Orion Hartley. Born into a powerful military family, he was already leading troops by the time he turned sixteen. His only flaw? Too many wives and mistresses. When I was brought into his home, I became his fifth wife. The First Wife, Vivienne Davenport, came from an old-money family and had been promised to Orion since they were children. The Second Wife, Seraphine Wilder, was once the star of the jazz scene at the famous Redwood Lounge. She could sing and dance like no other. The Third Wife, Moira Callahan, was Orion’s first love, a wealthy heiress who had just returned from studying abroad. The Fourth Wife, Delilah Rayne, came to Willowcreek as a refugee during the chaotic times. She was a doctor and once saved Orion’s life by accident. Talk about a line-up. A childhood sweetheart, A temptress, The first stirrings of love, And the untouchable woman of his dreams. And then, there’s me—awkwardly thrown into the mix by my father. I blame him for my situation, but I can’t be picky now. Marriage is marriage, after all, and it’s not like I had a choice. Now that I’m here, I’ve already crossed the threshold. But honestly, how could I possibly compete with them? Especially with Seraphine, the Second Wife, who had quite the temper. One wrong move, and I’d be forced to kneel in submission. I’d often tell myself, “It doesn’t matter. I’m already married. If I die, then so be it.” After spending some time with them, I noticed they all had distinct personalities. Vivienne, the First Wife, spent her time gardening, doing embroidery, or copying religious texts. She held onto old-fashioned values and rarely involved herself in our affairs, but when she did, she could silence us all. Seraphine, on the other hand, spent her free time playing poker or practicing her singing and dancing. You could hear her muttering about winning hands even in her sleep. “Bingo! Pay up!” She had a certain charm about her—loved money, but wasn’t exactly greedy. Her beauty was famous, rivaling the most glamorous women in the city. Moira, the Third Wife, was outspoken and straightforward. Though she acted tough, she had a soft heart. Despite her brashness, she loved gossip—there wasn’t a secret in Willowcreek that she didn’t know. Delilah, the Fourth Wife, was the one I got along with best. She was calm, non-competitive, and had a gentle demeanor. I’d heard she traveled with a medical mentor before arriving here. Her skills were rumored to be exceptional. In the Hartley Estate, the most intense rivalry was between Seraphine and Moira. Moira’s straightforwardness clashed with Seraphine’s theatrical flair. Whenever those two were in the same room, an argument was bound to happen. With war on the rise in the city, many wealthy families were fleeing. The servants at the estate had either left or disappeared, and with Orion away at the military camp, we wives were left to fend for ourselves. Seraphine, desperate to find poker buddies, dragged Moira, Delilah, and me into a game. When Moira beat Seraphine with a winning hand, another argument broke out, and we left the table in chaos. Delilah and I were utterly confused, watching them storm off.
I don’t remember what day it was, but another round of gunfire echoed from somewhere in the distance. Seraphine, though she’d never admit it, was scared and clung to me, refusing to leave my room. Meanwhile, Delilah came by to treat my back injury. How did I hurt my back, you ask? Well, Seraphine had complained that Moira didn’t put enough salt in the soup. The two argued so fiercely in the kitchen that I feared they’d start a brawl. In trying to stop them, I twisted my back. Bang! Bang bang! More shots rang out from afar, and the quiet night suddenly became terrifying. When Moira came in and saw Seraphine wrapped tightly in my blanket, she couldn’t help but laugh. A moment later, Vivienne arrived, having heard the commotion. By then, the entire city had lost power—an area-wide blackout, possibly caused by the military searching for a spy’s transmitter. The five of us huddled together in my small bedroom, the atmosphere strangely… comforting. “So, how about lighting a candle and playing some cards?” Moira teased Seraphine. Moonlight streamed through the window, revealing Seraphine’s head poking out from beneath the blanket. She was, without a doubt, the queen of gambling. But of course, none of us had the heart to play. Vivienne had been trying to contact Orion all night, but with no luck. We all feared the worst. Out of the five of us, I was the only one whose parents were still alive. But my father? He’d run off with the money long ago. No help there. We had no choice but to stick together. It was a long night. By the time the sun rose, we finally dared to return to our rooms to get some rest. But just as I lay down, enemy planes roared overhead, dropping bombs. Willowcreek had fallen.
To avoid the worst of the disaster, we were escorted to an air raid shelter by military officers. From last night to now, I had only slept a couple of hours. Everyone was groggy as we were herded into the shelter. We didn’t bring much food, but fortunately, the officers knew we were Orion Hartley’s wives and treated us with extra care. For the first time, I felt what it was like to truly share hardship with others. Inside the shelter, some civilians starved to death, unable to find food. Others risked their lives to search outside but never returned. There were even pregnant women who died from complications because there wasn’t proper medical care. A few days later, a group of officers in yellow uniforms arrived, speaking in a language we didn’t understand. They pointed their guns at us and ordered everyone to kneel with their hands on their heads. Delilah quickly sensed the danger and smeared dirt on our faces. They began speaking in broken English, asking who was Orion’s wife. None of us dared stand up. The lead officer spoke again, saying if we didn’t reveal ourselves, they’d kill every one of us, starting from the top and working their way down. Three, two, one… “I’m Orion Hartley’s wife!” I wanted to say it for Vivienne, the First Wife. I had already prepared myself mentally to do so. But in the end, it was she who bravely stood up and faced them. They tied her up and were about to take her away when one of the soldiers spotted Seraphine, the Second Wife, crouched in the corner. Their faces twisted with lecherous grins as Seraphine quickly lowered her head. “You… what’s your name?” Again, the broken English and sleazy tone made my stomach churn. Seraphine stayed silent, frozen with fear, unable to utter a word. “You, not talk? Good.” They dragged her out, her beauty still visible even beneath the layer of dirt smeared on her face. She was the type of woman who could catch anyone’s eye, even in a crowd. And just like that, without warning, they took both Seraphine and Vivienne. Moira, the Third Wife, clutched my sleeve so tightly her whole body trembled. It wasn’t until the soldiers were far off that she finally let go, shaking from head to toe. Now it was just the three of us. The room still echoed with the horror of what had just happened. “I should’ve saved them… we should’ve done something,” I muttered, my voice trembling as I fought back tears. Delilah, the Fourth Wife, stood there, pale as a ghost, frozen in place. “What do we do now? What are we supposed to do?” she whispered, her voice barely audible. I can’t die yet. I can’t die. We were herded into trucks—three of them. One filled with women, one with children, and one with men. Each truck drove off in a different direction. Moira turned to me, her voice shaking. “It’s the Japanese.” The Japanese. I grew up in the sheltered gardens of my childhood home, never thinking much of the world beyond. I used to believe that everyone spoke the same language as us. I didn’t understand what going abroad meant. I didn’t know how to use a phone, let alone worry about the affairs of the world. How naïve I had been. Every day, I rode in a rickety cab to eat at the same little diner in the alley. That had been my life. And now, we had been taken by the Japanese. They invaded our country. They had no sense of decency. Where was Orion? Was he dead? Where were they taking us? Would we ever come back to this land again? Sitting in the back of the truck, my thoughts spiraled. I wondered what I would look like in death. All I remember next is that someone came to save us. The deafening sound of gunfire filled the streets as chaos erupted. We were scattered, running through the once-bustling streets of Willowcreek. People were everywhere, pushing, shoving—I lost track of the others. I felt a sharp blow to the head. It was so loud, so chaotic. I thought I was going to die. But it wasn’t just a blow. I think I was shot. Oddly, though, there was no pain. Just a steady flow of blood pouring from my body. Fine, I thought, let it be. Death is death. It’s not like anyone cared about me. My father had abandoned me. My mother, too. Orion Hartley never loved me. I had no children, no family to mourn me. My life had been so small. There would be no one to shed a tear for me when I was gone. So, I let go. My eyelids grew heavy, and I drifted into a deep sleep. I dreamt of snow falling on Willowcreek. It was heavy, thick, covering the streets in white. But soon, the soldiers came—ruthless, unyielding, killing without mercy. Blood stained the streets as the people screamed and cried for help. I was powerless to stop it. The city was in chaos. Willowcreek was in chaos. Even the police who once protected us had become traitors, working hand in hand with the enemy. Even the soldiers who were supposed to stand for our nation had betrayed us. It had been so long since I’d seen snow.
Today marks one month since Zephyr Callahan saved me. My gunshot wound has almost fully healed, and I can move around freely again. Zephyr says I’m lucky to be alive, and honestly, I agree. Zephyr Callahan. A professor at Westgate Academy and a member of the Revolutionaries. He’s rescued countless people from the hands of the Japanese. To me, he’s a hero. One day, I asked Zephyr to find out what happened to Vivienne and the other wives. Seraphine… she was taken to Japan. No one knows where she is now. When Orion Hartley tried to rescue them, only Vivienne remained, imprisoned in an interrogation room. It had been so long, and finding Moira and Delilah was nearly impossible—there were no photographs of them, and time had made the search even harder. Honestly, the Japanese are nothing short of monsters. They’ve torn countless families apart. I told Zephyr that I wanted to join the revolution. He froze, clearly not expecting such words from someone like me—a once-spoiled, fragile heiress. At night, we’d sit in the garden and listen to the distant gunfire. Ever since the Japanese arrived, no one had been able to find peace. They’d barge into homes, searching for people, disrupting lives. It was all so reckless, so rude. I learned a new word from Zephyr. A name for the invaders: Japs. The little Japs. Zephyr sent me to the Revolutionaries’ base in Denver. It was where the movement had begun, and he agreed to let me join the fight. He was cautious at first, but over time, as I proved myself, he allowed me to accompany him on missions. We even infiltrated the Japanese officers’ quarters and stole important intel. It was crucial for our comrades. This was no game. I knew that. I packed my bags and left at the end of December. That trip lasted two years. In Denver, I met many revolutionaries—people I deeply admired. Every day, I trained hard in marksmanship and learned to speak Japanese fluently. I swore I’d become a patriot, just like them. They gave me a codename: Scholar. My superior was none other than Zephyr, the man who had saved me. His codename was Shadow. Two years later, I returned to Willowcreek, this time posing as a music teacher at Westgate Academy. My mission? Assist Zephyr in assassinating a high-ranking Japanese officer, Sato Masahiro. The Willowcreek I knew had changed. It was still bustling, but now there were Japanese-style buildings everywhere, and Japanese soldiers patrolled the streets. I wondered how Vivienne and the others were faring. Were they still alive? Zephyr introduced me as his cousin, and I even changed my name to Kendra Rayne for my cover. Through some connections, Zephyr got me into the officer’s mansion to teach Sato’s sister, Yuko, how to play piano. Yuko was also a student at Westgate. She seemed particularly interested in Zephyr, constantly asking me about him. As I grew closer to Yuko, she invited me to their family estate, the same place where we used to live. She showed me around the house, proudly describing every detail. But I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. This was once our home, filled with laughter and joy. Now, the invaders walked its halls as if they owned it. The memories brought tears to my eyes, but I quickly held them back, not wanting Yuko to see. During dinner, Yuko cooked Japanese food—sushi and sashimi. She proudly explained each dish to me. After dinner, I offered to help clean up but accidentally cut my hand on a knife. Blood dripped onto the floor. Yuko panicked and called for the family’s private doctor to bandage me up. To my surprise, the doctor was none other than Delilah Rayne, the Fourth Wife. Delilah and I locked eyes, and in that moment, I wanted nothing more than to run to her and embrace her tightly. It had been two years since we last saw each other, and she had cut her once long, beautiful hair into a short bob. She stood frozen in shock, but I quickly regained my composure. “Doctor, will my hand be okay? Should I avoid water for a while?” Delilah, catching the signal, nodded and began to treat my wound. “The cut is deep, but as long as you keep it dry for three days, it should heal.” I nodded back. Yuko, still worried, apologized profusely. “Ms. Rayne, I’m so sorry.” Hearing her call me “Ms. Rayne,” Delilah glanced at me again. “It’s my fault for insisting on helping,” I replied, trying to deflect attention. Just as Delilah finished bandaging me up, Sato Masahiro walked in. I remembered him instantly—he was the same officer from the air raid shelter. My heart raced, but I forced myself to stay calm. “Brother, you’re back! I invited Ms. Rayne to join us for dinner,” Yuko announced cheerfully. Sato looked me up and down, but after a moment, he seemed to deem me harmless. He gave a faint smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Don’t let your teacher stay too late. The streets aren’t safe with the Revolutionaries on the move.” He and Yuko began speaking in Japanese, and thankfully, I understood every word. I cursed him silently, my mind racing with insults. But I maintained my composure and replied in Japanese, “I trust the officers of the Empire won’t harm innocent civilians.” Sato seemed pleased with my response. His fake smile softened into something more genuine. “Ms. Rayne, the Empire seeks only justice. We just don’t want you to fall into the hands of the Revolutionaries.” He made a chilling gesture across his throat, as if mimicking an execution. A cold shiver ran down my spine. His cruelty was horrifying. Then, he turned to Yuko and said, “Your sister, Sachiko, will be joining us here in Willowcreek after autumn.” Yuko squealed with excitement. “Really? Are you and Sachiko going to get engaged?” Sachiko. I had heard about her from Zephyr. She was Sato’s lover, and their engagement was imminent. “Ms. Rayne, you’ll be invited to the engagement party as well,” Sato added, turning to Delilah. “Even Dr. Rayne has agreed to attend.” I forced a smile. “Thank you, Sato. I look forward to it. But for now, I’ll take my leave. It’s getting late.” Sato offered to have me escorted home, but I declined. I didn’t need any help from the enemy. If I could kill him at his engagement party, that might be my best chance. As I left the estate, Delilah caught up with me. “Let’s walk back together,” she said. “I’m heading to St. Mary’s Hospital for my shift.” I nodded. She was now a doctor, wearing the white coat she had always dreamed of.
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