Chapter 1

The day the Gilbert family opened their family hall for the ancestral rites, I let myself hope Chad Gilbert would take me along.

By the Gilbert rules, an unmarried grandson's bride could attend and stand watching from the outer edge.

The relatives all looked toward me, the meaning plain enough:

"Lorraine Pruitt is Chad's fiancée. Of course she should be there to watch."

"It would let the ancestors know ahead of time, in a way."

I stood in the crowd, the tips of my ears burning red.

That was when Chad walked in leading his cousin, the one with no blood tie to him at all, and said flatly,

"Lorraine isn't a formal bride of the Gilbert family yet. She can't attend."

"Olivia belongs to a branch of the Gilberts, so it's only right she pays her respects to the ancestors first."

He took my hand. "There's no rush over one occasion. Once you and I are married, there'll be plenty of chances."

The whole hall started murmuring, and I watched Olivia Finch stare at Chad with her eyes full of love.

If he didn't want to claim me, there were others only too eager to take me in.

...

I stood in the corner, and Grandpa Gilbert came over, leaning on his cane.

He gave my shoulder a light pat.

I held back my tears and shook my head at him.

To let him know I was fine.

On the day of the family's ancestral rites, an elder of the Gilberts couldn't lose his temper in front of everyone.

He had to keep up appearances.

So did I.

Not far off, Olivia stood perfectly composed where she was.

She let the searching eyes of the whole roomful of relatives rest on her.

She lifted her teacup and raised it toward the old man.

"I may not be entered in the Gilbert family register, but I'm still a Gilbert branch in name. Isn't that more fitting for the rites than Lorraine?"

As if she were the one who was Chad's fiancée.

The whole room filed off in orderly fashion to pay their respects, leaving me standing alone.

I don't know what Olivia said to Chad, but he laughed easily, and all I felt was how bitter it was.

Chad and I, and what our relationship would be from here, was something I needed to think hard about.

When the rites were done, everyone moved to the side hall off the family hall for the banquet.

At Chad's request, the steward seated me among the guests, not with the family's own.

And Olivia sat right beside him, as if the two of them were the couple.

After the meal, a guest came to call on Grandpa Gilbert.

The old man saw me at Grandpa's side and asked, puzzled,

"Errol Gilbert, my friend, how is it I've never seen such a gentle, well-bred young lady at your home before?"

The room went quiet.

Chad opened his mouth to explain, and I cut him off at once.

"I'm the granddaughter of one of Grandpa Gilbert's old comrades."

My answer cleared away any tie between me and Chad in an instant.

Just as he had, all these years, introduced me that way in front of outsiders.

"Lorraine, you and I still haven't made things official. Introducing you as the granddaughter of Grandpa's old comrade saves a lot of trouble."

The old man's face lit up the moment he heard me, and he made to show me a photo of his grandson.

"Forgive me for asking, but are you spoken for? If not, you might consider my grandson."

Olivia was even more delighted than I was. She quickly caught my hand and said,

"Lorraine, take a look. What if this gentleman's grandson turns out to be a fine young man?"

"You can't hang yourself on one tree. Especially not a tree whose heart isn't set on you."

After we saw the guest off, Grandpa asked me to walk with him.

The back garden was lush, and the koi lazed in the sun.

"Old families like ours are particular about a great many things."

The old man rubbed his cane.

"You and Chad already exchanged betrothal vows before the elders as witnesses, and your charts were matched. In the eyes of my family, you are the grandson's bride."

"That's something no one can change."

He drew the betrothal vows from inside his coat and traced the words on them with great care.

"Five years ago, it was in the family hall too."

Grandpa gazed toward the hall, his voice low. "Chad told the ancestors he would marry no one but you. You alone, for the rest of his life."

"The ancestors heard it."

"The elders of both the Gilberts and the Pruitts were witnesses."

Pomegranate blossoms fell silently into the water.

"Lorraine."

He held my eyes. "You've been wronged."

I shook my head and said nothing.

Because I didn't know what to say, and to claim I hadn't been wronged would only be lying to myself.

When the rites ended, the Gilbert relatives left one after another.

Chad stood outside the car window and patiently told the driver,

"She gets carsick. Drive slowly, and remember to keep a window open for air."

Then, still not easy in his mind, he added,

"Send me a message when she's home."

Olivia leaned her head out with a wide smile and nodded hard at Chad.

Behind me, someone was talking in low voices.

"An orphan girl with no blood tie to the family at all, and he even brings her to something as important as the rites."

"Right? If it weren't for the brother-and-sister cover they hide behind, who knows what worse, more shameless things they'd get up to."

They caught sight of me and cut themselves off at once.

I turned a deaf ear and stiffly fiddled with my phone.

On the way back.

Chad kept looking at his phone, as if waiting for a message from someone.

I pretended not to notice and glanced out the window at the buildings rushing past.

Downstairs at the villa, the streetlamp stretched his shadow long.

"Don't take today to heart."

He bent his head to look at me and stroked my hair, indulgent. "After all, you haven't married me yet. It's against the rules for you to honor the Gilbert ancestors."

"Once you and I have the big wedding, once you have standing in the clan and are entered into the Gilbert family, of course you can pay your respects like anyone else."

"Be good."

Good.

For five years, the moment I went the slightest bit against his wishes, he'd tell me to be good.

I had been good enough, and still I'd sunk to having my true heart trampled like this.

At the Gilbert rites, I hadn't even been fit to stand at the outer edge.

I listened to the leaves rustling, and said calmly,

"Chad, I'd like some time to myself."