Chapter One — The Proposal
The first time Amelia Rose entered the royal palace, she was wearing a borrowed dress and carrying a secret that could change her life forever.
She just didn't know it yet.
Rain hammered against the windows of the palace ballroom as Amelia stood among hundreds of perfectly dressed guests, trying desperately not to look as nervous as she felt.
She didn't belong here.
Everyone around her seemed to know exactly who they were.
Duchesses whispered behind jeweled fans. Businessmen laughed over glasses of champagne. Young women in expensive gowns watched the royal family with hopeful eyes.
And Amelia?
She was only there because her best friend had convinced her to take a temporary job serving at the palace's charity gala.
"Keep your head down," Sophie had warned her before she left the servants' entrance. "Serve the guests. Don't cause trouble."
Amelia had laughed.
"I never cause trouble."
She should have known those words would come back to haunt her.
A sudden silence swept through the ballroom.
Amelia looked up.
The doors at the far end had opened.
Prince Adrian Valemont had arrived.
The crown prince walked into the ballroom with the confidence of someone who had been watched his entire life.
Black formal uniform. Gold embroidery. Expression carved from ice.
Every woman in the room seemed to forget how to breathe.
Amelia stared for only a second before quickly looking away.
He was handsome.
Far too handsome.
But handsome men didn't pay hospital bills.
Handsome men didn't save families from eviction.
And handsome men certainly didn't have anything to do with her.
She turned toward the tray in her hands.
Then someone bumped into her.
The tray slipped.
A glass fell.
It shattered against the marble floor.
The entire ballroom went silent.
Amelia froze.
"Oh no."
A hundred eyes turned toward her.
Then she heard footsteps.
Slow.
Measured.
Coming straight toward her.
She looked up.
Prince Adrian stood before her.
His expression was unreadable.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
He looked at the broken glass.
Then at her.
"Follow me."
Amelia blinked.
"What?"
His eyes hardened.
"Now."
He turned and walked away.
Amelia glanced around helplessly before following him.
They passed through a private corridor and entered a quiet room.
The moment the door closed, Adrian turned around.
"You know who I am."
It wasn't a question.
"Yes."
"Then you know why I brought you here."
Amelia swallowed.
"No, Your Highness."
He studied her for several seconds.
Then he said something that made her wonder if she'd heard him correctly.
"I want you to become my fiancée."
Amelia stared at him.
For one ridiculous second, she thought he was joking.
Then she laughed.
It was nervous laughter.
The kind that escaped when a person's brain couldn't understand what was happening.
"I'm sorry."
Adrian didn't smile.
"I said I want you to become my fiancée."
"My... fake fiancée?"
"Yes."
The laughter disappeared from her face.
"Why me?"
"Because you are unknown to the royal family."
"That's your reason?"
"It's one of them."
Amelia folded her arms.
"You don't even know me."
"Exactly."
Something about the way he said it made her uncomfortable.
He walked toward a desk and placed a folder in front of her.
Inside was a contract.
Six months.
Public appearances.
Royal events.
A carefully planned engagement announcement.
And a payment large enough to make Amelia's heart stop.
She stared at the number.
Her mother's hospital bills flashed through her mind.
The overdue rent.
The phone calls she had been avoiding.
Her younger brother asking whether they would have to leave their home.
She slowly closed the folder.
"This is insane."
"I agree."
"Then why are you doing it?"
For the first time, something flickered across Adrian's face.
Fear.
It vanished almost immediately.
"My father has given me an ultimatum. If I don't announce an engagement before my birthday, I will be removed from the line of succession."
Amelia frowned.
"Can't you just refuse?"
"Not if I want to protect my family."
The words sounded strangely familiar.
Amelia looked at him differently.
For the first time, she didn't see a prince.
She saw someone trapped.
Still, she shook her head.
"I can't pretend to love someone."
"I don't need you to love me."
"Good."
His gaze held hers.
"Because I don't intend to love you either."
The words should have made things easier.
Instead, they somehow hurt.
Amelia looked down at the contract again.
Six months.
One fake engagement.
Enough money to change everything.
She picked up the pen.
Then stopped.
"There's one thing I need to know."
"What?"
"Why did you choose me?"
Adrian went completely still.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then his eyes moved toward the window.
"You really don't remember me, do you?"
Amelia's heart skipped.
"Remember you?"
He turned back toward her.
Before he could explain, the door suddenly opened.
An elderly man in a royal uniform stood there.
The king.
Adrian's father.
His eyes moved from Adrian to Amelia.
Then to the contract in her hands.
His face went pale.
"Where did you find her?"
Amelia frowned.
The king stepped closer.
He looked at her as though he'd seen a ghost.
Then he whispered four words that made the blood drain from Amelia's face.
"Her mother was here."
Amelia's fingers tightened around the contract.
"My mother?"
The king said nothing.
Adrian looked at his father.
"Father..."
But the king's expression had already changed.
Fear.
Real fear.
He turned toward the door.
"Cancel the engagement."
Amelia stood frozen.
Adrian grabbed the contract from the desk.
"Why?"
The king looked directly at Amelia.
"Because if she marries you..."
He paused.
"...the secret we've buried for twenty years will come out."
And somewhere inside the palace, a woman smiled when she heard the news.
