"An engagement event tomorrow?" said Derek as he put his equipment away for lunch break.

Scarlet brings out the lunch for the day and sets it on the outside table. What she made for them this time was sandwiches. The past few days working for Dereking, Scarlet asked if she could be in charge of food, as she has never eaten anyone's handmade food before and only eats Andy's. Derek didn't mind it as he didn't know how to cook. Whenever it was time to eat, he would just go buy food from the food stall or skip it when he's too deep in his work.

All of the food that Scarlet made was very different and unique to him. He has never sent it before and just convinced himself that it's what noble people eat. Beside, her food was unexpectedly good, even though it looked weird.

"My uncle wanted to get me and my fiance together to congratulate us for bring victor back to the country" said Scarlet as she eats the sandwich.

"Fiancee? Someone as young as you already have a fiancee?" Derek asked.

Scarlet nods, "It was decided before I was born."

"Hmm," Derek chews on the sandwich, "Well, if things don't turn out well or you get tired of it, then just come over and hang out."

"Thank you."

When they finished their lunch, they went on with the work. The work didn't finish until midnight again. As Scarlet returned to the Ashegrey Household, her cousin Darla was waiting for her. She passes by her, ignoring her presence. Darla grinds her teeth and holds in her frustration.

"Father told me to tell you that you need to mind your manners or he will cancel your engagement with brother Ian!"

Scarlet stops in her footsteps. Darla smirks at her thinking that she managed to scare her. Scarlet glances back, "Cancel the engagement?"

"That's right!" Darla said with a smug face as she points at Scarlet, "The princes are also coming as well so don't you dare try to embarrass us!"

Darla marches away, satisfied telling Scarlet off. Her maid follows after her. Scarlet taps her finger against her chin. She was wondering when she would get a chance to deal with the ridiculous engagement the original body owner had with him. Her dying wish to get revenge for all the wrong doing they had done to her. Canceling this engagement was one of them. A smile smears across from her lip, "To think an opportunity like this will walk to my doorstep... Good."

Everyone was dressed nicer than usual. Margaret was wearing a silk pink floral dress. Darla was wearing a deep navy blue with a green undertone. Kayla was wearing an orange peach dress. Nichol was wearing a light yellow dress. They welcomed all of their guests and among them was Ann. One of the guests that got them excited beside the princes who were coming later was Candice. She was a petite woman with ocean hair and dreamy peach eyes. With one look, anyone could tell that she was in for greatness.

Everyone was complimenting her on how beautiful she was and how nice she looked. Suddenly, a woman in a plain green dress caught everyone's attention. Though she dressed plainly and only had her hair half up and half down with a bun held by a jaded leaf hair pin, there was a sense of elegance in it. This woman was none other than Scarlet. Everyone was staring at her in awe.

"How beautiful," said one of the guests.

"That must be the young miss of the Ashegrey Household," said another.

Vain starts to appear on her four cousins' heads. They were the young miss of the Ashegrey Household not her!

She greets Brett as a sign of respect since everyone and all of the guests were here. He snorts at her greeting and shrugs it off. She then turned and saw Candice smiling at her. Candice walks over to her and holds her hand, "How you've been bestie! When I heard that you went to war, my heart almost stopped! I'm so glad you returned unharmed!"

<This woman really knows how to act... Acting as though she really is concerned about the original when she stole the love of her life right under her nose and even wanted her to lose her life on the battlefield... Kukuku, the original is dead, but too bad you'll have to deal with me.>

Scarlet holds her hand as well, "Thank you, Candice for your concern."

"Candice?" Candice said with shock in her voice, "Scarlet, I told you, you can just call me Candy... Or, are you still mad at me?"

Scarlet didn't answer her. Candice continues to pressure her, "Scarlet... Please don't blame me, I only did it for your own good."

<You mean sleeping with the original's lover and fiance right in front of her is for her own good? How laughable.>

Tears started to swell in her eyes, "Scarlet, please don't be mad at me. I'll talk to Ian for you okay? That way you'll get to keep your engagement with him."

Scarlet knew that behind those kind sounded words were just sarcasm and mockery. What Candice truly meant was that Ian would do anything for her and that what happened was all the original's fault for not being able to satisfy her own man. Her cousins and even Ann knew that this was what Candice meant. This woman who acts like a good friend of the original was just a vicious snake who wanted to tear the rabbit apart. But what the snake doesn't know is that this isn't a rabbit anymore. No, it is something even more terrifying than a snake.

Scarlet slowly releases her hand from Candice's grip. Candice blinks at her, "Scarlet?"

"The engagement... Would he really listen to you if you talk to him about it?" Scarlet asked with a sorrowful expression.

Ann smiles at her words and walks behind Candice. She held Candice's hand as she said, "Of course, Ian can never refuse her."

"Oh, sister Ann, you flatter me," said Candice as she giggles.

<You mean she's the love of his life and not the original.>

Scarlet bows to them, "Then, please tell him I want to cancel the engagement."

Scarlet purposely said this loud enough for everyone to hear. All of the guests turn and look at her. Candice and the rest were a bit puzzled by her requests. They were expecting her to beg them not to let Ian leave her. For her to beg and say that it's fine if she comes after Candice just don't leave her. Scarlet raises up her head, "please tell him that."

Brett who heard the whole thing was starting to get irritated by her. He slams his palm against the table as he points at her.

"Scarlet! Setting up an engagement is not a joke! Do you not know how hard it was to get the Polarmis family to agree to letting you, a useless person, marry into their family!" He yelled out.

Scarlet didn't even look at him as she said, "I don't take it as a joke."

She glances at Candice, " Others might, but not me."

Then looks back at Brett, "And the one who set it up was my parents, not you uncle. They're both no longer here so it falls to me if I want to keep or refuse it."

Veins start to pop up on his forehead, "Why you little!"

"Scarlet!" A voice called out.

It was Ian. He walks up to them and bows to Brett before facing her. His face secretly filled with disgust was smiling at her. A face he was putting up with all the guests around. However, as soon as he saw how she dressed, he was enchanted by her. Ann had to cough to make him snap out of it.

"Am I hearing right? You want to cancel the engagement?"

"Correct."

He looks at her with a pleading face, "But why, Scarlet? We fought together in the war, surely you must have felt something when we went through that life and death situation."

Scarlet narrows her eyes at him.

<What in the world is he talking about?>

Not once did Ian do anything for the original. He was ignorant, selfish, and unintelligent if anything. He did not communicate with the soldiers, the plans he came up with were utterly ridiculous, and he wanted everything to run his ways. In what way did he fight a life and death situation with her, when he was the one who created it for the whole squad. Scarlet really wants to put him under the ground right now.

She held in the ridiculous feeling she was having as she cups her hand together, "Surely you jest. While fighting the war, the only thing in my mind was keeping our subordinates alive."

The words she chose was like throwing dirt in his face. The way she said it made it sound like he only cared about the two of them only, while she cared about everyone's survival.

Ian's eyes twitch. He was trying to be nice to her because she was pitiful and instead of being grateful about it, she bites his hand. This ungrateful trash needs to be taught a lesson. This was what was running through his mind. Candice on the other hand was a bit shocked. She couldn't understand why Ian was suddenly being so nice to Scarlet. He always scorns her whenever he saw her and would only please her, so why this? Just what happened during the war?

"Scarlet, please think twice if you really are going to cancel the engagement," Ian finally said.

Scarlet smiles at him, "I am sure."

Ian was displeased with her answer. He still needed her father's fame, and the merits she had received from the emperor. He too did not like the engagement arrangement with her, he wanted to have it canceled as well to be with Candice, but right now he was looking at the big picture. Moreover, she used to adore and admire him so much, why did she change so much during the war? Had she found out that it was him that planned the ambush on her on her way back from capturing the Huns border town? No, there's no way she could, he was very careful in planning it. Ian had no other choice but to pull out his last card.

"If you really wish to cancel the engagement, you need to get my grandfather who made this engagement happen, permissions first," said Ian with a smug face.

To Be Continue