Mathew's POV

From childhood, we always assumed Alice would end up with one of us, so we had a strong possessiveness over her. We controlled her social circle and her daily life.

Alice seemed content with it all.

We saw her hesitation, but our brotherly bond made it difficult for either of us to compete with the other.

So we decided to bring someone in to force Alice’s hand, ensuring we wouldn’t damage our friendship while also progressing with Alice.

That’s when Ella entered the picture.

She came from a modest background, had little intelligence, and aside from her good looks, she brought nothing to the table.

Someone like her...