After I Left, He Killed the Woman He Chose Over Me

Audrey Harlow watched her fiancé dismount his warhorse after four years on the battlefield. Cassian Langley had finally returned. She rushed forward to help him remove his battered armor, her heart aching at the sight of his injuries. Before she could reach him, a pair of weathered hands brushed past her. Lyla Glenn stepped in, taking over with practiced ease. Audrey froze. She hadn't even managed to mask her expression when Lyla offered an explanation. Lyla glanced at her. "I've got this, Audrey. The armor's heavy, and you'll hurt those delicate hands of yours. I've done this a hundred times in camp." Cassian gave Lyla a grateful clap on the shoulder. "Four years fighting side by side, and you're a brother I'd trust with my life. I'm marrying Audrey in ten days. You'll sit at the head table." Lyla laughed, punching him lightly in the chest. "You just want me there to guard your drinks! Last time you got wasted, I had to prop your sorry ass up while you relieved yourself. If you pull that on your wedding night, I am not helping you wash your—" Audrey couldn't bear another word. She hurled her cup against the table, shattering it into pieces. The moment the shards flew, Cassian instinctively pulled Lyla back. He didn't notice the shard that sliced across Audrey's palm. She pressed a handkerchief to the wound in silence, a bitter ache spreading through her chest. Years ago, she had fallen from a cliff. Cassian fought off bandits to save her, breaking three ribs in the process. When vicious rumors questioned her virtue, he swore to marry her. He took fifty lashes from his own family as punishment for his defiance. Clutching a blood-soaked betrothal contract, he had dragged himself to her doorstep to seal their engagement and silence the gossip. But before they could wed, he received orders to march. Four years passed. She went from being called "the ruined girl" to "the old spinster." Even beggars on the street mocked her to her face. 'Is this really what I waited for?' she thought, her throat tightening. 'Is this the reward for all those years in the dark?' Her lashes trembled as she looked toward Cassian. He was staring at a scratch on Lyla's boot, his brow creased with displeasure. He spoke without looking at Audrey. "I got drunk once and mistook someone for you. That's all it was. Four years apart, and you've developed quite the temper?" Audrey stood frozen. Her heart dropped like a stone. Behind her, Lyla whispered, "Audrey might be jealous. Maybe you should… smooth things over?" Cassian did as she suggested without hesitation. He reached into his cloak and carefully drew out a silver bracelet. He held it out. "Will you accept it this time?" Before he left for the front lines, he had wanted to give her this bracelet—a Langley family heirloom passed down through three generations—as something to remember him by. She had refused through tears, insisting he carry it into battle. She made him promise that on the day he returned safely, he would place it on her wrist himself. Now the bracelet had returned. So had he. Audrey's eyes stung with emotion, and her heart softened instantly. She reached out without thinking. Lyla suddenly snatched the bracelet and announced, "Let me put it on for Audrey!" She leaned close to Audrey's ear and murmured, "This bracelet was on my wrist just an hour ago. I've worn it for four years. To be honest, I got tired of it." Audrey went pale. She stammered, "You…" Lyla pulled back with a bright laugh and teased, "Audrey is so easy to rile! One little joke about giving her an heir, and she turns red!" She waved a hand as she headed for the door. "I need to keep an eye on the welcome feast. I'm heading to the great hall. You two stop dawdling. The best is yet to come." She had barely stepped out before Cassian moved to follow. Audrey called after him, her voice edged with bitterness. "Cas, do you have feelings for her?" Cassian stopped mid-step but did not turn. He said flatly, "Don't be ridiculous. I've never thought of her that way. Let's go to the great hall." He left in a hurry, not even noticing that she hadn't followed. Audrey stood frozen for a long moment. Then she finally moved down the corridor, slowly. A passing servant stumbled with a pitcher of wine and spilled half of it onto her gown. ***** Audrey had barely reached the entrance when one of Cassian's men stepped forward to block her path. The soldier offered a stiff bow. "Ms. Harlow, General Langley received his new title today. Ms. Glenn has requested that you pass through a rite of purification before entering, to ward off any ill fortune." Audrey looked up in disbelief. A small ritual pyre crackled before her, its embers flickering with a dull red glow. Inside the hall, Cassian sat among his men, laughing over goblets of wine. When his ran empty, he reached over and took the one from Lyla's hand, draining it in a single gulp. Audrey remembered it well. He had always been fastidious about cleanliness. He never shared a cup or utensil with anyone. 'He never shares with anyone,' she thought, a sharp, hollow ringing in her mind. She raised her voice. "I am the General's betrothed, not some curse to be cleansed. I will not step over that fire." Every pair of eyes in the hall turned toward her. Lyla waved a hand with an easy smile. "Oh, everyone knows about Audrey's past. It's just a little blessing for good luck. We're only looking out for General Langley's honor." The men behind her murmured agreement. Audrey stood her ground, gaze locked on Cassian's face. "Cas, say something." Silence stretched between them. Then Cassian raised his hand in a lazy wave. "Just step over it. They mean well." "Fine." Audrey closed her eyes, forcing back her tears. The moment she lifted her foot, the flames licked at her wine-soaked skirt. The fabric erupted into a blaze. Searing pain tore through her legs. Audrey collapsed, rolling desperately to smother the fire. Cassian scrambled to his feet, but Lyla pressed him back down. She scolded him, "You're heading to the castle for your knighting ceremony today. You can't have a single mark on your tunic!" The flames were doused quickly. He crouched beside Audrey, reaching to check her wound. Audrey spoke slowly, weighing every word. "Cas, the betrothal—" But Cassian didn't catch it. The carriage sent to escort him to the castle had arrived early. A crowd of attendants swept him toward the door before he could respond. He called over his shoulder, "Audrey, what did you say? Put some salve on that first. I'll come find you the moment I return!" Audrey watched him disappear down the road. She whispered the words again to no one. "Let's call off the betrothal. I'll marry someone else."