Richard and Jasper drew sharp breaths, their expressions a tangle of conflicting emotions.
A loaded glance passed between them. Neither man could find words.
The Fairfax family had cast Bella out, yet now Victor demanded they bring her home. It was asking for the moon.
Genevieve's gaze flickered anxiously. "What happens to Ivy?" she stammered, her voice shaking.
Victor fixed Genevieve with a withering stare. "Ivy is nothing but an adopted child. Bella is the true heir of the Fairfax bloodline. Obviously, Bella becomes the principal wife while Ivy takes the position of secondary wife."
Genevieve went rigid with shock. "Secondary wife?" she whispered.
'Ivy might be adopted, but I've cherished her like my own since she was small. Beyond her birth status, she surpasses everyone in every way. Being a secondary wife is no different from being a concubine—always under the thumb of the principal wife. My poor Ivy, this is complete degradation,' Genevieve thought.
