Penelope never saw herself as brave. She'd spent much of her existence fading into the background, but today's actions sparked something she'd never felt before—pride in herself.
Her thoughts drifted back. 'Jasper used to be everything to me. Like staring at the moon—beautiful, untouchable, impossible to reach.
'Marrying him felt like winning the lottery for a merchant's daughter like me.
'Marriage showed me his true colors though. That's when reality hit hard. Never judge a book by its cover—lesson learned the brutal way. He looked the part of a perfect gentleman, but underneath? Pure scum.
'Love was never part of the equation for him. He didn't even pretend otherwise. Everything revolved around what he could get out of it.
'I refuse to be another one of their puppets.'
Her shattered heart had turned to stone, fueled by bitter determination.
She rushed from the courtyard toward the back entrance. Bella needed to know what they were planning.
