Ciel couldn’t care less who was the bride. Me, Elodie–same difference.
The Clementine house was dead quiet when we pulled up.
Sebastian, his butler, greeted me, then frowned. “Mr. Clementine’s parents died young. He’s been on his own for years. Doesn’t
keep staff. From now on, you’re handling his daily needs.”
I took the keys and, still wrapped in satin and tulle, face–planted on the bed. Sleep was just pulling me under when I felt it–that
stare.
I cracked my eyes open. Ciel stood over me, blank as stone.
He slid a dagger from under my pillow and pressed it to my throat.
A cold smile curved his lips. “My family forced this marriage. If you’re dead, problem solved.”
The blade bit into my skin, a thin line of blood welling up. Pain shot through me, but I held his gaze, steady.
In my past life, he’d tossed Elodie into the snow on their wedding night, nearly freezing her to death.
A spoiled princess like her–no wonder she’d cracked in a year.
Clutching the
blanket, I tried to figure out what answer he wanted.
“But if I stay alive, you’ll have way fewer problems. Compared to a corpse, you need someone who can play the wife role.”
Ciel’s eyes narrowed.
Just when I thought he’d stay silent, he lowered the dagger and brushed the blood from my neck.
I sucked in a sharp breath, realizing I was soaked in cold sweat.
“But as far as I know, your family hasn’t publicly acknowledged you,” he said, voice dripping with mockery. “Your father seems
to prefer Elodie. What makes you think you can be my wife?”
I froze.
I hadn’t expected him to already know about the engagement swap I thought I’d pulled off clean.
Even from Northvale, he had eyes inside the Weston family in Southport.
“Because I was supposed to be Stanley Hamilton’s fiancée.” I lifted my chin, locking eyes with him. “And you’ve been his worst
enemy forever. Don’t you want to ruin him completely?”
His gaze darkened, calculating.
Then he laughed, lifted my veil, and said, “Pleasure working with you, my… bride.”
1/2
Chapter 3
***
+25 Bonus
The next morning, when I came downstairs in one plece, Sebastian’s eyebrows shot up.
He told me the Clementine elders had lined up plenty of brides for Ciel before.
Every single one got tossed out on night one–sobbing, humiliated, and never coming back.
A shiver ran through me as I remembered his question from last night.
Sebastian broke my thoughts. Ciel had sent for me.
The car stopped in front of a bar.
Neon lights flickered over Ciel, sprawled back with his shirt hanging open, a shaking woman on her knees in front of him.
“Mr. Clementine, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have let greed get the better of me…”
She bit her lip, slapped herself hard. The crack echoed, but Ciel didn’t even glance at her.
Then she shot to her feet, pulling a gun from her thigh.
“Watch out!”
I didn’t think—just threw myself in front of him.
The bullet tore through my shoulder, hot blood running down my arm.
For the first time, something cracked through his cold, detached eyes–shock.
Not interesting at all
