Chapter 3

I stripped off my wedding dress and wrote two letters.

One was addressed to Upstate New York, to my childhood governess, Miss Lydia Hart.

She had left New York City a few years ago to teach the daughters of several wealthy families in the North.

She once told me that if I ever decided I didn't want to marry, I could always support myself by teaching music.

I played the harp and the piano well enough to make a living.

The second letter was for Julian Ashford. It was a formal dissolution of our engagement.

In our past life, since he had accepted my sister, I might as well step aside early and give them what they wanted.

I had just handed the letters to a servant when Edward walked in.

He was carrying a pastry box.

"You barely ate anything all day. These are your favorite almond tarts."

The moment he opened the box, I recognized them.

When I visited Claire's room this morning, she had taken one bite and frowned.

"Too sweet. Take them away."

Now, the leftover pastries were delivered to me, and Edward presented them as if he had gone out of his way just for my sake.

"Evelyn, stop acting like a child. We'll redo the wedding tomorrow."

I looked up at him.

"I'm not marrying him. I've already sent a letter to Julian breaking the engagement."

Edward stopped. Then, a second later, his eyes actually lit up.

"Then Claire can finally—"

He caught himself halfway, remembering I was still in the room.

"What did you just say?"

"I'm going to Upstate New York to be a governess."

His face darkened instantly.

"Absurd. The Whitmore family isn't so destitute that we need you earning a wage."

"An unmarried woman traveling alone to the North to teach—what do you think people will say about Claire? They'll say she stole your fiancé and drove you out of the city."

Look at that. Even at the very end, his only concern was my sister.

Edward turned to leave, but I couldn't hold back the question.

"And if it were Claire who wanted to be a governess?"

He stopped in his tracks. Before he could answer, Claire happened to walk through the door.

"Actually, I think being a governess sounds lovely."

She tossed the comment out casually, yet Edward genuinely considered it.

"Then once your marriage is settled, I'll find a few respectable families for you."

My fingers curled into tight fists. So it wasn't that the profession was undignified.

It was just that I wasn't allowed to do it, but Claire was.

I packed my trunk, planning to leave the city before nightfall. I had barely reached the foyer when Edward stormed in with the servants.

"Evelyn, do my words mean nothing to you?"

He ordered the servants to block my path.

My trunk was ripped open, its contents spilling all over the floor.

There was the wooden kite frame Edward had carved for me when we were children. There was the first book of poetry Adrian had ever given me.

I had kept them all.

Not because I couldn't let the people go, but because I wanted to take the evidence that I had once been truly happy.

"Don't step on that!"

I lunged forward instinctively, but Edward's boot came down hard, snapping the wooden spine of the kite.

He didn't even look down.

"Lock her in her room."

Staring at the splintered wood, I suddenly had absolutely nothing left to say.

The door was deadbolted from the outside. Edward forbade anyone from bringing me food or water.

"Let her starve for a night. She'll think clearly by morning."

At dusk, I heard Claire's voice in the hallway.

"Edward, isn't this going too far? Evelyn just wants to be a teacher."

Edward replied coldly:

"She's just spoiled. A little hardship will teach her that her family knows what's best for her."

A moment later, he asked Claire:

"I'll go to the Ashford estate tomorrow to finalize your marriage to Julian."

Claire hesitated.

"What about Adrian?"

The hallway went dead silent for a few seconds. Then, I heard Edward speak.

"I'll have Evelyn marry him. I'll find a way to secure another special waiver."

"As long as she says the vows in front of the witnesses, even if Adrian finds out afterward, I'll convince him to swallow it for the sake of both families' reputations."

Claire didn't respond immediately, but Edward chuckled.

"As long as you're happy, it doesn't matter who gets sacrificed."

My hands gripped the doorframe so hard my knuckles turned white.

Given a second chance, he still fully intended to sell me to Adrian.

Just then, a faint noise echoed from the end of the hall.

Edward spoke up loudly, without missing a beat.

"It's Evelyn who insists she won't marry anyone but you."

"She threatened me with a hunger strike. My hands are tied."

"You've always said I spoil her the most, haven't you? Of course I had to compromise."

Standing behind the door, I almost laughed out loud.

Adrian frowned.

"Then open the door. I'll ask her myself."

He took a step toward my room, but Claire suddenly let out a soft, fragile cough.

Adrian stopped dead in his tracks.

"Claire? Are you alright?"

Claire looked pale.

"I might have caught a chill from the exhaustion these past few days."

Adrian instantly forgot about me, rushing to her side to summon a doctor.

I leaned against the heavy wooden door and slowly slid down to the floor.

In my past life, I had explained myself countless times, and Adrian never believed a single word.

But all Claire had to do was cough, and he threw every doubt out the window.

Late into the night, a paper bag and a small bottle of water were shoved under the gap in the door.

Adrian's voice sounded from the other side.

"Eat."

I nearly threw myself at the water bottle, twisting the cap off.

But a second later, he scoffed.

"Just as I thought. You weren't actually going on a hunger strike."

I gripped the bottle. I didn't even have the energy to explain anymore.

"The key is in Edward's study. Let me out. I swear, I will leave New York and never come back."

The silence outside stretched on for a long time. Finally, Adrian spoke.

"Midnight. If this is another one of your games, Evelyn, I'm done."

His footsteps faded away. I leaned against the door, feeling for the first time that I might actually escape.

But just before midnight, thick, black smoke began billowing into the hallway.

Flames licked under the door crack, but my door was still deadbolted from the outside.

I pounded on the wood with everything I had.

"Help!" I screamed, pounding until my hands went numb. "Someone!"

Smoke seared my lungs. My head grew heavier and heavier.

Right before I completely lost consciousness, I heard someone screaming outside:

"Miss Evelyn's room is on fire!"