Assurance

Alina thought deeply at Hendrick's offer. She would still become his wife and would still be duchess as he promised, once he became the duke. That assures her position.

However, she would have to tolerate having someone to share him with. And a princess from Valencia to boot.

Alina was not new to such an arrangement. Having multiple spouses was common in the empire especially in noble houses to ensure the survival of the bloodline.

Even when she was married to Prince Aiden, that kind of arrangement almost happened. When Alina did not get pregnant after more than six months after her wedding to Aiden, his subjects suggested that he get a second and third wife.

Since Alina was still in love with Aiden, she was very much distraught by that and starved herself for days just to show Aiden just how much she was against it. Merely sharing him with Stella, her dear friend, was already difficult. How much more to strangers she did not even know?