Chapter 4
The moment my words faded, a loud official announcement cut through the noisy crowd. "His Majesty the King has arrived."
Every person present turned at once and dropped into a respectful bow, overcome with sudden panic.
A nearly imperceptible flicker crossed Edward's eyes before he took Charlotte's hand and assumed a formal posture to greet the King, Xavier Windsor.
"We offer our sincere respects to Your Majesty," they said.
The King, my elder brother, paused in front of Edward. His gaze was calm as he reached down and helped Edward up. "There is no need for formalities, Edward. Victoria has always been headstrong and impulsive. I ask that you show her patience."
Edward rushed to say he was unworthy and stepped forward to bow deeply once more.
He recounted the entire incident that had unfolded, yet he deliberately left out all the vulgar insults and threats Marcus and the others had hurled at me.
He framed the entire situation as a matter of fairness, clearing himself and Charlotte of all blame.
Every part of the conflict was twisted to make me seem unreasonable and at fault for the entire scene.
Xavier's brows drew tightly together, and his gaze turned stern and disapproving as it settled on me.
He had never been particularly fond of me, and I had always felt uneasy in his presence. We had never shared a close sibling bond.
Edward, however, was a loyal official whom Xavier had personally promoted.
After Edward finished his account, Xavier swept his gaze over the gathered crowd.
Silent pressure hung thick in the air before his eyes locked firmly on mine.
"Your oath on your royal blood binds more than just yourself. It concerns the dignity of the entire royal family, and it extends far beyond you and Edward alone," he declared. "I will personally stand witness for this occasion today.
"I will confirm this marriage right here today, no matter what the outcome is. This will preserve the royal family's dignity."
Everything was already set in stone.
No one in the crowd dared to make a sound, and a quiet, triumphant glint flashed in Charlotte's eyes.
Edward put new slips of paper into the draw box. Charlotte and I each drew one, and then handed both slips to Xavier.
As Xavier reached out for the papers, Edward leaned in beside me and spoke in a low voice that only I could hear, "Victoria, I know today has been messy and overwhelming.
"You've probably gotten the wrong idea about me from everything that's happened.
"But you have to trust me. No matter what anyone says or how this turns out, you and Charlotte mean more to me than anyone else.
"Charlotte is like the gentle moon, and you are like the bright sun. My feelings for you two have never wavered at all.
"This whole draw is just for show for the people. No matter what title you get, I will treat you and Charlotte equally. You will never be treated unfairly. That is my promise to you."
His words sounded warm and genuine, layered with fake affection.
If I hadn't lived through my previous life and seen his true character, I would have been moved to tears right then.
But now, I only felt cold disdain for him, and I didn't even bother looking his way.
Xavier already knew what the result would be and spoke up. "I will open Miss Linwood's slip first."
The royal attendant stood completely neutral. He waited for Xavier's nod before slowly unfolding the slip for the entire crowd to see.
The single word "Wife" was printed clearly and boldly for everyone to read.
A brief silence fell over the crowd before loud cheers and chatter burst out all at once.
"It says 'Wife.' Miss Linwood got the wife spot after all. This is exactly how it should be."
"What was the point of the princess fighting tooth and nail? She was always going to end up as the concubine."
"His Majesty witnessed the whole thing. She has no way to deny this result now."
Charlotte couldn't hold back her overwhelming joy. A big smile spread across her face, and she glanced shyly and affectionately at Edward.
Every onlooker was celebrating the outcome.
All lingering doubt faded from Edward's mind. He reached out to hold my hand, trying to soothe me. "The result is final, Your Highness. I keep all my promises. You and Charlotte will both..."
I swatted his hand away with full force, the sharp sound cutting through the place.
Then I bowed low before Xavier without hesitation. "Your Majesty, my slip has not been opened. Please uncover my result."
The crowd immediately broke out in mocking, suspicious murmurs.
"What is she doing now? Is she trying to cheat or cause more trouble?"
Annoyance washed over Edward's face as he looked down at me. "The result is already settled. Your stubborn, unreasonable behavior is extremely disappointing."
No matter how loud the crowd protested, my slip of paper was slowly unfolded for everyone to see.
"What? How is this possible?" Edward exclaimed.
"How..." He spun around to face me, his eyes wide and full of shock, unable to form a complete sentence.