Chapter 1 - The Royal Judgment
The silence in the grand villa was heavy, broken only by the sharp intake of breath from the brideās mother, Evelyn. The man she had just branded a "worthless beggar" stood before her, the gold embroidery of the royal crest gleaming under the crystal chandeliers. Commander Vance, the leader of the Royal Guards, stepped forward, his voice echoing off the marble walls.
"All kneel before His Majesty, King Alexander of the Valerius Empire."
The guests dropped to their knees like falling dominoes. The relatives who had been laughing a moment ago were now trembling, their faces pressed against the cold floor.
Alexander ignored them all. His focus was entirely on Clara, his bride, whose tears had stained her white veil. With effortless grace, he scooped her into his arms, holding her close against his chest. When he turned his gaze to Claraās family, his eyes were like shards of ice.
"You called me worthless," Alexander said, his voice low but carrying a terrifying weight. "You humiliated the woman who gave up everything to stand by my side when I pretended to have nothing."
Evelyn stammered, her face pale as ash. "Your... Your Majesty! We didnāt know! We were just trying to protect Clara fromā"
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"Silence," the King commanded. "You did not protect her. You betrayed her. As of this moment, the Vance family assets are frozen, and your titles are stripped. You wanted a wealthy son-in-law? You will watch me elevate Clara to the highest throne while you beg in the streets."
Without waiting for a response, Alexander carried Clara through the grand glass doors, leaving her family gasping for air in a room filled with suffocating panic.
