Chapter 8
“Since you’re going to marry me, what’s mine is yours. Besides, this is just a green moonstone pendant,” Gideon said.
I had no choice but to accept the pendant when I saw that he had no intention of taking it
back.
Gideon and I were practically glued at the hip for the next few days. Either I strolled the
streets with him, or he took me for horseback riding and archery. Our time together was
fulfilling and lively.
I remembered Camilla when I had a bit of free time and decided to have her released. I
disliked her, but I didn’t hate her. She had a few tricks up her sleeve, but they only worked
because Maurice ate them up. She wouldn’t even be in the picture if he were truly loyal to
- me.
Maurice was the one who had done me wrong–I didn’t need to push the blame on Camilla.
When she was released from prison, she’d lost so much weight that she was no more than skin and bones. She started screaming bloody murder and hurling insults when she saw me, but I didn’t let that bother me. I approached her and looked down at her imperiously.
“I did all of this to make you see sense, Camilla. If Maurice truly loves you, why didn’t he get you out of prison? Why was I the one to ultimately have you set free?”
She seemed to realize something, but she still retorted, “Mo loves me more than anything. I’m sure he would’ve saved me if he’d known I was in danger!”
I threw a letter of disownment before her. “From today onward, you’re no longer the Chapman family’s adoptive daughter. Since you adore your precious Mo so much, you can go to him and ask him to care for you for the rest of your life.”
Camilla turned and headed to Maurice’s manor without another word.
1/2
Chapter 8
+25 Bonus
I’d never been one for catfights, but I did enjoy a good show. These few days, Maurice had been hovering around me like a ghost that refused to leave, constantly begging for my forgiveness. If that were the case, I had no choice but to send another ghost to haunt him so
that I wouldn’t need to suffer alone.
Soon, news came from Maurice’s manor–it seemed he and a young woman had gotten into a fight, and he’d accidentally pushed her into a pond, where she’d drowned. As a result, Maurice had been placed under house arrest and couldn’t go anywhere.
I knew the young woman was Camilla, but I couldn’t be bothered to interfere in whatever had happened between her and Maurice. I focused on preparing for my wedding; I looked forward to the day I would become Gideon’s wife.
J
Things at home were cheery and lively on the eve of my wedding day, but Maurice ruined
that by suddenly showing up. He was a far cry from the handsome man he’d used to be—he
was skin and bones, which was reminiscent of how Camilla had looked upon being released
from prison. They truly were a good match.
He stared at me with determination, seemingly having made a grave decision. He said,
“You can’t marry Uncle
Gideon.”
