Chapter 3

"Why is Ms. Genevieve Thorne over there?"

"Then who is the bride?"

The Emperor's face darkened like storm clouds. "Genevieve Thorne, why are you here? What is the meaning of this?"

Cordelia cowered behind the Crown Prince. Her veil slipped off, revealing a tear-streaked face. "Your Highness..."

The Crown Prince instinctively shielded her behind him, his brow furrowed deeply.

I knelt on the ground, my voice choked with emotion. "Your Majesty, I came to complete my wedding. Last night I drank the farewell toast my stepmother specially prepared. Somehow, I fell into a deep sleep.

"When I woke this morning, my wedding dress, jewelry, and even the bridal carriage were all gone. I was afraid of missing the wedding, so I hastily changed into my spare wedding dress and rushed here."

The Emperor's gaze was sharp as a blade as he turned to the Crown Prince. "Crown Prince, when you received the bride, did you notice anything unusual?"

The Crown Prince's body stiffened. He forced himself to appear calm. "Father, when I saw the woman in the carriage holding the prophecy scroll, everything seemed in order. I received her according to proper ceremony and did not lift the veil to look closely."

I raised my head with a look of alarm. "The prophecy scroll? When I woke up, the box my stepmother gave me with the scroll was also missing."

The Emperor's gaze lingered for a moment on the Crown Prince's hand protecting my half-sister. His expression turned suddenly cold.

Cordelia dropped to her knees with a thud, tears brimming in her eyes. "Last night Genevieve kept saying she didn't want to marry into the palace. She drank herself into a stupor and this morning I couldn't wake her no matter what I tried.

"The Crown Prince's carriage had already arrived at our gate. I had no choice but to board it myself."

She looked innocent and naive. I appeared even more confused. "Cordelia, don't you have it backwards? Last night it was you clinging to Mother and crying that you refused the peace marriage. You insisted on staying in my room to sleep.

"Now that I think about it, was it so you could conveniently steal my wedding dress and prophecy scroll?"

Cordelia's face turned deathly pale. "How can you wrongly accuse me like this, Genevieve! I only wanted to wait until later to switch our identities back so I could protect your reputation.

"It's all my fault. You can beat me or punish me however you like, but please don't say I stole anything."

The Crown Prince immediately pulled her into his embrace and looked at me coldly. "Ms. Genevieve, since you were unwilling to marry me, why come here now to make a scene? Cordelia rescued you from an awkward situation. Instead of being grateful, you slander her?

"I only recognize Cordelia as my wife today. Since we have exchanged vows, this is heaven's will."

I watched them quietly.

In my previous life, they did the same thing. One played the victim while the other played the protector. They pinned the crime of defying the decree on me as if it were nothing, making themselves look devoted and righteous.

In my last life, they made me the villain while they played the heroes. They built their happiness on my grave.

I sighed softly, my voice soaked with helplessness. "Genevieve, are you truly thinking only of me?"

Cordelia lifted her tear-filled eyes, looking pitiful and wronged. "What are you saying, Genevieve? We share the same blood. How could I possibly stand by and watch you marry someone you don't love and suffer for the rest of your life?

"The Crown Prince is magnificent and noble, the man every woman in the realm dreams of. I simply didn't want to disappoint His Highness or bring shame to the royal family. Can't you understand my intentions?"

The Crown Prince's heart softened as she gazed at him. His arm around her tightened and his eyes grew colder and more disgusted as he looked at me.

People in the hall whispered among themselves. The looks they cast my way were full of scrutiny and contempt, as if confirming my crimes of being "ungrateful" and "having another lover."

I slowly withdrew a palm-sized rosewood box from my sleeve. "Perhaps I did misunderstand you, Cordelia. But..."

The box opened with a click. I plucked out a letter from inside.

When I read aloud its contents, everyone in the great hall was shocked.