Chapter 2

I took a deep breath and forced the hatred back down.

My mother's will said that once I turned 25, I could take control of her entire personal fortune.

On this day in my last life, my father had handed me a power of attorney. "You've got a wedding to plan," he'd coaxed. "Managing all those assets is too much work. Put them in the family trust and let me handle it for you."

Eager for his approval, I signed on the spot and handed my mother's inheritance over to him. In the end, I became his personal ATM, paying for his lover, Lydia Bennett, and his illegitimate daughter.

Knock, knock, knock.

The knocking interrupted my thoughts.

A familiar voice came through the door. "Evelyn, are you ready? Mr. Hudson is here."

I opened the door. My father stood outside, with Mr. Hudson and Claire right behind him.

The moment Claire saw me, she reached for my hand as if we were the best of friends. "Evelyn, you look gorgeous today! When Adrian sees you downstairs, he won't be able to take his eyes off you!"

One look at her face, and my stomach turned.

I stepped back, and Claire's hand closed on thin air.

Claire turned to my father with a wounded look. "Father, doesn't Evelyn want me here?"

My father frowned and scolded me. "Evelyn, Claire was only trying to pay you a compliment. What kind of attitude is that?"

In my last life, I would already have been frantically apologizing to them. But this time, I just looked at them coldly. "Father, today is my 25th birthday. It's also the day my mother's will takes effect. As for people who don't matter, does it really make a difference whether I like them or not?"

My father's face darkened. "What do you mean, people who don't matter? Claire is your..." He hesitated. "Your sister."

"Oh? My sister?" I raised an eyebrow. "As I recall, my mother only had one child. Claire is the girl Lydia brought into this house. She has nothing to do with me."

Claire went white.

My father exploded. "How dare you! Evelyn, what on earth has gotten into you today?!"

"Your Grace, let's get down to business." Mr. Hudson took out a document. "Lady Evelyn, this is the power of attorney. Once you sign it, your father can go on managing your late mother's trust, and you can focus on your wedding."

Mr. Hudson held out a pen.

I read every clause, spotted every trap hidden in the document, and scoffed.

Then, with my father and the lawyer watching, I raised both hands.

Rrrip! Rrrip!

The sound of tearing paper filled the room.

Right in front of them, I tore the power of attorney to shreds.

"Evelyn! You're out of your mind!" My father slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet. "What do you think you're doing?"

I brushed the scraps of paper off my hands. "I'm not out of my mind. As of today, I'm taking over the wine estates, the properties, the fund, and the shares my mother left me. I'll run them myself. You won't get another penny from me."

"You ungrateful child!" My father was shaking with rage. "This family has raised you for 25 years. Where would you be without it? It's your duty to take care of your father and this family!"

"Duty?" I was so angry I actually laughed.

"Father, tell me something. Why is it that ever since I was five years old, the responsibility for the Ashbourne family has always been mine alone? I gave up racing, I gave up painting, and I was the one handling the debts that had you on the brink of bankruptcy. Where were you while I did all that? On vacation in Paris with your lover and your illegitimate daughter!"

"Now I'm 25, and I want back what my mother left me. Suddenly, you want to lecture me about responsibility? Why should all the responsibility fall on me while all the rewards go to someone else?!"

My answer left my father livid and, for once, speechless.

"Evelyn, how can you talk to Father like that?" Claire's eyes were red. "He only wants what's best for you."

"Shut up." I turned to Claire. "Save the act. One more word, and I'll have security throw you and your mother out of this castle."

Claire shrank back in fright, and her tears came even faster.

The door swung open again.

Adrian walked in. The moment he saw Claire crying, he stepped in front of her.

He knew perfectly well that I was the one he was engaged to, yet Claire was the first person he moved to protect.

"Evelyn, what's all this drama?" Adrian's face was cold. "It's your birthday. Your father and Claire went to all this trouble to throw you a party, and you're up here throwing a fit? Is this how a duke's daughter behaves? You're acting like a fishwife!"

Watching him, I finally saw things clearly.

How had I been so blind in my last life that I hadn't seen them carrying on behind my back all along?

I kept my anger in check. "Adrian, are you lecturing me on how to behave?"

The look in my eyes seemed to rattle Adrian a little, but he pushed on anyway. "I'm only reminding you that the Devaux family expects its future lady of the house to keep up her dignity. That's the bare minimum. Apologize to your father and Claire right now, and then sign a new power of attorney!"

"And if I don't?" I asked mildly.

"Then you're putting our marriage and the alliance between our families on the line!" Adrian warned.

I was done listening to these two self-important men.

I got to my feet and smoothed down my dress. "Hudson, have the original inventory of my mother's assets delivered to my office by nine tomorrow morning. If you don't, I'll see to it that you lose your license."

I looked from my father to Adrian to Claire. "The party's about to start. I wouldn't want to keep you from playing happy family."

I walked past them and out of the room.

Back in my bedroom, I locked the door right away, took out my encrypted phone, and dialed a number in Zurich.

"Lukas, it's Evelyn."

On the other end came the warm voice of Lukas Weber, my late mother's most trusted lawyer in Switzerland. "Lady Evelyn! You've finally called. You turn 25 today, and I've been waiting to hear from you."

"Please put my mother's backup plan into action right away. Freeze the private accounts and audit every transfer out of the trust for the past three years."

Lukas was quiet for a moment. "I was just about to report to you. The preliminary figures show that over the past three years, your father has siphoned £24 million out of the trust through fake investments in golf courses and art."

I clamped down on my anger.

Twenty-four million pounds!

No wonder Lydia and Claire were always dressed head to toe in designer clothes and jewelry. No wonder Claire could afford an apartment in London. Every penny of it was my mother's money.

"Understood. Don't tip them off yet. Get your hands on every bank statement and every transfer record. I want them to pay it all back, with interest."