Chapter 2

After we entered the venue, perhaps because she noticed we were foreign guests, a waitress explained the funeral proceedings to us. She could not help but add a warning, "According to Eravalen aristocratic customs, wailing is not permitted during the service..."

The moment the waitress walked away, Mia raised an eyebrow.

"Hmph. She's just jealous because I'm prettier than her. She's afraid her employers will notice me!"

Paige nodded eagerly in agreement. "Women who serve the nobility are always scheming."

I could not stop myself from laughing out loud. Mia was far too confident.

Did she really think she was beautiful enough to make every woman in the world green with envy?

When she saw me laughing, something seemed to click in her mind.

"You were awfully chummy with that waitress. I bet you paid her off!

"You'd go this far just to stop me from mourning? How low can you stoop?"

Robert immediately jumped in and barked at me.

"Celine, behave yourself! Prince Charles from the Eravalen royal family will be attending this funeral! If you ruin my chances of inheriting this estate, I swear you'll regret it!"

At the mention of "prince," Mia's eyes lit up. Paige rushed to warn me as well.

"Celine, don't you dare cause trouble! If you ruin my chance of becoming a prince's mother-in-law, I'll make Robert divorce you!"

I almost laughed. Did they really think Mia was capable of that?

That one fleeting glance would be enough to hook Prince Charles Russo into marrying her and no one else?

They knew royalty would be present, yet they still planned to use mourning as an act of matchmaking. I could not wait to watch it all blow up in their faces.

As more guests gathered, Mia latched onto every eligible man she spotted, shaking hands left and right. She spoke in a clumsy foreign accent, radiating self-satisfied charm.

Suddenly, she clutched her chest and pretended to be short of breath, turning to me.

"Celine, go get my inhaler from the car. I'm worried I'll get too nervous and won't be able to breathe."

Ha. She was preparing for the wailing performance later. She really did need that inhaler.

Without thinking much of it, I headed to the car. The moment I pulled open the door and climbed inside, my hands and feet were grabbed and bound.

Then came a slam. The doors locked shut.

Mia stood outside the window, looking at me with contempt.

"You've tried to stop me over and over again. It's because you're scared I'll marry a noble and outrank you, isn't it?"

Paige shot me a cold glance as well.

"You're already married, you washed-up hag. Your chance is gone! With all these fine young men here today, our Mia can take her pick!"

I saw Robert standing outside, completely unmoved. I glared at him viciously.

"You're just going to let them lock me in here? It's boiling outside, and there's no air in this car. Are you trying to suffocate me to death?"

He frowned, his voice full of irritation.

"Stop playing the victim. I'm sick of watching you compete with Mia every single day! Just sit tight in the car until the funeral is over!"

With that, the man turned and walked away. Mia was still touching up her makeup in the rearview mirror.

Watching her slap powder onto her face, I could not help but sneer.

"Pile on a little more. Anyone who doesn't know better might think they're here for your funeral!"

She frowned for a second, then curled her lips into a smirk.

"You know, Celine, you should actually be hoping I land a rich husband. Otherwise, if I can't find a good man, I don't mind stealing my brother from you!"

From the moment Robert pushed me off that snowy mountain, I saw everything clearly. I finally understood the shameful feelings he harbored for Mia.

He had pinned the blame for her accidental death on me and plotted to have me killed without hesitation.

On the surface, he was my husband, but in his heart, there was only ever room for his adopted sister.

Once I figured that out, I stared at her and let a smirk pull at my lips.

"Steal him? I stopped wanting that piece of trash a long time ago. He's all yours!"