"There were no others she found better than Alan?" Alex muttered.

I flinched.

And so, practice began.

And disasters followed.

"Ugh! You stepped on me for the sixth time!" Alex snapped.

"I—it was only the fourth time," Irene gently corrected.

"You said she was prepared, yet she can't move her feet from one place to another!"

He yelled again. I stepped back, lowering my head, feeling small.

"She needs more practice. The ball is in two days. Make her perfect, Irene. If you can't, I'll find someone strict who will."

He stormed out, slamming the door hard.

I had never seen anyone with such a temper.

"Dear, are you scared because he is the king?" Irene approached softly.

"I... did feel nervous," I admitted.

"But he's your future husband. You should try to make him happy."

"If that's the case, he should also speak sweetly to me," I muttered, "not yell like that. Then we'd both be happy, right?"

She smiled sympathetically.

"Anyway, let's practice solo for now. Then we'll do etiquette. Don't take his words to heart, alright?"

I nodded, but deep inside...

Something felt painfully off.

And so, the day passed by practising dances and etiquettes. After sending Miss Irene to her carriage, I returned to my room—only to find the other maids waiting for me.

“You’re here… why?” I asked, confused.

“His Majesty wants you to come to dinner with him,” one of them said.

“What?” the tired version of me whispered as they immediately dragged me away to bathe and style me.

Just for dinner?!

Soon, I was escorted to the dinner hall. The tall, endless table stretched across the room, and at its centre sat Alex. He gestured for me to sit directly opposite him. I quietly obeyed.

Dinner was served, and after eating, I waited for him to leave so that I could escape as well… but he didn’t move. He simply sat there, staring at me, wiping his mouth with the towel ever so calmly.

When a maid approached to clear the plates, his glass slipped from the tray and shattered against the floor. She fell to her knees instantly, trembling.

“I–I apologize, Your Majesty… please forgive me!”

“Do you really think this is a place for forgiveness?” His voice was calm—too calm.

“Go ahead… on the arm.”

I didn’t understand what he meant until I saw the maid pick up a shard of glass. trembling. And scratch her own arm. My breath froze.

That was the moment I realized he was nothing like Alan. Not soft. Not gentle. Not warm.

The maid cleaned the blood and broken glass with her own uniform before scurrying away.

“Attention here, my lady,” he snapped his fingers, drawing my horrified gaze back to him.

I gulped.

“I apologize for yelling this morning about the dance. And… for letting you witness that.” He smiled.

But to me, that smile only belonged to a dangerous man.

“I–It’s alright… Your Majesty,” I replied with the sweetest smile I could force.

“What? Didn’t I tell you—no formalities between us? Call me Alex. My future wife should call me Alex.”

I nodded quietly.

“So, the reason I scolded Miss Irene is because Queen Mother and the former king will be attending the ball to meet you. I need perfection. Do you understand, my lady?”

As he spoke, he stood and walked toward me. He stopped so close I lowered my head, but he lifted my chin with a single finger.

“And I don’t want Alan there. Okay?” he grinned.

A cold shiver raced down my spine.

“Don’t worry… Alex? You won’t find me with him,” I answered.

But even though I said that, I couldn’t stop my heart.

And so, the two days passed. But I couldn’t find Alan anywhere. I looked for him every time I stepped outside—during walks, in the halls—nothing. I convinced myself he must be recovering after being treated by the doctor. So, I focused on improving my skills, especially dancing, not wanting to be scolded again.

Then the day of the ball arrived.

Everyone was busy. I, too, was woken up early. After bathing, wrapped in my bathrobe, I sat while the maids worked on my hair.

“Where’s the dress prepared for the lady?!” one maid yelled.

“It should’ve arrived by now! I think it’s delayed!”

“If that’s the case, we won’t finish grooming her in time! His Majesty will be furious!”

Their fear alone explained the kind of man Alex truly was.

As I silently badmouthed the king in my mind, one of them opened my cupboard and pulled out a gown.

“Wow! What about this dress? She never wore it since it came here!”

The moment I saw it, my eyes widened.

It was the dress Alan said would look beautiful on me...that day.

I walked toward it, almost breathlessly. The material was soft under my fingertips. A dark blue gown with gold embroidery—majestic, breathtaking.

“Okay, we’ll work on this one then!”

Minutes later, I was wearing the very dress Alan warned me never to wear because it would look gorgeous on me no matter what.

And he wasn’t wrong.

I barely recognized myself. I looked like a fairy from a storybook. Even the maids couldn’t take their eyes off me. My hair flowed in soft waves down my back.

I wondered—what would Alan think if he saw me like this? What expression would he wear?

A maid suddenly ran in and whispered to the others.

“I think His Majesty is busy, so another person will come to escort you, my lady,” she said.

“What? Who?” I asked—

Then I heard a familiar voice.

“Lady.”

I turned.

Alan.

For a second, he froze, eyes scanning me from head to toe, and then he smiled gently.

“You look beautiful, my lady.”

My heart lifted instantly. After two days, hearing his voice felt like warmth returning to my chest.

But then I remembered Alex’s warning.

I snapped toward the maids.

“Why did you bring him?! You could’ve found someone else!”

“But my lady, you’re only comfortable with him. You never dared to go with any other man,” one said timidly.

“I’ll escort you, my lady. Don’t worry. This time, I won’t let anyone near you,” Alan said softly.

His gentleness always melted me… but deep down, fear twisted my stomach. What if Alex hurt him more because of me?

“No! I don’t need you. Bring me another man!” I said.

“But they’re all busy, my lady. We could only find him!”

“What?! Busy with what?! Is there a war going on? They’re soldiers—what duty do they have to be so busy? So you brought him?! When he is badly injured?! And still—you found only him?!”

I raised my hand, about to strike one of them—

Alan gently stopped me from behind.

“No, my lady… I’m fine. You don’t need to slap them. Let’s go, please.”

His voice softened my anger immediately.

But even so… I couldn’t walk beside him like before.

“Fine. You tell me the directions from behind. Don’t walk next to me. I’ll walk in front—alright? No need to act like how we used to before.”

I left the room first.

Even though my own words hurt me… I knew they must’ve hurt him too. But I had no choice.

He followed from behind.

The empty halls echoed only our footsteps.

After a few minutes, I saw Alex waiting at the ballroom entrance. His expression was blank—until he saw Alan behind me.

Then his face changed.

Disappointment. Displeasure.

As I stood before him, Alan bowed.

“Good morning, Your Majesty. I shall take my leave as I have escorted the lady.”

He turned to leave—

Alex grabbed my hand tightly.

“Why. Was. He. Here?”

His voice dripped with anger.