Chapter 1

After Adrian Blackwood left, I sat at the table for a long time.

The bottle of Deathveil pills was right beside me. Taking them would suppress my vital signs for six hours. Once my coffin was taken outside Kingsbridge, someone would open it and take me to the south.

Adrian had even prepared a new identity for me. I'd be Sarah Bennett, a 23-year-old widow and an orphan.

Clara Hayes picked up the wedding dress that hadn't been put away yet. Suddenly, tears rolled down her cheeks.

"My lady, you were just trying it on yesterday."

She was right.

Just yesterday, Adrian had even helped straighten my bridal crown. He said that after our wedding the following day, I'd never have to endure other people's criticism again.

And I'd actually believed him.

For the past two years, everyone in Kingsbridge had talked about how much criticism he'd endured for my sake. They also said he indulged my every whim.

But there was one thing Adrian had never done. He'd never slept with me. I'd mistaken his restraint for tenderness.

Now, I finally understood why. He had known all along that Julian Whitmore was alive. Of course, Adrian wouldn't sleep with the wife of a man who had served the kingdom so honorably.

I was nothing more than someone he'd used to fool the Northvale spies. Now that Julian had returned victorious, the charade was over, and I was no longer needed.

Suddenly, laughter rang out from beyond the courtyard.

Vivienne Sinclair entered with several maids. She went straight to my cushioned couch and sat down before lifting my wedding dress.

"The gold-thread embroidery is quite exquisite. Too bad you won't have the chance to wear it."

Vivienne was a secondary consort of the Blackwood household and had known Adrian for years.

Ever since I'd moved in, she'd competed with me over everything. She used to make a fuss for ages whenever she couldn't get the better of me. But today, she was unusually cheerful.

"His Highness said this residence will be mine from now on."

Vivienne gestured with her hand and added, "Clear out Ms. Ashford's belongings, especially that wedding dress. Leaving it here would be such bad luck."

Clara snatched the dress back.

"His Highness had this dress specially made for my lady!"

Vivienne burst out laughing.

"The wedding's been called off. What's the point of keeping it?"

She continued, "Remove the pearls and gold threads. They'll be perfect for making me a court dress."

Two maids immediately stepped forward.

I pressed my hand against the dress.

"Don't touch it."

Vivienne shot me a glance.

"Did you really think His Highness was going to marry you? He told me himself last night that you're still Julian's wife."

She added, "Even if it was all an act, he couldn't actually dishonor a man who went undercover for the kingdom."

She leaned closer, her smile growing more and more grating.

"Tell me, has His Highness ever actually slept with you in these past two years?"

My grip suddenly tightened.

During that first year, I hated Adrian. I refused to eat, tried to run away, and even wounded him with a hairpin. He never lost his temper but simply said he'd wait.

Eventually, I stopped pushing him away and willingly leaned into his arms. But all he did was pull the covers over me and quietly tell me we had plenty of time. I'd secretly been glad that he'd held back.

Only now did I understand that he hadn't been waiting for me to accept him. He'd been waiting for Julian to return.

Just then, the door opened, and Adrian walked in.

Vivienne immediately linked her arm through his.

"Your Highness, no one's going to wear this wedding dress anyway. Can I have it?"

He barely glanced at it and replied, "Do as you please."

The seamstress took out a pair of scissors and began cutting the gold threads on the dress.

Adrian had commissioned seamstresses from Southmere to make it. They'd spent three months rushing to finish it. When it arrived, he'd asked if I liked it.

I'd told him it wasn't pretty. But that night, I'd asked Clara to light a few extra lamps and spent a long time secretly trying it on.

I looked at Adrian and asked, "Was it because Julian was still alive that you never slept with me?"

He remained silent for a moment before responding, "He risked his life serving the kingdom. I couldn't actually take his wife from him."

Vivienne leaned against his shoulder, looking at me triumphantly.

Adrian didn't push her away. Instead, he spoke to me gently.

"Evelyn, I know this is hard for you to accept right now. But I've never treated you poorly these past two years. Even after you move to the south, I'll make sure you're taken care of for the rest of your life."

He wasn't wrong.

Adrian had stayed by my side when I was sick. When I woke from nightmares, he'd held me until dawn. Even if all that kindness had been an act, at least I hadn't known it then.

I'd even imagined wearing that wedding dress and spending the rest of my life with him.

But when I'd finally stopped calling out Julian's name and started embracing Adrian instead, what had he been thinking?

He'd probably just been relieved that I'd finally fallen for him. It made the whole deception more convincing.

The scissors cut through the embroidered roses, separating the intertwined blooms.

Vivienne left with her arm linked through Adrian's.

I stared at the gold threads scattered across the floor. Just yesterday, he'd said we would exchange wedding vows.

I'd been waiting for tomorrow, believing it would be my wedding day. Instead, Adrian himself had arranged for news of my death.