In truth, she was the one I'd been meant to marry in the first place.
My brother and I had each been matched to one of the two princesses.
But Elmer ran off on his own, and to save face with Rosalind, who held the greater power, the family had no choice but to send me in his place.
In the year since, Evelyn Abbott had remained unmarried.
The door opened, and I looked at her.
"Princess Evelyn. The old betrothal between us. Does it still stand?"
I had prepared myself.
If she refused,
I would bow and leave without another word.
After all, it was the Dickerson family that had slighted her first.
Evelyn studied me for a long time.
"It stands."
On the first day of our marriage, I secured the merchant's license.
To repay Evelyn's trust, I threw myself into the work with even more drive than I'd had at the Crown Princess's Estate.
She told me that every cent the estate earned would be recorded under my name.
"Princess, could it be that you actually like me?"
I was genuinely curious.
She only smiled and said nothing.
Evelyn was a princess who had never been favored by the court.
But I would make sure every woman in the capital envied mine.