In the remarkably tiny yet immensely wealthy realm of the Tulip Kingdom, the King's eightieth birthday celebration was underway, honoring King Tom Wilde.

His daughter-in-law, Princess Hilda, widow of the late crown prince, had thrown the party.

The royal family stepped out onto the palace balcony to greet their subjects, who showered King Tom with affection. He was highly cherished and loved by the people.

In Rivergreen Palace, dinner was about to start, with everyone present except for one. Prince Alejandro, son of the deceased Prince Harold, was missing.

"Where is your son Hilda? The boy is disrespectful," the queen whispered to the princess.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I have no idea where he is," she replied with deep regret.

"Get him here now, or I shall have him whipped for disobeying the king's orders!"

Princess Hilda discreetly got up and sent someone to find her son.

"Drag him here if you must," she ordered her assistant.

Many women in the kingdom sought Prince Alejandro; he was good-looking, single, wealthy, and next in line for the throne. King Tom hadn't appointed a successor, and the line started with him, followed by cousin Gustav, then Alejandro, and so on. If Gustav had a son, that child would immediately outrank him.

Hilda went up to her younger daughter Jenny's room, who was studying in Holland. Passing by Alejandro's room, she heard obscene noises.

She knocked on the door but was met with louder, improper moans.

"Open the damn door!" she yelled.

Seconds later, the prince opened the door, revealing his naked body covered only by a thin shirt.

"Mom, I'm busy here..."

Hilda didn't let him finish and pushed her way into the room.

"Get out of here, you harlots! My God, how disgusting! Get dressed and come down now. Her Majesty is furious. Everyone is at dinner but you. Move it, I will be waiting!"

Elsewhere, one of Tulip Kingdom's most beautiful girls looked for Prince Alejandro. Failing to find him among the family, she climbed the stairs and stumbled upon three girls adjusting their clothing and hair, clearly having just left the prince's bed.

She had open access and entered Alejandro's room without knocking.

"Oh, pardon me, Your Highness, I couldn't find Alejandro and came looking for him."

"Just perfect, here, take his clothes and shoes, make it quick. And please, no scenes – I need him downstairs for dinner."

Before leaving, she turned and said, "Cecilia, don't leave him alone. If all goes well, we will announce your engagement tonight."

Cecilia nodded, having waited a lifetime for this moment.

She noticed the disheveled bed and scattered female garments.

"You'll pay for every humiliation, Alejandro. You'll regret this," she seethed.

Alejandro emerged nude from the bathroom, water dripping off him, and covered his face at the sight of Cecilia.

"I won't say anything for now. Your mother wants you at dinner, and you better hurry."

"Ceci, they came, and I couldn't escape..."

"You're drunk as a skunk! You reek! Get dressed quickly; I'll find something to sober you up."

While everyone waited for the banquet to begin, an ancient family from the Tulip Kingdom entered the hall.

"Come on, man, thought you'd never show!" the king greeted them cheerfully.

"Your Majesty, how could I not come to celebrate your birthday?"

Lord Adam Humpring greeted the king equally warmly; they were lifelong friends. Though not royalty, the Humprings held substantial power, treated as near-royalty thanks to the previous king's bestowed title and dukedom.

"Lady Antonella, what beautiful daughters you've given our country, as lovely as you," said the queen.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. They are my greatest treasure," she replied.

Lord Humpring’s daughters, Lucia, Teresa, and the youngest, Melanie,paid their respects to the king and queen.

The banquet began, and Prince Alejandro joined, hand in hand with the stunning Cecilia.

Her mother sat on the far side of the hall, among non-aristocratic guests.

"Is that Cecilia? My, you'll finally join royalty, Dora. Your daughter has caught the prince."

The woman smiled, yearning to mingle among them, not just observe from afar.

"Cecilia will be princess, and I, the happiest mother in the world."

Following the banquet, the ball started. Tradition dictated the king and queen to open the dance, but before they could take a step, the king addressed the guests.

"Dear friends and family, tonight we doubly celebrate—my eightieth birthday and a much-anticipated announcement."

The queen beckoned Melanie closer as the king gestured for Prince Alejandro.

Cecilia thought she should join him, so she moved toward the center.

"Today, I am proud to announce the engagement of my prince, Alejandro, to Lady Melanie Humpring," the king declared.

The room erupted in cheers and applause, while Melanie and Alejandro looked on, confused about what to do.

"Put on a respectful face and drop the sour look," the queen chided.

Melanie knew of the engagement, believing the prince had chosen her, a notion reinforced by the queen and her own mother. Yet the prince looked at her with fury. Had she been deceived?

"I'm being pushed out! I won't marry that silly, stupid girl," Alejandro whispered to his mother.

"Be calm. Don't overstep. Your next words and actions will determine our stay in this palace, our livelihood, and that of your sisters."

With that, Alejandro composed his expression, refrained from running away as he had planned.

Cecilia glared at the young girl beside the queen, so small and frightened. How could she be fit to marry the prince? She wasn't his type and had nothing he desired.

"You won't have an easy path ahead, foolish child. You don't know what's coming for you."

Melanie felt utterly terrible; the look on her fiance's face was not one of joy, but more like he was about to pounce and tear at her throat.

"Your Majesty, was the prince aware of this arrangement? He seems exceedingly uncomfortable," she expressed to the queen.

"Darling, it's an agreement. He must marry a girl within his circle, with an unblemished reputation and you, my dear child," the queen took her cheeks in her hands and gave her a gentle kiss, "you, my dear, are the perfect girl."

Cecilia glared at the queen, cursing her endlessly in her mind.

"Can someone explain what the devil just happened? According to Hilda, you would be her son's wife and yet that brat..." Dora, Cecilia's mother, was suddenly pulled into the darkness.

"Madam, by order of the queen, you must leave the palace immediately," a royal guard escorted her to the exit.

"I want to see my daughter, lady Cecilia, she's my child, what's wrong with you people? You're fools..."

As she railed against the guards, Cecilia too was being removed by the queen's orders.

"I'm sorry lady Cecilia, you cannot stay here."

Prince Alejandro was powerless. His grandfather had warned him numerous times that if he didn’t desist from his extravagant lifestyle, he would be ousted from the royal lineage. He had to either accept the absurd engagement or be left on his own, without the wealth of the crown, and without a claim to the throne.

"The first dance is always reserved for Her Majesty, but on this occasion, it will be opened by His Highness, Prince Alejandro, and his newly announced fiancee, Lady Melanie Humpring."

The crowd bowed and cleared the way for the young couple.

The prince, a striking man with height, pale skin, bushy brown hair, blue eyes, and an Adonis physique; Melanie, by her own assessment, was just an ordinary girl with honey-colored eyes, curly hair, a very gentle smile with dimples in her cheeks, but she carried a few extra pounds, which were not well-regarded by society, particularly among the elite in Tulip Kingdom.

That evening, she had prepared herself with a wine-colored dress featuring golden accents, a bare back, and a slit running from her feet to her thigh. Her hair was swept up, adorned with jewels, and her makeup was light.

To any man, she was a dream. But to the prince, she was some sort of karmic retribution.

"Make sure you don't step on my shoes, can you at least dance?"

Melanie felt so humiliated. She had been trained for this her whole life; since birth, she had belonged to the crown. But it seemed she was not to the prince’s liking.

"I am sorry, Your Highness, I did not intend to bother you," she apologized, not really understanding why.

After the dance, which thankfully went well for Melanie, she went out to the palace gardens for air. The proximity to her fiance had made her shiver, be it from fear or something else unknown to her.

"The night is spectacular, don't you think, Lady Melanie?" greeted a handsome young man.

Lord Frederick Lindt, the Duke of Silvertone.

"Good evening, Your Excellency. It is a spectacular night indeed, though it's quite cold actually."

"This time of year is wonderful, our fields bloom with color, not to mention the harvest."

"We share similar tastes; I adore the spring, it feels like rebirth every day."

"As lovely as you are intelligent, Melanie Humpring. Who would've thought, being engaged to the prince, I will still remember my seventh-grade classmate and my loyal best friend," said Frederick, his voice tinged with nostalgia.

"We will always be friends, right?"

Frederick merely nodded.

They sat on a bench, each at opposite ends, in silence—a silence both were enjoying.

Back in the hall, the queen was irate with the prince, who was gallivanting with a group of women rather than with his fiancee.

"Tell that idiot to find Lady Melanie. It’s unacceptable that he can't even honor his engagement."

She commanded Hilda, who was biding her time to hold the queen accountable for the pre-arranged commitment to her cherished son.

"Your Majesty, Alejandro is furious. He wasn't expecting this and certainly not with that girl—she's a child, too plain for him, and doesn't meet royal standards."

The queen feigned a cough.

"Don't be foolish, Hilda. You weren't exactly up to standards either, let's be realistic, and yet here you are."

Poor Hilda, ever unsuccessful in dealing with her mother-in-law.

Alejandro sought out Melanie, directed by a servant to the path she took.

He stormed into the gardens, missing out on a better night at a city bar. He saw a pair deeply engaged in conversation at a distance.

"Ah, Lady Melanie Humpring and a favorite of Her Majesty having a tryst, how very inappropriate."

Melanie quickly stood and bowed her head in reverence.

The duke too rose, unfazed by fear or discomfort.

"Always an untimely, drunken prince. What do you want, Alejandro?" Frederick challenged loftily.

"Stay out of my affairs. You're a bastard, vying for my place, but you know what? You'll never be a Wilde. You're an orphan, a commoner whom Her Majesty took pity on, nothing more."

Melanie was at a loss, feeling her face and whole body flush with heat.

"And by the way, Lady Melanie, instead of marrying me, perhaps you should consider Duke Lindt. You’re both equally unattractive."

Stung, she tried to flee but her heel caught in the grass, sending her tumbling to the ground. Frederick, gently, helped her up—then the vile prince shoved him onto her while shouting...

"What an abominable sight! Lady Melanie couldn't wait to cavort with a man."

The bystanders in the garden began to draw near; the queen and others arrived as well.

"What has happened here?" inquired the king.

"Nothing, Your Majesty, other than your fine future princess getting ahead of herself with our beloved Duke Lindt."

Everyone murmured; Melanie's mother pulled her away by the waist.

"I never expected much from His Highness, but I never imagined he would go this far. My apologies, Your Majesty, but I'm taking my daughter before any more harm and slander are brought upon her," Lady Humpring signaled to her other daughters to leave.

Lord Humpring approached the king. "I must apologize, Your Majesty, but as you can see, the engagement is no longer viable. I am truly sorry."

"Lord Humpring, please wait. It's not in anyone's best interest for you to take Lady Melanie. People will gossip, and it'll impact her. Please, it's not what they think happened. Lady Melanie fell, and that juvenile, vulgar Alejandro knocked me over."

Thank goodness the guards and servants had removed most guests, with only those close to the family remaining.

"Please, everybody, the festivities have come to an end."

"It's ridiculous, Mother, I don't want to marry him!"

Melanie protested to her mother. Lady Humpring sat beside her on the edge of her bed.

"It's an idiotic tradition, I told your father, but our family has married into the royal family for centuries, from queens to ladies and lords, we have always been their circle, guarding the royal household, and what's worse, my child, your father and His Majesty have been friends since childhood, that's why your father accepted that absurd idea of marrying you off to that haughty man."

"And why not my sisters, why were they allowed to choose their fiances?" grumbled Melanie.

"They did not resist when asked."

"I don't want to, please, Mother."

Nothing could be done, the preparations were already underway, and in less than a month, the royal wedding would take place.

"It's a beautiful dress; you'll be the first to wear a design that isn't a hand-me-down," the queen said, trying to cheer up a crestfallen Melanie.

"Thank you for the consideration, Your Majesty, I am honored to be an exception to the protocol."

"The princess of Tulip Kingdom deserves all the best. Come now, trade that sorrowful face for one of your bright smiles that light up the dark."

Those words broke Melanie, how she wished the prince himself would say them to her.

"Your Majesty, I do not want to marry him."

The queen sent the dressmaker and her assistants out, along with Melanie's mother and sisters.

"You know, it's been sixty years since I married His Majesty, who was already king, so a queen consort was urgently needed. Can you imagine how I became queen?"

Melanie shook her head.

"I was bought," Melanie looked at her with great sadness. "No, don't pity me, it was the best thing that could have happened to me. In those times, even being a rich man's mistress was a lot, my mother-in-law paid my parents a hundred gold coins and a title with vast lands. I had no time to get to know His Majesty; they came for me, inspected every part of me to determine if I was fit to be a wife, and it was a horrendous wedding… It was not me who married the king, it was my father who accepted on my behalf. It wasn't until the wedding night that I first saw Tom."

"Do you love His Majesty?" asked the girl.

"With all my soul, Tom and I grew up together, we learned together and brought the kingdom to heights it had never seen before. Everything we have, we did together. It wasn't easy, dear Melanie, it was horrible and I would be lying if I told you that marriage solves everything, but I promise you that Alejandro is good, I have all my hopes pinned on that blockhead..."

"But Your Majesty, the crown prince is His Highness Gustav, the prince and I are only marrying for appearances, nothing more."

The queen shook her head.

"Someday, soon, you’ll understand why Gustav cannot take the throne. I must ensure that Alec wears the crown; otherwise, those against the monarchy will finally have what they’ve coveted since our kingdom was founded."

Melanie had a great love for her country, proud to be the daughter of one of the most important tulip merchants in the world, her father also dealt in jewelry, providing employment for many and putting their country on the map.

With that in mind, she resigned herself to be a wife in appearance only.

Throughout the wedding organization process, she never saw her future husband; he didn’t even attend the rehearsals. She had to accept a ring from the queen, a beautiful jewel signifying their commitment.

"What a complete disaster, should I give up?" she asked her elder sister, Lady Lucia.

"Why are you complaining so much, Melanie? My God, you have the grand opportunity to be a princess. None of your sisters was chosen. Just take advantage of it; you will have everything at your feet, and most importantly, you will be royalty."

The wedding day arrived.

Melanie looked like a dream, her beautiful, billowing white dress made her look like a queen herself. The royal coach awaited her, she was on the verge of tears.

"Mother, if it doesn't work out..."

"Enough, Melanie, you must not think negative thoughts today."

Arriving at St. Solomon's Cathedral, she saw reality, the crowds waiting to see her, with hundreds of guards at the entrance and her ladies-in-waiting.

Her stomach felt like it might explode any moment, her eyes burned, and her legs were numb. She descended slowly, praying not to fall in front of half the kingdom.

...

"Lady Melanie Humpring..." she heard a voice from afar.

Then she turned to see the prince, his brow furrowed as if he were speaking to her.

"Lady Melanie Humpring, your vows," said the priest.

The vows, poor Melanie, how could she say those vows? She hadn't thought about them at all.

"I... I give you my heart, my life, my time, and promise to love you, care for you, be faithful, be loyal, and... love you."

She didn't know what more to say; she was lying, unsure if she could ever love him.

The prince parroted something written on a paper; Melanie paid no attention, too focused on not being sick.

Left alone in the carriage, her torment began. Melanie waved to the crowds, hoping for a swift journey; her feet were numb, her stomach in knots.

"I hope you know you shouldn't get used to this. We were forced to marry by our families, so nothing is real. You're just a tapestry to cover up my flaws. Do you understand that?"

Melanie's head exploded.

"I understand, but no one put a gun to your head to accept."

Alejandro clenched her face so tightly that Melanie's cheeks turned red.

"Don't be foolish, please; for your own good, never talk to me like that again."

And he gave her their first kiss, right as the carriage rolled through the palace gates of Tulip Kingdom, camera flashes illuminating their faces.

Exactly as planned, the world believed they were in love.