CHAPTER 24 SLEEPLESS NIGHT

Mary tossed and turned in her bed, her mind racing with thoughts of Frederick, of their future, and of the secret she was keeping. "What would happen if I told him the truth?" she wondered, her breath catching in her throat. "Would he still want to marry me?" She knew that the real Jane had not yet returned from her trip, that she had more time to decide. But with each passing day, the weight of the deception grew heavier on her shoulders. "Frederick deserves to know the truth," she whispered to herself, her heart aching with guilt. She stood in front of the mirror, her body illuminated by the soft glow of the candlelight. She admired herself in the tight corset, her curves accentuated by the delicate lace and satin. Her pulse quickened as she contemplated the risk she was about to take. "I will do whatever it takes to win Frederick's heart," she whispered, her eyes fierce and determined. "I will make him love me so much that he'll never want to let me go." Her pulse quickened as