Chapter 8
We locked Seraphina in the woodshed.
Gideon said she hadn’t eaten in three days.
I brought a bowl of barley porridge and stepped into the dark room.
“Seraphina cat something, will you?”
I even faked a soft, worried look, like I still gave a damn.
“Cut the act. Who knew you had such talent for whoring?”
Took you what, two weeks to seduce the General?”
She smacked the bowl from my hands.
looked hurt, real subtle.
You’re the one who had me knocked out and shoved into your wedding dress.”
And now I’m the bad guy?”
Her face twisted.
Because I am Seraphina. You were just my maid. My servant. Don’t get it twisted.”
here it was.
Ier true colors-plain and loud.
t all boiled down to one thing: I was a maid.
hat made me disposable.
n my last life, she had me thrown into a tomb to rot beside some dead noble.
And when she heard the General survived, she came crawling back to steal him again.
he never once asked what I wanted.
ecause in her eyes, I didn’t matter.
ut this life-this time-my fate is mine alone.
ater that day, the General brought someone home.
Or rather, someone came knocking with a story to tell.
le barged in claiming he and I had conned Seraphina.
aid I was nothing more than a cheap harlot he’d tried to sell off as a concubine,
ut I’d refused-so I swapped myself with Seraphina.
light on cue, Seraphina put on her poor-little-me act.
thought to myself-what is this, a children’s play?
Even a five-year-old wouldn’t buy this garbage.
But the General’s expression changed.
He looked at me… differently.
Chapter 8
He ordered Gideon to lock the man up in the dungeon.
Then he had Seraphina moved out of the woodshed-into one of the side wings.
That night, she came to find me.
“This is the General’s wife’s room? Hmm. Doesn’t look so fancy to me.”
She let her eyes wander around, smug as hell.
“He said I look too frail for rough blankets.”
“He’s having a silk quilt made just for me. Oh-and your dress?”
“He said it’s as tacky as you are.”
“He’s having new ones made for me, using the finest imported fabric.”
She turned and left, basking in her own little victory.
But something inside me ached.
I told myself the General was just being kind.
But it didn’t feel that way anymore.
His heart… it was shifting toward her.
A few days later, the King sent over boxes of royal jewels.
The General had them delivered straight to her.
I stood in the hallway, listening to their laughter.
For the first time, I felt like I didn’t belong in my own home.
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