Chapter 1

The crown princess, Jane Lancaster, miscarried a nearly formed male fetus again because she'd been out having fun.

So the Queen, ignoring Jane's objections, named me a secondary consort to the crown prince, Edward Lancaster.

On my wedding day, Jane whipped me across the face, saying, "Can't daughters of the Crawford family find their own husbands? Do you have to steal someone else's man?"

Edward said that Jane was emotionally wounded and that since I'd shamelessly put myself between them, I deserved some hardship.

My parents were furious. The Crawford family from Bohlenburg has been a prestigious family for generations, with relatives and connections everywhere. If it weren't for the Queen's decree, I wouldn't have married into the royal family as a concubine.

My parents grabbed me and were ready to go to the King to call off the marriage, but I stopped them.

When the Queen scolded Jane, I even defended Jane myself, saying, "Her Highness suddenly lost her child. It's only natural for her to be upset.

"His Highness loves her deeply, while I'm only a secondary consort. I don't expect to be treated equally."

Jane was all brawn and no brains, so I didn't see her as a threat.

I never married Edward for his favors. What I wanted was power. I wanted no one to be able to control my life ever again.

*****

After word got out that I'd been whipped by Jane on my wedding day and still swallowed my pride to defend her, everyone started mocking the Crawford family.

They said our centuries-old family had lost its real power under my father's watch.

My mother was in tears as she said, "At worst, your father can resign and return to our fief. How could a Crawford ever endure such humiliation?"

I knew my father could ask the king to cancel my marriage by resigning.

But if he left the center of power, it would be nearly impossible for my younger brother to reclaim that position.

Besides, my two older sisters still needed the Crawford family's backing in their in-laws' households.

None of us could afford to give up our power now.

Since that's the case, why not use the situation to my advantage?

Jane was the daughter of a bandit leader, and Edward brought her back when he was suppressing the outlaws.

Because Jane and Edward were head over heels for each other, her father, Samuel Stout, who loved her more than life itself, surrendered to the knights with all his men.

The King, touched by Samuel's sacrifice, made Jane Edward's consort.

By the time the Queen got back from Mount Serenity, Jane had already miscarried three children, all thanks to her carelessness and impulsive ways.

The royal physician warned Jane that if she got pregnant again, only strict bed rest could give her a shot at delivering a healthy baby.

So when Jane was carrying her fourth child, everyone, including the Queen herself and the palace maids, kept their eyes glued to her belly.

She wasn't allowed to get out of bed and couldn't eat whatever she wanted. When she tried to sleep, the maids would remind her, "The royal physician said you have to sleep on your side."

Jane was so fed up. She crawled out of Edward's Mansion through a small hole when no one was watching.

Once she was finally free, she went to restaurants, watched shows, and enjoyed her life.

She even snuck into Grace Chandler's groom-picking ceremony and purposely had a beggar pretend to be a candidate.

The Chandler family would never let Grace marry a beggar.

But Jane wouldn't let it go. "Based on your own rules, whoever passed the test is the groom," she said.

In the middle of all the shouting, blood gushed out beneath Jane, and just like that, she miscarried again.

The royal physician declared that Jane would never be able to have children again for the rest of her life.

The Chandler family realized they were in deep trouble, so they immediately sent Grace to the church for penance.

The Queen was furious. She named me Edward's concubine. Edward stood in the snow for three hours, but the Queen didn't change her mind.

Instead, she warned him that if he kept acting out, she'd take away Jane's position as the crown princess.

Since the Queen picked a girl from the Crawford family to be Edward's concubine, it was clear the royal family had given up Jane.

They only kept Jane around to avoid people saying the royals were cold-hearted.

Why should I worry about Jane, a woman who couldn't even have kids?

On my wedding night, Jane stormed off on horseback.

When Edward was about to run after her, I didn't stop him. Instead, I prepared warm cloaks for the ride.

Let her cause drama. If Jane doesn't make a scene, how else would the royals see how valuable I am?

Let him spoil her. If Edward isn't blinded by love, how will the royal family get sick of Jane for good?

If Edward was too crazy about Jane to think straight, even the Queen and the King wouldn't put up with her anymore.