My brother was my benefactor. He took me from a beggar's den and gave me the identity of Lady Celeste of the Shaw family.

But I, shameless as I was, fell in love with him.

I thought I could bury this feeling deep inside.

Yet, with the decree of marriage in hand, sending me far away to wed in a foreign land, it dawned on me—Alexander had known all along.

——

In my sixteen years of life, the only mistake I ever made was confusing my affection for my brother, Alexander Shaw, with romantic love.

It brought nothing but his disdain for me, erasing any trace of warmth he once held for me.

Beneath the long corridor, I watched Alexander approach from a distance. In the past, I would have rushed to his side, skipping happily, chattering away without end.

But now, I restrained myself, standing still, head lowered, hiding my expression from view.

By the time I came back to my senses, Alexander had already disappeared, leaving only a faint scent of pine behind, proof that he had been there.

When did things between us turn out this way? I couldn't recall—or perhaps I refuse to.

It had only been three months since my sixteenth birthday, yet it felt like a lifetime ago.

That morning, Alexander had smiled at me, telling me to wait for him to return so we could celebrate my birthday together.

But I waited, and waited. Dawn broke the next day, and still, there was no sign of him.

In the end, what arrived was a marriage decree, sending me to wed in the far reaches of a foreign land.

It was Alexander who pleaded for this fate on my behalf.

Alexander returned to the estate three days later.

I went to see him, but he refused me at the door.

"Brother, why?" My voice trembled as I asked, but there was no answer from inside.

By the time the moon had risen high, I finally whispered, "I don't want this."

The words had barely left my lips when the door opened.

Alexander stepped out, his cold gaze meeting mine. "Why not?"

"Is it that you already have someone in your heart?"

My pulse skipped, my fingers tightening around the embroidered handkerchief. I stared back at him, unable to believe what I was hearing.

In the pale moonlight, I caught a fleeting glimpse of cold indifference in his eyes.

Suddenly, everything became clear.

"It's someone from our household, isn't it?" Alexander continued, his gaze fixed on me, refusing to let any of my expressions escape his notice.

He pressed on, "Someone who has been by your side, who treats you like family, am I right?"

He knew. He had always known.

My breath caught in my throat, the blood draining from my face.

Alexander moved closer, step by step until he was standing right in front of me.

Just like before, he bent down, gently wiping away the tears from my cheeks. His voice softened, "She doesn't want to go. You go in her place.

"Consider it repaying the kindness I've shown you. Would that be fair?"

I looked up, meeting Alexander's gaze. The once-clear, bright eyes I knew so well had darkened with shadows, unreadable and distant.

I knew then—I couldn't refuse him.

But the words wouldn't come. They stuck in my throat, tightening painfully, leaving me speechless.

"Alexander, how much longer will you stand out here with her?"

A woman's voice floated out from inside the room. It was a voice I knew all too well.

Princess Arabella.

The rightful bride.

There was nothing left for me to misunderstand.

Tears blurred my vision.

I took a step back, curtsied, and severed the last tie between us.

"I'll do whatever you ask, Brother."

In less than half a day, the entire city of Selucia was abuzz with the news.

Lord Shaw had long been enamored with Princess Arabella. When he learned that she was being forced into a marriage abroad, he made a bold decision—he pushed his younger sister, Lady Celeste, into taking her place.

"Lady Celeste was but a beggar once. If it weren't for Lord Shaw's charity, there wouldn't even be a Lady Celeste in the Shaw household."

"I hear she harbored feelings for her own brother. How shameless! No wonder Lord Shaw grew to despise her."

Nearly everyone applauded the turn of events, and the streets were filled with tales of Lord Shaw's undying devotion to Princess Arabella.

It was then, amidst the gossip, that memories long buried began to resurface.

Alexander had always been distant, reserved in both manner and emotion. It was rare for me to see him smile.

But everything changed when Princess Arabella entered his life.

I had only watched from afar, but the sight of them together stirred an unfamiliar bitterness in my chest, spreading through me like a slow, creeping ache.

"Alexander," Princess Arabella had once asked, her voice light and teasing, "everyone says Lady Celeste is one of the most accomplished women in Selucia City. Do you admire her too, like the others?"

Hearing this, I had stopped in my tracks, hidden just out of sight. I held my breath, waiting for his reply.

Alexander's answer came swiftly. "You must be joking, Your Highness. She's merely my sister.

"She could never compare to you, not in the slightest."

But Princess Arabella didn't stop there. "Tell me, Alexander, have you ever had feelings for her? Romantic feelings?"

My heart was pounding in my chest, each beat filled with anticipation and dread.

They said Princess Arabella was unorthodox, but I had always thought those were just rumors. Now, I wasn't so sure.

But before I could entertain any further thoughts, Alexander's cold words shattered the fleeting hope inside me, dousing it like cold water on a flame.

"Never," he said firmly, his voice sharp with disgust. "I would never stoop so low as to entertain such an improper notion."