"Now Cordelia has stolen my destiny and taken my place in the carriage. If the Crown Prince discovers this, it's treason.

"At best, Cordelia will lose her head. At worst, Father will be impeached for failing to manage his household properly. Even if you don't care about me, Mother, don't you care about Father's career and the lives of our entire family?"

My stepmother suddenly dropped to her knees, tears filling her eyes. "Genevieve, it was a moment of confusion on my part. Cordelia was so terrified of the peace marriage that she did this foolish thing. But the carriage has already left. If this becomes known, Cordelia will surely die.

"Genevieve, you were raised personally by the Dowager Countess, and you've always been so understanding. Your maternal family is of noble lineage. Even if this reaches His Majesty, there's room to negotiate.

"But if Cordelia is sent back, she'll face certain death. You've always been so generous. Why not say you had willingly given up your place to save your sister's life?"

Aunt Marguerite slapped her across the face. "A daughter of the Thorne family trampled by some concubine who used to wash feet. What do you mean willingly giving up her place?

"You and your daughter drugged her and stole her place! Now you want Genevieve to take the blame for treason? You disgust me! That lowborn wretch Cordelia thinks she can steal Genevieve's blessed destiny? The prophecy scroll belongs to Genevieve alone.

"Years ago you schemed your way into my brother's bed and killed Genevieve's mother. Now you're having your daughter steal her marriage too. Treason will cost you your heads. Do you think the Thorne family will stand for this?"

My stepmother covered her face and laughed coldly. "How impressive you are, Marguerite! Before Edmund left for the south, he entrusted all household affairs to me. The marriages of both girls are naturally mine to arrange.

"No matter how prestigious the Thorne family is, a married daughter is like an outsider. You're a Hartwell now. Aren't you afraid of being laughed at for meddling in Thorne family affairs?"

I gazed into my stepmother's eyes and asked, "Where is my prophecy scroll? The Royal Observatory made it for me using my birth date and time."

Her eyes flickered. "What's yours and mine? You're both Thorne daughters in the end. Your sister has a gentle nature. What's wrong with you as the elder sister letting her have this?"

In my previous life, it was the same. Cordelia took my prophecy scroll and replaced me, then seized all the dowry my mother left behind.

My stepmother calculated correctly that I would not dare make a scene and demand it back in public.

What belonged to me, I would take back this time. And I would make them pay a hundredfold.

Aunt Marguerite trembled with rage. "Outrageous! The prophecy scroll was issued by the Royal Observatory based on Genevieve's birth date. It foretold her blessed fate. Stealing and switching it will bring divine retribution!

"If you and your daughter had a death wish, you shouldn't have dragged the entire Thorne family down with you! Did you embezzle my sister-in-law's dowry as well? Whether you believe me or not, I was about to summon the family council and invoke our laws against you, you black-hearted wretch!"

I pressed down on Aunt Marguerite's hand and turned to ask the matchmaker. "Is the wedding envoy still outside the manor?"

The matchmaker had been hiding behind the door gossiping with the maids. When I asked, she quickly nodded. "Yes, they're still there."

I straightened my clothes. "Go invite the envoy inside. Tell him I have an urgent matter to discuss."

The envoy entered through the curtain. He was strikingly handsome with a scar slashing across his brow into his temple. His amber eyes were like those of a wolf on the plains.

I met him from behind the screen and told him everything directly, then asked, "My half-sister has already taken my place and married the Crown Prince. I'm willing to fulfill the peace alliance. Does the King's promise still stand?"

A trace of surprise flickered in his eyes. He said, "The sons of the northern plains never care about such things. It's only unfortunate for you, Miss. If you're willing to board the carriage, my father the King will treat you like a proper consort."

"That's good then."

I removed the pendant from my waist and handed it to him. "However, before we depart, I need Your Highness to help me with something."

In the palace's great hall, the Crown Prince and Cordelia had just exchanged their vows. The Master of Ceremonies was about to announce the completion of the rites.

Suddenly someone interrupted. "Wait!"

Aunt Marguerite and I appeared at the hall entrance. The joyful music throughout the hall came to an abrupt halt.

The Crown Prince's hand froze mid-air as he was lifting the bride's veil. The assembled court officials gasped when they saw me.

"Why is Ms. Genevieve Thorne over there?"

"Then who is the bride?"

The Emperor's face darkened like storm clouds. "Genevieve Thorne, why are you here? What is the meaning of this?"

Cordelia cowered behind the Crown Prince. Her veil slipped off, revealing a tear-streaked face. "Your Highness..."

The Crown Prince instinctively shielded her behind him, his brow furrowed deeply.

I knelt on the ground, my voice choked with emotion. "Your Majesty, I came to complete my wedding. Last night I drank the farewell toast my stepmother specially prepared. Somehow, I fell into a deep sleep.

"When I woke this morning, my wedding dress, jewelry, and even the bridal carriage were all gone. I was afraid of missing the wedding, so I hastily changed into my spare wedding dress and rushed here."

The Emperor's gaze was sharp as a blade as he turned to the Crown Prince. "Crown Prince, when you received the bride, did you notice anything unusual?"

The Crown Prince's body stiffened. He forced himself to appear calm. "Father, when I saw the woman in the carriage holding the prophecy scroll, everything seemed in order. I received her according to proper ceremony and did not lift the veil to look closely."

I raised my head with a look of alarm. "The prophecy scroll? When I woke up, the box my stepmother gave me with the scroll was also missing."

The Emperor's gaze lingered for a moment on the Crown Prince's hand protecting my half-sister. His expression turned suddenly cold.

Cordelia dropped to her knees with a thud, tears brimming in her eyes. "Last night Genevieve kept saying she didn't want to marry into the palace. She drank herself into a stupor and this morning I couldn't wake her no matter what I tried.

"The Crown Prince's carriage had already arrived at our gate. I had no choice but to board it myself."

She looked innocent and naive. I appeared even more confused. "Cordelia, don't you have it backwards? Last night it was you clinging to Mother and crying that you refused the peace marriage. You insisted on staying in my room to sleep.

"Now that I think about it, was it so you could conveniently steal my wedding dress and prophecy scroll?"

Cordelia's face turned deathly pale. "How can you wrongly accuse me like this, Genevieve! I only wanted to wait until later to switch our identities back so I could protect your reputation.

"It's all my fault. You can beat me or punish me however you like, but please don't say I stole anything."

The Crown Prince immediately pulled her into his embrace and looked at me coldly. "Ms. Genevieve, since you were unwilling to marry me, why come here now to make a scene? Cordelia rescued you from an awkward situation. Instead of being grateful, you slander her?

"I only recognize Cordelia as my wife today. Since we have exchanged vows, this is heaven's will."

I watched them quietly.

In my previous life, they did the same thing. One played the victim while the other played the protector. They pinned the crime of defying the decree on me as if it were nothing, making themselves look devoted and righteous.

In my last life, they made me the villain while they played the heroes. They built their happiness on my grave.

I sighed softly, my voice soaked with helplessness. "Genevieve, are you truly thinking only of me?"

Cordelia lifted her tear-filled eyes, looking pitiful and wronged. "What are you saying, Genevieve? We share the same blood. How could I possibly stand by and watch you marry someone you don't love and suffer for the rest of your life?

"The Crown Prince is magnificent and noble, the man every woman in the realm dreams of. I simply didn't want to disappoint His Highness or bring shame to the royal family. Can't you understand my intentions?"

The Crown Prince's heart softened as she gazed at him. His arm around her tightened and his eyes grew colder and more disgusted as he looked at me.

People in the hall whispered among themselves. The looks they cast my way were full of scrutiny and contempt, as if confirming my crimes of being "ungrateful" and "having another lover."

I slowly withdrew a palm-sized rosewood box from my sleeve. "Perhaps I did misunderstand you, Cordelia. But..."

The box opened with a click. I plucked out a letter from inside.

When I read aloud its contents, everyone in the great hall was shocked.