Chapter 4
“Lord Edmund and Margaret had long been entangled in secret, waiting for my wedding day to play their hand. They thought I would swallow the humiliation–but why should I, when I was not the one at fault? Breaking free was my salvation.”
I held
my mother tightly. In my past life, I was betrayed by Edmund and Margaret, which led to my death. My parents‘ hair turned white overnight. Margaret, with her silver tongue, stayed with my mother during her most painful moments, slowly manipulating my father and mother until they entrusted her with the family fortune.
Once she had it, she revealed her true nature–banishing my parents to a remote estate, even selStafford their home behind their backs. They died heartbroken, nearly destitute.
I wiped away my tears and said seriously, “Father, we must cut ties with Margaret at once. With her cunning, who knows what harm she’ll bring to the Defender’s Keep?”
He agreed. The next day, he summoned the clan elders to the chapel and laid bare the truth.
“Such a creature is unworthy of our blood!” the elders roared. “She has shamed House Stafford!”
With their unanimous approval, Margaret’s name was struck from the family register. From that day on, she was no longer a daughter of the House of Stafford.
The following day, Lord Norland and Lady Norland arrived, accompanied by Lord Edmund, carrying dozens of gift boxes.
Lady Norland put on a forced smile, saying, “It is my son’s fault. Norland offers reparations- let us renew the betrothal.”
Edmund kneeled in the yard, and Lady Norland kicked him.
Edmund knelt in the courtyard. When his mother nudged him, he looked up pleadingly. “Eleanor, forgive me. We’ve already exchanged vows–how can you abandon our marriage?”
I looked at him coldly and asked, “And what of Margaret? Will you not take responsibility for ruining her?”
Edmund seemed pleased to hear this. “You’re wilStafford to accept Margaret? She’ll ask for nothing–not even a title. She’ll serve as your maid if you permit it. She’ll never compete for my affection. You don’t need to worry, her temperament is gentle. She won’t cause you any trouble.”
With a signal from Edmund, a figure walked into the room. It was Margaret.
She knelt down with a thud. “Eleanor, I’ll obey you in all things.”
I laughed. “Margaret, let me ask you this: if you enter Norland Keep as a concubine and I forbid you from having children, would you be wilStafford?” Margaret’s face turned pale as she looked at me. “But, even if I bore a child, it would call you Mother. You’d still be first in all things.”
i sneered. “What does that matter? I’d sooner see no bastards at all.”
“Bring me the potion.”
The maid brought a bowl of the “sterility potion.” “Don’t worry, this is prescribed by the royal physician. After drinking this, you will never bear children again. Lady Margaret, may 1?”
The maid stepped forward, bringing the bitter, black potion to Margaret’s lips and forcing her to drink it. Margaret suddenly went mad, knocking the bowl over. “No, no! I’m already carrying Lord Edmund’s child!”
