Chapter 2
I summoned all my strength to lift my weak arms, wrapping them around his neck. I pressed my burning face to his ear and managed to speak. "Who... are you?"
My voice was hoarse and broken, but the desire had faded.
The man stopped.
In the darkness, he seemed to stare at me for a long time, his gaze so intense it felt suffocating.
Then, I finally heard him speak, his voice deep and steady, each word drifting into my ears. "Leonardo."
My mind went blank.
Leonardo Nicholson, the seventh prince, was famous for his gentle personality and for never getting involved in palace power struggles.
He was the son of Savannah Davidson, the King's favorite, and had been granted the title Prince Fortunus when he was still a child.
I'd heard the King spent two years fighting with the court officials, trying to make Leonardo the Crown Prince, but every time, they shot him down, saying Leonardo wasn't the eldest or the legitimate heir.
Right now, he was the only one who stood a chance against the Crown Prince.
I closed my eyes, and when I opened them again, all that remained in my gaze was pure, icy indifference.
If they wouldn't let me have peace, then don't expect any for themselves.
Crown Princess? I didn't want that anymore.
What I wanted was a future where I stood above even the Crown Princess.
I tightened my arms around him, breathing softly against his ear, my voice soft. "Prince Fortunus... remember this night well. I'm Annabella Johnson. The true-born daughter of the Johnson family."
Just seconds before the door burst open, Leonardo's movements came to an abrupt halt.
He caught the sounds from outside before I even noticed.
Before I could react, he grabbed some clothes and wrapped me up, threw on his own robe in a flash, and pulled me behind him, using his body as a shield.
He moved so fast it was almost unreal.
The door swung open, and a shaft of light stabbed into the room.
Serena stood at the front, clad in a vivid red wedding dress. The smile on her face vanished instantly when she saw Leonardo.
"P-Prince Fortunus?" Serena's voice faltered, disbelief coloring her tone.
'How could it be him?' Serena thought.
It was common knowledge in Estermond that the King had spent the past two years locked in endless arguments with the court, all to make Leonardo the Crown Prince.
His mother, Savannah, was enjoying the King's favor more than ever, and the Davidson family was deeply entrenched in the court.
'Where did the coachman I arranged go?' Serena thought. 'Why is it him, the last person who should have shown up?'
She was followed by a whole group of people.
Aside from the matrons and maids from the Johnson family, there were two unfamiliar noblewomen whose eyes went wide with shock, and they hurriedly turned their faces away.
I looked at Serena's face, filled with suspicion and confusion, and my heart sank.
She'd even brought witnesses to watch. She was determined to ruin me completely.
Leonardo stood in front of me, his back ramrod straight.
The candlelight threw shifting shadows across his face. That gentle look was still there, but his eyes were different now.
"Serena," Leonardo said, his voice calm enough to send chills down your spine. "Why aren't you in the front hall right now, and what are you doing storming in here with a crowd?"
Serena's face turned ghostly pale, but she forced a smile. "Leonardo, I haven't seen Annabella in the front hall all night, and I was worried something might have happened to her. That's why I brought everyone to search for her."
She put extra emphasis on "Leonardo," clearly reminding him of their relationship. She was the Crown Princess, and he ought to respect her.
How considerate.
Leonardo let out a soft, gentle laugh. "You're so thoughtful. Annabella wasn't feeling well and fainted here. I was passing by and thought I'd check on her."
He turned to the noblewomen, his voice still gentle, but every word carried weight.
He said, "But Serena, isn't this a bit too much of a scene? It's a big day for Virethar Palace. If you end up disturbing the guests in the front hall, or if word gets out about something it shouldn't..."
He paused, letting his gaze sweep over the crowd. "I don't mind, but it might make the palace look bad. What do you think, Serena?"
The noblewomen looked embarrassed and hurriedly lowered their heads.
Serena pressed her fingertips hard into her palm, her face turning ghostly pale.
She caught Leonardo's meaning loud and clear. On the Crown Prince's wedding day, any scandal would hit the Crown Prince first.
The King was desperate for a reason to pin something on the Crown Prince.
"It was my... carelessness," Serena said, her voice dry and brittle.
Leonardo stood up, unhurriedly straightening his robes with deliberate grace.
In the candlelight, he stood tall and composed, all traces of the passion from moments before wiped away. Now, only the cold, noble aura and the pressure of a prince remained.
"Annabella fainted here, and I just happened to pass by, so I came in to check on her," he repeated, his tone so casual it was like he was talking about something completely ordinary.
He glanced at a matron standing by the door. "Would you please invite Lady Johnson over? Tell her Prince Fortunus has a matter to discuss."
The matron hurried away, quickly excusing herself.
For a moment, a heavy silence settled over the room.