“Lady Aida Amethyst, I hereby annul our engagement.”
At the graduation party of the Royal Academy, the elegant strains of a waltz filled the hall, where dazzling dresses swirled like blossoming flowers.
Meanwhile, in the courtyard, where the music could be faintly heard, guests were enjoying the cool night breeze, conversing by the illuminated fountain, or whispering words of love. However, at that very moment, everyone—those idly chatting and even the lovers lost in their own world—froze, their expressions stiffening as they turned to witness the unfolding scene.
The voice that had caused such a commotion belonged to none other than Renato, the First Prince of the Rubini Kingdom.
Renato was the very picture of princely elegance, with platinum blond hair and clear sky-blue eyes. He was a man of great self-discipline, never indulging in arrogance despite his status, and he treated everyone with fairness and courtesy. Because of this, he was widely admired. However, he rarely smiled, and more often than not, a slight furrow in his brow gave him a stern expression.
And now, this very same prince had done the unthinkable—he had broken off his engagement in full view of the public.
Standing beside him was his younger brother, the Second Prince, Placido, whose face clearly showed disbelief. On the other side, Lady Eleonora, the daughter of Baron Cashari, looked utterly shaken, her distress obvious. Then there was Aida, the Duke’s daughter and Renato’s betrothed, rendered speechless by shock.
And lastly—there was me, Maria Annovazzi, standing next to Aida, with Renato gripping my arm and glaring at me intently.
Why.
Why was the crown prince declaring the annulment of his engagement to Aida—to me?
“Brother, what in the world… is going on?”
The first to break the silence was Placido, his golden hair and emerald eyes mirroring Renato’s. His words served as a signal, causing the entire gathering to shift from stunned silence to a state of confusion.
“Lady Aida, I can no longer turn a blind eye to your disgraceful behavior toward Lady Eleonora. I demand that you apologize for the numerous acts of harassment and violence you have inflicted upon her, and I hereby sentence you to confinement.”
Renato’s piercing gaze did not waver as he spoke to me. His grip on my arm tightened, just enough to be painful.
“Brother, please calm yourself. Do you even know who you are speaking to?”
Yes, Second Prince, go on, wake him up.
“Placido, you’ve been deceived. This woman has been tormenting Lady Eleonora out of jealousy, secretly bullying her, publicly humiliating her, and even pushing her down the stairs, causing her injury. As a prince of this kingdom, I cannot tolerate someone who abuses their status to oppress others.”
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