Amidst royal treachery and business deception, Marceline Landon, a noblewoman from a hostile home, faces a desperate choice. On her sister's engagement night, she appeals to the crown prince, her sister's fiancƩ, to marry her instead. It's her daring escape from a loveless marriage to an older man, orchestrated by her manipulative mother. Caught in a web of family betrayal and societal expectations, will Marceline go against her husband's love when she discovers she's heir to another kingdom that opposes his nation?
Chapter 1 Fight
Edwards Manor.
The whimpering sounds were heard as a slap landed on Marceline's face, forcing her to lose balance.
She staggered, clutching her cheek, her eyes wide with shock and pain. The room fell silent, the weight of the moment hanging in the air like a thick fog.
The servants began to murmur and gossip among themselves.
"The high and mighty princess' tantrums have begun."
"Is Marceline pretending to be nice, or is she that dense?"
"I detest Juniper so much!"
"She's always so jealous of Marceline; that's why she's bitter."
"It's your fault! You ruined my only chance of getting admitted into the seniors' crew!" Juniper's eyes flickered with fury and hatred.
Marceline got up from the ground, cleaning the dirt off her dress with a smirk lingering on her face.
Today Juniper was the victim, with every act and display exaggerated.
She chuckled mockingly, clutching her belly in a pretense of uncontrollable laughter. "Never show your enemy how weak you are," she reminded herself, the amusement fading from her eyes.
Marceline retorted, her voice laced with sarcasm, "Obviously, you've overestimated yourself, setting your standards too high. The position wasn't yours in the first place."
Juniper's eyes flashed with embarrassment, pointing at Marceline, she said sharply, "That position is for a 'nobody' like you!"
Marceline smiled insincerely, "And yet you're almost crying for losing it to me?"
Juniper's gaze was like sharp arrows, staring at Marceline, giving off a dangerous aura, "Who knows what you did with Coach Travis, to wheedle that position out of him?"
Marceline crossed her arms confidently, her tone cold, "Only dirty people would think everyone is like them. Accept it Juniper, you lost to me."
Juniper subtly puffed out her chest, carrying herself with an unmistakable aura of pride, "Just like you lost your man to me. Heh! I beat you to it."
Marceline chuckled softly to herself, "You can keep feeding off my scrap, you can damage me, dent me. But I assure you, you're never going to beat me."
Juniper clenched her fists tightly, her chest heaving with anger. Staring at the sly smile on Marceline's face, she wished she could wipe it all off at once.
The door to the grand living room opened with a creak, Lady Hazel stepped in, her presence commanding attention. Draped in an elegant dress, she scrutinized the situation with her chin held high.
Her voice was sharp, cutting through the heavy atmosphere, "What's going on here?"
The servants fell silent, their whispers dying down as they sensed the tension escalating.
Juniper turned to her mother, her eyes welled up in tears. "Mother, Marceline humiliated me again. She took the position of being the leader of the senior's crew that should have been mine."
Hazel's expression hardened. She threw her bag on a servant, focusing her gaze on Marceline. "As expected," she said icily. "Marceline, always striving to outshine my daughter. It seems you'll do anything to bring her down."
Marceline felt a wave of panic wash over her. Her voice trembled slightly as she replied, "Mum! I don't have to apologize for getting what I deserve, do I? Moreover, she needs no help in bringing herself down."
Hazel's lips curled up in a sinister smile, veins bulging on her forehead. "Let's see what more you have to say when that position goes to Juniper."
Marceline's heart trembled vigorously as she dropped to her knees, clutching the hem of her mother's dress. With a desperate plea, she begged for the position that would secure her place at the Lyrica Institute of Music.
A school well known for grooming exceptional talents and producing top-tier singers.
Her voice wobbly as her eyes turned misty, on the verge of tears, "Mother! That position means a lot to me."
"That's my point. You don't deserve it and never will."
A stunned silence filled the room. She felt a sharp pain in her chest as if her mother's words had physically struck her. Her lip trembled, and a single tear slid down her cheek. She wanted to argue, to scream, but all she could manage was a choked whisper. "Why...why would you say that?"
A servant approached Lady Hazel, holding her mobile phone. She disregarded Marceline's pitiful expression, angrily tapping her phone in search of a specific line.
At that moment, the door screeched open, and an elderly woman in a wheelchair was wheeled in by another servant. Lady Hazel's mother-in-law, Mia, a figure of grace and authority despite her age, looked around the room, her eyes settling on Hazel.
"Hazel," she said softly but firmly, her voice carrying the weight of understanding. "Don't call anyone. Let the children be. This matter can be resolved within the family."
Hazel glared hardly at Mia, her voice stern and indifferent. "Stay out of this old woman."
Mia replied, her tone sharp but measured. "Do not forget, Hazel, that I still hold an important place in this household. You should be careful how you speak to me."
Hazel's eyes narrowed, a hint of a smirk playing on her lips. "Important place? You can't even stand on your own, 'mother'. What power do you think you have here?"
Mia's face fell as a heavy sigh escaped her lips. She gestured to the servant beside her to take her back to her room.
Hazel stared at her disappearing figure, a victorious glint flashing in her eyes. She had waited for this moment, and the satisfaction was undeniable.
Those who had the misfortune of offending her learned that she wasn't to be underestimated or trifled with.
As the phone rang, everyone in the room went silent, their curiosity piqued, waiting to hear the outcome.
"Good day, Mrs Lan-"
Hazel's tone was sharp. "Travis, save your greetings," she snapped before he could say a word. "Replace Marceline with juniper immediately. If anything goes wrong this time, you're out of a job."
"It's too late madam."
Hazel's face turned pale and cold as she clutched the phone tightly. Her voice dropped to a deadly whisper. "What did you just say, Travis?"