"Autumn Myles, I know what you want to say. That you never had any feelings for him. That he was the one who approached you first. But I don’t want to hear it—not a single word!"

  Arianne slowly drew her sword, pointing it straight at me.

  "The more you speak, the more you humiliate me!"

  I couldn’t believe it.

  "You… you want to kill me?"

  Without hesitation, Arianne thrust her sword forward.

  Just as the blade was about to pierce me, her wrist was suddenly twisted back, forcing the sword to drop from her grasp.

  Outside, the guards had been silently taken down.

  The skilled fighters I had stationed in Corwin’s estate swiftly entered through the window, subduing Arianne and her people.

  "You… you’ve been spying on me?"

  Arianne clutched her belly with one hand, backing into a corner, knocking over a vase on a tall stand.

  "You might not believe me," I said, bending down to pick up her sword, "but I had them watch you to protect you."

  She let out a bitter laugh.

  "So no matter how well I treat you, it means nothing. Because the only thing you care about is that man. The only condition for your kindness towards me is that he must love you completely, and I must not threaten what you call… your love?"

  Arianne's face turned deathly pale. She staggered back, her left hand pressing against the wall, as if trying to distance herself from the sword in my hand.

  "Autumn! Stop pretending! If you really cared for me, you would stay away from Corwin!"

  She bit her lip hard, lifting her chin high. Her voice was sharp, bitter.

  "No wonder your sisters never get close to you. No wonder Elias abandoned you and ran!"

  The candlelight flickered. A flash of silver cut through the dim room.

  "I hate it the most when people insult my sisters."

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  Arianne barely dodged the strike, collapsing into a corner, squeezing her eyes shut as her whole body trembled.

  "If you kill me, Corwin will never forgive you."

  I studied her with calm indifference.

  "What kind of poison has Corwin fed you?"

  Arianne clutched her stomach, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Her voice was weak, her eyes filled with unshed tears.

  "You don’t understand… Corwin and I are a family! Even if my father and I die, everything I have must be left to him, to him and my child—not to him and another woman! One day, when you truly love someone, you will understand."

  My grip on the sword tightened. My breath was heavy as I stared at her. Then, slowly, I let go of the weapon.

  "I won’t kill you."

  What she said… I finally understood.

  A father wasn’t as important as a husband.

  A husband wasn’t as important as a child.

  I understood now.

  I ordered someone to summon Corwin.

  I took the sword, placed it against my palm, closed my eyes, and dragged the blade across my skin.

  Arianne gasped. "What are you doing?"

  I slowly lifted my head, my lips curling into a mocking smile.

  "Arianne, you asked why my sisters don’t get close to me? Do you really think your nonsense moved me?"

  I lowered my gaze, clenching my bleeding hand into a fist.

  "Kill you? That would be too easy. A death like that… you don’t deserve it."

  Blood dripped onto the floor.

  When Corwin finally rushed in, I immediately turned and threw myself into his arms.

  "Sir! Arianne tried to kill me to steal the jade lock!"

  I clutched his arm tightly, my voice choked with sobs.

  "She knows you revealed the Duke of Braedon’s whereabouts to the Crown Prince!"

  Corwin looked down at Arianne from his high stance, his gaze cold and unreadable.

  "Arianne, the Duke of Braedon was ambushed. His fate is unknown. Do you know that?"

  Arianne held his gaze for a long time. Slowly, she lifted her hand, as if trying to reach for him.

  "Tyr—" Her voice broke, unable to finish.

  I tilted my head curiously.

  "Tyr?"

  Corwin turned to me, his eyes dark.

  "That is my courtesy name."

  I glanced at Arianne, showing no reaction.

  She closed her eyes, leaning against the wall with a long sigh.

  "My father isn’t dead yet. Do as you wish."

  I lightly tugged Corwin’s sleeve, my tone tinged with concern.

  "Sir, if the Duke of Braedon finds out what we’ve done to his daughter, neither of us will survive!"

  Corwin furrowed his brows, stepping back, surveying the room.

  "Who are these people?"

  Feigning distress, I sighed.

  "They’re the skilled fighters Elias abandoned me with as compensation."

  Then, lowering my voice, I suggested, "Sir, why don’t we just leave Arianne here and run away together?"

  The room fell into stunned silence.

  Hearing this, Corwin’s expression darkened. Without a word, he pushed me aside, picked up the oil lamp from the table, and strode into the inner chamber.

  He overturned the lamp onto the bed curtains, letting the fire spread.

  I was taken aback, my eyes widening in disbelief.

  "Sir, are you trying to frame the Crown Prince for this?"

  Corwin grasped my wrist, pulling me out of the room.

  Behind us, Arianne clutched her stomach in agony, her nails digging into the cracks of the wall as she tried, again and again, to stand—only to collapse each time.