Chapter 3

The palace servants came forward and dragged me away, though I could barely stand.

William stormed back to his seat at the head of the table. When his gaze fell on the glaring red mark, he froze for nearly 15 seconds.

But the moment Francesca pouted and threw herself into his arms, all traces of guilt vanished from his face. He immediately called off the banquet and summoned the imperial physician to examine her.

The banquet had been arranged specifically to humiliate me. It had begun with great fanfare, only to end just as abruptly.

The nobles and their wives had been eager to gossip for some time. Soon, the entire hall had emptied.

Only Theo paused for a long moment when he passed the embroidered purse on the ground.

Five years ago, I'd stayed up three nights in a row to embroider it for him. It had been a token of our love.

When he heard Francesca call out to him from a distance, "Theo, come here!" he finally straightened from his slightly bent position. He dusted off his clothes and walked away without looking back.

…

After five years, I'd finally returned to my own estate, only to be reduced to Francesca's lowest-ranking maid.

At her instruction, everyone avoided me as though I were contagious.

Fiona Whitmore, who had once tearfully begged me for two silver coins to save her parents' lives, slapped me across the face and ordered me to handle the most exhausting laundry duties.

Nina Fairchild, who had once served at my side and received countless rewards from me, stepped on my chilblain-covered hands and sneered as she ordered me to remove my only bracelet.

My heart turned cold, but to survive until the day after tomorrow, I obeyed every order.

Yet Francesca still wasn't done with me.

The next day, while I was sweeping the grounds, someone suddenly splashed foul-smelling filth all over me.

I looked up to see Francesca accompanied by several of her personal attendants. She slammed a chamber pot down over my head. "Leah, lick it clean."

Hatred surged through me. I wiped the filth from my face and glared at her. "My brother only ordered me to sweep the estate and reflect on my mistakes. He never said you could humiliate me like this!"

Francesca's eyes widened before she burst into laughter. "Don't tell me you still think you're a princess! Leah, in the eyes of the people, you're the lowest kind of whore in the entire kingdom!

"Those obscene paintings of you have spread everywhere. Everyone knows that you, a princess of the imperial family, serviced over 100 beggars. You're already rotten to the core!"

The emotions I'd suppressed for days finally erupted. I slapped Francesca hard across the face.

In the next instant, the imperial guards behind her rushed forward, twisted my arms behind my back, and forced me to kneel before her.

Francesca raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Look up. Take a good look at the men behind me. Do they look familiar?"

I raised my head in confusion. The moment I recognized the guards, the blood in my veins seemed to freeze.

The scars on their faces and the half-missing ear of one guard were unmistakable. These were the same men whose faces had loomed over me in the darkness five years ago!

Memories of the brutal abuse flashed through my mind. My entire body began to tremble uncontrollably, and my mind went completely blank.

Back then, Francesca had accused me of plotting to have men violate her.

In their fury, William and Theo had personally thrown me out of the city to teach me a lesson.

They had no idea that I'd spent the entire night in a den of beggars, crying and pleading for mercy.

Later, they told me I'd brought it upon myself and that this was the punishment I deserved. They also assured me that the incident would remain an imperial secret and that every man who had assaulted me had been executed.

I had believed them. Foolishly, I had believed them for five whole years.

Yet now, those same men stood right before me as members of the imperial guards!

The guard who gripped my arm licked his lips and flashed me a revolting smile. "I only got one turn five years ago. I've looked forward to seeing the Princess again every day since."

I broke down completely. I wrenched myself free from his grasp and ran wildly toward the palace.

Still covered in filth, I stormed into my brother's chambers and seized William by the collar. "You promised me! You promised you'd kill every last one of them! You gave me your word!"

William stared at me in shock before he suddenly realized what I meant.

"Francesca is kind-hearted. She said they only made that mistake because you seduced them, so she personally intervened to spare their lives," he claimed. "They've behaved themselves for years. Why are you making such a fuss about it?"

In that instant, I lost every ounce of strength I had left and collapsed to the floor.

The sibling bond I'd once treasured had become a complete joke, and my heart had finally turned to ice.

…

I couldn't remember how I'd made my way out of Edelmont. All I remembered was how everyone covered their noses and kept their distance from me.

Great. I supposed they could now add another charge to the countless crimes attributed to me: improper conduct. But I no longer cared.

I had no idea how long I'd been walking when a group of men suddenly blocked my path.

"Lady Francesca ordered us to have some more fun with you. She said we should make sure to fuck you to death right here in the street."

"Be strong this time, Princess Leah. Don't start begging for mercy before an hour has even passed, like you did last time."

My heart tightened. Francesca intended to have me killed.

However, I had to go home. I couldn't die here!

As I struggled, I heard a faint laugh nearby. It was Francesca's voice.

I summoned a strength I'd never known I possessed, broke free of their grip, and clamped both hands around her throat!

"If any of you so much as touches me, I'll kill your master right now!"

Everyone froze in shock.

I used Francesca as a shield and slowly backed away.

I'd barely taken a few steps when something came whistling through the air and struck me hard in the temple.

It was the riding crop Theo held in his hand.