Chapter 4
I followed the head attendant all the way to Alexander's study.
On the way, I couldn't help but speculate about Alexander's intentions.
His agreement to the divorce had already caught me off guard. Now he was summoning me alone. What could he possibly want? Was he trying to win me over, hoping to keep my family in line?
As I stepped into the Royal Study, a faint scent of old parchment and beeswax filled the air.
Alexander stood by the window in his mantle, his back to me, posture straight and commanding. He didn't look like a man nearing fifty at all.
"Nice to see you, Your Majesty," I said with a respectful bow.
Alexander turned and waved off the formality. "Please, sit down."
I was a bit surprised, but I sat down as he instructed.
Alexander looked at me, as if he could see right through me. "After the divorce, what do you plan to do?"
"I'll be going home to spend time with my parents, Your Majesty," I replied.
That was honestly what I wanted. I'd owed my parents so much over the past three years.
But Alexander shook his head. "I'm afraid the Sinclair family is no longer an option for you."
My heart clenched with anxiety. "Your Majesty, what are you implying?" I asked.
He looked at me and broke into a smile, though there was something playful behind it that I couldn't quite place.
"You showed real courage and sharp wit at the birthday party today. I see you in a whole new light now," he said. "Edward was too worthless to have you."
I was stunned. He had just called his own son worthless?
"Queen Caroline is kind and capable when it comes to managing the household," Alexander said. "But she doesn't have the authority to really make people listen. What I need is someone who can keep everyone in line."
My heart thundered in my chest. I had a faint suspicion of what he was about to say, but it was just too outrageous to believe. "Your Majesty—" I managed to say.
"Charlotte," he cut me off, his gaze intense. "Would you be willing to become my queen?"
My mind went blank. This was insane. I had just annulled my marriage to his son, and now he wanted to marry me himself?
If anyone found out, it would be the biggest scandal the Elden Kingdom had ever seen. The royal family's reputation would never recover.
Instinctively, I refused, "Your Majesty, this is absolutely impossible. I'm nothing special, hardly worthy of such a position—"
"I'm not asking for your opinion," he said, his voice heavy with authority. "You have two options.
"You can marry me with honor and become the most respected woman in the Elden Kingdom. The Sinclair family will share in that glory for generations to come.
"Or you can refuse me. Then for defying Prince Edward, challenging my authority, and threatening the crown today, any one of those offenses alone is enough to have your entire family executed."
His words were chilling and ruthless.
My entire body went cold, frozen in place. So that was it. He hadn't agreed to the divorce out of generosity or concern for me.
This was his plan all along, right from the start. He never wanted a real daughter-in-law. He wanted a tool he could use to control the Sinclair family's power.
And I was the perfect piece for his game. Alexander saw my composure, my courage, and my family background and knew exactly how useful I could be.
I studied the man standing in front of me, the supreme ruler of the Elden Kingdom. His face gave nothing away. I couldn't read him at all.
I had no choice. Honestly, from the moment I brought up the divorce, I'd already walked right into the trap he'd set for me.
I closed my eyes, and when I opened them again, everything was clear. No more doubt. No more hesitation. "Your Majesty," I said. "I'll marry you."