Chapter 2

According to custom, three days after our wedding, Edward and I were supposed to visit my family.

I woke up early, staring at my pale face in the mirror, feeling anxious. My old clothes were just not presentable enough.

Edward seemed to read my mind and handed me a small bundle. "These are my mother's clothes. She was about your size. Go ahead and change into them."

The clothes were simple and unadorned, but the fabric was fine and the stitching meticulous. Honestly, they were better than anything I ever wore back at the Chancellor's Estate. "Your mother..." I started, my voice trailing off.

"She died of illness while we were exiled," Edward said, his voice calm, almost emotionless.

Not wanting to pry further, I just changed into the clothes.

When we arrived at the Chancellor's Estate, a lavish carriage was drawn up at the gate.

Charlotte was being escorted out by Charles, dressed in a luxurious coat, her face beaming with happiness.

The servants crowded around, showering them with praise and flattery.

"Miss Shaw and Mr. Sinclair are truly a match made in heaven," one of the servants gushed.

"Lord Jackson is waiting for you in the front hall. He even had your favorite delicacies prepared," another servant added.

When Charlotte saw us, her smile froze for a moment before twisting into open contempt. "Well, look who it is. Couldn't handle life in the gutter, so you've come crawling back for a handout?"

Charles feigned surprise. "Evelyn, Edward, did you two really walk all the way here?"

Seeing the phony smile on Charles's face made my stomach turn.

He was the one who, in my previous life, tricked me, made me drink poison, broke my leg and let Charlotte toss me out.

The servants all looked on with gleeful anticipation, clearly hoping for some drama.

The butler stepped right in front of us, his smile all show and no warmth.

He said, "Lady Evelyn, Mr. Grant, Lord Jackson will meet with Mr. Sinclair and probably won't have time to see you. Why don't you wait in the side hall for a bit?"

We waited all the way till noon. The side hall was freezing and run-down, not even a cup of coffee in sight.

From the front hall, laughter and the mouthwatering scent of food and wine kept wafting over.

Charlotte's voice cut through the air, extra sharp. "Oh, this diamond hairpin is just too precious. Charles, you're so good to me."

I was so hungry that my stomach wouldn't stop rumbling.

Edward sat across from me, silent the whole time, his expression growing more and more grim. Finally, he stood up, took my hand, and led me out.

The butler was lounging in the corridor. When he saw us come out, he lazily glanced up. "Mr. Grant, leaving already? Not even sticking around for lunch—"

"Where's our meal?" Edward snapped, his voice low and cold as ice.

The butler stared at him, baffled. "What?"

Edward sneered, "So this is how the Chancellor's Estate treats a son-in-law? Not even a single bite for the guest who comes to pay his respects?"

Even in his worn robe, Edward's aura was so intense that the butler looked like he could hardly breathe.

"Uh... Lord Jackson d-didn't give any orders about that," the butler stammered.

Charlotte and Charles came out when they heard the commotion.

Charlotte stroked the diamond hairpin in her hair, looking smug. "Evelyn, look at this. Charles picked it out just for me. Why aren't you wearing a hairpin?"

She turned to Edward. "Mr. Grant, you're just a convicted official. Probably can't even afford a cheap hairpin, right?"

I clenched my fists. It wasn't about the hairpin; it was about my pride.

Edward didn't even look at Charlotte. Instead, he reached inside his robe and offered me something.

It was a wooden hairpin, the carving rough and simple, but clearly shaped like a flower.

"When did you carve this?" I asked, surprised. I wondered how he found the time since he was reading all the time last night.

He didn't reply. Instead, he took the hairpin and carefully slid it into my hair, his touch gentle. His fingertips were cool as they brushed my ear.

Only then did Edward finally look up at Charlotte, his voice calm but edged with disdain. "Diamond is not good enough for her."

With that, he took my hand and strode out of the Chancellor's Estate, never once looking back.

I reached up to touch the wooden hairpin in my hair, and suddenly, my heart raced.