The palace corridors were quieter than I expected.
After the audience, servants escorted me back toward my chambers, their footsteps echoing softly against the marble floors. My mind, however, was anything but calm.
A fiancé.
A crown prince watching me.
A life already planned without my consent.
I barely had time to breathe.
As the servants stopped in front of my door, one of them bowed. "His Highness, Prince Kael, has requested to see you this evening, my lady."
Requested.
Again, the word felt painfully misleading.
"When?" I asked.
"Immediately."
The moment they left, my door opened once more—without a knock.
Prince Kael stepped inside as if the room already belonged to him.
I stiffened.
He dismissed the servants with a wave of his hand, then closed the door behind him. The silence that followed was heavy, oppressive.
He turned to me, the charming smile from earlier gone entirely.
"You were interesting today," he said, circling me slowly. "Quieter than usual. Calmer."
I kept my posture straight. "I was recovering from illness."
"Is that so?" His eyes narrowed. "You looked at my brother."
The words were casual, but the accusation beneath them was sharp.
"I look at people when they speak," I replied evenly.
He stopped in front of me, close enough that I could smell the faint scent of cologne and arrogance.
"You belong to me now, Aurelia," he said. "You should remember that."
There it was.
No courtesy. No pretense.
Just ownership.
I met his gaze without flinching. "I belong to my family. And to this kingdom."
His hand snapped out, gripping my chin—not painfully, but firmly enough to make his point.
"You will be my wife," he said softly. "And wives do not attract unnecessary attention."
My heart raced, but my voice remained steady.
"Then perhaps you should choose one who enjoys obedience," I said.
For a split second, something ugly flashed across his face.
Then he laughed.
"A sharp tongue," he mused, releasing me. "I can break that."
The words sent a chill down my spine.
He turned away, already bored again. "Tomorrow, you will attend court lessons with me. You need to be reminded of your place."
With that, he left.
The door closed behind him.
I stood frozen for several seconds before my legs finally gave way, and I sank onto the edge of the bed.
So this was Prince Kael.
Not the charming royal admired by the court—but a man who saw people as possessions.
I pressed a hand against my chest.
I cannot survive this by staying silent.
The following morning, the palace buzzed with activity.
Court lessons were held in a smaller hall, reserved for nobles close to the royal family. I arrived early, determined not to give Kael any reason to humiliate me publicly.
Other noble ladies were already present, whispering behind fans as I entered.
"She's the one engaged to Prince Kael."
"They say she nearly died."
"Poor thing… or lucky, perhaps."
I ignored them and took my seat.
Prince Kael arrived late, of course.
He greeted the room with a practiced smile, then sat beside me without asking.
Throughout the lesson, he interrupted me constantly.
"No, Aurelia, that is incorrect."
"You should speak when spoken to."
"Leave such matters to men."
Each remark was subtle enough to seem harmless—yet deliberate.
I answered calmly every time.
The instructor noticed.
So did someone else.
Across the room, leaning against the wall as if he had no business being there, stood Crown Prince Lucien.
He was not supposed to attend these lessons.
Yet there he was.
His gaze flicked toward me briefly, then to Kael, sharp and assessing.
For the first time, Kael looked uncomfortable.
Later that afternoon, I wandered into the palace gardens, desperate for air.
The scent of flowers filled the space, fountains murmuring softly. For a moment, I allowed myself to forget crowns and titles.
"You handled yourself well today."
I turned sharply.
Lucien stood a few steps away, hands behind his back.
"I wasn't aware I had an audience," I said carefully.
He smiled faintly. "You always do."
Silence stretched between us.
"You're different," he said finally.
I stiffened. "Different from whom?"
"From the Aurelia everyone else remembers."
My pulse quickened.
"I nearly died," I replied. "People change."
He studied me, eyes unreadable.
"Yes," he said. "They do."
For a moment, I thought he might press further.
Instead, he said quietly, "Be careful around my brother."
That was all.
Then he turned and left, disappearing among the hedges.
I stood there long after he was gone.
That night, I lay awake, staring at the canopy above my bed.
Kael's words echoed in my mind.
I can break that.
Lucien's gaze lingered just as strongly.
This world was dangerous.
And I was standing at the center of a conflict I barely understood.
But one thing was clear:
If I allowed Prince Kael to define my fate, this second life would end no differently than the first.
I closed my eyes.
And made a decision.
End of Chapter 2