3#03

3

Three pairs of eyes, filled with anger, focused on me. Their collective rage was almost palpable.

Emboldened by their backing, Wyatt stepped forward and proclaimed loudly and clearly: "I, Wyatt Stuart, would never stoop to wed someone like her! I vow, my affection is solely for Jessica, and I shall never take another woman as my spouse–not even as a mistress!"

His declaration echoed, strong and unwavering, eliciting murmurs of approval from the onlookers.

"Such dedication!"

"Lord Wyatt is truly a man of honor. What a romantic tale!"

"And that brazen girl dared to interfere? Preposterous!"

I released a quiet, sardonic chuckle, my eyes fixed on Wyatt's visage.

"Are you sure?" I inquired, my tone playful and mocking. "You're picking her over me?"

Wyatt glared at me with sheer revulsion, as if my mere existence offended him. "You? A common wretch like you dares to ask that? Even the stable workers at the Marquisate are too good for you. How could you even dream of marrying me?"

The crowd erupted in laughter, pointing and mocking me.

"Good," I said softly, my grin widening. "You've made your decision. No second thoughts, then?"

"None," Wyatt retorted, his voice resolute.

"Excellent."

At that moment, hurried footsteps resonated through the hall. My two eldest brothers arrived, completing the scene.

Their appearance triggered memories of my past life, of the day they stood over me, their expressions cold and unfeeling as they sentenced me to death.

"You dare defy us and expose Jessica's secret? You thought you could steal her betrothed? You've crossed a line this time!"

"She's been nothing but trouble since we took her in. Let's remove her tongue so she can't speak anymore!"

"Removing her tongue isn't enough. She can still write. It's better to kill her and be done with it. Feed her to the hounds and tell Father and Mother she ran away."

"Yes, once she's gone, Jessica will truly be the sole daughter of the Harrington family."

The recollection sent shivers down my spine, but I clenched my fists, forcing myself to remain composed.

Now, everyone was finally present.

And it was time to conclude this farce once and for all.

The instant Jessica spotted the two of them enter, her eyes reddened, and tears welled up as if on cue. She looked utterly miserable, the epitome of injustice.

Victor, my Second Brother, shot me a poisonous look before gently patting Jessica's shoulder. His voice was gentle and reassuring, oozing with indulgence.

"Jessica, don't be scared. Tell Victor everything. No matter what, I'll ensure justice is served for you."

"It's nothing," Jessica replied with a feeble smile, her voice quivering slightly. "Savannah's just a bit envious of me. She wanted to pretend to be the Duke's daughter, but I understand. She's never experienced the world and let her ambitions get the better of her."

"She dares to impersonate you?" Victor's voice turned harsh as he spat on the ground in my direction, his disdain evident.

Edward, his brow furrowed and his tone icy, added, "We only have one sister, and that's Jessica. Savannah? She's nothing more than a lowly servant in the Duke's household."

The moment those words left his mouth, I could see the same homicidal intent in his eyes that I remembered from my previous life. Just like that day, when he and the others had beaten me to death in the wilderness.

With Edward's statement, the crowd immediately took Jessica's side, their whispers of contempt for me growing louder.