Chapter 1

On our wedding night, my new husband, Edward Everly, was absent the whole night.

The next morning, I found him in his supposedly frail and helpless cousin's bed.

They were both half-dressed, and I caught them in the act.

With the whole room full of maids staring, Edward fumbled with his clothes, looking flustered but still trying to defend himself.

"Darling, let me explain. The guests kept pouring drinks last night, and I was so drunk. The guest wing is almost identical to the main house, so I stumbled into the wrong room and the wrong bed!"

His cousin, Chloe Evans, was curled up under the blankets, tears streaming down her face. "Amy, you have to believe me. Edward was completely wasted. He thought I was you, and I was too weak to push him off..."

I couldn't help but laugh at this pathetic pair.

"You got into the wrong room?" I pointed out the window. "The main house is on the east, the guest wing's way over on the west, with a pond and two long corridors in between.

"Edward, in your drunk state, you crossed all that just to sneak into Chloe's bed.

"And you seriously want me to believe you thought she was me?"

I walked over, yanked the covers off them, and pointed at those dingy curtains. "Look at this room carefully. Are the beddings here the same as those in my room? And the smell of the candles is different.

"This whole place reeks of mildew.

"Edward, were you drunk, blind, or just completely heartless?

"Since your eyesight is so hopeless, you might as well step down as the master of Everly Manor.

"Bring me the inventory! Today, I'm moving all my belongings from Everly Manor!"

That move completely tore away Edward's facade.

"You're out of line! The moment you set foot in Everly Manor, your belongings became house property! Want to leave? Then leave your life behind!" Edward shouted.

At his order, dozens of servants armed with clubs swarmed in, viciously surrounding me and my maids in the courtyard.

His face contorted with fury as he raised his hand, about to hit me. "Today, I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of your father. You're just an insolent, jealous shrew!"

I watched his hand swing down, my expression icy and unmoved.

I didn't even blink because deep down, I knew he couldn't do anything to me.

With a thunderous crash, the heavy gates of Everly Manor were kicked open.

"Who dares hurt my sister!"

As the dust settled, my brother, Matthew Sinclair, appeared, clad in gleaming silver armor, hand on his sword, with a squadron of iron-clad cavalry behind him. He radiated murderous intent, looking like he was eager to have a fight.

"Edward, lay a finger on Amy, and see if I'll cut your hand off and tear down this house!" Matthew roared.

Edward's hand froze in mid-air, his face shifting from red to pale, then finally going ashen.

I laughed at his cowardly, trembling state.

"Lord Everly, where's all that bravado now?" I sneered.

"Let's settle the score about your wrong bed stunt and my property you tried to steal!"

*****

Edward's hand never came down in the end.

Not only did he not dare, but he was trembling like crazy.

Because the man who kicked the door open was Matthew, my older brother.

He was General Sinclair, personally appointed by the King—a demon of war who once slaughtered thirty thousand enemies on the northern frontier.

The thirty elite guards behind him radiated a bloodthirsty aura; their blades were still sheathed, yet the cold gleam in their eyes was enough to send chills down anyone's spine.

The dozens of Everly Manor's once-ferocious servants suddenly acted like their weapons were burning their hands, dropping them in a panic.

"M-Matthew..." Edward stammered, his voice trembling.

He managed a smile, his once-handsome face contorted into something almost comical.

"Come on, what's all this for? We're family. No need to bring out swords and blades between us..." he pleaded.

"Who said we're family?" Matthew retorted coldly.

He marched forward, each step stomping on Edward's heart.

Without even glancing at Edward, Matthew walked straight up to me and looked me over from head to toe.

"Amy, are you hurt?" Matthew asked.

His tone was soft, completely at odds with the deadly presence he'd just displayed.

I shook my head, a derisive smile curling at my lips. "If you'd shown up a second later, Edward would've tried to slap some sense into me."

"He wouldn't dare!" Matthew said coldly.

Matthew whipped around, his gaze cutting across Edward's face like a razor.

Edward's legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to his knees.

"It's all just a misunderstanding!" Edward shouted, sweat streaming down his face.

He desperately pointed at Chloe, still wrapped up in the blankets, trying to pin everything on her.

"I was drunk last night. I swear, I thought she was Amy. Come on, Matthew, you're a man. You know how things get when you're hammered..."

A crisp blow cut his excuse short.

It wasn't me who hit him.

Matthew struck Edward hard across the mouth with the scabbard of his sword.