Chapter 4
“Orion,” I said, voice steady, “give me back my dowry.”
“I never agreed to marry you.”
Perhaps sensing that I wasn’t lying, Orion’s brows furrowed. Just as he was about to lose his temper, he caught sight of the trinkets cluttering my writing desk. He relaxed slightly.
“Claire, I know you’re upset, trying to provoke me…”
“But I know you still care about me. Otherwise, why would you keep all the little things I gave you?”
Under his confident gaze, I walked slowly to the desk.
Then, without hesitation, I scooped up a handful of the keepsakes, raised my arm, and hurled them out the window.
“Claire! What are you doing?” he shouted.
They landed with a series of splashes in the pond below. Each one sounded like a slap across Orion’s face.
“Claire! Those were gifts from me–how could you treat them like garbage?”
“Well, well, well.” He said in a furious tone, then stormed out of the room.
I collapsed to the floor, stunned and heartbroken, wiping away tears in silence.
Father… your daughter had failed you. I couldn’t even protect the dowry you gave me.
On the day of the wedding, Alice had me dressed and ready at dawn.
Outside, there was the sound of celebration. Orion sat tall on horseback, looking dashing in his formal suit.
He looked down at me arrogantly. “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t marry me? And yet here you are, waiting obediently for me to fetch you.”
His gaze fell on the opulent crown on my head. His expression darkened.
“That’s not the crown assigned to you as my wife.”
“Claire, how dare you! Just to outshine Serena, you went and broke palace protocol?”
“Change her attire!”
Two servants came at his command, gripping my arms tightly.
Shame and fury burned in me. “Let me go!” I cried.
But no one listened. Orion even stepped forward himself and reached to snatch the crown from my head.
“Stop!”
At the sound of a familiar voice, I looked up.
Before Orion could react, a figure stepped between us and seized his wrist, forcefully shoving him back.
Caught off guard, Orion stumbled several steps and nearly fell.
The world spun around me, but then I felt Rowan’s arms catch and steady me.
Orion pointed at Rowan, furious. “How dare you! Let go of my fiancée!”
Rowan stood tall, calm and composed. “With all due respect, Your Highness, Princess Claire and I are betrothed by royal decree. Are you planning to defy the king and steal his chosen son–in–law’s bride?”
Orion’s face twisted with rage. “So this was your plan to win my favor calling in someone to stage a scene like this?”
“Don’t think this will make me care about you!” he snarled. “This is your last chance–tell him yourself. Who is it you’re really marrying?”
Breached out and took Rowan’s rough, calloused hand, raising it high for Orion to see. My lips curled into a mocking smile.
“As you can see.”
“Orion, I’ve told you more than once–the man I intend to marry is not you.”
Orion shook his head in disbelief, backing away as though the ground beneath him had given out. Had the servants not caught him, he might have fallen.
