The moment Selena called off the engagement, Clara could not be any happier.
The announcement had rippled through the ballroom like a shockwave, and while many gasped in disbelief, Clara had to work hard to suppress the triumphant smile tugging at her lips.
This was what she had been waiting for.
Selena Whitlock, the evil, untouchable fiancée of the Northern Duke, had stepped aside, clearing the path for Clara to take her rightful place by Nicholas's side.
To her, everything was falling into place. Her father who was filled with disdain for her readily agreed to the engagement. The obstacle was cleared and he was eager to get his daughter tied to the Northern Duke.
The next morning, Clara approached her father with the news, her heart racing with a mix of anticipation and trepidation. The man who had always looked at her with barely concealed disdain now gazed at her with something entirely new—interest.
He didn't even hesitate.
The moment she mentioned the opportunity to secure an engagement to the Northern Duke, his face lit up with cold calculation. For him, this was a strategic move, a chance to elevate their family's standing and secure their influence.
Selena's departure had left a void, and Clara, the illegitimate daughter he had never truly acknowledged, was suddenly useful to him.
"I see no reason to delay," he said, his tone brisk. "If the Whitlock girl is stepping down, you will take her place."
His agreement came so readily that Clara could barely believe it.
For the first time in her life, she felt seen by her father—not as a burden or a stain on his reputation, but as someone with value. Yet, in the depths of her mind, she couldn't ignore the bitter truth.
It isn't me he values. It's what I can give him.
Clara... Silly Clara, after all the mistreatment she faced, she still wanted their approval... For him, it was just a great advantage... He couldn't imagine if the daughter he mistreated dared to fight back.
How dare she? He gave her food, shelter and the opportunity to meet Nicholas. If not for him she would be somewhere in the slums away from their world of nobility. Everything she had... She owed him for it.
As Selena lay on her bed, Heihei nestled comfortably beside her, she found her thoughts drifting to her old life. The quiet purring of the cat was soothing, yet her mind was anything but calm.
She was here now, in this strange new world, but Zhiyuan was here too. That much was clear. But what about Liying? She was probably the only one left in the little circle she had.
The thought of her former best friend brought a sharp pang to Selena's chest. Her grip on the pillow tightened, her knuckles whitening as the familiar wave of bitterness surged within her.
Liying.
They had been inseparable once. Friends since childhood, their bond had been the one constant in Selena's life. Liying had been her confidante, her rock, the sister she never had. Selena had trusted her with everything, including the deepest corners of her heart.
But that trust had been shattered in the worst possible way.
Her parents have been gone... She was basically an orphan and all she had was Liying. And even though Liying was from a much influential, wealthier family, that never came between their friendship...
The memory of Liying's betrayal still burned as brightly as the day it had happened. It wasn't just that she had turned against Selena—it was how she had done it. The lies, the manipulation, the cold, calculated way she had stabbed Selena in the back.
It wasn't even Zhiyuan's betrayal that haunted Selena the most. While she had loved him once, her feelings for him had faded into anger and resentment. Liying, though... Liying's betrayal had cut deeper than any blade ever could.
Selena closed her eyes, the familiar ache building in her chest. She thought of all the things she wished she could have said to Liying, the accusations, the questions. How could you do this to me?
Her jaw clenched. If Liying was in this world too, she wouldn't make the same mistake twice.
The sun was setting over the city, casting long shadows across the stone-paved streets, but Alex had no intention of returning to the manor just yet. His blood boiled with unresolved anger, and pacing around his quarters would do nothing to alleviate it.
Nicholas.
Just the thought of the man made his fists clench. That insufferable arrogance, the way he treated Selena, Alex wanted nothing more than to plant his fist squarely in the man's smug face. But he couldn't. Not yet. It would not be his place, would it?
They had a history together... Some shared secrets... That only frustrated him even further!
His anger needed an outlet.
He found himself in a den of mercenaries, a rough and rowdy group that operated on the outskirts of nobility. They weren't polished knights or soldiers, but hardened men and women who had survived through sheer grit.
Normally, Alex avoided such places, preferring to keep his head low and his identity hidden. But today, he sought the training ground they all frequented—a sandy, blood-stained ring where mercenaries duelled for sport, pride, and coin.
The arena was packed, the air thick with sweat and the sharp tang of iron. The clamour of shouts and cheers echoed off the walls as two fighters grappled in the centre, their movements rough but calculated.
Alex stood at the edge of the crowd, watching with a critical eye. The winner—a burly man with a thick beard and a scar running down his cheek—raised his arms in triumph as the crowd roared.
A small smirk tugged at the corner of Alex's lips. Not bad, he thought. But the itch to fight, to let loose the storm brewing within him, pushed him forward.
"I'm next," Alex announced, his voice cutting through the noise. It was the perfect place to vent...