Chapter 1

[Gideon's POV]

Winona Green let out a cold laugh. The guard at her side stepped in to block my adjutant, Tom Brown. Meanwhile, she stood there with her arms crossed, her tone mocking.

"Gideon, it's been five years, and you're still as hot-headed as ever. Looks like marrying Shane first was absolutely the right decision. If you'd gotten me before he did, where would he fit in? You'd have bullied him to no end."

Her smile faded a little, and her tone turned serious. "Why can't you learn from Shane? How are you supposed to please me as my spouse with a temper like yours? I know you're upset about being demoted from prince consort to equal consort, but you're both just as important to me. You don't need to bully him to compete for my favor."

Years of brutal warfare had turned my heart to stone, so even hearing something this vile didn't stir anything in me.

"Hah. I suppose you're certain that I can't live without you, Your Highness. For your information, men don't need to cling to power and titles. They can carve out their place in this world as long as they stand on their own two feet," I said.

Winona blinked in surprise, then burst into laughter. "Stand on your own? That's ridiculous. Everyone in this border city knows we've been promised to each other since we were children. Other than me, which noble woman would ever want you?

"On top of that, you're a convicted criminal who's been exiled to the front lines. Even if you do have some skill, would any commander dare to promote you?"

"You know exactly why I was exiled," I said icily.

Winona's expression turned a little self-conscious.

Indeed, she and I had had a promise to marry since childhood. Growing up, she'd sworn more than once that she would marry no one but me in this life.

But on our wedding day, just as I was about to leave for her estate to bring her home as my bride, I was stopped at my own gate by a squad of officials and soldiers who had come to seize our property. My entire family was forced to kneel in the main hall while they slapped a fabricated corruption charge on my parents.

There was nowhere to appeal because the person who had "testified" against my father… was Winona herself. My parents died of grief, innocent to their last breath. All of our relatives were thrown into prison. And I, implicated by blood, was exiled to the frontier and reduced to the lowest, most expendable grunt.

It was half a year later when I received a letter from Winona. The words on the paper were shameless beyond belief.

"Shane was originally a Horindean musician. His family fell on hard times, and he fled to Arva. As a noble county princess, how could I watch him die? I was worried you would never be able to get along with him as equals because your family's rank was too high. That's why I had no choice but to frame your parents.

"Now that you and he are both commoners, you can treat each other like brothers. Once I have a legitimate heir with him, I'll marry you again."

I bawled my eyes out and screamed myself hoarse that night. That was also when I bit through my own fingertip and wrote a letter in blood, breaking off our engagement.

After that, I threw myself into battle like a madman, charging the front lines again and again, trading my life for the enemies'.

It wasn't just for military merit. I also wanted to die so I could see my parents again. But somehow, my ferocity and ruthlessness reached the empress' ears.

"Gideon, drop the act," Winona said. She pointed at the paperweight on my desk, a smug smile playing on her lips. "It's been years, and you're still keeping the gift I gave you. You wouldn't have done that if you weren't still in love with me and yearning for me."