The Perfect Bride - Chapter 48

Ian glanced around, then gestured toward Marcus, who had been waiting a few steps behind. Natalie suddenly realized she had been holding the prince’s hand the entire time.

Beside him, a royal attendant—summoned at some point—stood holding a flat velvet box in deep red grape color. The attendant handed the box to Marcus.

Natalie had a feeling she knew what was inside. Her lips parted slightly.

“Natalie, you know that you have a bodyguard assigned to you.”

“Yes, I’m aware.”

Alongside the monitor Ian had assigned her, Natalie had been followed by a bodyguard. She didn’t know exactly how many.

“Starting tomorrow, the number of your bodyguards will double. You understand what that means, don’t you?”

Ernest II was a notorious scoundrel with countless mistresses, but even he had given a necklace only to Queen Violet. The moment Prince Ian gave a necklace to a baron’s daughter, his courtship would no longer be considered a mere personal whim.

A national scandal was about to begin.

“Yes.”

Lowering her eyelids, Natalie responded in a calm voice. Then she tilted her head slightly, as if offering her neck.

Ian slowly released her hand and began to untie the silk ribbon around her neck.

Every time his fingertips barely grazed her skin, Natalie’s heartbeat raced foolishly.

No matter how hard she tried to stay composed, her heart was shamelessly honest. He would surely hear it pounding.

At last, as the damp ribbon slipped away from her neck, Natalie’s black lashes quivered. A faint sense of liberation came with it—and vague fear.

Marcus opened the velvet box and offered it to Ian. Like a star that shone brighter against a dark night sky, Starry Night gleamed even more brilliantly in the dim surroundings.

Ian picked up the necklace himself and expertly fastened it around Natalie’s neck. As his touch brushed the back of her neck and the weight of the necklace settled on her, Natalie held her breath.

With her slender, long neck and pale skin, Natalie indeed looked like the rightful owner of Starry Night.

When Ian withdrew his hands, Natalie hesitated before lifting her head. As their eyes met, a graceful smile curved his lips.

“As I thought, it suits you perfectly.”

That beautiful smile, and his gentle voice.

“I hope you like it…”

‘Ah, really…’

At this point, I don’t even know anymore.

Natalie, who had forgotten to breathe until then, let out a faint sigh without realizing. For a moment, an irrational heat rose to her head, and she felt dizzy.

“Anyone would fall in love with him.”

Absolutely true. The ladies’ chatter was undeniable wisdom. Loving him was simply natural for any human being.

She didn’t want to be a presumptuous young lady, and it was incredibly embarrassing—but she would admit it. Just this once. It couldn’t be helped.

I’m drawn to you. My heart races for you.

Her vision began to spin. That beautiful man seemed to be frowning for some reason.

“But Natalie.”

As if the fluttering would never be resolved—maybe from the very first time she saw him, this was inevitable. Natalie surrendered inwardly.

I think I like you.

“You have a fever right now.”

Just as she finally admitted it after countless denials, the world collapsed—and her body felt like it floated.

But I’ll only like you. I won’t wish for anything more.

That was the last thing Natalie remembered from the inauguration.

***

Itman Station service temporarily suspended due to higher-than-expected passenger volume.

Dwan, the embodiment of the future—Grand Batten’s revolutionary technology inspires awe. Full transcript of Princess Sophia of Fossa’s speech…

The morning after the inauguration, articles flooded in about Itman Station and Princess Sophia.

In particular, the foreign princess’s statements expressing affection for Grand Batten were extensively covered. Every word she said was turned into a headline.

Bustle introduced by Princess Sophia of Fossa becomes a huge hit.

Sophia’s outfit was even given an exclusive, urgently prepared feature.

As Sophia quickly gained popularity and rose to national stardom, people eagerly imagined the future where this charming young woman would become Grand Batten’s queen.

But that afternoon, an article that instantly cast a solemn mood over the celebratory atmosphere made the cover of Noble Cut.

Shocking! Prince Ian gifts a necklace.

New owner of Starry Night: Miss Natalie Daus, daughter of Baron Warfield.

No one bothered to verify the truth, but this shocking scandal spread across Grand Batten faster than any other news.

One thing was certain—no one wanted Natalie Daus as queen. They wanted Princess Sophia.

As the people began to accept that their beloved angel had lost his mind and blamed it on the infamous ‘shame of ladies,’ Natalie was suffering from a dreadful fever.

For five full days.

***

“Natalie, are you all right?”

Dorothy, who had been sitting at the head of Natalie’s bed, anxiously watching her sister, asked nervously.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

Natalie replied while reading through the stack of news bulletins that had accumulated over the past five days.

Dorothy scowled at her sister’s unnervingly calm demeanor. With her sunken cheeks and a face so pale it lacked all color, she looked utterly pathetic.

“Stop reading that. What good will it do?”

Dorothy, knowing all too well what the articles contained, tried to snatch the paper from her sister’s hand, but Natalie swiftly moved her arm to evade her.

“I said I’m fine, Dorothy. I’m just reading it as a test.”

“What nonsense is this? You’re scaring me.”

Dorothy was seized by the fear that her sister might have gone mad from the high fever. With a serious expression, she rang the bell above the bed. She figured she should have Donna call the doctor again.

“I really am fine.”

Regardless, Natalie mumbled as she read the article.

She meant it.

After an agonizing period of self-reflection, she had come to fully accept her role, so even malicious articles didn’t affect her much. Once she acknowledged her feelings for the prince after fierce denial, the anxiety and unease vanished.

It felt like all the negative emotions that had tormented her had been washed away with the fever. She even felt refreshed. It was a kind of shock therapy that had worked.

To think she was marrying her unrequited love—even if only for a year—perhaps that was a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of luck.

‘It’s not like I’m going to confess. They’re just my feelings, so what’s the harm?’

Natalie decided she would enjoy this fortune for as long as the contract lasted. She would no longer be afraid of her own heart or his kindness.

Having made that decision, even a hopeless unrequited love began to give her strength in a strange way.

Just then, Dorothy, who had been furiously tearing up the newspaper Natalie had finished, grumbled, “They write articles about everything. Someone must be selling our story for money. It’s outrageous!”

‘Seriously. How did they even find out that the prince gave me a necklace?’

Natalie had heard that immediately after collapsing at the inauguration, she had been carried back to the ducal residence by carriage.

‘Did someone see Starry Night around my neck then?’

She began to think that the most likely explanation was that Ian himself had leaked the story to the press.

Perhaps his original plan had been to dance with the baron’s daughter wearing Starry Night during the second part of the party after the fireworks—as if to intentionally create a buzz.

‘…Good. I’m not as upset as I expected.’

She was managing to keep her promise—not to be greedy, only to like him.

“By the way, has the prince gone back?”

“No. He’s still staying in the guest room at the main building.”

Since the moment Natalie had collapsed, Ian had remained at the ducal residence.

“…I see.”

He really was putting effort into this performance.

“Oh my! He must really love you! Just the fact that he checks on you every morning and evening proves it!”

Dorothy’s tone, which had been grumbling moments before, now rose excitedly. Natalie simply smiled calmly.

On the doctor’s orders, Natalie was not to exert herself for a while. So she continued to enjoy the luxury of taking meals in bed. With the help of Dorothy—who turned out to have a surprising knack for nursing—she had just finished lunch.

Knock knock. After a calm knock, Mrs. Bate entered carrying a silver tray.

“Ladies, we’ve received urgent news from the Earl of Rutherford.”

The message was that Countess Bianca of Rutherford had safely given birth. This time, it was a daughter.

“Oh my goodness!”

Natalie and Dorothy, forgetting the subtle distance that had still lingered between them, hugged each other tightly.

‘See? Becoming a fake bride was an incredible stroke of luck for me.’

It really all depended on one’s mindset. Natalie was feeling more optimistic than she had in years.

Filled with an inexplicable hope that everything would work out, she began browsing catalogs with Dorothy to choose a gift for the Rutherford family.

As they were flipping through the pages, Mrs. Bate said to Natalie, “Miss Daus, may I have a word?”

After Dorothy left with the catalog, Mrs. Bate pulled up a stool and sat close to the bed.

“What is it?”

“There’s something you should know.”

Mrs. Bate pulled a thick stack of papers from her bosom and placed it before Natalie. It looked like a bundle of letters. What stood out was the abundance of deep crimson—like splattered blood.

“These are threat letters.”

She went on to explain that a large number of threatening letters had been arriving addressed to Natalie Daus. Even Mrs. Bate’s usually composed voice seemed to tremble slightly.