Chapter 1 · The Stable Boy's Secret

I was the quietest, most overlooked young lady in the entire Marquess's household.

In secret, though, I kept a beautiful stable hand, just for my own amusement.

Edward Ashford was calm, reserved, and infuriatingly pure of heart. No matter how I teased or tempted him, he never crossed that final line.

Then one day, glowing words appeared before my eyes, lines of text scrolling like a ghostly script.

[Ugh, can this supporting character be any more shameless? Can't she tell the male lead loathes her?]

[Even if she stripped bare in front of him, he wouldn't glance her way.]

[He has to stay pure for the female lead, after all!]

[Though... he does still hide her things. Takes them out late at night to soothe his loneliness.]

[Hah, now that's spicy.]

Half-doubtful, half-curious, I sought out the small wooden box Edward treasured and opened it.

Inside lay my elder sister's long-lost earring... and a stack of portraits. All of her.

That night, when Edward came to me, I placed a hand on his chest and gently pushed him away.

"Let's end this," I said, turning toward the window. "I've grown bored."

"You can't be serious, Miss." Edward's eyes darkened as he stared at me.

There was still a faint smear of my lipstick on his mouth, left from when he'd brushed close for a kiss.

I let my gaze drift down. Over that lean, wolfish build of his, the smooth lines, the strip of golden skin showing just above his waistband.

But I only got a glimpse.

Edward's clothes were still perfectly in place, everything tucked neatly away.

Meanwhile, my hair spilled loose, my robe hung open at the wrists, and my blush-pink nightdress was rumpled and creased.

I should've seen it sooner.

Every time before, no matter how close we got, Edward always kept his cool. He never lost control as I did.

Even at the brink of giving in, he'd pull away, refusing to go all the way.

I'd thought he was just naturally reserved. Innocent, even. But after those floating comments... I knew the truth.

Edward had been saving himself for someone else all along.

"I'm completely serious," I said flatly, my voice turning cold. "You're no fun, Edward. I don't do boring. Don't come back."

He was always easy on the eyes, always did what I asked, so I never minded when he played hard to get.

But finding those portraits of my sister Charlotte in his secret box... that hit different.

I couldn't stand him carrying someone else in his heart while pretending with me.

Edward dropped to one knee before me, his expression unreadable. He reached for my hand, his fingers curling gently around mine.

"Did someone say something to upset you?" he asked, voice low and careful.

I blinked. So he was sharper than I'd thought.

But I could never tell him the truth, that everything had been exposed by those phantom comments floating in the air.

"Don't overthink it," I said. "I'm just bored."

Edward looked up with those puppy-dog eyes, but his grip was firm, refusing to let me pull away.

"I can change," he murmured. "Learned a few new tricks... just to cheer you up. Want to see?"

It always worked before. Every time I was upset, he'd coax me just like this.

But not tonight.

When I turned my face away, Edward let out a quiet sigh, almost disappointed.

"Even a criminal gets a chance to explain," he said softly. "Will you really be that heartless, Miss? Toss me aside without even hearing me out?"

Then he lowered his head and buried his face in my palm, nuzzling gently.

Like a puppy begging for attention, and against my will, my heart softened.

He knew exactly what I liked: that shift from cold to needy, from distant to desperate.

After all, even if he never went all the way, he'd always known how to please me.

If I hadn't seen those comments... if I hadn't found Charlotte's portraits in his box... I'd have never let him go.

Edward tilted his face up, his lips brushing my fingertips.

"Miss Bradshaw..." he whispered, voice husky and inviting.

My resolve was slipping, no matter how hard I fought it.

"Fine. You want a chance?" My voice came out cold, commanding. "Then take off your clothes. Tonight, you don't get to resist. Whatever I do, you take it."

Chapter 1

I was the quietest, most overlooked young lady in the entire Marquess's household.

In secret, though, I kept a beautiful stable hand, just for my own amusement.

Edward Ashford was calm, reserved, and infuriatingly pure of heart. No matter how I teased or tempted him, he never crossed that final line.

Then one day, glowing words appeared before my eyes, lines of text scrolling like a ghostly script.

[Ugh, can this supporting character be any more shameless? Can't she tell the male lead loathes her?]

[Even if she stripped bare in front of him, he wouldn't glance her way.]

[He has to stay pure for the female lead, after all!]

[Though... he does still hide her things. Takes them out late at night to soothe his loneliness.]

[Hah, now that's spicy.]

Half-doubtful, half-curious, I sought out the small wooden box Edward treasured and opened it.

Inside lay my elder sister's long-lost earring... and a stack of portraits. All of her.

That night, when Edward came to me, I placed a hand on his chest and gently pushed him away.

"Let's end this," I said, turning toward the window. "I've grown bored."

"You can't be serious, Miss." Edward's eyes darkened as he stared at me.

There was still a faint smear of my lipstick on his mouth, left from when he'd brushed close for a kiss.

I let my gaze drift down. Over that lean, wolfish build of his, the smooth lines, the strip of golden skin showing just above his waistband.

But I only got a glimpse.

Edward's clothes were still perfectly in place, everything tucked neatly away.

Meanwhile, my hair spilled loose, my robe hung open at the wrists, and my blush-pink nightdress was rumpled and creased.

I should've seen it sooner.

Every time before, no matter how close we got, Edward always kept his cool. He never lost control as I did.

Even at the brink of giving in, he'd pull away, refusing to go all the way.

I'd thought he was just naturally reserved. Innocent, even. But after those floating comments... I knew the truth.

Edward had been saving himself for someone else all along.

"I'm completely serious," I said flatly, my voice turning cold. "You're no fun, Edward. I don't do boring. Don't come back."

He was always easy on the eyes, always did what I asked, so I never minded when he played hard to get.

But finding those portraits of my sister Charlotte in his secret box... that hit different.

I couldn't stand him carrying someone else in his heart while pretending with me.

Edward dropped to one knee before me, his expression unreadable. He reached for my hand, his fingers curling gently around mine.

"Did someone say something to upset you?" he asked, voice low and careful.

I blinked. So he was sharper than I'd thought.

But I could never tell him the truth, that everything had been exposed by those phantom comments floating in the air.

"Don't overthink it," I said. "I'm just bored."

Edward looked up with those puppy-dog eyes, but his grip was firm, refusing to let me pull away.

"I can change," he murmured. "Learned a few new tricks... just to cheer you up. Want to see?"

It always worked before. Every time I was upset, he'd coax me just like this.

But not tonight.

When I turned my face away, Edward let out a quiet sigh, almost disappointed.

"Even a criminal gets a chance to explain," he said softly. "Will you really be that heartless, Miss? Toss me aside without even hearing me out?"

Then he lowered his head and buried his face in my palm, nuzzling gently.

Like a puppy begging for attention, and against my will, my heart softened.

He knew exactly what I liked: that shift from cold to needy, from distant to desperate.

After all, even if he never went all the way, he'd always known how to please me.

If I hadn't seen those comments... if I hadn't found Charlotte's portraits in his box... I'd have never let him go.

Edward tilted his face up, his lips brushing my fingertips.

"Miss Bradshaw..." he whispered, voice husky and inviting.

My resolve was slipping, no matter how hard I fought it.

"Fine. You want a chance?" My voice came out cold, commanding. "Then take off your clothes. Tonight, you don't get to resist. Whatever I do, you take it."