chapter 1: Introduction

‎

‎Albert POV

‎

‎The Castle of Eldoria stood on a hill overlooking the capital, its silver-tipped towers visible from almost anywhere in the city.

‎

‎From a distance, it looked like something from an old fairy tale.

‎

‎Up close, it was impossible to ignore what it truly represented.

‎

‎Power.

‎

‎For generations, kings and queens had ruled from these halls. Every stone, every painting, every carefully preserved tradition served as a reminder of the Hayden family's legacy.

‎

‎Inside, history blended seamlessly with modern luxury. Crystal chandeliers hung above polished marble floors. Priceless artwork shared wall space with cutting-edge technology. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked acres of royal gardens that stretched farther than the eye could see.

‎

‎Most people found the palace breathtaking.

‎

‎I stopped noticing years ago.

‎

‎An attendant adjusted the sleeve of my jacket while another straightened my tie.

‎

‎"Your Highness, the guests have begun arriving."

‎

‎I looked at my reflection in the mirror.

‎

‎The black suit had been tailored specifically for me. Everything fit perfectly, as expected. Nothing was out of place.

‎

‎"Thank you," I said.

‎

‎The attendant bowed and stepped back.

‎

‎Tonight was my grandfather's seventy-fifth birthday celebration.

‎

‎Officially.

‎

‎Unofficially, it was a gathering of every influential person in the kingdom.

‎

‎Nobles, politicians, investors, diplomats—people who smiled at one another while quietly calculating what they stood to gain.

‎

‎ofcourse business contracts would be made tonight amongst these business tycoons .

‎

‎And somewhere during the evening, my grandparents planned to announce that I would soon inherit the throne.

‎

‎Whether I wanted it or not.

‎

‎"You look thrilled."

‎

‎I glanced toward the doorway.

‎

‎Gabriel the royal old butler stood there with his usual calm expression.

‎

‎The palace staff treated me with careful respect. Gabriel never had.

‎

‎ Unlike everyone else in the palace, Gabriel had never been intimidated by my status. He had helped raise me since childhood and remained one of the few people capable of speaking freely around me. Now he seemed to believe that gave him permanent permission to be annoying.

‎

‎"I assume that's sarcasm," I said.

‎

‎"An educated guess."

‎

‎A faint smile tugged at the corner of my mouth.

‎

‎Gabriel noticed immediately.

‎

‎"Ah. There he is. I was beginning to think we'd replaced the prince with a particularly handsome statue."

‎

‎"I'll have you removed from palace grounds."

‎

‎"You've been threatening that for fifteen years."

‎

‎"One day I'll mean it."

‎

‎"Of course, Your Highness."

‎One of the younger attendants nearly choked trying not to laugh.

‎

‎

‎ I noticed instantly.

‎

‎

‎ The poor man turned pale.

‎

‎

‎ I stared at him silently for three long seconds before he lowered his head so fast he nearly bowed into the floor.

‎

‎

‎ Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Must you terrify everyone before dinner?"

‎

‎

‎ "They scare easily."

‎

‎A knock sounded at the door.

‎

‎Before anyone could respond, it opened.

‎

‎Selena the adopted daughter of the Morton stepped inside.

‎

‎The room seemed to shift around her.

‎

‎She was beautiful. There was no denying that. Years of public appearances had taught her exactly how to carry herself. Every smile, every gesture, every word was carefully measured.

‎

‎ Her silver gown hugged her curves flawlessly while diamonds glittered against smooth skin as she crossed the room with effortless confidence

‎

‎The palace staff immediately lowered their eyes.

‎

‎Selena acknowledged them with a polite nod before turning her attention to me.

‎

‎"Albert."

‎

‎"Lady Selena."

‎

‎The smallest flicker crossed her face before her smile returned.

‎

‎"You always insist on being formal."

‎

‎"I find it keeps things simple."

‎

‎She laughed softly.

‎

‎"I'm not sure anyone has ever described you as simple."

‎

‎That was probably true.

‎

‎Selena walked farther into the room.

‎

‎Before I could react, she wrapped her arms around me.

‎

‎I stiffened.

‎Not because I was affected by her gesture.

‎

‎

‎ Because I understood exactly what she was doing.

‎

‎

‎ Appearances mattered in the palace. One embrace witnessed by the right people could become tomorrow's headline.

‎

‎

‎ From the corner of my eye, I noticed two younger maids quickly lowering their heads.

‎

‎

‎ "The Queen truly favors Lady Selena," one whispered quietly.

‎

‎

‎ "Hush," another warned under her breath.

‎

‎

‎ Gabriel cleared his throat loudly.

‎

‎

‎ "Everyone out."

‎

‎

‎ The servants disappeared almost immediately.

‎

‎

‎When she stepped back, her smile remained perfectly intact.

‎

‎

‎"I suddenly remember several urgent responsibilities elsewhere." said the butler

‎

‎Without waiting for my permission, he turned and left.

‎

‎Traitor.

‎

‎The door closed behind him.

‎

‎Silence settled between us.

‎

‎I walked toward the windows overlooking the estate below.

‎

‎Luxury cars continued arriving along the illuminated drive.

‎

‎The celebration was already beginning.

‎

‎"You should be downstairs," I said.

‎

‎"So should you."

‎

‎I looked out across the grounds.

‎

‎"I'll be there shortly."

‎

‎Selena joined me near the window.

‎

‎"The entire kingdom is excited about tonight."

‎

‎"I'm aware."

‎

‎"Your grandfather trusts you."

‎

‎I glanced at her.

‎

‎"That's not what this conversation is about."

‎

‎Her smile softened.

‎

‎

‎But I noticed.

‎

‎Selena had spent years becoming part of palace life. She attended royal events, charity galas, state dinners.

‎ I glanced toward the doorway.

‎

‎

‎ Even among palace staff, everyone understood Selena's position. The Morton family might not rival the Haydens in power, but Selena had spent years carefully embedding herself into royal life. She attended private dinners, accompanied my grandmother to charity events, and knew exactly how to charm the public.

‎

‎

‎ Half the kingdom already treated her like royalty.

‎

‎

‎ I remained expressionless.

‎

‎ "You enjoy creating rumors."

‎

‎

‎ Selena smiled faintly.

‎

‎

‎ "No," she corrected. "I enjoy encouraging the right ones."

‎

‎

‎ There it was.

‎

‎

‎ The manipulation beneath the sweetness.

‎

‎

‎ I walked toward the massive windows overlooking the royal estate below. Luxury vehicles continued arriving one after another beneath the palace lights while orchestras played faintly in the distance.

‎

‎

‎ A celebration on the surface.

‎

‎

‎ A battlefield underneath.

‎

‎

‎ Noble families weren't attending simply to celebrate my grandfather's birthday.

‎

‎

‎ They were here to secure influence before I eventually took the throne.

‎

‎

‎ I could feel her watching me.

‎

‎

‎ Everyone watched me.

‎

‎

‎ Women admired me.

‎

‎

‎ Politicians studied me.

‎

‎

‎ The media obsessed over me.

‎

‎

‎ Yet somehow Selena watched me differently.

‎

‎

‎ Possessively.

‎

‎

‎ "You know," she said softly, "the entire kingdom already believes we'll marry someday."

‎

‎

‎ "The kingdom believes many foolish things."

‎

‎

‎ Her lips curved slightly.

‎

‎

‎ "But your grandparents don't."

‎

‎

‎ Silence settled heavily between us.

‎

‎

‎ That caught my attention.

‎

‎

‎ Slowly, I turned to face her.

‎

‎

‎ Selena stepped closer, her expression soft enough to appear harmless.

‎

‎

‎ "The ministers support it," she continued carefully. "The noble families support it too. Honestly, Albert…" She tilted her head slightly. "You resisting only makes me think you're playing hard to get."

‎

‎

‎ Coldness settled into my expression.

‎

‎

‎ "You mistake tolerance for affection."

‎

‎

‎ I sounded lethal.

‎

‎

‎ Still, Selena refused to retreat.

‎

‎

‎ "I've loved you since we were children."

‎

‎

‎ "That wasn't love."

‎

‎

‎ Her smile faded slightly.

‎

‎

‎ I walked toward her slowly, calm and unreadable in a way that made people nervous without understanding why.

‎

‎

‎ "You followed me around the palace because nobody ever denied you anything," I said quietly. "Not your parents. Not society. Not the staff."

‎

‎

‎ My gaze locked onto hers.

‎

‎

‎ "And now you've convinced yourself I belong to you too."

‎

‎

‎ The tension in the room sharpened instantly.

‎

‎

‎ For a moment, genuine hurt flashed across her face.

‎

‎

‎ Then she smiled again.

‎

‎

‎ "You're cruel tonight."

‎

‎

‎ "No," I replied coldly. "Just honest."

‎

‎

‎ Something dark flickered briefly in her eyes before disappearing behind another elegant smile.

‎

‎

‎ "You will marry eventually," she said softly. "Whether it's me or another noblewoman, your family will decide."

‎

‎

‎ That was the one thing I hated most.

‎

‎

‎ My future constantly being discussed like a business arrangement.

‎

‎

‎ My title.

‎

‎

‎ My responsibilities.

‎

‎

‎ My marriage.

‎

‎

‎ As though my life belonged to the crown before it belonged to me.

‎

‎

‎ "My grandparents loved each other," I said quietly.

‎

‎

‎ Selena blinked.

‎

‎

‎ "That kind of love exists in this family," I continued. "Which means I will not settle for less."

‎

‎

‎ For the first time that night, Selena had no immediate response.

‎

‎

‎ Because everyone in Eldoria knew the story of the king and queen.

‎

‎

‎ A love powerful enough to survive politics, war, and the throne itself.

‎

‎

‎ And I wanted nothing less.

‎

‎

‎ "You should go downstairs," I said finally.

‎

‎

‎ Dismissal.

‎

‎

‎ Selena recognized it instantly.

‎

‎

‎ But before leaving, she stepped closer one last time, close enough for her perfume to linger around me.

‎

‎Selena just so you know,I only will ever see you as my lil sister". I told her softly

‎

‎ "You'll still end up beside me eventually," she whispered softly. "The entire kingdom is already preparing for it." she replied

‎

‎

‎ Then she kissed my cheek deliberately and walked away.

‎

‎

‎ The doors closed behind her.

‎

‎

‎ Silence returned.

‎

‎

‎ I stared out at the palace lights below, jaw tight, expression unreadable.

‎

‎

‎ For the first time in years, the palace no longer felt like home.

‎

‎

‎ It felt like a cage.

‎

‎Gabriel pov

‎i left the room to give the prince and miss Selena space to talk.

‎actually I know Albert never had feelings for any woman let alone Selena and I'm quite aware of her feelings for the Prince.

‎

‎I checked the time " oh my! I better remind the prince to come down soon"

‎

‎i knocked after he gave permission I entered the room.

‎At least try to smile tonight," Gabriel said. "His Majesty spent months arranging this celebration."

‎"He also spent months arranging blind dates."

‎Gabriel winced.

‎"You noticed."

‎"Hard not to."

‎Over the past three years, my grandfather had introduced me to daughters of noble families, heiresses, socialites, even foreign princesses.

‎Some had been intelligent.

‎Some had been beautiful.

‎A few had been both.

‎Yet every conversation ended the same way.

‎They spoke to the prince.

‎The future king.

‎The Hayden fortune.

‎Never to me.

‎One woman had spent an entire dinner discussing the renovations she planned for the royal palace after our marriage.

‎We hadn't even finished the appetizers.

‎Another had asked how many private islands I owned before asking my favorite color.

‎I never saw her again.

‎Gabriel rubbed his forehead.

‎"To be fair, that one was particularly awful."

‎" is it really that difficult to find the woman for me?"

‎

‎Ahemm that reminds me you should be heading down now that the guests are swooping in .