I was on the verge of marrying my fiancé, and I couldn't blame my mother, Ashley Dent, for her concerns. After hearing what the maid, Megan Fox, had to say these past few days, I was starting to worry, too.
Everyone else seemed consumed with jealousy while I was left feeling anxious, resting my chin on my hand, looking glum.
"Megan, have you noticed that no one's mentioned Mr. Fleming's looks?" I asked, my brow furrowed.
If he were handsome, people would be singing his praises for both his talent and appearance. The fact that they only talked about his skills suggested his looks were, well, less than desirable.
Finally, the big day arrived.
As I donned my wedding gown, just moments from being escorted down the aisle, a young maid burst in, her eyes darting around in panic.
She hurriedly whispered something to the matchmaker, whose expression shifted from joy to fury in an instant.
"Good-for-nothing scoundrel!" the matchmaker spat, her face darkening.
The room fell silent, and Megan and I exchanged confused glances, both of us completely in the dark.
After a moment, I clapped my hands in realization.
"This wedding definitely isn't happening!"
As if on cue, muffled shouts erupted from outside.
Megan and I crouched by the door, munching on pastries while gossiping.
"Mr. Fleming is quite bold, doing what I wouldn't dare. No matter what he's done today, I'll call him a hero," I said, a grin spreading across my face.
"Right? Totally!" Megan agreed enthusiastically.
"When the news come, let me know. My face is painted up like a monkey's backside!"
"Absolutely!" Megan nodded vigorously.
I patted her on the head, letting out a sigh.
Such a silly girl, only thinking about food instead of gathering intel for me.
Before I could stand up, the door swung open, and both Megan and I toppled to the ground. Ashley stood there, her expression icy as she ordered someone to help me up.
A thrill of excitement ran through me. This was it! I was about to be called off!
She took my hand and patted my shoulder. "Mr. Fleming has been quite reckless, mingling with a commoner from the Arnold family on the day of your wedding. This engagement…"
I couldn't help but smile widely.
"I know you're upset," she continued, her tone softening.
I'm just so relieved.
"However, his brother, Gabriel Fleming, is a decent man. We've discussed it and, to protect your reputation, you'll be marrying Mr. Gabriel Fleming instead."
My smile vanished, my face falling. "What?!"
Before I could protest, Ashley pressed on, "Amy, in a family, we fight for what we want. If we can't win, we'll just add a few concubines for him. Men are easy to handle; you just have to treat them like children."
That was Ashley's philosophy for dealing with life.
I was led into the main hall, where a man stood at the center, strikingly handsome with sharp features that could cut glass.
His eyes were fierce, but there was something captivating about his face that made it hard to look away.
His wedding attire didn't quite fit right, and there were odd stains on his shirt, speckled with red.
As I approached, I noticed no one was watching us. I gently tugged on his sleeve, using my fan to obscure my face, and stood on my tiptoes to lean closer.
"Are you doing this willingly?" I whispered, my heart racing.
Gabriel didn't respond.
Undeterred, I nudged him with my elbow.
"What are my chances of escaping this marriage?"
I rephrased my question, determined to find a way to give him his freedom.
For a moment, I was almost moved to tears by my own thoughtfulness.
Suddenly, Gabriel grasped my arm, almost hoisting me into the carriage. "Do you know I'm in charge of the dungeons? If you try to run, you'll wish you hadn't."
His tone was serious, and I felt a chill run down my spine.
I quickly clamped my mouth shut; I was still young, and I certainly didn't want to meet my end just yet.
I was led into the grand Fleming Manor. The whole process was exhausting—by the time I finally collapsed onto the bed, I felt utterly drained.
With the maid sent away, the room fell into a serene silence.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small pouch, the contents lovingly prepared for me by Megan.
Inside, I found a few of my favorite pastries. As I took a bite of the delicate cake, tears welled up in my eyes.
"Mom promised there'd be some tasty treats on my wedding day," I muttered to myself. "Did the Fleming family seriously think they could starve me?"
It felt almost cruel—like a twisted joke.
2After finally managing to swallow a few dry pastries that nearly choked me, I got up and made my way to the table.
The flickering candlelight cast shadows around the room when, suddenly, the door creaked open.
Gabriel walked in, and right behind him, a crowd of people followed in.
At that moment, everyone froze. I blinked a few times, glancing at Gabriel, whose expression had turned even colder. Instinctively, I took a couple of steps back and turned to sit on the bed, pretending nothing was happening.
I casually reached over to grab the veil hanging by the bed and quickly pulled it over my face. With my other hand, I fanned myself vigorously.
Good grief, does the Fleming family's servants not have any sense? Not a single one thought to announce their master's arrival!
I sat there playing dead, and sensing the awkwardness in the air, an older maid suddenly called out loudly, "Please, groom, lift the bride's veil!"
Well, finally, someone with some sense! When I'm in charge, you're getting a raise!
The room was dead silent, and not a single sound broke the stillness, leaving me feeling increasingly uneasy. What if he's having second thoughts? Seriously, what the hell? Before the wedding, I asked him if he was really on board, and he just pretended to be cool.
But there is no use in regretting anything now! If he refuses to marry me after I've shown up here, it will be my pride on the line.
Still, at this moment, I couldn't bring myself to make a single sound.
Finally, I heard footsteps approaching, so I sat up straight, trying to look composed.
"Choose auspiciously, choose love, and choose for prosperity!"
The veil was lifted from my face, and I stared at the man in front of me as he bent down. I panicked and squeezed my eyes shut, only to peek again.
He wouldn't dare to kiss me, would he?
"Do you have an eye condition?" His voice was low, sending a shiver down my spine. I turned my head to meet his gaze, my eyes narrowing.
In a whisper only he could hear, I replied, "Yes, sometimes I see people as pigs or dogs."
I turned my head back, feeling quite proud of myself. You started it!
"Now, please drink from the cup of unity!"
A maid brought over two cups, and we both downed our drinks in one go.
"May you be as one, never to be separated," the older maid continued with the blessings. Gabriel's arm wrapped around my waist, and the onlookers nodded in approval, showering us with compliments as if they were free.
But then, his hand wandered a little too low on my side. I shot him a puzzled look.
Then, with two fingers, he twisted my side.
I winced, biting my lip to keep from making a sound.
I buried my face in his shoulder, trying to hide my discomfort. In a moment of defiance, I attempted to sneak a grab at his thigh, but he must have anticipated my move. Gabriel caught my wrist with his other hand, pinning it against his leg and tightening his grip as a warning.
I wanted to kick my legs in protest.
"Reward," Gabriel said, his tone casual.
The maids giggled, bowed, and filed out of the room.
As the door clicked shut behind them, I let out a small whimper and broke free from his hold, dropping to the floor.
"You're truly wicked," I huffed, glaring up at him.
Gabriel stood up, a smirk playing on his lips as he squatted down in front of me, patting my head like I was a child.
"There's nothing useful in this room. I'll take you to the prison someday, and then you can really test your wits against me."
I was taken aback, disbelief washing over me as I met his gaze. But I surrendered quickly.
"I guess I'm not the model wife you expected, and I've made you angry. So, punish me… punish me…" I stammered, racking my brain for something that wouldn't land me in real trouble.
Gabriel lifted my chin with a smirk on his face.
A sense of crisis erupted within me; I could feel something bad brewing in his eyes.
Just as I opened my mouth to speak, he covered it, preventing me from uttering a word, leaving me to emit muffled sounds of protest.
"You'll be punished," he said, a wicked glint in his eye. "Your wedding gifts will be transferred to my vault, and you'll be fined, just a small reminder to stay in line. Don't bother being polite about it."
As if I'd ever care about his rules!
In a fit of anger, I used my tongue to lick the palm of his hand, which momentarily confused Gabriel.
His gaze deepened as he looked at me, but by then, my focus was entirely on my revenge, leaving no room for noticing his expression.
Taking advantage of his moment of distraction, I quickly sprang up and gripped his neck. Expecting a strong resistance, I applied more force than necessary, accidentally pushing him to the ground.
There was a dull thud as his head hit the floor.
I leaned against his chest, my only support being the firm grip around his neck.
After a moment, Gabriel composed himself; his lips pressed slightly as he spoke calmly, "Attempting to harm an official in court should merit a lashing of thirty strokes. Are you trying to..."
I couldn't let him finish; in a panic, I covered his mouth with my hand, shaking my head violently in denial.
And then, I watched in horror as his ears turned a bright shade of red.
Hurriedly, I climbed back to my feet and called out to Megan, "Megan! Take my wedding gifts to Mr. Gabriel Fleming; he'll be the one to keep them from now on."
3The wedding gifts I had sacrificed were still fresh in my mind as I lay in bed next to Gabriel, unable to sleep. My thoughts were consumed by the loss as I tossed and turned restlessly.
Beside me, Gabriel must have grown tired of my fidgeting, for he pulled me into his embrace. "If you keep squirming, we might have to find something else to do," he teased.
I immediately shut my eyes and lay still, not wanting to provoke him further. I was exhausted from the day's events, and soon enough, sleep began to pull me under.
I faintly heard Gabriel chuckle and murmur something, but my dreams were wild, in which I had unleashed a dog to chase him through the night. By morning, I woke up feeling refreshed.
Gabriel had already left for court by the time I got up. I decided to visit his mother. She took my hands in hers and said warmly, "Gabriel may seem cold on the outside, but his heart is warm. You and my eldest son aren't destined for each other, so take good care of him, and let's hope you fill this house with children to liven it up."
I thought about our innocent sleeping arrangement under the covers and nodded, feeling a bit guilty.
Once I left his mother's room, I realized I needed to take some action. Ashley's advice echoed in my mind.
"Megan, go grab the money my mom gave me," I instructed.
I sent someone to fetch a group of beautiful women to bring to the house.
Then, Megan and I stepped outside. As I stood on the street, gazing at the grand buildings around me, I couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed.
"Wow, it's huge!" I exclaimed.
Megan nodded in agreement.
"Go knock on the door," I said.
Megan obediently approached and knocked. A man, yawning widely, stumbled out.
"Get lost! Who do you think you are, coming here?" he barked.
I cleared my throat and adjusted my hood. "Could you please ask your master to come out? I have a business proposal for her."
I was invited inside, and to my surprise, it was easier than I had anticipated. The madam greeted me with a beaming smile.
I laid out my entire plan, and she burst into laughter. "You're quite clever! I've never heard of such a scheme before."
I tugged at my dress, trying to exude an air of sophistication.
"But we're not cheap when it comes to pricing. This requires hard work."
She covered her mouth, giggling.
I couldn't help but feel pleased; no wonder men are willing to spend money here.
I signaled for Megan to bring out the money, and when she saw the stack, the madam's demeanor shifted. "This looks promising. Let's seal the deal today."
Just as she finished speaking, the door swung open with a bang, and a group of soldiers stormed in, swords drawn.
My heart raced as I ducked behind a pillar.
What kind of trouble is brewing in this place?
To escape unnoticed, I peeked out from behind the column, and my heart sank.
Walking in was none other than Gabriel.
Oh great, this can't possibly be my fault, right?
"Ah, my lord! What brings you to this neck of the woods? We've been behaving ourselves, I assure you!" the madam exclaimed, trying to smooth things over.
Gabriel's piercing gaze swept the room before landing on Megan, who stood frozen, clueless about the situation.
He let out a cold laugh. "I seem to have lost something, and I heard someone might have come this way."
At his words, the madam's eyes flared with anger. "My lord, what have you lost? If that person is in this house, I guarantee they won't get away."
Gabriel casually brushed off his clothes. "It's nothing serious, just some money and a newlywed wife."
At that moment, my heart raced. Who is he talking about? Me?
The madam's smile froze on her face.
"My lord," she stammered, "we haven't had any new girls come in over the past few days."
She racked her brain for a plausible excuse, then suddenly turned toward my hiding spot.
Gabriel, clearly fed up with the whole charade, clasped his hands behind his back and fixed me with a steely gaze. "Amy," he said slowly, every word dripping with authority, "are you coming out on your own, or do I need to compel you to step forward?"
Right then, I clung to the pillar, my face a portrait of despair.
Is there even a third option? Because I sure wish I could choose to stay put.