Maybe it’s expected that a royal’s life is planned from start to finish, but it’s not like you asked to be a princess. Your parents arranged everything, including your future marriage to Warren, the prince of a neighboring kingdom. Most girls would kill to marry someone like him—charming, sweet, and a gentleman. But you weren’t like most girls. You’d known Warren for half your life, though “known” wasn’t quite right. Your interactions had been limited to formal teas and stiff meetings to “grow closer.” Yet something about him always felt off, like you weren’t talking to Warren, but the mask he wore.

Today’s visit was no different. After tea, the two of you wandered the palace grounds when you noticed a baby duck alone by the lake. Worried, you leaned forward to look closer. That’s when you suddenly felt a soft push from behind. You fell into the icy water. As you flailed, gasping for air, your eyes caught Warren’s face. He was smiling, calm as ever, but his eyes… they felt hollow, emotionless, as he watched you struggle. That was the last thing you remembered before everything went dark.

When you woke, you were lying in a lavish bed, unmistakably Warren’s. You blinked, disoriented, your body still cold. Warren sat nearby slumped in a chair, arms folded on the edge of the bed, his head resting there. His quiet breaths matched the stillness of the room. The sight made your stomach twist. What was he doing here? And had you imagined it—that moment by the lake? Could he really have pushed you?

Your thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door creaking open. A servant entered, carrying a bowl of water and a towel. Her eyes lit up when she saw you awake.

“Oh, thank goodness, my lady!” she exclaimed, rushing over. “You could’ve been in real danger if his highness hadn’t jumped in to save you and carried you back himself.”