Chapter 3
After a while, the door opened.
Pip, a little boy, saw me and didn't look the least bit surprised.
He just nodded and led me inside.
The place was a small courtyard filled to the brim with blooms.
This was the home of Thaddeus Wentworth, the florist.
Two years ago, while crossing a bridge, the peony he was holding slipped and fell into the water.
He didn't even hesitate and he jumped right in after it.
But once he had the flower in his hands, he suddenly realized he couldn't swim.
When things got dicey, I had my guard pull him out of the water.
He looked flustered and rushed off, not even caring that his clothes were soaked through.
Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly slapped his forehead, remembering to promise me a favor.
I never really thought much about it until I learned I wasn't the real Ashworth heiress and had to start planning my own escape route.
It turned out that all my friends, family, even my fiancé, were only ever close to me because I was living under Rowena's name.
The only thing that actually belonged to me was this tiny favor.
So, with my nerves on edge, I finally reached out to him.
Luckily, Thaddeus was willing to take me in and give me a place to stay.
Pip nodded at me and said, "Mr. Wentworth's out of Caerleon for a few days, so just make yourself comfortable. If anyone asks, just say you're his sister."
So I stayed, spending my days learning how to tend flowers, quietly becoming a humble florist in Lavender Close.
I never planned on going back, and running into Caspian again was the last thing I expected.
*****
That day, I was tending to a pot of sweetbloom at my little stall.
From a distance, I saw a luxurious carriage approaching. The family crest on its side sent a jolt of panic through me.
It was Peregrine's carriage.
I kept my head down and slipped on my lace veil.
The carriage pulled up close.
And Rowena hopped out, linking arms with Peregrine, both of them beaming with excitement.
Peregrine looked utterly smitten, happily spoiling her as they wandered from stall to stall.
I knew Peregrine had a thing about cleanliness.
He hated physical contact with anyone.
Back then, if I accidentally grabbed his hand, he'd quietly scrub it for half an hour once he got home.
Afraid I'd be hurt, he even sent me a piece of crimson coral to comfort me.
It turned out that he only kept his distance because I was just an impostor.
As I was lost in thought, I heard a pleasant female voice above me.
"This peony is quite pretty, isn't it?"
I kept my voice soft and timid.
"It's actually a new variety of herbaceous peony my brother developed, not a tree peony," I said.
When Rowena finally saw my face clearly, her expression darkened right away.
My stomach dropped. I knew she'd recognized me.
She pouted at Peregrine.
"Does she think I'm some clueless country bumpkin who can't even tell the difference between common flowers? Is she mocking me on purpose?" she sneered.
Peregrine looked at me intently, ignoring my panicked apology.
Instead, he asked, "Your brother?"
I didn't really understand what he meant. Maybe he just didn't want to be associated with me, I thought to myself.
I quickly clarified, "Yes, my brother is Mr. Wentworth."
Maybe it was just me, but Peregrine's face suddenly went cold.
He spoke slowly, almost lazily, as he asked, "Mocking my sister, what do you think you deserve for that?"
My fingers clenched the hem of my dress, and my heart gave a sudden, painful squeeze.
I remembered how, whenever someone bullied me before, Peregrine would always step in front of me and stand up for me, confronting whoever dared mess with me.
Just then, a familiar figure rode by on a tall horse.
Without thinking, I called out to him.
"Caspian..." I called out.
The moment his name left my lips, it hit me that I was not his fiancée anymore.
Caspian looked over, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
Peregrine didn't waste words.
"She bullied my sister. Caspian, what do you think I should do with her?"
Caspian gave a casual glance at the flowers in front of me.
Out of nowhere, a rush of panic washed over me.
I hurriedly said, "I'm sorry, it was my mistake..."
Caspian cut me off.
"These flowers are blooming nicely. Just hand them all over to Rowena. She can use them for a fancy flower bath," he said coldly.
Peregrine was stunned; he clearly hadn't expected Caspian to be so cold.
He opened his mouth, about to protest.
But Rowena tugged his sleeve first, beaming up at him.
"Peregrine, you're always so good to me."
I waved my hands hurriedly.
"No, you can't! My brother painstakingly cultivated these. You can't just take them!" I retorted.
Peregrine's expression went icy again.
"Your brother grew them? Why should I care? I didn't give them to you," he shouted.
He made a point of stressing the word "brother."
With a single wave, Peregrine summoned a handful of attendants from behind him.
They wasted no time, hauling all my flower pots onto the carriage one by one.
My tears wouldn't stop, falling faster and faster.
I begged him again and again, and for a split second, his eyes softened, almost like he felt sorry for me.
But Rowena just tugged at his sleeve, as if to remind him to ignore me.
He remained indifferent, watching with icy detachment.
I turned to Caspian again, pleading with him.
"Caspian, for the sake of all those years we grew up together, please, don't do this to me," I begged.
Caspian, who once treated me with such warmth, now barely glanced at me, his gaze icy as he turned to Rowena.