Chapter 6
I glanced at the now–empty courtyard and shook my head. “There’s nothing left. If there were, consider it my gesture of sisterly affection–some gifts for her wedding.”
With that, we turned and left, leaving Riley behind in her plain white corset, screaming and losing all composure in front of everyone.
Vivian’s face changed dramatically when she saw Ryan and the guards bring back the 120 chests of dowry. “Why is your sister’s dowry being brought back?”
A maid stepped forward and said, “Madam, this is Miss Rowena’s untouched. You can simply have someone carry it over for her.”
Vivian snapped, “Silence! How dare a mere servant speak tomorrow!”
I stepped protectively in front of the maid. “Mother, she her.”
“This dowry was left to me by my birth mother. My sist
off
www.entrusted t
to
her
by our
lady. Miss Riley’s dowry is still in your courtyard,
me to make decisions for your mistress. I’ll have you thrown out
deed
the Kingsley family,
Vivian’s face turned ashen with rage. Her fingers trembled won’t even listen to your own mother now?”
as she
at
- me.
Fine!
now she’s
not to the Donovans. You have no right to sell
to take my dowry too?”
dised you all these years, and you still call me Mother. Yet you
sister
supposed to hold her head high in that household
“I want these dowry chests returned to the Kingsley estate by tomorrow. How is otherwise?”
“Your mother has been dead for years. In this house, I have the final say. to marry you then!”
If you
dare disobey me, I’ll accuse you of defiance. Let’s see who would still dare
A man strode into the room. “Rowena’s dowry was left to her by her mother. I’d like to see who dares lay a hand on it!”
I looked up, my eyes welling with tears. It was my father. “Father, you’re back!” I ran straight into his arms.
He looked down at me with deep concern. “Rowena, my sweet girl, I know everything that happened today. You’ve suffered enough. Don’t worry–now that I’m back, no one will mistreat you again.”
Vivian tried to smile and stepped forward awkwardly. “My love, what a surprise. You didn’t let us know you were coming. I didn’t have time to prepare anything.”
My father looked straight at her. “If I had warned you, would you have hidden the truth again and continued bullying my daughter?”
“Vivian, I always thought you were taking good care of Rowena. Who would’ve guessed you were deceiving me all along–going behind my back, plotting her marriage like it was a game.”
“Now Riley’s married into the Kingsley family, and you still want to take Rowena’s dowry? Don’t even think about it.”
“From this moment on, hand over all household accounts and financial records. You are no longer in charge of managing this home.”
Being stripped of household authority in front of others–this punishment was reserved only for serious wrongdoing. Vivian’s face turned red with humiliation. “My lord, what have I done? All I did was speak one wrong word, and you humiliate me like this?”
Smack–my father slapped her across the face.
“You call this humiliation? Then what would you call what you’ve done to Rowena? You nearly ruined her reputation. And you think you’ve done no wrong?”
Vivian clutched her face, shouting, “I know! You’re biased toward your daughter from your first wife! So my daughter doesn’t count as yours anymore? You think only of Rowena. Have you ever once considered Riley?”
My father let out a cold laugh. “How many suitors did I find for Riley? It was always you who rejected them. You disliked them for not being the eldest son or not god enough. If they had low rank, you said they’d make her look bad.”
Vivian wept and cried out, “And wasn’t I right? Why did Rowena get a Count, while Riley only got a captain or the disfavored second son of a noble house? You never wanted Riley to have better than Rowena!”
“So what’s wrong with me teaching her to fight for the life she wants?”
My father laughed coldly. “Guards, take the Madam away. She is to remain in her room to reflect on her actions. Without my command, she is not to take a single step outside.”
“I think she’s lost her mind.”
Chapter 6
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He had planned to return before my wedding, but was delayed by a day on the road. As soon as he entered the city, he heard the scandalous rumors–how Miss Riley had taken my place at the altar.
A few questions were all it took for him to learn the truth. Upon arriving home, he immediately punished Vivian. With red–rimmed eyes, he looked at me and said, “If only I had returned one day earlier, you wouldn’t have suffered like this.”
“Now, tell me do you still wish to marry into the Kingsley estate? If you do, I’ll still find a way to make the Count take you as his wife.”
I quickly shook my head. “I don’t want to marry him. He and Riley were already hooked up behind my back. He knew about our engagement and still betrayed me. A man like that is not worthy of my lifelong trust.”
“Our family has an existing marriage agreement with General Callahan. I’ve already spoken to Ryan–It would be honored to marry him.”
“With you back, Father, you can now witness your daughter’s wedding.”
My father smiled with relief. “Ryan is a decent young general and a responsible man.
you marry him, I will be glad.”
“When I arranged that match, I had hoped you would be the one to marry him. But your engagement to the Count was a royal decree.”
“I thought it would be a good match and gave Looks like fate had other plans.”
your sister. Who
Www we
known she’d squander it, thinking the Kingsley family was the better prize.
Chapter 6
