

I set down my pen and asked, "Where's Lord Edward?"

The moment the words slipped out, I realized I'd blurted them in a rush.

The maid lowered her head. "He's waiting outside."

I paused for a moment and then stood up. "Lead the way."