Chapter 10

Celia’s eyes widened at the sight of him.

His voice sounded as sleepy as the lazy morning sunlight, and his hair looked as though he hadn’t even bothered to brush it.

“You came here looking like that?”

Even his clothes were carelessly worn, with the front of his shirt hanging partly open.

Rubbing his tired, reddened eyes, Evanor lazily rolled his shoulders.

“I’m not going out anywhere. What’s the problem?”

“Evanor, are you out of your mind? This place is full of Windmere people. Do you know how many people would love to find fault with you? How could you walk around looking like this?”

Playing with his earlobe, Evanor smirked.

“Fault with me? Who would dare? A bunch of people who spend their lives bowing at Windmere’s feet think they can criticize the future heir of Brickwell?”

Celia glared at her foolish younger brother.

By then, he had already walked over and folded his arms.

His blue eyes swept over her before landing on the table.

The unfinished letters she’d been writing were laid out in plain sight.

“Were you writing to Father? Give them to me when you’re done. I’ll deliver them when I go back.”

If he didn’t throw them away first.

But saying that out loud would probably inspire him to do exactly that, so Celia simply nodded.

Evanor looked around her neatly arranged sitting room.

Then he spoke with a strangely cheerful tone.

“You decorated it exactly like Brickwell.”

“Of course I did. I’m a Brickwell.”

“Being here with you in a familiar room first thing in the morning…”

He smiled.

“It almost feels like we’re back home.”

Celia’s gaze immediately sharpened.

Evanor grinned and raised both hands.

“Relax. I didn’t come here to fight.”

Then his expression shifted.

“I came because I have something to say.”

“What is it?”

“Something important.”

The playful smile disappeared from his face.

Resting one hand on the table, he leaned forward.

A shadow fell across her.

Celia opened her mouth, but Evanor didn’t give her a chance to speak.

“Big Sister.”

His voice lowered.

“What are you hiding from me?”

Celia froze.

The hand holding her pen stopped moving.

Evanor’s eyes followed the motion.

“You should tell me.”

His smile returned.

“I’m reporting everything that happens in Windmere to Father.”

He tapped the table.

“That includes our conversation today.”

His gaze narrowed.

“Are you really okay with Father finding out that you’re hiding something important about Lucius?”

Had he noticed?

Had he figured out something was wrong with Lucius?

…It’s not like I have any reason to hide it.

Celia still carried the Windmere name.

But she remained a Brickwell.

People always said that a woman became part of her husband’s family after marriage.

But the place where she had been born and raised was still far away.

People loved to say that blood never lied.

If that was true, how could signing a marriage certificate suddenly change who she was?

There was nothing she couldn’t tell her family.

After all, she owed Lucius no loyalty whatsoever.

If anything, she would’ve been pleased to see him suffer.

There was certainly no reason to defend him over her own family.

Finally, she spoke.

As the story unfolded, Evanor’s playful smile gradually disappeared.

His eyes slowly widened.

The calm sea within them suddenly rippled with excitement.

He jumped to his feet.

“This is an opportunity, Big Sister.”

Walking over quickly, he planted his hands on her shoulders.

His voice brimmed with enthusiasm.

Celia tried to knock his hands away.

Evanor simply tightened his grip.

When she tried to push his wrist aside, he caught her hand instead.

Then he delivered a shocking statement.

“It’s Father’s order.”

His smile sharpened.

“Lucius supposedly possesses evidence that could destroy Brickwell.”

His grip tightened.

“Find it.”

Celia glared at him.

Evanor’s smile only deepened.

“You are still Brickwell’s eldest daughter.”

“The only lady of House Brickwell.”

“Shouldn’t you do what’s best for your family?”

In moments like this, Evanor sounded eerily similar to their father and grandfather.

He was trying to stand above her the same way they always had.

“If you want me to help,” Celia said coldly, “then tell me exactly what evidence Lucius supposedly has.”

“Hmm.”

Evanor began pacing around the room.

His shoes tapped against the polished floor.

The sound echoed through the room.

After thinking for a while, he finally began explaining.

“The reason Father suddenly reconciled with Windmere in the first place…”

He sneered.

“The reason he even agreed to marry you to the son of a family obsessed with supporting merchants and the middle class…”

His voice dropped.

“It was all because of this.”

Celia’s expression turned cold.

Seeing that she was listening, Evanor continued.

“Eight years ago, Father made a mistake.”

“He invested in a western colonial defense contract.”

He tilted his head.

“You remember the Black Dawn Incident, don’t you?”

Of course she did.

It had shaken the entire Empire.

A heavily armed militia group had once been established in the western colonies.

Officially, they claimed to be protecting colonial settlements.

In reality, they had been encouraging division within the Empire and plotting to overthrow the government.

In other words—

Traitors.

For once, even Celia’s usually steady hands trembled.

Her heart pounded wildly.

“A while later, Father pulled out the investment.”

“He destroyed the records, erased the documents, and silenced everyone involved.”

Evanor casually tapped the table.

“Or so he thought.”

His voice became colder.

“Someone stole a transportation contract.”

“The one bearing Father’s signature and official seal.”

He smiled.

“And guess who ended up with it?”

The answer was obvious.

“Don’t tell me…”

Celia stared at him.

“Lucius?”

“Exactly.”

Not a trace of hesitation.

A direct answer.

“I have no idea why he never made it public.”

“Thanks to that, we survived.”

“But because of that document, Father was forced into this ridiculous reconciliation.”

“And now we have to watch him bow his head to Windmere.”

His expression twisted.

“Do you really think that should continue?”

If the document became public, everything Brickwell had built could collapse.

Honor.

Status.

Influence.

Everything.

Countless disastrous possibilities flashed through Celia’s mind.

“So Father thinks this is our chance.”

Evanor smiled.

“Lucius has lost his memory.”

“Get close to him.”

“Become someone he allows into his office. His study. His bedroom.”

“Eventually you’ll find the document.”

By now, Celia could taste blood.

She’d bitten the inside of her cheek so hard it had torn.

“You know Lucius.”

Her voice hardened.

“Even if he’s lost his memory, he’s still meticulous.”

“He’d never allow me access to places like that.”

Evanor shrugged.

“They say he’s gone crazy.”

“Who knows? Maybe if you act cute enough, he’ll let you.”

Celia stared at him in disbelief.

Supported by their father’s authority, Evanor treated her like a tool.

“Or maybe try some pillow talk.”

At that moment, all strength left her hands.

She looked up at him as though she had misheard.

Seeing her stunned expression, Evanor leaned closer.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to say you can’t handle one man with a broken brain.”

His voice dropped to a whisper near her ear.

“Then again…”

A twisted smile appeared on his face.

“You were the one who was too scared to properly spend your wedding night and had to fake it.”

His eyes narrowed.

The smile on his lips looked wrong.

Distorted.

Cruel.

His unmoving gaze dug into her.

“Weren’t you caught?”

His smile widened.

“And didn’t the priests force you to spend the wedding night properly afterward?”

His hand grabbed her sore arm and yanked her upward.

“So why act shy now?”

His voice became colder.

“Men are idiots.”

“Smile at them, flatter them a little, and they’ll hand over everything they have.”

His grip tightened.

“Whether you use your body or your brain…”

His eyes locked onto hers.

“You need to make yourself useful to Brickwell somehow, don’t you, Big Sister?”

A merciless order was laid before her.