Chapter 4 Crown of Lies

The morning sun spilled through the palace windows, casting a golden hue over the marble floors and polished silver fixtures. Music floated through the corridors, soft harp notes accompanied by the rhythmic flutter of servants preparing for the day's grand announcement. The royal household was abuzz with excitement, today was the day the kingdom would meet their future queen.

Prince Daniel stood before a tall mirror in his chamber, a team of attendants fussing around him. His mind, however, was clouded. He couldn't shake the strange fog that clung to his memory. Flashes of the previous night flickered through his mind, whispers in the dark, the brush of soft skin, the scent of jasmine and wine. He remembered warmth and tenderness. He remembered a woman beside him. Amanda, surely. She had been there, hadn't she?

He blinked hard, trying to clear the haze, and straightened his royal sash. A part of him felt unsettled, as if something wasn't quite right, but he brushed it aside. His father had made it clear-it was time to settle down, and Amanda had been the favored choice. She was noble, beautiful, and poised. Everything a future queen should be.

The grand hall was transformed into a spectacle of luxury. Velvet drapes framed the towering windows, golden chandeliers shimmered with light, and a red carpet stretched from the grand staircase to the throne dais. Royal officials, foreign dignitaries, and members of the royal family filled the room, their chatter rising in anticipation.

Amanda descended the staircase slowly, her white lace gown cascading around her like mist. Her mother walked proudly behind her, her face a picture of smug satisfaction. Amanda held her chin high, a practiced smile on her lips. But her eyes flicked briefly toward the corner of the hall, where the servants stood in silence.

There stood Amelia. She wore a simple gray dress, her hands clasped in front of her, her eyes dark with pain. She watched Amanda with a hollow expression, forcing herself not to cry. No one else noticed her, no one ever did. But Amanda did. Their eyes met for a split second, and Amanda's smile widened not from joy, but from triumph. She had won, for now.

Trumpets blared, and the room fell silent as Prince Daniel entered. He walked slowly but confidently toward the center of the dais, his eyes scanning the crowd. When he saw Amanda, his expression softened. Or maybe it was confusion masked as affection. He offered her his hand, and she took it, curtsying low.

The court herald stepped forward and unfurled a scroll.

"By royal decree," the herald announced, his voice echoing off the marble walls, "His Royal Highness Prince Daniel of Westwind shall take Lady Amanda Cactus as his betrothed, heir to the crown and future Queen of the kingdom."

Gasps and applause erupted across the hall. The nobles clapped, courtiers exchanged smiles and whispers of approval. Amanda turned to face the prince, her expression full of theatrical grace. She leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on his lip, sealing her victory.

Daniel's lips twitched in a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. Something still felt...off. He couldn't explain it, but he pushed the feeling away. The announcement was made, the court was pleased, and Amanda stood beside him, radiant and composed. The decision had been made.

At the back of the palace hall, Amelia's legs trembled. The applause felt like thunder in her ears. Her vision blurred, but she refused to let a single tear fall. She had survived the previous night's nightmare only to stand here and watch Amanda take the future that was never meant to be hers.

And yet, deep inside her, the same ember of opposition still burned. She would not break. Not here, not now, not in front of them.

Let Amanda have her day. The truth always has a way of rising and when it does, no crown built on lies will last.

Amelia turned away quietly and returned to her duties, her back straight, her heart still aching. But her spirit? It was far from defeated.

Because one day, Prince Daniel would learn the truth. And when that day came, the kingdom would never forget the girl they overlooked