Chapter 3

4

I couldn't believe how shameless Silas could be.

He knew I was the one who burned down his house, so he wanted to use the villa I was currently living in as his wedding home.

"Commander, you really love pushing people, don't you?" Jade snapped.

"My Lady burned her own property. If you don't have a place for your wedding, go be a servant in the High Elder's house."

Silas looked embarrassed for a split second, but he brushed it off.

He looked at me with a fake, gentle smile.

"You've always been sharp-tongued, little girl. Vivienne, I'm suggesting this for your own good."

I looked at him as if he were a complete moron.

He was trying to move his new wife into my house, and he claimed it was for my sake.

How did I ever give him the impression that I was this stupid?

Silas didn't think there was anything wrong with his logic. He kept trying to brainwash me.

"Vivienne, I could find another house, but you have to understand. If Seraphina lives here, she won't be able to bully you as easily..."

I eventually nodded, pretending to agree just to get him to leave.

Silas was so happy he opened a box of pastries he brought and told me to drink less wine before he hurried off.

As soon as his back disappeared, Jade started cursing at the shadow guards hiding in the rafters.

Her anger quickly turned into sobbing. she grabbed my arm and cried.

"My Lady, please stop being so kind! You are the Princess of the Great Royal Pack! How dare he treat you like this?"

Her tears warmed my heart.

If she hadn't been by my side all these years, my quest for true love would have ended in disaster long ago.

I wiped the tears from her face with a handkerchief.

"Do you really think your Princess is that much of a pushover?"

She nodded immediately, which actually made me feel a bit better.

It wasn't her fault for thinking that way.

When Silas was struggling and depressed years ago, I went to the greatest warrior of our kingdom, Alaric Blackwell.

I begged him to take Silas under his wing and train him.

Alaric was a man who hated royal politics and didn't care about my status. He refused me.

To get Silas a chance at a military career, I worked as a servant in Alaric's manor for three months.

I endured his cold glares and harsh demands for ninety days.

I was about to give up when I took a silver blade meant for Alaric during an assassination attempt. Only then did he agree.

If it weren't for the scar on my chest, Silas would be lucky to be a common guard right now.

My hand instinctively touched the spot where the blade had hit.

I was blind back then. If I could go back, I would stay as far away from him as possible.

But Silas was even more shameless than I imagined.

The next day at noon, he showed up with Seraphina.

They didn't even knock. They just sat down at my dining table while I was eating.

"Jade, bring two more sets of silver plates..."

Before Silas could finish, I slammed my chopsticks onto the table.

Except for my father, no one dared to order my people around.

And they certainly didn't have the right to sit at my table.

The two of them froze. Silas's face turned stormy.

"Vivienne, what is the meaning of this?"

"You know I don't like eating with outsiders. You've crossed the line."

The sheer authority in my voice made Seraphina flinch. She forced a fake smile.

"Vivienne, Silas told me you are the manager of his businesses. We'll be family soon. On the wedding day, you can stand by my side as my personal attendant."

Businesses? That tiny piece of land he thinks he owns?

I looked at Silas. He was hanging his head so low it was almost touching his lap.

I realized then that he had told Seraphina that all my properties belonged to him.

I was livid.

I had allowed the shopkeepers to call him "Master" just to give him some dignity as my future mate.

I didn't expect him to actually pretend he owned everything.

No wonder Seraphina's tone had changed.

She was afraid I would control the money and leave her with no real power as his wife.

Poor girl. She was being scammed.

"Fine. In five days, I will accompany Commander Silas to bring Lady Seraphina home."

My words delighted them both. Seraphina looked at me with calculating eyes.

After they left, Jade was practically vibrating with rage.

"Shadow One, Shadow Two. Transfer all the property titles out of my name. Jade, pack everything. We leave in five days."

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