Chapter 2

Back then, I thought I'd finally made it through the hard times. I wanted to turn over a new leaf, to become someone better. But I never realized it was all just part of a bigger scheme.

The more thankful I was to the universe back then, the more bitterly ironic it feels now.

Erica walked in with a plate of fancy pastries. She glanced at my hands, rough and scarred from years of mistreatment, and for a moment, I caught a flash of annoyance in her eyes.

But it disappeared just as quickly, replaced by a worried, almost motherly tone. "Prince Jeremy will be coming to propose in a month, Nicola. You need to start looking after yourself. Make sure Jeremy never finds out the bride's been swapped."

I played along, pretending to be worried. "What if he figures it out?"

Hedda squeezed my hand, her voice gentle and comforting. "Don't worry, I'll help you."

For the next month, I soaked in milk baths every day, and the best creams and lotions kept pouring into my suite like there was no end to them.

Even my hair got the royal treatment, carefully nourished and styled until it looked flawless.

The calluses on my fingertips weren't going away anytime soon, but at least my skin was looking way better than it used to, no more roughness or dryness.

As long as nobody looked too closely, nobody would suspect a thing.

A month later, Jeremy showed up to propose.

Eighty-eight chests of wedding gifts were paraded into the courtyard in a lavish procession. I caught Hedda practically drooling with greed, so I grabbed her hand, acting thrilled.

"Oh wow, are all these wedding gifts really mine?" I asked excitedly.

Hedda forced a smile. "Of course. Not just these eighty-eight chests of wedding gifts, Mom will also give you sixty-six chests of dowry. All of it will be yours."

But inside, she was seething.

[Nicola's just a clueless bumpkin. Why should she get all these treasures and luxurious silks? No way. I'll swap them for fakes. She won't even notice. In the end, all the wedding gifts Jeremy sent will end up as my dowry.]

Hedda and I exchanged a glance, both of us wearing innocent smiles.

Erica walked in, sounding urgent. "Nicola, Prince Jeremy wants to see you. Make sure you don't give yourself away."

I made my way to the back garden and immediately spotted the infamous Jeremy, the man everyone had been whispering about.

He was undeniably handsome, carrying that regal pride only someone born into royalty could pull off.

If it weren't for the rumors about his taste for men and his supposed shortcomings in the bedroom, girls would be lining up for him. He had the looks and the pedigree, the whole package.

I stole a quick glance at him, then quickly lowered my head, acting as timid and out of place as possible. I gave him a nervous, formal bow.

When I served him tea, I accidentally spilled some on his moon-white silk robe.

"Your Highness, forgive me!" I blurted out, my voice trembling.

I frantically tried to wipe it off, but my callused hands scratched and tore his silk robe.

Jeremy instantly frowned, grabbing my wrist in a tight grip.

When he saw the calluses on my palm, his frown was so deep it could kill a mosquito.

My heart was pounding, but I forced a shy look and said, "Your Highness, men and women should keep proper distance."

Jeremy released my wrist and said, "I've heard you're renowned for your talents. On such a lovely day in this picturesque setting, perhaps you could grace us with a poem fitting for the moment?"

I fumbled for words, then claimed I needed to use the restroom and slipped away.

Once I slipped behind the garden arch, I rushed over to Hedda, panic in my voice. "Jeremy asked me to write a poem, but I have no idea how. Please, you've got to help me."

Hedda paused for a second, then came up with a poem on the spot.

"Just pretend you're writing it from memory, then take out this sheet and make it look like you wrote it yourself," Hedda said.

I took the paper, still looking uneasy. "Hedda, Prince Jeremy wants to marry you, the talented one, not me, just a rough country girl who barely knows her letters. He's bound to find out sooner or later. What are we supposed to do then?"

Hedda smiled, trying to comfort me. "You're the real heiress. Jeremy wants a Nell girl, so it's only right for you to marry him. Even if he finds out you're not me, he can't really complain."

I nodded hesitantly, and out of the corner of my eye, I caught a flash of moon-white silk by the wall. I couldn't help but smile.

Returning to Jeremy's side, I passed off the poem Hedda had written as my own.

Jeremy barely glanced at it before saying, "Why don't you read it aloud yourself, Miss Nell?"

My heart started racing.

I'd spent the past month trying to learn to read, but Hedda had packed the poem with obscure words to flaunt her brilliance, most of which were a mystery to me.

Seeing me fumble and stammer, Jeremy's expression turned thunderous with fury.

"You dare deceive me? You're not Hedda Nell at all!" he snapped, his voice icy.

He seized my arm and dragged me straight to the front hall to confront my parents.

"You've got some nerve, trying to fool me with just any random woman! If you don't give me a damn good explanation right now, you're all going to pay for this," Jeremy roared.

My father dropped to his knees in a panic, stammering, "Your Highness, this is all a misunderstanding. Nicola is my real daughter. Hedda is just a commoner, born to a nobody."