"You will get married, whether you like it or not!"

The moment Letizia stepped back home, it felt as if she was sentenced a lifetime verdict in the court.

It's been two years since Letizia ran away from home to escape her hellish fate. But she's here again, kneeling down in front of people who treats her lower than a dog.

"Next week, you will marry Mingyu," her father continued.

Letizia fused her fingers into steely clamps while listening to her father. She heard about this man named Mingyu, who will soon inherit the Renoir. According to the rumors, Mingyu is a violent man who only knows how to beat weak and kill those he hates. Also, many says that Mingyu was cursed, and no one would bear to look at his hideous face.

A married between Esquar and Renoir should be happened for peace between two kingdoms. Therefore, Esquar shall provide a bride for Knox.

And who they will sacrifice?

Letizia slowly tilted her beautiful face towards her father.

Her blood came from this man. But she never felt his affection ever since she was born.

"Why me?" Letizia asked in throaty voice. "Why should I marry that man?"

Tears fell from her eyes. She knew that what's awaiting her after this marriage is only death from the hands of her future husband.

"What do you mean 'why'?" Sofia, her stepsister, butted in. She walked closer to her little sister and elevated down to match gaze with her. "It is only natural that it is you who should marry Mingyu. You are a princess of Esquar, right?"

If the only qualification needed to be Mingyu's wife is being a princess, then, there are three candidates. First is Sofia, who's the oldest daughter of Esquar. Second is Letizia and last is their youngest sister, Lavigne.

Since Sofia is the first child, she should marry Knox. However, both Sofia and their father disagreed. Their father cannot send his oldest daughter to a ruthless man who might kill her life.

Thus, he decided to send the child out of wedlock. They will send the illegitimate daughter to the pit of hell.

"You should be thankful," Sofia added before she pressed Letizia's cheek. "Even if you are only a daughter of a mere maid, you got the chance to marry with a prince. Congratulations my dear sister."

Sofia pushed Letizia as if she's throwing a rag. Well, in her eyes, Letizia is a disgusting trash.

"Ahhh," Letizia winced in pain. When she looked back, she saw Sofia raising her hand while waiting for a maid to pour alcohol in her hand.

"What are you fools waiting? Give me alcohol!"

One maid came rushing. Holding a bottle of alcohol, she poured it to Sofia's hands as she trembled.

Letizia displeased everyone in this place. If they see her like a rag, then she loathed them to the bone.

'If I am going to die in Renoir, I vowed that everyone in this place will also suffer,' Letizia promised.

Joaquin, her father, gave signal to the guards. "Take Letizia back to her room."

The poor princess was surrounded with guards.

"Make sure that she cannot escape before the day of the wedding. Unless you all wanted to die. You understand?!" Joaquin threatened.

Guards quickly dragged Letizia back to her room. As they pulled her, Letizia watched her father and her older sister, Sofia.

They are all grinning, as if they finally won.

Feeling the churning in her stomach, Letizia bit her lower lip until it bleeds.

When Letizia was taken, the maids bathed her and clothed her with beautiful dress.

She sat in front of the mirror, and that's when Letizia remembered her position as the princess of Esquar. Yet, she is not delighted at all.

"You can all leave me," Letizia said to the maid who's watching over her.

"But, Sir Joaquin clearly told us not to leave your side," the maid answered.

"I won't escape," Letizia answered as she looked at the windows of her room.

Every window of her rooms was sealed with grills.

"There's no way I can," she whispered.

The maids looked at each other. They pitied the princess, but they cannot do anything to help her. If they do, they will surely die.

Since Letizia can't escape using the windows, the maids decided to go out and left her.

The large door closed with long creak. It was then Letizia felt comfortable. She stood up from the chair and stood by the window.

She observed outside and saw the garden beside the palace.

Someone who's living in the Esquar won't imagine the life of ordinary people outside the modern society.

The high buildings, the traffic in the street, the smoke, and the noise of the crowded people. Those feel like illusion for her now that she came back and was locked inside the palace of Esquar.

Actually, Esquar seems to appear like a paradise compared to the city. But for Letizia, the life she spends outside the palace was her own paradise.

When Letizia ran away, she learned how to live like a simple human away from the kingdom which was unknown to many.

She experienced working in fast food chain, to sell fruits in the street and to work as dishwasher in restaurants.

It was tiring, indeed. But, she rather chooses that life instead of marrying Mingyu.

"Haaaa," she sighed while standing by the window.

Now that she's reminiscing her life outside, she missed her lover, Wonwoo, even more.

"Wonwoo, I will get married soon," she whispered. "It's your fault. You should have come back sooner."

Letizia only has one man in her heart, and that's Wonwoo. She met her outside the Esquar and instantly fell in love. Wonwoo was like an Indian summer to her life; a brief fake warm weather before the stormy rain.

Wonwoois the first person who gave her affection. And even if Letizia knew that there will be a day when her happiness would take away from her, she's still hoping that Wonwoo will come back. If that happens, the two of them will elope and be with each other, forever.

But Wonwoo didn't come back.

Letizia, then, accepted that she will never see him again before the day she dies.

Days passed.

The day of the wedding arrived.

While wearing the wedding dress, Letizia observed herself in front of the mirror. A crackle of laugh slipped from her lips.

Letizia has no clue how Mingyu looks like. Many said that Mingyu is very ugly. Whoever sees his face will run in horror, as if seeing a monster.

Letizia felt her hands trembling on her wedding dress.

She does not want to admit it, but she was engulfed with fear.

This is not about the groom's face. It is because she heard that Mingyu is a very bad guy.

'He will definitely abuse me after the wedding, until I just wish for him to kill me instead,' she thought.

Letizia took deep breaths few times.

Mingyu cannot kill her because once he did, there will be a war between Esquar and Renoir.

'But during our first night, he will go in berserk once he figured out that I am not virgin anymore.'

A grin appeared on her red lips.

She's used of receiving physical abused from her own family. So, even if she must get beaten to death just to put harm on her family, Letizia will do it.

All she had to do is to close her eyes while waiting for him to figure out that she's not a maiden anymore.

And when the prince found out that Esquar dared send a princess like her, the peace will be over.

Letiza felt no affection to this place. NOTHING LEFT IN HER HEART.

The wedding ceremony started.

Hundreds attended the special occasion today. Even if the President of the country attended to witness the union between the two important kingdoms in the country.

Unknown from many people, Renoir and Esquar are the treasure of the country. These two kingdoms support hundreds of organizations of the government and other influential individuals.

With the government's help, they are doing their best to keep the peace between Renoir and Esquar.

Therefore, it will consider great sin for someone like Letizia to escape.

"The bride will enter!"

The loud introduction forced Letizia to walk in the aisle.

All eyes peered to the beautiful woman in white. Holding a bouquet of flower, Letizia lowered her head while marching forward. Even so, she failed to hide her beauty.

Everyone gaped at the princess's angelic face.

Many heard rumors that the second princess of the Esquar is the most beautiful among the three princess. Seeing the bride, they doubted to more.

'Just bow your head. This will end soon. Just don't ever look ahead,' Letizia said to herself while walking.

Her heart kept on beating loudly. She heard gasps after gasps around, but majority of those voices are act of pity towards her.

Yes. They pitied the princess for marrying the monster groom.

When the loud sounds of wedding march stopped, Letizia is already standing at the end of the aisle. She knew it right then, that her groom is standing beside her.

Suddenly, her tongue felt the taste of the sand. Her mouth became dry, while her hands turned icy cold. If only she can run away, then she should have done this before.

"Are you marrying me? Or the floor? You kept looking downward."

Her groom's voice rang on her ears.

It's deep and husky. Is this the voice of a monster?

'It sounds very manly though,' she said to herself. She quickly shook her head to wash away these weird thoughts.

Perhaps, she's turning crazy to think that her groom's voice sounds very handsome.

"Look up. Don't worry. Even if you lift your head, you won't see my face," the man added.

Letizia furrowed her forehead.

They said that Mingyu is a violent man and that he only knows how to speak rudely. But now, he sounds very considerate.

Gathering courage, Letizia looked up.

As she looked up, she saw the tall man beside him. He's wearing a suit, but...

'Mask?'

The prince is wearing a gold mask to cover his face.

"I told you, you can't see my horrible face," Mingyu chuckled huskily.

Does it mean that Mingyu hate to show his face to everyone?

Letizia sighed in relief. But that does not mean that she's safe.

The priest came.

Just like any normal ceremony, he gave his consent and blessed the wedding of the couple, who met each other for the first time.

"Mingyu of Renoir, will you take Letizia of Esquar as your wife, to have and hold her from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and you cherish, till death, according to God's holy law and this solemn vow?"

Mingyu quickly answered, "Yeah. I think so."

'What kind of answer is that? It sounded as if he wanted to escape too,' Letizia thought. Well, if Mingyu will escape, then that's better.

"Letizia of Esquar..."

Letizia's shoulder stiffened when she heard her name.

"Will you take Mingyu of the Renoir as your husband, to have and hold her from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and you cherish, till death, according to God's holy law and this solemn vow?"

She opened her mouth.

She had no choice. Letizia should say 'yes' and accept her ill fate.

As she opened her lips, she said.. "Yes..."

Her word echoed. Then silence swept the space. This is because the princess suddenly ceased in the middle and looked afar.

Prince Mingyu, with golden mask covering his face, looked at his bride. He saw the princess looking at somewhere with her eyes widened.

Just who does Letizia looking at that her complexion turned so pale?

Mingyu followed the direction where she looked at. And then, from afar, Mingyu saw his brother.

"W-Wonwoo," Letizia murmured, which stole Mingyu's gray eyes under the mask. 

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A/n: Hi. Long time no see. This chapter will be uploaded as book soon, but the names will change. Mingyu will be "Knox" and Wonwoo will be "Austin". I hope you enjoy this.