Crowned

CHAPTER TWO

A Black Mercedes-Benz parked itself in front of the Lee residence revealing a young gentlemen. Madam Lee was astonished to have an unfamiliar visitor because her connections ran deep and wide within the kingdom.

"Hello. How may I help you ?"

Madam Lee spoke with respect as she always did with all her business associates.

"Sorry for the intrusion, Madam. I would firstly like to introduce myself. I am Saru."

Madam Lee nodded. Saru was quite tall, his hair a striking silver blond which was rare in the kingdom and his blue eyes sparkled as he smiled softly at her.

"Let me keep this short. Madam Lee, I am here on behalf of his majesty to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage."

Saru finished curtly.

Madam Lee's worst nightmare had become real and she was too shocked to talk. Her brows crinkled and her lips quivered at the statement. She was a devoted citizen of the kingdom and she respected the ruler but her only companion was her daughter. She hated when she had to send Hana to the palace for the presentation. She had prayed even begged for Hana to be brought back to her and yet everything was in vain. His majesty had already made his choice and she could not defy him.

"Madam, I promise you that your daughter is in safe hands and we will give her the freedom to visit you during the weekends. This is what the Majesty wanted me to convey to you,"

Saru said with a polite smile.

Saru felt quite sad for the woman, he knew about her. She had lost her husband very young and was left with a daughter whom she worked hard to raise and now she was to give her to an unknown person. Saru even felt guilty at the thought but he should not harbour such thoughts, he was to serve his master and always be with him.

Madam Lee calmed down after a few minutes even though her face was not relaxed. As a maid timidly brought some tea and biscuits, Saru tried to comfort the woman.

Madam Lee looked at Saru, whose bright gaze fell on hers.

...

"Mother? Eomma? Ahh... Madam Lee?!”

Hana called.

" Madam Lee, are you okay?"

Hana asked as her mother stared at her.

Madam Lee quickly regained her composure seeing how worried Hana seemed.

"Ohh. Hana dear, I am sorry. I was trying to think. Didn't see you arrive,"

Madam Lee smiled as she mustered a lie.

Hana seemed to have bought it as she was looking at the screen in front of them. An ad for a new app that can be used to explore the art was being shown which piqued Hana's interest. She loved art and Madam Lee looked at her daughter fondly, her hand brushing Hana's hair.

Hana smiled gleefully, her eyes roaming at the screen that was filled with famous exhibits of the art by Leonardo da vinci.

"Madam, I promise you she will be in safe hands,"

Saru's words replayed in her head as she watched Hana buried in the paintings.

Madam Lee straighted herself on the couch and said,

"Dear, can I have your attention for a few minutes?"

Hana steered her gaze at her mother who was sitting in a very business mannerly.

She wondered what her mother was going to talk about in such a stern look on her face.

"Hana, you are betrothed,"

Silence filled the air. Hana looked at her mother confused at those words. Betrothed? She thought.

"Mother, come on now. Don't pull that on me. You know it won't work,"

Hana laughed it off as her mother kept staring at her.

"N-no, mother please tell me you are joking. I,"

"Hana, believe me. It came as a shock to me as much as it does to you but I am only speaking the truth. You are betrothed."

Madam Lee finished with a sigh.

Hana could not believe what her mother was talking about. She had been on bay asking her to date but she never thought that her mother would do this to her. She felt betrayed because she always thought her mother was giving her the freedom to do things at her own pace.

"B-but mother how could you-u?!"

Hana watched as her mother lowered her head.

"Hana, I did this for you and I don't want you to defy me on this. We will begin with the preparations to send you,"

Madam Lee finished with a definite conviction laced in her voice.

Hana was dumbstruck and she knew she could not disobey her mother when she made a decision but she was unable to accept it. She took a few deep breaths to calm her raging mind and spoke.

"Mother, I am disappointed that you did this but I'll go through with it"

Madam Lee hated that she was doing this to her one and only daughter but the man who askerdHana's hand was not someone to go against.

She believed and hoped that the man, Saru will keep his promise.

Hana curtly bowed before retiring to her room as her mother sighed.

'Saru-nim, please keep my daughter safe as you promised you would.'

'I promise, Madam.'

Madam Lee tossed her phone on the couch as she read Saru's reply. Even though she only had met Saru for the first time, she trusted him and hoped that Hana will be happy and safe.

She felt miserable with how her conversation turned out with Hana although Hana accepted what she did.

Marriage. She was letting her child go and this was something that weighed her heart down. She took a deep breath and called for her assistant.

"Tori, prepare for the wedding as I directed to you earlier. Call the designers and make an appointment at 10 for tomorrow and ask the chef to bring me his best cooks. Also notify the Saru-nim and tell him that the preparations have begun. Ask Hana to free up her schedule for 2 weeks, tell her that her editor can wait."

So, the preparations began with full force.