She Coveted My Life, I Humiliated Her

Chapter 3

I walked straight into the three-story villa next door, which spanned over two and a half acres.

In the garden at the entrance, all kinds of rare and exquisite flowers bloomed freely and abundantly.

Those flowers had been planted simply because I loved them, and they were tended to with great care by the head gardener and his staff.

The moment I stepped inside, the household staff immediately stepped forward to greet me respectfully.

"Young Miss, welcome back."

It was true... this villa was my parents' home.

As the only daughter of the wealthiest family in the region, I had grown up surrounded by affection and privilege.

Yet, as the sole heir to the Carrington estate, I had been thoroughly trained in every skill and responsibility required of my position.

Romance had never been the center of my world.

In the beginning, it was Evander's sincerity and drive that won me over, and he had also earned my parents' approval, which was why I agreed to be with him.

Before long, a servant brought out an assortment of my favorite pastries and fed them to me one by one.

Another attendant stood behind me, gently massaging my shoulders.

This staff member had received professional training in therapeutic massage, and her skilled hands relaxed every muscle in my body.

I found myself closing my eyes and leaning into the touch.

There was no denying it. Returning to my childhood home always felt like the most comfortable, unrestrained place to be.

As for Fiora, she was nothing but a pretentious, scheming woman, and certainly not worth wasting my energy or peace of mind over.

I was just about to head toward the swimming pool in the rear courtyard to unwind completely when Evander, along with his parents, hurried over to catch up with me.

"Isolde, please don't be angry. Fiora and I have never had anything improper between us, and I have never once thought of ending our marriage," Evander said the instant he saw me, speaking quickly and earnestly.

"Her doctor says she is struggling with her mental health right now, so whatever nonsense she may have said, you must not take it seriously," he continued.

His mother took my hand and added her own explanation. "Isolde, Fiora has had such a hard life."

She let out a weary sigh and lowered her gaze. "She was kidn*pped and sold by traffickers to a remote village, where she was forced into marriage. She bore two children against her will, endured beatings every single day, and often went hungry without enough to eat or proper clothes to wear."

She paused, her voice thick with emotion. "She lived in those terrible conditions for nearly ten years before she finally found a chance to escape."

She reached out gently, her expression earnest. "That is why I wanted to help her with some financial support and a little comfort."

She gave me a reassuring look. "But I promise you... we will never allow her to come between you and Evander."

'I could not deny that her story was a tragic one,' I thought to myself.

If Fiora chose to behave herself and accept her place as a ward of the household, I would have no objection to offering her protection and treating her like a younger sister, ensuring she never had to struggle for the rest of her life.

But it was already clear to me that being treated as a ward was not what Fiora wanted.

She wanted the position that belonged to me, Evander's wife and the lady of the house.

The ambition burning in her eyes was impossible to hide.

Seeing how earnest they both appeared, I smiled calmly and replied, "Yet it seems she does not care much for me. Perhaps it would be best if I stayed here with my parents for a few days."

"That simply won't do," Evander's mother said, her expression showing clear disapproval. "You are Evander's wife now. It is not right for you to remain away from your own home for long. Besides, your parents are traveling abroad at the moment. We cannot feel at ease knowing you are staying here all alone."

Evander stepped forward, lifted me gently into his arms in a bridal carry, and said softly, "My dear, if you are not at home, I will not be able to sleep a wink at night."

He carried me back to our home just like that.

The moment we stepped through the front door into the main hall, I saw exactly what I expected... an intense look of jealousy flashed across Fiora's face.

Her hands hung rigidly at her sides, her knuckles white and the veins on her wrists standing out sharply from how tightly she was clenching them.