Chapter 1

It was the third winter I spent as Shawn Hall's wife at the military base. He had just conquered the Southern territories and brought back a dozen female captives. The day we were supposed to return to the city was postponed because of them.

Every night, Shawn had these women dressed in revealing clothes and brought to his tent. He forced me to kneel outside in the freezing cold, making me listen to their wild laughter behind the thin fabric. It was a special kind of hell.

"Don't mind her. It's good for her to learn a few things about how to actually please a man," Shawn's voice drifted out, cold and mocking.

The leader of the captives, a woman named Lila Quinn, intentionally spilled hot tea over my head one morning. Her eyes were filled with nothing but disdain as she looked down at me.

"So this is the Great Commander's wife? Honestly, she's nothing special," she sneered.

"Commander Hall is a beast in bed. Since we'll be sharing him from now on, maybe we should just call each other sisters," Lila added with a smirk.

I closed my eyes, the freezing wind biting at my skin. I had just received word from the city that my grandmother had passed away. The grief was a hollow ache in my chest.

The only tie I had left to Shawn was gone. That snowy night, I packed a small bag and walked out of the camp alone. I vowed never to see him again.

......

"Evelyn York! Didn't I tell you that you have to kneel outside my tent every single night? How dare you defy my orders!" Shawn's roar echoed through the camp.

I remained motionless on my small cot, the letter from home crumpled into a tight ball in my hand. I didn't give him the satisfaction of an answer.

Enraged by my silence, Shawn stormed into my space. He grabbed my arm and violently yanked me off the bed, sending me crashing to the floor.

My forehead slammed against the sharp corner of the wooden table. The pain was sharp and immediate, and I couldn't stop the tears from leaking out.

Shawn didn't show a hint of remorse. Instead, he let out a cruel, mocking laugh. He knelt down and gripped my chin, forcing me to look at him.

He was only wearing a loose robe, and his chest was covered in fresh, dark red marks. They were glaring reminders of what he had been doing.

He noticed the crumpled paper in my hand and sneered. "Every time a letter comes from the city, you act like you're dying. Stop the dramatics."

"Evelyn, don't forget that if I hadn't called in the top surgeons for your grandmother, she'd be under the dirt by now. Know your place."

"Now, get up and go wait on Lila. She needs someone to fetch her things," he barked.

Shawn didn't wait for me to agree. He dragged me out of the tent by my arm. I stumbled behind him, my legs weak.

I looked at his broad, powerful back. Years ago, that back was the only thing I felt I could rely on in this world.

Seven years ago, the news of my father and brothers dying in battle hit us like a tidal wave. Our estate was suddenly empty, leaving only my grandmother and me.

Vulture-like relatives circled us immediately, trying to seize our inheritance. Shawn was the one who stood at our front door when things were darkest.

He was the only son of the Supreme Commander. Even as a teenager, he stood guard with a rifle, chasing away anyone who tried to hurt us.

He trained day and night to become the man he was today. Back then, he swore he would protect me for the rest of his life.

Because of that promise, I gave him my heart and my future. I never could have imagined we would end up as bitter enemies.

Shawn dragged me into his main tent. Lila Quinn was lounging on the bed, wearing nothing but a sheer silk nightgown.

When she saw me, she immediately hopped off the bed and clung to Shawn's arm. "Oh, Commander, I only mentioned it in passing. I didn't think you'd actually make her serve me!"

"After all, she is technically the lady of the house," Lila said, though her eyes were gleaming with triumph.

She caught my gaze and provocatively brushed her hair aside. It revealed a neck covered in hickeys.

Since the Southern campaign ended, those captives had become Shawn's playthings. Most were just for his physical release, but Lila was different.

He had publicly announced that once we returned to the capital, he would make her his official mistress. He wanted the whole world to know.

Did he love her? No. He just wanted to humiliate me and make me the laughingstock of high society.

Shawn wrapped his arm around Lila's waist and kissed her deeply. Then he shot me a cold, dismissive look.

"The lady of the house? That's just a title on a piece of paper," he said. "In my heart, you're the only one who matters, Lila. Serving you is exactly what she's good for."

Lila giggled and kissed his cheek. "You're so good to me, Shawn."

"And how are you going to thank me for that?" Shawn's hand began to wander over her curves.

Lila buried her face in his chest, acting shy. I stood there, forced to watch my husband flirt with another woman.

Maybe I had finally gone numb. Or maybe, with my grandmother gone, the last thread of my devotion had snapped.

My heart was strangely quiet. I felt no rage, only a profound sense of emptiness.

"Evelyn, don't just stand there like a statue. Go get Lila some water!" Shawn's voice broke the silence.

I finally looked him in the eyes. The boy who promised to protect me was dead. This man was a stranger.

I closed my eyes for a second. When I opened them, they were as cold as the snow outside.

"I'm not doing it," I said quietly.

Before he could react, I turned and walked out of the tent. I didn't care how much he screamed my name behind me.

My grandmother was gone. He had no more leverage over me. It was time for this to end.