Chapter 1

I was the Grand Princess of Galdoria, and the most infamous madwoman in all of Alderoth.

I fell in love with my elder brother, Julian Shepherd, the reigning King.

For years, I'd meddled in politics, abused my power, and made a spectacle of myself in every possible way. I'd been called many ugly names and carried the weight of vicious rumors.

On the night of Julian's wedding, no one was surprised when I showed up in his bedroom, wearing a gown more extravagant than the queen's and carrying a bottle of wine.

Julian saw me sitting on their bed, his expression extremely cold. "Tiffany, you're going too far."

I knew he always saw me as a wicked woman.

After all, I threw away dignity and decency to have him.

However, that night, I simply smiled and poured him a drink. "Drink this, and we'll leave each other alone for good."

He drank it. As always, he looked at me with nothing but contempt, certain I was throwing another tantrum.

What he didn't know was that I had already poisoned my own drink.

I'd been tired for a lifetime, and tonight, I finally decided to stop loving him.

*****

On their wedding night, it wasn't some assassin getting hauled off; it was the queen.

I walked into their bedroom as the ceremony music outside stopped.

The room was filled with wedding decorations, and the carpet under my feet was ridiculously soft and expensive.

Violetta sat on the edge of the bed in her dress, looking calm, elegant, and beautiful.

A few maids stood around her with their heads down, barely breathing, like they were scared to ruin this long-anticipated wedding.

I was the only one dressed more extravagantly than Violetta was. I walked in with a bottle of wine, stepping all over the confetti.

Daisy, my maid, shut the door behind me. It wasn't that loud, but it still made everyone jump.

"Princess Tiffany—" The maid closest to me almost buckled, bowing quickly, her voice shaking. "What brings you here?"

I ignored her.

I stared at Julian.

He was wearing a well-fitted suit that made him look more stern. It was a pretty standard color, but on him, it felt cold and unapproachable.

He looked like he had just come in, still a bit rushed.

He stared at me, his face darkening.

I knew he'd react like this.

It was his wedding night. He was supposed to be enjoying the sweet moment with his bride, but I showed up.

I had a talent for causing trouble at the worst possible times.

I gave the bottle in my hand a casual shake, smirking. "Why is everyone looking at me like that? Julian got married. Am I not allowed to offer a toast?"

Violetta finally couldn't hold back.

Her shoulders trembled faintly, though her voice remained gentle. "Your Highness, this is my wedding with His Majesty. I understand you have always acted as you please, but this is not—"

Before she could finish, Daisy stepped in.

She was my most trusted maid, usually quiet and keeping to herself, but when she moved, she was incredibly fast.

In the blink of an eye, she darted to the bed, covering Violetta's mouth with one hand and pulling her up with the other.

Violetta panicked at once. Her veil slipped to one side, revealing half of her pale, drained face.

A few maids screamed and tried to run over, only to freeze in place under Daisy's cutting glance.

"How dare you?" Julian finally spoke, his voice low and intimidating.

However, I wasn't scared at all; in fact, I found the whole thing funny. "I haven't done anything to her, and you're already worried. Relax. I'm not going to kill her."

I jerked my chin at Daisy. "Take the queen somewhere else. I have a few words to speak with His Majesty alone."

Daisy nodded, clamped down on Violetta's wrist tighter, not giving her the slightest chance to fight back, and hauled her straight out.

Right before leaving, Violetta looked at Julian with teary eyes, like she was waiting for him to defend her.

However, he didn't. He only stared at me, his gaze cold and restrained, as if holding back something.

I wasn't surprised at all.

That was how Julian was. The more upset he got, the more he kept it together in front of people.

And after all this, if he actually called me out in front of everyone, the whole night would be completely ruined.

But since he stayed put, it only made me want to provoke him more.

After everyone else was gone, I slowly walked over to the bed and sat down.

The bed was layered in the finest fabrics. I ran my hand across them and gave a faint, teasing smile. "Your Majesty, you must be pretty happy tonight, huh? Let me try it out for you."

"Get off," he said flatly.

"No." I looked up at him and swung my legs a little on purpose like a mischievous girl. "I came all this way. Will you not say something kind?"

He walked right up to me.

The distance between us vanished in an instant. I could catch the faint perfume on him and see the restrained trace of irritation in his eyes.

"Don't test my patience." He spoke quietly, but every word cut deep. To him, everything I had done tonight was nothing more than another reckless outburst.

I looked at him, and suddenly, I was pissed.

It was always like this. No matter what I did or how far I pushed, in his eyes, it was simply me acting out, as if I were born unreasonable and a nuisance to him.

I put the bottle down and poured two drinks. The dark red wine moved slowly in the glass, almost like blood.

I offered one of the glasses to Julian, smiling in a way that looked innocent but clearly wasn't. "Very well. Then I will indulge myself one last time."

He didn't take it.

Barefoot on the soft carpet, I walked toward him step by step and pressed the glass into his hand.

When his fingers brushed against the back of my hand, my heart betrayed me with a faint tremor.

Pathetic. After everything that has happened, a single touch from him was enough to unsettle me.

I wrapped my other arm around his, way too close for comfort.

He knew exactly what I intended.

I was going to drink with him as his bride would, on the very night he had married another woman.

I tilted my head up to look at him, my voice soft. "Julian, drink this with me, and we're done."