The day my husband, Edmund Jenkins, topped the imperial exams, the princess, Rachel Hayden, dragged me off to the brothel.

She made me sleep with the clients while he watched, then burned my face with a hot iron.

"See what happens when you say no to me, Edmund?"

Clad in a gauze dress, she strutted over to Edmund, who was tied to the couch. "Want your wife to live? Then make me happy!" she smirked, all proud and cocky.

Years later, Edmund became the Regent. He peeled the skin off Rachel's face and flung her naked into the enemy camp, then hunted every famous doctor in the country to fix my face.

Everyone praised him for his undying love because he never ditched his broken wife.

Yet the week before my birthday, I saw Rachel sitting on Edmund's bed in the same dress, her bare ankles marred with scars. And my usually restrained, polite husband was on his knees, gently and reverently kissing those scars.

She pressed her foot to Edmund's chest, her smile sultry. "You gave me every one of these. Time to make it up to me."

"What do you want?"

She smirked. "Dump Ophelia in the enemy camp I survived. Let her see what that feels like."

Edmund's eyes locked on her slim ankle as he swallowed hard. "Okay. Whatever you say."

"You hesitated. What, can't bear to hurt her?" She slid her toes under his chin and tipped his head back, a flirtatious look in her eyes. "Weren't you just swearing you'd keep me in this bed for good?"

Edmund dropped his eyes. After a beat, he muttered, "She's my wife, after all."

The next second, Rachel's foot smacked hard across his face. Her pretty eyes flashed with irritation as she barked, "Remember your place, Edmund! You're just my lapdog!"

Edmund caught her foot and started massaging it gently.

He frowned, his voice soft as he cooed, "Easy, you might get hurt. Keep making a fuss, and you're stuck in this bed."

Rachel finally sat up, her perfect face glowing in the lamplight.

A teasing smile curved her lips. "You wouldn't dare, would you?"

Edmund finally lost it.

He slammed her down and climbed on top, hissing, "You started this!"

The sight stung, and I had to look away.

Rachel's face was perfectly fine!

Edmund had lied to me!

As I touched the half-palm-sized scar on my cheek, I felt like I could still smell the skin sizzling.

Six months ago, Rachel branded the word "SLAVE" into my face. It was hideous as hell, and nothing could heal it.

I dropped from the prettiest girl in the country to an eyesore overnight.

I could still remember Edmund's eyes bulging with hate, like he wanted to rip Rachel apart.

"You ruined my wife's face, so you're gonna pay with your own!"

One quick slash, and Rachel's whole face was peeled off. They poured a ton of styptic powder on the bleeding mess, stripped her naked, and dumped her into the enemy camp.

That day, I sat in my litter, watching it all unfold, hearing her screams.

Now I knew—it was all a show put on for me.

My heart went numb with pain, and tears streamed down my face, yet I laughed.

It seemed I played the good girl so long that Edmund forgot I once fought for my life in the wilds!

I slipped back into my room. My maid, Judy Hess, saw I looked off and dashed to grab the birthday gift Edmund had prepared.

"Look, Your Highness! The dress just got here today. His Highness really cares about you!"

"Yeah, right," I sneered inside.

I stared at the fancy brocade dress that took three months and so much effort to make, a mocking smile touching my lips.

If I hadn't seen how he had served Rachel, I'd have jumped for joy and thought I was the luckiest girl alive.

But now, it felt like the dress was laughing in my face for loving Edmund like a fool.

I stuffed the dress into Judy's arms and said, "I don't like it. It's yours."

Edmund didn't come back until dawn. He sat on the side of the bed, feigning concern.

"So you gave the dress to Judy? You didn't like it?"

"Yeah, it felt filthy."

He froze, then ruffled my hair, a closeness he hardly ever showed.

"Well then, I'll get you something better."

With that, he leaned in to peck my forehead.

Then I caught the raw scratches on his neck and the blast of Rachel's peony perfume all over him. My stomach turned.

I shoved him hard and doubled over, retching.

He freaked and yelled for the doctor.

The doctor said I was thinking too much and needed a good rest.

Edmund tucked me in and walked out with him.

Soon, I smelled blood.

When I got up and opened the door, every maid was replaced.

The house was buzzing with people, but not a single face I knew.

Yet Edmund acted as if nothing had happened. Like always, after his morning wash, he came and did my hair and eyebrows for me.

I slapped his hand away and mocked, "Stop it. Makeup won't fix this face!"

He lowered his eyes, soothing me, "Don't say that. To me, you're still the girl I first saw.

"A new doctor is coming in a few days. I'll get you fixed, I promise."

I took a deep breath. "We'll talk about that later. Right now, you're coming with me."

"You're up for fun today. Cool, I'll tag along."

We had just hopped into the carriage when Edmund's trusted aide, Austin Carey, suddenly tapped the frame in secret code.

Edmund's fingers twitched before he could stop them.

I acted like I was upset.

"You promised this trip was just for me. No work allowed!"

I raised my voice so the guards outside could hear. "Edmund is off with me today. Don't bother us!"

Edmund gave his usual polite nod, but the air turned icy, and his brows twitched with barely hidden irritation.

He was about to lose it when the wheels finally stopped.

I walked ahead, and he seemed relieved.

He signaled for Austin, but before he could say anything, a bunch of pamphlets rained down from the tall building.

"Well, if it isn't the former princess! How scandalous!"

I picked one up, flipping to Rachel's provocative face and showing it to him. "Look, bet some enemy of Rachel dropped this. Hell, it looks just like her."

I kept flipping the pages, ignoring Edmund's darkening face. "Tsk, she'll hop into bed with anyone!"

Edmund's face was grim, but he said nothing.

I pulled him into the largest private box overlooking the arena.

Once we sat, he snapped at Austin, "Stop standing there! Grab those pamphlets and get the boss up here now!"

I butted in, sneering, "Why bother? Rachel is getting exactly what's coming to her!"

Edmund spun around, staring at me with icy eyes. "You did this?"

I smiled and shook my head, then pointed toward the window.

Here came the star of the arena, clad in a wisp of gauze, bright face, fair and soft skin glowing under the sun.

Rachel was tied up in front of the beast cage.

Everyone here came for a thrill, and watching the pretty girl from those porn sketches fight a beast? That was the biggest thrill of all.

In no time, bettors were screaming themselves scarlet.

I clapped lightly. "They say Rachel is a crazy beauty. Let's see who's crazier, her or a tiger that hasn't eaten in a week."

Edmund clenched his fists, barely holding back the rage. "Ophelia! That old mess is over. Why keep digging it up?!"

Over?

If I hadn't seen it myself, I'd never believe that the guy who swore to get my revenge was licking my enemy's boots!

"It'll never be over for me!" I ripped the thin veil off my face and showed him the hideous scar.

"Maybe start by telling me why her face is still flawless!"

I stared at Edmund with a sneer, totally let down.

He flinched, his voice going soft. "Lia, I'm sorry I couldn't fix your face. But let me explain, okay? Just get her down."

He shot a look at Austin.

My eyes went ice-cold. "Try it. Wanna bet whose guys move faster, yours or mine?"

He gaped at me like he was finally seeing how nasty I could be.

He took a deep breath, almost begging, "She's carrying my baby, Lia. I can't let her get hurt!"

My whole body froze.

Every drop of blood went cold.

I stared straight into his eyes.

"Don't you dare forget, Edmund, on the day of the coup, I was carrying your baby too!"

Three months ago, I was pregnant too.

But the country was a mess. To save Edmund from an ambush, I lost half my martial arts and the baby from sheer exhaustion.

Now, he was actually having a kid with my sworn enemy!

Edmund rubbed his forehead and slammed his cup down.

"Look, I've talked to Rachel. When the baby is born, you'll be its mom. Consider it as your payoff, okay?"

"What about my baby? And my face? We just pretend none of it happened?!"

I laughed in fury. The perfect gentleman turned out to be a total scumbag!

"Rachel ruined my face and pimped me out, and now you call raising her little brat my payback?"

"Enough!" Edmund shot to his feet, furious.

"That's not some brat. That's my kid!"

When I didn't answer, he started pacing the room to cool off.

After a while, he stopped in front of me, eyes begging. "You'll still be my wife, the kid will call you mom, and I'll fix your face. Isn't that enough?

"Rachel tasted hell in that enemy camp. Isn't that punishment enough for a spoiled princess? You're a woman too. Can't you feel for her?"

I had had enough. I slapped him hard across the face.

"Feel for her? Who ever felt for me?!" I yelled. "Edmund, you make me sick!"

Talking was useless now. I gave the signal to open the cage door.

Edmund's eyes went bloodshot. He lunged for the door to save Rachel.

My whole body tightened up. I growled through my teeth, "Think it over. If you step out that door, we're done!"

He froze, fists balled tight, and we stood there in a quiet face-off.

Out of nowhere came a piercing scream, the tiger's excited roar, and the crowd's wild cheers.

Edmund completely lost it and dove out the window.

He whipped his cloak around Rachel and beat the tiger into a bloody mess.

The crowd went wild again. Everyone loved watching the hero save his girl.

I crumpled to the floor, totally drained, my eyes dead blank.

A couple of minutes later, Edmund, covered in blood, dragged Rachel into the room to wash up. He didn't even glance my way.

Seeing my hollow stare, Rachel lunged and yanked my hair.

"Ophelia, how dare you tie me up? Still fancy yourself as Edmund's wife? Look at that common face of yours. Do you honestly believe you're good enough?

"You're such a bitch! Serves you right your brat never made it out!"

Memory seemed to strike her. She laughed like crazy, her nails digging into my cheeks. "Oh, that dead baby came in handy. Its little life paid for this pretty face!"

"Shut up!" Edmund barked.

The room went dead quiet. My mind went blank. Rachel's words kept ringing in my ears.

I asked, my voice shaky, "What did you guys do to my baby?"

I thought back to the day of the coup. After I saved Edmund, I collapsed from exhaustion. When I woke up the next morning, he said the baby was gone.

I figured I had worked myself too hard. I never knew they had done it on purpose so Rachel could keep her pretty face.

Edmund, who kept saying he loved me, had screwed me over in every way possible!

My heart ached all over, like someone was stabbing and twisting a knife in it. I could barely breathe and curled up into a ball.

Edmund looked like he felt bad and started toward me, then Rachel crumpled to the floor, weak and fragile.

"Edmund! I'm bleeding! My stomach hurts!"

His hand swung over to catch her instead.

Without looking back at me, he scooped her up and yelled for the doctor, not caring how messy he looked.

Seeing him choose her like that killed the last bit of hope I had.

I was in so much pain that I couldn't feel anything anymore. I lay on the floor for a long time until it eased up a bit.

Then I dragged myself up and wrote a letter to my dad on the northern border.

"Dad, about that marriage deal, I'm in."