Chapter 1: The song of the river bank
Victoria is a beautiful girl who lives with her father, her wicked stepmother, Lina, and her stepsister, Phina. Lina hates Victoria because of her beauty, and although everyone else in the house loves her, they are too afraid of Lina to protect her.
Every morning, after finishing her chores, Victoria escapes to the riverbank to enjoy the breeze and sing. One day, she meets an old man named Karl. She offers to help him and asks if he lives in the "haunted" house by the water. Karl explains that the house isn't haunted; rather, it once belonged to a demon family. He tells her about their son, Lucas, who had a beautiful singing voice that his parents loved to dance to. However, the King ordered the family to be killed, and they have been hidden near the riverbank ever since. Before vanishing into thin air, Karl tells Victoria that if she ever needs him, she only has to sing.
Terrified by his sudden disappearance, Victoria stays away the next day. During her time at home, Phina starts a fight and lies about it to Lina. As expected, Lina takes her daughter's side and punishes Victoria.
The following morning, Victoria decides she won't let fear stop her. She returns to the riverbank, laughing and singing as she splashes in the water. She doesn't realize she is being watched by Prince Eric of Axel. Axel is a mysterious kingdom where humans and demons are bonded together, though only the King and the elders know that a demon can only be summoned by a blood contract.
Prince Eric is a dangerous and arrogant man who uses deceit to get whatever he wants. He is a rude womanizer who treats women like objects, causing the people of Axel to fear and despise him. Because the law states that an arrogant prince cannot rule, King Zack is desperate to fix his son's reputation through marriage. Eric, however, refuses every woman the King suggests.
To take control of the situation, the King sends his trusted advisor, Brian, to spy on Eric. Brian witnesses Eric watching Victoria at the riverbank and reports back with all the details of her life. Seizing the opportunity, the King decides that Victoria will be the one to marry his son.
The next day, Eric returns to the riverbank to find Victoria, but she isn't there. Her stepmother, Lina, has locked her in a cell without food or water as punishment for breaking a cup. Even her father, Zane, refuses to help; he hates Victoria because he blames her for the death of his late wife during childbirth. Only her friend Nia is kind enough to sneak food to her.
When Eric fails to find Victoria again, he becomes obsessed, vowing to own her by any means necessary. While his friend suggests he might actually need someone like her to help him rule, Eric dismisses the idea, stating he only wants her for his own pleasure. Meanwhile, at the palace, the pressure is mounting. The Elders demand that Eric be stripped of his title, but the King begs for three months to get the Prince married and save his future.
Following the meeting, Brian convinced the King that Victoria was the perfect pawn to control Prince Eric. The King immediately sent guards to the estate to summon her. When the guards arrived, they delivered the message to Lina, who was consumed by jealousy. Lina hated Victoria for her natural beauty and brilliance, especially since every suitor who visited preferred Victoria over her own daughter, Phina.
Seeing an opportunity to orchestrate Victoria's downfall, Lina released her from the cell. She demanded to know why the King was asking for her, but Victoria was too weak from hunger to answer. Ignoring her exhaustion, Lina refused to feed her and ordered her to prepare for the palace visit the following day.
The next morning, Lina dressed Phina in glamorous clothes and makeup, instructing her to seduce the Prince. In contrast, she forced Victoria to wear rags. At the palace, Phina was made to wait outside while Victoria was called in alone. The King was stunned; despite her poor clothing, Victoria's beauty surpassed even that of a goddess.
During a private dinner, the King was impressed by Victoria's intelligence and charisma. He proposed a surprising request: he wanted her to become friends with his son. Victoria was confused—she wondered why a powerful King would want an ordinary girl like her to befriend the Prince—but she politely asked for time to think it over.
When they returned home, Lina was furious to learn that Phina had been ignored. After Victoria admitted she was the only one invited inside, Lina's rage boiled over. She blamed Phina for failing the task and kicked Victoria out of the house into the dark of the night. Fortunately, Victoria's friend Nia was there to take her in for the night.
The following morning, Victoria returned home to find Lina waiting at the door in a blind rage. Ignoring Victoria's greeting, Lina demanded to know where she had spent the night and began beating her. Despite her bruises and tears, Victoria was forced to complete a grueling list of chores: cleaning the house, cooking, laundry, and hauling water to fill the drums.
Meanwhile, Prince Eric's obsession grew as he searched in vain for the girl at the riverbank. When he returned to the palace, King Zack informed him that he had found a "friend" for him, claiming the relationship was vital for the throne. Eric reacted with typical arrogance, stomping out of the palace, while Brian followed him on the King's orders to prevent any further scandals.
Exhausted from her chores, Victoria was near collapse when her friend Nia arrived. Nia suggested a trip to the riverbank to cheer her up. The mere mention of the water brought Victoria joy; it was her first time sharing her sanctuary with a friend. Once there, Victoria's sadness vanished. She laughed, splashed in the water, and sang until her heart was full.
The next day, King Zack visited Eric's room with a calculated offer: meet the girl just once, and if he wasn't interested, the King would drop the matter. Knowing his son's weakness for beauty, the King was setting a trap. Eric agreed. When the royal summons reached Victoria's house, Lina was once again furious. She devised a new plan, forcing Phina to accompany Victoria to the palace.
During the royal visit, Phina feigned a fainting spell from thirst to force her way into the dining hall with the King and Victoria. While they waited for the Prince, Eric sent his friend Marcus to spy on the guests. Marcus recognized Victoria immediately and ran back to Eric, shouting that the "riverbank girl" was actually at the palace.
Eric rushed to the hall and was instantly mesmerized by Victoria's beauty. However, during dinner, Phina sat close to him and flirted by rubbing her feet against his. Eric, a known womanizer, enjoyed the attention. Afterward, he told his father he wanted to be friends with both sisters. Though the King initially disagreed, he eventually played along, keeping his true plans for the throne a secret from his son.