Five Fiancés, One Hidden Queen

The Crestwood Region.

Endless grasslands covered the land, and nothing had been done to tame their natural beauty. A grand mansion stood in the middle of the open fields. Its strong walls gave it the appearance of a fortress, yet the world hidden behind them was beautiful enough to leave any visitor speechless.

A young woman's sharp voice rang through the mansion. "Excuse me? You expect me to travel to Ardencroft and choose my fiance? That's not happening."

"Whether you like it or not, Adelina, you have to go. Our family settled this engagement with the Sullivan family many years ago. They raised five remarkable sons, and no one is asking you to marry all of them. Simply choose the one you like best. Surely, one of those young men will manage to impress you."

Adelina Bennett relaxed against the sofa while her untamed curls flowed down her back like red flames. Bold features gave her a rare and unforgettable beauty that could easily turn heads and steal hearts. Whenever she entered a room, people couldn't help but notice her.

Marvin Bennett had raised his granddaughter since she was a child. Adelina respected the old man very much and knew better than to keep arguing when he had already made up his mind. Her lips slowly formed a calculating smile. "All right, Grandpa. I'll agree, but only if you accept my terms. The Sullivan family must never discover my real identity. Since you think so highly of their sons, I'll spend one year getting to know them. If none of them wins my heart before that year ends, the engagement will be canceled. Afterward, no one gets to interfere with my love life ever again."

Marvin laughed softly because he did not doubt the outcome. "You have yourself a deal."

...

Several days later, four remarkably handsome men gathered outside the train station in Ardencroft.

Each man possessed a different kind of charm. One appeared distant and refined, while another carried himself with an easy warmth. Together, they drew so much attention that a crowd would've surrounded them for their contact details if the bodyguards hadn't kept everyone back.

"This is ridiculous." Carson Sullivan was the youngest brother, and he fanned a hand in front of his face to fight the heat. "Grandfather forced us to stand outside in this weather just to welcome someone we never met. Does he honestly believe we have nothing important to do?"

"Anyone who travels all the way here by train must come from some forgotten little town in the middle of nowhere," Colin Sullivan added. As the fourth brother, he was also a famous celebrity who had recently been named the country's most desirable man. Irritation showed in his eyes as he adjusted the cap and mask hiding his face.

"So a country girl gets to inspect all five of us and decide which one deserves to become her fiance?" Trevor Sullivan, the third Sullivan brother, gave a dry laugh and shook his head. "I honestly thought Grandfather was joking when he told me yesterday. Waylon certainly chose the perfect morning for a meeting because he managed to escape this mess."

Only Alan Sullivan remained silent. He was the second eldest, but the tension in his jaw and the irritation in his eyes made his opinion perfectly clear.

Moments later, the station doors opened and a young woman stepped outside. She wore a red dress so painfully outdated that it looked like an insult to fashion. Cheap embroidery covered the poorly fitted design, while the unpleasant fabric made the entire outfit look even worse. An awkward haircut surrounded her face and completed the dreadful appearance.

Carson quickly elbowed Colin and pointed toward her. "Are you seeing this? Who still dresses like that? I haven't seen anything so awful outside those old TV comedies from the nineties."

A second later, all four brothers watched in disbelief as the young woman headed directly toward them. She didn't hesitate before coming to a stop in front of them.

"Hello," she said with a gentle, modest voice. "I assume you're the Sullivan brothers. My name is Adelina Bennett."

Every brother's expression stiffened at once. Disbelief spread across Colin's face as he looked her up and down. "Wait, you're the Adelina Bennett we've been waiting for?"

Could this truly be the lovely young lady their grandfather had praised so highly?

Nothing about the girl in front of them matched that description. A dull, dark complexion covered her face, along with moles scattered across her skin. Worst of all was the shockingly bright pink lipstick painted heavily over her mouth, which made her lips resemble a piece of bubblegum.

Adelina gave an eager nod and gazed at them as though their looks had completely amazed her. "My grandfather told me all of you were handsome, but I thought he was exaggerating. It turns out he wasn't."

But inwardly, she thought they were just okay. None of them seemed impressive enough to tempt her.

Carson looked so close to losing his temper. Both hands curled into fists as he struggled to swallow every insult threatening to leave his mouth. He had expected a simple country girl, but even his worst imagination hadn't prepared him for someone like this.

At last, he forced himself to say, "Ms. Bennett, wouldn't you rather return home instead of staying here?"

"Excuse me?" Adelina blinked at him with genuine confusion.

Alan eventually took control of the situation. He was the second Sullivan brother and served as vice president of the Sullivan Group. His usual composure remained intact as he spoke in a calm but decisive tone. "We've waited long enough. Everyone should get in the car."

Soon afterward, all five of them departed from the station. Adelina took a seat beside Alan in the vehicle's middle row.

She leaned close to the window and stared outside with exaggerated amazement. "Look at those buildings! They're unbelievably tall! Nothing back home looks anything like this!"

Silent looks passed among the four brothers as they tried not to react. To them, she resembled a country mouse seeing the city for the first time, and her ignorance was almost impossible to believe.

A moment later, Adelina noticed the watch on Alan's wrist and gasped once more. "Oh, my God! Your watch is beautiful! Something that fancy must cost a few hundred dollars, doesn't it?"

A few hundred dollars? The watch had cost thirty million!

Words failed every brother in the car. By then, each of them shared the same desperate hope that Adelina would choose someone else.

Eventually, the car stopped outside the Sullivan estate. Adelina opened her mouth in another display of exaggerated awe. "This is incredible! Your family lives in a huge house!"

In truth, the entire property wasn't even one-tenth as large as her family's estate. Secretly, she regarded it with little more than contempt.

Carson interrupted her thoughts before she could finish judging the place. "Will you stop already? You're behaving as if you've never laid eyes on a proper house. I can't stand listening to another word!"

The other three Sullivan brothers remained quiet, but they felt exactly the same way.

The Sullivan brothers' miserable expressions almost made Adelina burst into laughter. Somehow, she managed to suppress it. She made herself look hurt instead and quietly followed the brothers into the house.

One of the maids escorted her upstairs to a bedroom that Harold Sullivan had personally arranged for her. As the grandfather of the five brothers, he had spared no effort in making their guest feel welcome. Soft shades of blue gave the room a sweet, charming atmosphere, while the walk-in closet overflowed with luxury clothes, handbags, and jewelry. Anyone could tell that he had carefully chosen every detail.

Meanwhile, the four brothers had only just taken their seats downstairs when Adelina's dramatic cries of amazement echoed from the upper floor once again.

"This bedroom is enormous, and everything is beautiful! Wait, do all these clothes, bags, and pieces of jewelry actually belong to me?"

Misery spread across all four faces. Colin was the first to voice his concern. "We all know I'm the most attractive one here. What if she chooses me because of my face? Honestly, being this handsome is starting to feel more like a punishment than a blessing."

"Most attractive? You? Did you leave your sense of shame at the station?" one of his brothers retorted.

Later that evening, Adelina joined the four brothers for dinner.

Traveling was a favorite pastime of the brothers' parents and grandfather, so they were rarely at the estate. Waylon Sullivan-the eldest among his siblings-currently led the Sullivan Group as its CEO, and his demanding work schedule kept him at the office most of the time. Although the younger brothers each owned separate residences, their grandfather had ordered them to remain at the family estate throughout Adelina's stay.

At dinnertime, Adelina appeared in the same dreadful red dress she had worn at the station, and the sight made Trevor wince. As an internationally celebrated fashion designer, he could no longer ignore the offense against good taste. "Ms. Bennett, your closet is already filled with plenty of other outfits. Could you please choose something different before we eat?"

Confusion crossed Adelina's face as she studied the dress. "Is there something wrong with it? My grandmother spent a great deal of time sewing it for me herself."

Silent looks passed among the brothers.

Did anyone still sew clothes by hand in this day and age? None of them could believe what they had heard.

"That's it," Carson snapped-the sharpest-tongued of the bunch. "You need to understand that none of us has any intention of becoming your fiance, and our eldest brother won't choose you either. So save yourself the embarrassment and return to where you came from as soon as possible."

Adelina worried her lower lip before answering softly, "If I leave now, how can I possibly explain this to my grandfather?"

"Stop pretending you don't understand. You came here because you want a share of our family's fortune. I'm warning you now. Staying in this house won't get you anything," Carson said with contempt.

Adelina lowered her gaze and slowly moved the food around her plate while pretending to be deeply hurt. One glance at her awful makeup and dreadful dress was enough to ruin the four brothers' appetites. How could they possibly survive an entire year with her?

Once they left the dining room, her gloomy act disappeared, and she enjoyed the rest of her meal. Everything served at the Sullivan estate tasted delicious and suited her perfectly.

Better yet, her plans were unfolding exactly as she hoped. Every Sullivan brother already disliked her, which meant they could all return to their separate lives after one year.

When dinner ended, Adelina returned to her bedroom. A sudden buzz drew her attention to the phone lying on the bed, where a new message waited.

"Did you arrive safely in Ardencroft, A? Tell me how things are going. The Sullivans haven't been causing trouble for you, have they?"

A knowing smile touched Adelina's lips before she sent her answer. "You think those Sullivans can make things difficult for me? Oh, please."

Another message appeared almost immediately. "I never doubted you. Still, don't underestimate those brothers because none of them is easy to handle. Waylon Sullivan is the one you should watch most carefully. He hides more secrets than people realize, so don't let your guard down around him."

For a moment, Adelina considered the warning. Waylon was probably the eldest Sullivan brother who had missed her arrival because of a meeting. Although they hadn't met yet, she saw no reason to worry because fear had never ruled her life.

Soon afterward, she switched off her phone and fell asleep.

Sleeping in an unfamiliar bed had never come easily to her, and this night proved no different. Hours of tossing and turning passed before thirst finally woke her at around four in the morning.

All traces of her ugly makeup were already gone from her face after she took a shower before bed. Since everyone else should've been asleep, there was no chance of anyone seeing her without the disguise.

She stepped into her slippers and quietly made her way downstairs for a drink of water. Once she finished, she wandered back upstairs while sleep blurred her thoughts.

Darkness filled the bedroom because she didn't bother switching on the light. The moment she slipped beneath the covers, something about the mattress struck her as different. Somehow, this bed felt much more comfortable than before.

Some time later, the sound of the door opening disturbed her sleep. A person entered and pulled back the covers, which immediately roused Adelina from her light slumber.

"Who the hell is in here?" A man's deep, rough voice broke the silence.

Sleep still clouded Adelina's mind, but the stranger's presence brought her fully awake. Why would anyone enter her bedroom in the middle of the night?

"Shouldn't I be asking you that question? You're the one who came into my room without permission. Didn't anyone teach you to knock?"

The room was pitch black. She couldn't make out his face. But then a cold, mocking laugh sounded nearby. "So you're Adelina Bennett?"

Unease crept through Adelina as she began to suspect that the stranger was Waylon, the eldest Sullivan brother that she hadn't met so far. The man gave her no chance to speak before he asked, "Look around. Do you have any idea whose bedroom you're in?"

For a moment, she couldn't move. The faint moonlight slowly brought the truth into focus, and she realized that she wasn't in her own room.

That explained why the bed had felt so unfamiliar.

Could she have wandered into someone else's room without even noticing?

Panic sent Adelina tumbling out of bed, and embarrassment left her face burning. "I'm terribly sorry. I got the rooms mixed up, but I swear I didn't come in here on purpose."

"Leave. Now." The man's words sent her rushing toward the door, and she fled without looking back.

By the time Adelina came downstairs the following morning, she was still fighting off sleep. Carson's mocking voice reached her before she entered the room. "Waylon, that girl is an ugly-ass! The servants said she slipped into your room last night. How did you survive waking up to something that frightening?"

Her brow creased as Carson's words confirmed her suspicion. The man from last night was really Waylon.

At first, Waylon offered no response.

Was the woman truly as ugly as Carson claimed? It was so dark last night, Waylon hadn't gotten a proper look at Adelina. Still, he remembered the graceful outline of her figure, the long hair that fell freely around her shoulders, and the smooth skin that had appeared flawless even in the dim moonlight.

At that moment, his attention shifted toward the staircase as Adelina descended.

Although she had put on different clothes, thick patches of dark makeup covered her face, and several crooked fake moles had been drawn across her skin.

There was no kinder way to describe her appearance. She really looked hideous.

Waylon pressed his lips together. Clearly, his mind had created a far more attractive image than reality deserved.

Meanwhile, Adelina took a quick look at him. A fitted black suit covered his tall frame, and his striking features looked as though someone had carefully carved them. Not a single flaw marked his appearance, while the strength of his presence made the entire room feel smaller.

His deep voice ended the silence. "I have work waiting for me at the office, so I'm leaving."

Without sparing Adelina another look, he turned around and walked out.

Carson looked her over with open contempt. "Now I understand why you treated the four of us like we weren't worth your time. You wanted Waylon from the beginning, didn't you? I have to admit, Adelina, you planned this well."

Annoyance tugged at Adelina's mouth. She had entered Waylon's room because of an honest mistake, so how had Carson twisted that accident into some elaborate scheme?

Still, Adelina saw no reason to defend herself. Instead, she took a seat at the table and quietly began eating breakfast.

Her refusal to acknowledge him only made Carson angrier, and he marched straight toward her. "You'd better get this through your head, Adelina. Waylon wouldn't spare you a second glance even if you begged him. His heart already belongs to another woman, so stop dreaming that you have any chance with him."

"Got it."

"You know what? Maybe you should set your sights on me instead. Treat me well and keep me satisfied, and I might convince everyone to let you remain in this house a little longer."

Adelina looked Carson over without hiding her disgust. "You, seriously? You're still practically a kid."

That insult pushed Carson past his limit. "You hideous freak! Where did you get the nerve to speak to me that way? You'd better not choose me as your fiance because I'd rather die than marry you!"

Nearby, Alan silently observed their argument. His attention settled on Adelina as she continued eating without showing the slightest concern. Everyone claimed she had grown up in a backwater town, yet her calm behavior carried a natural grace that didn't match that story. Perhaps his mind was playing tricks on him.

Harold had already made all the necessary arrangements before she arrived. Adelina and Carson were of the same age, so she would enroll in his prestigious private school and join his grade.

"Here's another warning for you, ugly. Once we're at school, keep your mouth shut about any connection you have to me and my family."

Another scornful glance was Adelina's only response.

Once breakfast ended, she climbed into Alan's car. Much like Waylon, he rarely spoke unless necessary.

Curiosity eventually got the better of Adelina. "Since Carson and I attend the same school, wouldn't it make more sense for the three of us to ride together?"

What was the point of making Alan drive her there separately?

Alan sighed, and frustration showed plainly on his face as he said, "My grandpa decided that all five of us need time to get to know you. He created a schedule that makes us take turns driving you to school during the week and spending time with you on weekends. Waylon was assigned to drive you this morning, but an early meeting came up, so the responsibility fell on me instead."

Every one of the brothers had objected to the arrangement at first. None of them wanted to waste their weekdays chauffeuring some worthless country girl or sacrifice their weekends to keep her entertained.

However, once Harold decided on something, no one in the family had the power to reject it.

Adelina understood the situation without needing any further explanation. Their reluctance was impossible to miss, and the feelings were actually mutual-she had no desire to spend time with them either.