Prologue

Maybe walking alone on the streets wasn't the best idea but it was better than staying in that dingy fraternity. The feeling of disgust stayed with me even after leaving, several men attempting to ruffy or convince me to slip away with them, but the better descriptions for them would be repulsively arrogant cowards. But hearing harsh footsteps from beside me caught me off guard as large and calloused hands wrapped around my mouth pulling me to the ground. 

I remember the sensation of a cold barrel of a gun being pressed against my temple. In that terrifying moment, I didn't even have time to scream before everything went black. It's astonishing how swiftly life can change. One moment, I was a struggling college student with no family and no clear path forward, and the next, I found myself in a situation I couldn't even begin to comprehend.

As I regained consciousness, I was lying in a bed that felt as soft as a cloud. The rustling of the silk sheets echoed around the room as I shifted, and a delicate canopy of lace draped elegantly above me. I blinked, attempting to process my surroundings. This room was vastly different from the dingy apartment I shared with two other financially trapped students. Instead, I was in a room that seemed straight out of a fairytale, with ornate furniture and walls adorned with rich, dark colors.

"What the…?" I muttered, sitting up. The movement made my head spin. I glanced down and almost jumped out of my skin. The body beneath the covers wasn't mine. Instead of my familiar pajamas, I wore a delicate nightgown of fine fabric. My hands, pale and elegant, were not the rough, calloused ones I knew. Before I could process what was happening, the door creaked open. A maid, dressed in a classic uniform straight out of a historical drama, curtsied. "Lady Amelia, you're awake. The duke and duchess will be so relieved."

"Lady Amelia?" I echoed, my voice trembling. "Who's that?" The maid gave me a confused look but quickly masked it with a polite smile. "You, milady. You are Lady Amelia, the duke's beloved daughter." I stared at her, my mind racing. Lady Amelia? Duke's daughter? This had to be a dream. Or a mistake. Or maybe I had finally lost my mind. The maid approached and helped me out of bed. "We must get you ready, milady. Your fiancé, Prince Liam, awaits you in the garden." "Prince Liam?" I felt like a parrot, repeating everything she said. My feet touched the plush carpet, and I wobbled, unused to the sensation. This wasn't real. It couldn't be real. "Yes, milady. The engagement is to be formalized soon. Your family's future depends on it." She spoke as if these were everyday matters, not the earth-shattering revelations they were to me. As she led me to a dressing table, my reflection stared back at me, unfamiliar yet undeniably real. The girl in the mirror had long, red-flowing hair and striking blue eyes. She looked poised, and regal, aside from the terrified expression, she was everything I was not. 

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside me. This had to be a dream, a figment of my imagination but as I pinched my arm hoping to feel nothing the light sting surprised me. If this wasn't a dream, if this was my new reality, I had to survive it. For once, I had a chance at something more than the life I left behind. I just had to figure out how to be Lady Amelia and why I was here.

And why, out of all the impossible things, I had to marry a prince.