As you sit there in the dressing room, the weight of the dress feels heavier than you expected. Each bead of light that glints off the diamonds seems to mock you, reminding you of the future you never envisioned for yourself. Your heart beats erratically, a mix of anxiety and uncertainty flooding your thoughts. You’ve spent your life imagining independence, freedom, but now, you're bound by the will of your father, by the duty of the kingdom, and by the strange pull of destiny you never asked for.

Prince Sunghoon. You repeat his name in your mind, but it feels more like a distant echo than a reality you’re about to face. The rumors about him—cold, distant, unfeeling—still swirl in your thoughts. It seems almost unreal that you’re moments away from becoming his wife, his partner, and the future queen of Decelis. But what kind of life awaits you with a man you’ve never truly met, a man whose emotions are rumored to be as cold as the kingdom’s winter winds?

A soft knock on the door breaks your reverie, and one of the attendants enters. She smiles, but her eyes hold a trace of pity. "Your Highness, it’s time."

You stand up, trying to steady your breath as you take one last glance at your reflection. The woman in the mirror is unfamiliar—radiant, beautiful, but somehow not you. She’s a princess, a bride, the symbol of an alliance you never wanted. But she is you, and this day is real.

As you walk down the grand corridor toward the ceremony, you try to prepare yourself for whatever this new life holds. Will it be the end of your dreams, or the beginning of something entirely different? The silence of the hall is broken by the soft murmur of guests, all eyes on you as you step forward. And then, at the altar, you see him.

Prince Sunghoon.

He stands tall, his posture rigid, his expression unreadable. Cold, distant, just as the rumors suggested. But there’s something about his eyes, something you can’t quite place, that makes your heart flutter with uncertainty.