Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock on the door. It was her maid.
"Madam, your father wants to see you right now."
The maid was trembling, her face bruised and battered. Taya could see the fear in her eyes, knowing that her father had punished all the servants for her actions, taking out his anger on them for her behavior at the party.
With every step Taya took toward her father's office, the weight of her situation settled heavier on her chest. She was sure no man would ever accept her now. Even Orig wouldn't want her after what she had done. He didn't like women who forced themselves on him.
Yet, despite the crushing realization, a smile of victory remained fixed on her face. She was certain that by remaining at her family's house, she could somehow mend the broken bonds between them, even though deep in her heart, she was eager to see Orig again.
Taya entered her father's office after he granted her permission. He sat at his desk, his usual commanding posture now tense and disordered. His sharp gaze was cold, warning her that he was a volcano on the verge of erupting.
"Sit down, Taya," her father ordered, his voice low and dangerous.
For the first time, he used her full name. It sent a chill through her, making her realize how deep her trouble ran. She didn't argue. She simply sat down, bracing herself for the storm she knew was coming.
"Because of what you said at the party," her father began, his voice thick with disdain, "there's not a man left in the kingdom who would marry a rude, disrespectful girl like you. I'm overwhelmed with debts, as you pointed out. I have no choice but to sell you, my cheap little daughter, as a concubine to the brother of the crown prince. He offered me this option yesterday, and frankly, I saw no harm in accepting it."
The words hit Taya like a slap. She was stunned, her face frozen in shock. She had never imagined her father could humiliate her like this, reduce her to a mere commodity.
"What?" she gasped, unable to stop herself. She quickly covered her mouth, feeling the sting of her own words. *That degenerate… how dare he suggest I become his maid?*
She stood, the emotions threatening to overwhelm her, her fists clenched in anger and disbelief. This was too much.
"The crown prince's brother will come to take you this evening," her father continued, unbothered by her outburst. "You should be grateful that someone of his stature is willing to personally come for a girl like you."
Taya, now barely able to hold back her fury, slammed her hand onto the table with a force that made the room seem to shake. "I don't want to go with a pervert like him. If my mother were alive, my life would be better than this!" she shouted, her voice loud and raw with emotion.
Without waiting for her father's response, Taya stormed out of the office, ignoring his shouting behind her. He would not try to stop her. He wouldn't sabotage the body of his merchandise, not when she was his only chance to recover some wealth. She was nothing more than a tool to him now, and he had already made his choice.
Outside, she found herself sitting on the balcony, wiping away the tears that had fallen without her consent. *This can't be my fate*, she thought bitterly. *To live as a maid in the king's palace? It's the greatest insult to a lady from a noble family.*
She heard footsteps behind her, and her sister's voice followed soon after.
"Hey! You deserve this after you insulted a member of the royal family. What did you think?" Yuray's voice dripped with mockery, enjoying Taya's humiliation.
"For your information, the crown prince's brother imprisoned every man who had the desire to marry you. Do you think he did all of this for a nobody like you? I pity him." Yuray's laughter echoed in the air, and Taya could feel the venom in her sister's words.
Taya's anger flared, but she said nothing. She couldn't respond to her sister's taunts; instead, she turned and walked away, retreating to her room. There, she watched silently as the servants packed her things.
"Ma'am, should I put this letter and these books in your bag, or leave them?" one of the maids asked, her voice soft.
Taya didn't respond. Her mind was too consumed with how everything had gone so wrong. She barely noticed the maid's actions as she absentmindedly packed the books and letters into Taya's small travel bag.
Her stepmother had confiscated all the jewelry and gifts Taya had received, but it hardly affected her. The jewelry meant nothing now. Nothing mattered anymore.
The evening came quickly, and with it, the arrival of the crown prince's brother—earlier than expected.
Taya stood by the window, staring at her house as the carriage pulled up. She could see him, the man who would take her away, standing next to the vehicle. He whispered something into her ear, his voice low and grating.
"What were you doing with that man, Orig? Is that the kind of man you throw yourself at? Is he your *stander*?" he asked, his tone mocking.
Taya felt her anger bubble to the surface. She slapped him hard across the face, her movements swift and fueled by rage. The sound of her slap echoed through the courtyard, and even her father, watching from a distance, was caught off guard.
Yuray scowled from the side, her eyes rolling in boredom. "That's the last thing we needed—the final drama of the princess of troubles," she muttered under her breath.
The crown prince's brother, recovering from the shock of the slap, smirked. "You know, I only agreed to take you just to enjoy your body. If I could, I'd have sewn your mouth shut," he sneered, turning as he heard the sound of several carriages approaching.
Taya felt a wave of disgust. But before she could react, a powerful punch landed on the crown prince's brother, sending him sprawling to the ground. Taya looked up in disbelief.
"Orig…" she whispered, her voice filled with astonishment.
There, standing in front of her, was Orig. He had come for her.
Orig bowed deeply in front of her, his head lowered. His voice was hoarse but clear. "Taya Rodolphe Diduchi, marry me."
The shock of his words rippled through the crowd. Everyone was stunned, including the crown prince's brother, who struggled to rise from the ground.
Never before had Prince Orig bowed to anyone, let alone a woman, and especially not to someone like her. His arrogance was legendary, his temper feared by all who knew him. Yet here he was, humbling himself in front of her.
Taya's heart soared. This had to be a miracle. Fate, it seemed, was not ready to let her give up on her feelings for this man.
"You can't marry her," the crown prince's brother sputtered, trying to recover his composure. "She's my maid now. I've lost a hundred gold pieces on her."
Orig's eyes narrowed. With a swift motion, he drew his sword and placed it at the throat of the crown prince's brother, who trembled in fear, his face pale with sweat.
Orig's gaze was terrifying. "You are nothing," he said coldly, his voice sending chills through everyone who heard it. "And you will stay nothing."
The crown prince's brother, shaking and sweating, could barely hold himself together as Orig's gaze bore into him. The air crackled with tension, and for the first time, it was clear who truly held the power in this situation.