Chapter 4

“I’ve heard the news. Is it true that you’re taking my place and marrying that idiot?”

Juliette barged into Anastasia’s room without permission, bombarding her with questions.

Anastasia, who was sitting by the window, merely glanced at her without answering. Irritated by her silence, Juliette stepped closer.

“Why did you do it? Don’t you love Andrew?”

Anastasia lifted her head and briefly glanced at her stepsister before turning her gaze back toward the window.

“Isn’t this what you wanted? I’m willingly giving him to you, so why are you still questioning my reasons?”

Juliette laughed. “I don’t believe you. Are you playing some kind of game with me?”

“Ask Judith if you don’t believe me. She should be handling our marriage documents by now.”

“Then what about Andrew? Why didn’t you tell him?”

“Didn’t he say he would call off our engagement if I failed to convince Dad to cancel your arrangement with Tristan? I’m simply avoiding the humiliation of being publicly rejected.”

“Everyone knows I love Andrew. I would only become a laughingstock if he broke off our engagement because of you. So I decided to save myself the time and effort by doing exactly what you and Andrew wanted at the same time—ending your arranged marriage while taking your place.”

“So what’s the problem now?”

“I asked Dad to keep this a secret because I don’t want any more drama.”

Juliette laughed again.

Anastasia stared at her coldly.

“What are you laughing at?” Anastasia asked, confused.

“You and your mother,” Juliette replied.

The moment she heard her mother mentioned, Anastasia clenched both hands in her lap.

“You and your mother both lost to me and my mother.”

Anastasia rose to her feet and stepped closer.

“We didn’t lose. If you’ve forgotten, my mother died before your mother married my father. It took your mother a very long time to finally make him forget mine and take her place.”

“You know why my father married your mother, don’t you? Because he pitied you and your mother, who had no one to protect you.”

“And me? I didn’t lose to you either. If you’ve forgotten, I’m the one who handed Andrew over to you, not the other way around. Now all you have to do is prove whether I truly mean nothing to Andrew or not. I mean more to him than you realize, but he refuses to admit it because doing so would hurt his pride.”

Anastasia’s words left Juliette speechless. Her face paled as her hands clenched tightly at her sides.

“You…”

“Leave. Shouldn’t you be spending your last few nights having fun with your friends and spending whatever remains of your late husband’s inheritance? If I remember correctly, Marianne Westwood is a stingy woman. Once you marry Andrew, you might have to tighten your belt. She’s quite miserly.”

Juliette smiled. “Marianne isn’t that bad. In fact, she’ll make a wonderful mother-in-law for me.” There was unmistakable pride in her voice.

Anastasia merely shrugged.

In her previous life, before Anastasia and Andrew married, her future mother-in-law had seemed like the kind of woman who would shower her daughter-in-law with affection and generosity. Whenever Anastasia complained about Andrew’s harsh treatment, Marianne would always take her side and join in scolding Andrew.

But it had all been an act.

Once Anastasia entered the Rutherford household, she discovered the exact opposite.

Marianne treated her like a servant. She even forced Anastasia to transfer all the inheritance left by her mother into Andrew’s name. And that still wasn’t enough. Marianne restricted Anastasia’s communication with the outside world until she could no longer report anything to her father.

Compared to the suffering Anastasia had endured, Juliette’s death in her previous life had almost seemed merciful.

And since Juliette wanted to take her place so badly, Anastasia would gladly give it to her.