Chapter 2

I remained stunned for a long time. The hair ornament was still in my hand.

“What do you mean?”

Grace chuckled.

“Before the wedding, of course I had to play nice with you. Everyone knows Simon treats you like his own little sister.

“If I got on your bad side and you went home and complained, who knows if the Truman family’s eighty-eight chests of wedding gifts would have even made it through the door.”

She casually yanked the gold hair ornament from my arms and set it on the table.

“But things are different now. I am married to Simon.”

I frowned. “What of it?”

Amused by my reaction, she went on. “Simon runs the thirteen family banks and seventy-two shops. The managers answer to him.

“When something goes wrong, he’s the one they call. What do you bring to the table besides bearing the Sherman name?”

She leaned down and looked me in the eye.

“Do you really think that just because they let you stamp the golden seal every New Year, you’re actually in charge of the Sherman family?”

I looked at her in shock.

She only laughed even harder.

“Simon told me everything. Back in the day, Hugo set up some little ritual because he spoiled you and didn’t want you to feel useless. You actually took it seriously?”

My jaw dropped.

For a moment, I did not even know which part to address first.

So, that was how Simon had always viewed that seal.

When I remained quiet, Grace thought I was embarrassed.

She pulled a house token and tossed it lightly onto the table.

“I’ll be holding onto this for you.”

I looked down. That house token belonged to me.

When I was six, I had complained that carrying money around was too heavy, so Hugo had the main office make a house token especially for me.

With it, I could draw on the Sherman family account at any of their shops.

“Why?”

She leaned back in her chair and said, “You’re an unmarried young lady spending that much money in a month. What would people think?

“Simon worked hard for his money. From now on, you get two hundred dollars a month for pocket money. That’s plenty for you to buy makeup and girly things.”

I was even more confused. “But I’m just spending my own money.”

She sneered. “Your money?

“Have you ever lifted a finger for this business?

“Without Simon slaving away for you, do you think the Sherman family’s money just grows on trees?”

Tsk tsk.

To think that Grace had barely married into the family, and she already fancied herself the lady of the house and thought she could boss me around as she pleased.

What was more, she was already convinced the Sherman family’s fortune was something Simon had earned for me.

At that thought, I was just about to speak. But she had a maid bring over a thick ledger.

On the last page, a number was circled in red ink. Two hundred seventy-four thousand six hundred dollars.

“From smashing a calculator at seven to throwing a twenty-table party at the Asteria Tavern last year, every penny Simon’s spent on you is right here.

“I rounded it down for you to two hundred seventy thousand dollars.”

I flipped through a couple of pages.

It was not just my food and clothing. There were repairs to the family estate, the annual feast at the main office, and even the horses for the northwest caravan two years ago.

I almost laughed reading it.

But Grace pulled a marriage contract out from under the ledger.

“I’ve already asked after the second son of the Zouch family out in Lorell on your behalf.

“They will give us three hundred thousand dollars.

“Once you marry into the family, it’ll clear your debt nicely.”

I looked at her in shock. “Who told you to arrange my marriage?”

“It’s what’s best for you,” she said as she touched her still-flat belly and smiled.

“Once you’re married off, Simon and I should start our own family too. If we have a daughter, she’ll learn the business from her father growing up.

“That’s surely better than the Sherman family fortune going to someone who can’t even read a ledger.”

Finally, I understood that she did not just want to control my money. She wanted to marry me off and then replace me with her own daughter.

I picked up the marriage contract and tore it in half right in front of her.

“Grace, I’m the head of the family.

“My marriage is not yours to arrange.”

Her expression darkened. “Head of the family?”

She walked up and continued, “How many bank managers do you even know?

“Do you have any idea how much the Sherman family made last year?

“You can’t even tell me which routes the trade caravans take. You’re just riding on your family’s favor, hiding behind a fancy title.”

Just then, Ruby Hill’s voice came from outside the door.

“Mrs. Evan, watch your mouth!”

Ruby had served my mother since childhood.

When she came in and saw the IOU on the table and the torn marriage contract, her face turned pale with rage.

“Mr. Evan manages things on Ms. Sherman’s behalf. How can you turn around and charge her for debts?”

Grace shot her a cold glance. “On her behalf?

“How many more years are you people going to keep peddling that bedtime story?

“Simon has been carrying the entire Sherman family business for twelve years, and yet your so-called head of the family can’t even read a ledger.”

Ruby was shaking with fury. “Mr. Evan renews his term every year because—”

“That’s enough.” Grace raised a hand to cut her off.

“Someone, get this old hag out of here.”

I stepped in front of Ruby. “Nobody is allowed to touch her.”

Grace stared at me. The last trace of her smile was gone.

She grabbed my wrist and slammed the IOU onto the table.

“Clarisse, have I been too nice to you? You’re signing this today, one way or another.”

She forced my hand to sign the papers. Just as I wrenched back with all my strength, a furious shout came from outside the door.

“Grace, what do you think you’re doing?!”