Chapter 1: Bride Unseen
Crema's Point of View
“Prepare yourself. Tonight is the night.”
My father's words should have filled me with excitement.
Instead, my stomach tightened.
After three long years, the Crimson Moon would finally rise.
And with it would come the moment I had dreamed about since childhood.
I would finally meet my fated mate.
Prince Giovan.
The future king.
My future husband.
I had imagined this night a thousand times.
A palace.
A family.
Children running through royal halls.
A life where I finally knew exactly where I belonged.
So why did I suddenly feel like something was wrong?
“Indeed, Father. I'll be ready.”
My father studied my face before smiling.
“I'm glad you're happy about this.”
“What does that mean?”
He sighed.
“Crema, this marriage was arranged years ago. You accepted it without a fight.”
“Of course I did.”
I smiled.
“Why wouldn't I? Giovan is the future king.”
My father pulled me into a hug.
“I'm glad you have no regrets.”
“No regrets.”
I wanted to believe that.
Then my mother entered with several servants carrying dresses, jewelry, and everything I would need for the evening.
She looked at me carefully.
“Marriage isn't easy, Crema.”
I looked up.
“There will be arguments. Misunderstandings. Days when you wonder if you made the right choice.”
Her hand rested gently on my shoulder.
“But be patient with Giovan. This future was arranged when you were both children.”
Before I could answer, a voice came from the doorway.
“Oh?”
Every servant went silent.
I knew that voice.
Janine.
She stood there with her arms crossed, wearing a smile that immediately put me on edge.
Her eyes moved over the dresses, the jewelry, and finally me.
Then she laughed.
“Are they really working this hard to make you look presentable?”
“Janine.”
My mother's voice turned cold.
“Watch your words.”
Janine raised an innocent eyebrow.
“What? I'm only telling the truth.”
She looked at me again.
“I suppose something important is happening tonight.”
“Prince Giovan's family is coming,” my mother said.
For one brief moment, Janine's smile disappeared.
Then it returned.
“Oh.”
She looked straight at me.
“Congratulations, cousin. You're finally getting married.”
Everyone knew Janine admired Giovan.
She never said it directly, but she didn't have to.
The way she talked about him.
The way she watched him whenever he appeared.
Everyone had noticed.
My mother clearly had too.
“I only have one request,” she said.
Her eyes hardened.
“Don't cause trouble tonight.”
Janine smiled.
“Of course.”
She turned toward the door.
“I wouldn't want to ruin Crema's special night.”
The door closed behind her.
I let out a quiet breath.
My mother looked at me.
“Don't let her bother you.”
“I'm not.”
That wasn't completely true.
But tonight wasn't about Janine.
It was about Giovan.
The servants finished preparing me soon after.
My dress was simple and elegant. My hair was tied neatly with a small butterfly ribbon.
I stared at myself in the mirror.
For years, I had imagined meeting my mate.
Tonight, it would finally happen.
I wanted Giovan to look at me and be happy that fate had chosen us.
Then my father's voice echoed through the house.
“They're here.”
My heart stopped.
They're here.
My mother took my hands.
“It's normal to be nervous.”
I nodded.
But my heartbeat was already racing.
What if he didn't like me?
What if he changed his mind?
I pushed the thoughts away.
No.
He was my mate.
He would come.
He had to.
The guests began arriving.
King Dior entered with his family, followed by formal greetings and polite smiles.
But I barely heard any of it.
My eyes kept returning to the entrance.
He wasn't there.
Minutes passed.
Then more.
Still nothing.
My fingers tightened around my dress.
Where was Giovan?
Finally, King Dior turned toward a guard.
“Where is Giovan?”
The guard lowered his head.
“Prince Giovan has not arrived yet, Your Majesty.”
Silence spread through the room.
King Dior's expression hardened.
“Find him.”
The guard hesitated.
“Your Majesty...”
“Bring him here.”
His voice became colder.
“If Giovan refuses to come willingly, bring him in.”
My breath caught.
Refuses?
My father's expression changed.
My mother reached for my arm.
But I barely felt her touch.
He wasn't late.
He wasn't delayed.
He simply didn't want to come.
He didn't want to meet me.
He didn't want this marriage.
The future I had dreamed about my entire life suddenly felt like it was slipping away.
Then the doors opened.
A guard entered.
His face was pale.
He walked straight to King Dior and dropped to one knee.
“Your Majesty.”
“Where is my son?”
The guard swallowed.
“Prince Giovan refused to come.”
My heart sank.
Then he delivered the words that shattered it.
“He said he has no intention of marrying Lady Crema.”
The room went completely silent.
I couldn't breathe.
My fated mate had rejected the marriage before he had even met me.
For the first time, I wondered if he had ever wanted me at all.
I lowered my eyes, trying to hide the pain burning behind them.
Then footsteps echoed through the hallway.
Slow.
Heavy.
Getting closer.
Everyone turned toward the entrance.
And finally...
He appeared.
Prince Giovan.
The man I had spent years dreaming about.
The man fate had chosen for me.
The man who had just declared that he would never marry me.
Our eyes met.
And the first thing I saw on his face wasn't regret.
It wasn't surprise.
It wasn't even indifference.
It was anger.
Not at me.
At something else.
Something I didn't understand.
And suddenly, I realized that whatever had brought Giovan here tonight...
The man I had spent years dreaming about was finally standing in front of me.
And he looked like he wanted nothing to do with me.
Prince Giovan.
My fated mate.
My future husband.
The future king.
I had imagined this moment so many times.
I thought I would feel excited.
Happy.
Maybe even the feeling that fate had finally given me everything I had ever wanted.
Instead, my heart sank.
The first thing I noticed wasn't how handsome he was.
It was the look on his face.
Annoyance.
He looked annoyed just to be here.
My excitement disappeared.
Still, I couldn't stop myself from looking at him.
He wore a simple dark shirt that showed his broad shoulders and strong build. Even with that cold expression, he drew everyone's attention the moment he entered.
Mine included.
I quickly looked away.
This was the man I had spent years waiting for.
The man fate had chosen for me.
And he looked like he would rather be anywhere else.
Then King Dior stood.
“Everything is prepared.”
The room fell silent.
“When the Blood Moon rises tonight, the wedding will proceed.”
My head snapped up.
“Tonight?”
My father looked just as surprised.
“Your Majesty,” he said carefully, “we believed tonight was only for discussing the arrangements.”
King Dior's expression remained cold.
“I'll be direct.”
His eyes moved across the room.
“My son is being distracted by another woman.”
My stomach dropped.
Another woman?
“A woman I know nothing about,” he continued. “Someone with no place in our royal family.”
His jaw tightened.
“I will not allow a temporary obsession to destroy my son's future.”
I looked at Giovan.
His expression darkened.
So it was true.
There was someone else.
Someone he wanted.
Someone important enough to make him angry at his own father.
Who was she?
Did he love her?
Had he already chosen her over me?
My thoughts raced.
Then King Dior looked at his son.
“Do you have nothing to say?”
Silence filled the room.
Giovan slowly turned.
His eyes met mine.
For the first time that night, he truly looked at me.
My heartbeat stumbled.
His gaze moved over my face, my dress, my hands.
There was something strange in his eyes.
Something I couldn't understand.
Then he looked away.
He said nothing.
And somehow, that silence hurt more than words could have.
The decision was made within minutes.
The wedding would happen that night.
No discussion.
No delay.
No choice.
The royal family left soon after.
Giovan followed them.
He never spoke to me.
Never explained himself.
Never looked back.
I stood there feeling as if I had just stepped into someone else's life.
I didn't know what was behind his silence.
I only knew that whatever waited for me tonight...
It wasn't the future I had imagined.
Hours later, the mansion was filled with guests.
Music echoed through the halls.
The Blood Moon was rising.
Everyone was waiting for the bride.
Everyone except me.
“Janine, stop!”
My voice shook.
Janine had both hands gripping my wedding dress.
She pulled.
The fabric tore.
“Janine!”
“I can't accept this!”
Her eyes were red, but there was no sadness in them.
Only rage.
“I met Giovan first!”
She pulled the dress again.
“He was mine first!”
Another tear ripped through the gown.
My heart nearly stopped.
“You knew he was my arranged mate.”
My voice shook.
“You knew from the beginning.”
“I didn't care!”
She screamed.
“I loved him!”
I stared at her.
For years, I had known Janine wanted Giovan.
But I had never believed she would go this far.
“You should have refused him!” she cried.
“You should have stepped aside!”
She reached for my dress again.
This time, I shoved her away.
“Enough!”
She stumbled backward.
The room went silent.
I looked down.
My wedding dress was ruined.
The gown I had dreamed of wearing for years was torn beyond repair.
And the ceremony was only twenty minutes away.
A sharp knock sounded at the door.
Everyone froze.
“Lady Crema?”
A servant's nervous voice came from outside.
“The ceremony begins in twenty minutes.”
Twenty minutes.
My eyes dropped to the ruined dress.
Hundreds of guests were waiting downstairs.
The Blood Moon was rising.
And Giovan was supposed to be waiting at the altar.
But I couldn't walk down there like this.
Then the servant spoke again.
“Lady Crema...”
His voice trembled.
“Prince Giovan is coming upstairs.”
My heart stopped.
Janine's face went pale.
The footsteps outside grew louder.
Closer.
Then they stopped right outside the door.
My entire body went still.
The handle slowly moved.
And suddenly, I understood.
Giovan was about to see my ruined wedding dress.
He was about to see Janine standing beside me.
And I had no idea which one of us he would believe.
