Chapter 2

I hung my head low. "My birth mother is gone. She got really sick and passed away when I was five."

I should've died with her. Andrea said she needed a living doll, so she let me live.

Fernando didn't say another word. He stood there silently, hands clasped behind his back, watching me for a long moment before turning and walking away.

The next day, two boxes of jewelry were delivered to my room.

There were also a few new outfits.

The servant said it was Fernando's orders. Since I was pregnant, I shouldn't dress so shabbily.

I was so flattered that I could barely get the words out. I nodded eagerly.

Once everyone had left, I opened the jewelry box and found a few decent-looking hairpins and bracelets inside.

They suited my status perfectly, not too flashy, not too plain.

After picking out a bracelet and slipping it on, I finally started thinking about my next move.

It wasn't until I'd escaped from Campbell's estate, that place that chewed people up, that I realized maybe my life wouldn't always be this miserable.

Fernando might not be the favorite, but he was still high up. If I could prove useful to him, maybe he'd set me free one day.

That evening, Fernando came back, smelling grass and leaves.

He said he'd been out hunting with Andrea and nearly got himself hurt.

It wasn't until I moved into Rosyrie Palace that I realized the charming and friendly man everyone saw outside turned cold and distant once he was home.

He barely spoke, always locking himself away in his study, and didn't let anyone in to serve him.

I wanted to talk to him about letting me go, but as soon as I got to the inner gate, a guard blocked my way.

"That's Prince Fernando's study. No outsiders allowed past this point," the guard said, his tone cold and firm.

The guard's gaze was icy and intimidating, and I kept shrinking back, feeling nervous and uneasy.

With no other option, I just stood there in the corridor, holding the bowl of soup.

Just my luck, the sky opened up, and rain started pouring down all of a sudden.

My clothes were getting soaked, and the guard was watching me like a hawk, so I didn't dare budge or walk away.

Right then, the door swung open, and Fernando stepped out. He stopped, looking slightly surprised when he saw me.

"What are you doing here?" Fernando asked.

"I... I have something to say to you, Your Highness," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I want to make a deal with you, Your Highness," I said, my voice trembling a little.

I wasn't sharp, and I'd never been to school. Whenever something came up, my mind turned to mush.

But with only eight months left before I'd be sent back to Campbell's estate, I knew this was my only shot.

So I just laid it all out for Fernando, "Your Highness, I want to trade this child for my freedom."

Fernando just stared at me in silence.

He was never one for women. Unless it was for Andrea's sake, he hardly spared them a glance.

But now, there was a real beauty under his roof, and the woman was carrying his child.

Fernando had to admit that I was starting to become a bit of a headache.

He glanced at me, clearly seeing how nervous I was, and said, "Come into the study."

I hesitated, unsure. "Can I, Your Highness?"

"Just come in," he replied, his voice firm.

So I nervously stepped into Fernando's study, feeling awkward and tense.

Fernando was nothing like the man he appeared to be. His study was draped in deep black, so heavy and oppressive that it felt as if the walls were closing in.

He sat there, exuding the kind of commanding presence that only someone at the top could pull off.

"You want to use the child to buy your freedom? What exactly do you mean? Was life at Campbell's estate that bad?" he asked.

I pursed my lips and shook my head. "I'm an illegitimate daughter. Back there, I ate and slept with the servants."

Fernando raised an eyebrow. "Didn't your father do anything about it?"

"Lady Evelynn is in charge of everything," I replied.

He let out a cold laugh. "That old man acts so righteous in public, but he's just a hypocrite."

He propped his chin on his hand, falling silent again.

He kept looking me up and down, sizing me up from every angle.

"You've got some nerve, daring to bargain with me," Fernando said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

I was forced into this. If there were any other way out, I would never use my own child as a bargaining chip for my future.

Fernando's eyes drifted down to my belly. "Since you've had such a rough time and want out of Campbell's estate, why not stay here with me?

"At least in Rosyrie Palace, you'll have a roof over your head and won't go hungry."

I shook my head again. "Your Highness, Andrea and you are so close. How could I stay here and risk getting on her bad side?"

Honestly, I was not even worth her notice. Andrea never even looked my way.

If she ever decided she didn't like me, she could have me killed on a whim.

No one wanted to live with his life hanging by a thread. If I ever got the chance, I'd want to live freely, with nothing holding me back.

Fernando looked genuinely interested. "So, if you leave Rosyrie Palace, where would you go? What would you do?"

I thought about it seriously. "My mother used to say she was from Burbon. I want to go there and see what it's like.

"If I had some cash, I'd open a small shop, work all day, and just live quietly.

"At night, I'd light a lamp, listen to the wind, and watch the clouds roll by."