The Perfect Bride - Chapter 21

At midnight, the carriage stopped in front of Malik House. Marcus, who had been anxiously awaiting Ian’s return, rushed over at once.

‘What kind of expression is that? Did something happen?’

Ian had returned sooner than Marcus expected.

But the gleeful face he had shown while leaving the princess’s garden had vanished; the expression on his face as he stepped out of the carriage was subtle.

Marcus, following behind Ian without a word, finally asked after watching carefully, “Your Highness, what happened?”

“…What about Humphwood and the baroness?”

“As for Humphwood, we’ve handled him. He won’t go around flapping his mouth. Lady Warfield and Miss Dorothy were guided straight to the lounge and, once the commotion died down, returned to the hotel.”

“Well done.”

“Everyone is asking who the lady was who took Your Highness’s hand. I’ll have to stay up all night trying to block tomorrow’s headlines. More importantly, Your Highness.”

This wasn’t right.

Marcus had been rambling before snapping back to his senses. There was a more pressing issue.

“The person hiding in the garden—was it truly Miss Natalie Daus? What did you do about her?”

The prince finally stopped and turned to Marcus. His expression said, “Isn’t it obvious?” Marcus inhaled sharply, doubting what he was about to hear.

“What else? She heard everything.”

“She really heard all of it?”

“Yes.”

“My goodness. I’ll go speak with her immediately.”

“You’re too intense.”

“And Your Highness is too unconcerned. Saying it like that makes me sound like I’d assassinate her.”

Marcus had only considered signing a secrecy agreement and banning her from ever setting foot in Dwan again.

Ian shrugged at Marcus’s protest. “She’s not dangerous. If anything…”

His lips curved in a strange way.

He thought she was the same, but she was completely different from three years ago. She looked like someone who had made up her mind to do nothing.

The woman who used to speak her mind through gritted teeth despite her fear seemed to have died three years ago.

Seeing someone suppressing every thought, feeling, and instinct in real time…

“…It was frustrating beyond words. I got a little mean.”

Until they left Charlotte’s garden, he had intended to kindly explain everything.

But her trembling dark eyes had made his heart uneasy.

“It’s not like the royal family was completely unrelated.”

Charlotte’s words buzzed in his ears.

Was it because of her unusually pitiful face? Or because of what Charlotte said that his thoughts kept returning to her?

‘Pity. And a bit of responsibility.’

The prince quickly defined the unfamiliar emotions.

“It was all quite gentlemanly, so there’s no need for that look. I plan to treat her well next time.”

Next time? A shadow of worry flickered across Marcus’s face.

“Uh… So, just to confirm, Your Highness did secure her silence yourself, right?”

“Yes. What else can she do? She’ll just have to marry me.”

“…Pardon?”

“She heard everything. There’s no other way.”

Marcus considered himself a fairly competent aide who could keep his cool in any unexpected situation.

But ever since getting involved with Natalie Daus, he kept finding himself responding like an idiot.

“Who’s marrying who now?”

Just then, a sharp voice called out behind them. It was Charlotte, who had been left alone to deal with the ballroom guests after Ian suddenly vanished.

***

Ian, leaning against the window frame and swirling his wine glass in silence, finally spoke.

“I like Natalie Daus.”

“…Pardon?”

“As my bride. The more I think about it, she’s perfect.”

“Ah, yes.”

Marcus, who had been about to ask what he meant by ‘like,’ calmed down after hearing the rest.

Charlotte, who had been silent, asked, “In what way?”

“In terms of scandal, no one in the kingdom can match her.”

To the old men in the House of Lords, the baron’s daughter’s name was a living disgrace.

“And she knows exactly what she wants.”

It would be a contract marriage ending in divorce after a year. Even a child knew how society treated divorcées.

Becoming a crown princess at her parents’ urging might seem like a dream, but would such a young lady accept a divorce a year later?

Ian needed a woman who would marry by her own will and accept divorce by her own will.

Judging by how she had gritted her teeth and attended the ball for her sister’s sake, the baron’s daughter only wanted her family to return to a normal life.

“First… finding her sister a marriage match. The rest can follow.”

What the baron’s daughter wished for was something he could provide.

It would be a cleaner deal than with anyone else.

“Even if she doesn’t meet the criteria, she heard everything. I can’t erase her memory, and it’s a hassle to monitor her forever.”

Charlotte considered whether it would be simpler to just have her assassinated, but she didn’t say it aloud.

“If anything, this is a good thing. If I do something, maybe this frustration will ease.”

Ian, who had been merely swirling his crystal glass, drained the drink in one go and muttered as he looked out the window.

Marcus, taken aback by Ian’s unusually elated expression—and above all, his uncharacteristically talkative demeanor—was momentarily at a loss for words.

He glanced at Charlotte, as if pleading with her to do something, but she too was staring blankly at her younger brother.

After quietly observing Ian’s expression, Charlotte finally came to her senses and spoke, “…You’re right. Now that I hear it, it all makes sense.”

“Princess?”

Marcus couldn’t understand why even the princess, whom he had trusted, was now encouraging such an impulsive and reckless decision.

“Ian has no choice but to marry Miss Natalie Daus. It can’t be helped—she overheard everything. Besides, it’s also our fault for discussing such things in an unsecured place, don’t you think?”

Ian, still gazing out the window, nodded slowly in agreement.

Charlotte subtly changed the subject.

“Hmm. By the way, Catherine was practically in tears earlier. She’s worried that the candidates she selected didn’t suit your taste and that you might resent her.”

“Oh, they were all quite admirable young ladies.”

“I’ll make sure to pass that along.”

Marcus suddenly wondered if it was appropriate to call the most scandal-ridden young lady ‘admirable.’

Then Charlotte abruptly turned to him with a question.

“By the way, Marcus, why did you invite Miss Natalie Daus?”

“Didn’t Your Highness instruct me to send an invitation to the Warfield barony?”

“I meant Miss Dorothy. If you were Natalie, would you want to return to Dwan? Not every woman dreams of being invited to a ball or finding a husband.”

This was Marcus’s second mistake.

“Ah…”

Marcus let out a faint sigh. According to the princess’s words, this entire incident had stemmed from his mistake. His face turned pale in an instant.

“This is why gentlemen are such fools. You’ve made quite a blunder. Thanks to you, the baron’s family must be in quite a predicament.”

“My apologies, Your Highness.”

“But… well done. I rather like it.”

As Marcus bowed deeply, Charlotte leaned in and whispered just loud enough for only him to hear.

‘Did I mishear?’

With a bewildered look, Marcus lifted his eyes to the princess. To his surprise, she winked and even offered a smile. He was more confused than ever.

***

“It’s not a dream.”

When she lowered her gaze from her tearful reflection in the mirror, she saw the once-beautiful hem of her scarlet dress now soiled with dirt. Her carefully styled hair had come undone, and of the flowers pinned as decoration, only a few remained.

Just a few hours ago, she had stood before this very mirror, desperately praying that nothing would happen. There must be no God in this world.

“Otherwise, there’s no way this keeps happening to me…”

Completely drained, Natalie sank to the floor. She began to recall the last words the prince had spoken to her in the carriage.

“There’s a ball hosted by the Duchess of Horace in three days. They say it’s the highlight of the season.”

“If you wish to make a deal with me, take the carriage I send. Your mother and sister should come as well.”

“Being invited to the duchess’s ball will be the beginning of great change for your sister’s life.”

The prince seemed to know everything about her—even the parts she wished to hide. She had been so ashamed and humiliated, she couldn’t say a word in reply.

“Disgusting.”

“Then I hope you make a wise choice. I look forward to seeing you at the duchess’s residence in three days.”

“Truly disgusting.”

Though the prince had granted her a three-day grace period, there was nothing left to consider. Her answer had already been decided.

“If you do nothing, nothing changes. But you… You seem like someone who wants to get better.”

The moment the prince had whispered those words—

She’d once heard that sometimes, the devil speaks in a sweeter voice and wears a more beautiful face than an angel. That’s why one must be even more cautious.

Prince Ian, Duke of Valderma, was exactly that.

Just then, a commotion echoed from the end of the corridor.

It seemed her mother and Dorothy had returned from the ball a bit early. After all that chaos, it was no wonder they hadn’t stayed long.

Natalie bit her lower lip hard and stood up.

“Natalie? Natalie, are you there?”

Bang, bang. The baroness was urgently knocking on Natalie’s door. Natalie rushed to open it.

“What happened? Why did Prince Ian…”

“We need to extend our hotel stay.”

“What?”

“I’ve been invited to Lady Horace’s ball. It’s in three days.”

“What…”

The baroness was so shocked she couldn’t speak. Dorothy, standing behind her with a disgruntled look, had her eyes wide and her mouth covered in astonishment.

“We’ll need a new dress, Dorothy.”

At Natalie’s words, large tears began to roll down Dorothy’s cheeks. They were tears of joy. Feeling the weight of all her sister’s hardship, Natalie took a quiet breath.

“Let’s visit the dress shop early tomorrow.”

With a faint smile, Natalie whispered softly.