Chapter 3

“You mean Jasper's bedridden, comatose brother, Finn?” Nora froze, then vehemently opposed, “No, I disagree.”

I glanced at her, then spoke with a tearful tone, “Aunt Nora, can't you tolerate me? Your daughter stole my engagement, can't I marry someone else?”

The guests, mostly genuine socialites, abhorred mistresses. Hearing my words, they began to criticize.

“Some people should know their place. Who is she to speak here?”

“What's that smell? Do you smell it? A fox's stink?”

...

Nora remained unfazed by the snide remarks.

To reach her current status, she'd long discarded shame.

Realizing her overreaction, she tried to cozy up to me.

“Maeve, I watched you grow up.”

“How could Aunt let you suffer?”

“You don't know how hard it is to care for a bedridden person...”

She kept persuading me not to marry, forgetting Mr. Jasper beside her.

No father likes hearing others speak ill of his son.

He cleared his throat, casting a cold glance.

Realizing her mistake, Nora quickly fell silent, blending into the crowd.

Mr. Jasper focused on me, asking sincerely, “Maeve, are you serious about what you just said?”

Finn had always been groomed as the successor, but a year ago, a car accident left him paralyzed and semi-conscious.

The blow was hard for Mr. Jasper, but he had to shift focus to Jasper, as the family needed an heir.

He'd planned to care for Finn in the hospital for life, but hearing my willingness to marry him brought tears to his eyes.

I nodded, and he promptly agreed, “I'll arrange it, and we'll have the wedding with Jasper.”

I didn't expect Mr. Jasper to plan it this way, but the wedding date didn't matter.

What mattered was the leverage Finn had over Cora.

I initially guessed, but Nora's attitude confirmed that Finn's injury was suspicious.

...

With my goal achieved, I returned home.

Jasper's wedding was set for a week later; I needed to prepare.

Unexpectedly, my long-empty Lark Family villa was filled with laughter.

“Come catch me, Jasper...”

“Nope, I'm not there...”

I rushed to the second floor, following the sound.

Through the door crack, I saw Cora's “Jasper brother” had caught her in my bedroom. They were laughing, playing.

Jasper's hand was under Cora's clothes, and fearing they'd escalate on my bed, I kicked the door open.

“Can't you pick a place to fool around? Get out.”

Jasper withdrew his hand, coughing, while Cora showed no embarrassment at being caught. Instead, she tearfully nestled into Jasper's arms.

“Jasper, she used to drive me away like this.”

“If not for her, would we have missed so many years?”

When Nora first came to work, she brought newborn Cora.

No one wanted a nanny with a child, but my parents took them in, thinking I'd have a playmate.

The Lark Family and Jasper Family were close, so young Jasper often visited.

We were the best playmates.

Who knew we'd grow to be like this?

Cora's voice was sorrowful, seemingly heartbroken.

“Jasper, I'm so afraid of losing you again.”

Jasper comforted her, “It's okay, Cora. We're getting married soon. We'll be together forever.”

Then, looking at me, his eyes were filled with disdain.

“Maeve, do you think I care about coming to this cursed Lark place?”

“If Cora didn't want to relive childhood memories, who'd come?”

He spoke with disdain, as if he wanted no connection with me.

Yet, as a child, in the same place, he said only I could be his bride.

Those days were gone. He was now a stranger.

I didn't want to waste words and directly grabbed Cora from the bed.

“Get off my bed.”

I used great force, so even as Jasper held her, I pulled her down.

I dragged her to the door, but Cora suddenly hooked her foot on a bookshelf.

The shelf wobbled, and the books tumbled down.