Chapter 3: The Golden Trap
Victoria returned home to find her father sitting outside. In a rare moment of courage, she confronted him, asking why he had treated her with such cruelty her entire life. He remained stonily silent, but Lina and Phina overheard the exchange and saw a perfect opportunity to stage a "reconciliation."
As Victoria entered the house, Phina shocked her by offering a warm greeting and a hug. Victoria was instantly suspicious, as Phina had never shown her a shred of kindness. Phina put on an elaborate act, apologizing for years of mistreatment and claiming she wanted to be a supportive sister for the upcoming royal wedding. Even more shocking was Victoria's father, who suddenly called her "the apple of his eye" and begged for her forgiveness.
Though Victoria felt in her heart that they were acting, the longing for a family's love was too strong to ignore. Lina then presented her with a gift: a beautiful golden bracelet that had belonged to Victoria's late mother. Lina claimed it was her mother's dying wish for Victoria to wear it as she walked down the aisle. Overwhelmed by the chance to finally have a piece of her mother, Victoria accepted the heirloom, unaware of the trap being laid.
Later, Phina met Prince Eric at their secret spot. She was outraged to find that his attitude toward her had cooled. When she asked if he truly intended to marry Victoria and leave her behind, Eric coldly dismissed her, asking what she really was to him. Unknown to Phina, Eric had learned a partial truth from the King about why the marriage to Victoria was mandatory for his survival.
Livid and feeling betrayed, Phina stormed home. When she told Lina that the Prince was slipping through her fingers, Lina decided it was time for their most desperate move: the King had to die. Victoria walked in on their hushed, tense conversation, and though the room went silent and the air felt heavy with malice, she couldn't prove what was wrong and retreated to her room.
The wedding day approached, and while the kingdom buzzed with excitement, Victoria felt as though she were marching toward her own execution. She had finally obtained the things she once craved—her mother's golden bracelet and the superficial affection of her family—but the cost felt heavy. Meanwhile, Lina and Phina were consumed by a dark alchemy, mixing potions and mapping out a lethal conspiracy. Their goal was cold and calculated: kill the King, frame Victoria for the murder, and have Prince Eric imprison her, leaving the altar open for Phina to claim the crown.
The following evening, the King's advisor, Brian, announced a grand feast to celebrate the upcoming union. The palace was transformed into a vision of luxury, overflowing with expensive wines, exotic fruits, and fine delicacies. Lina and Phina arrived early, using the bustle of preparation as a cover. With Lina standing guard, Phina successfully slipped a drop of a slow-acting root poison into the King's designated cup. The toxin was designed to kill him in his sleep, but they added a cruel twist to their plan: Victoria would be the one to serve him the drink, fulfilling a royal tradition that would inadvertently mark her as his assassin.
When King Zack arrived and took his seat upon his golden throne, he smiled, confident that this marriage had secured his legacy. Victoria, following protocol, poured the wine into his poisoned cup. As he began to drink in peace, the room was suddenly plunged into darkness. In the shadows, Victoria alone saw a figure—not the old man Karl, but a younger, mysterious spirit. He looked at her with a somber expression, shook his head, and whispered a single, chilling command: *"Run."*
Just as quickly as the shadow vanished, the lights returned. The King, dismissive of the omen, urged everyone to continue the celebration. Satisfied that the King had finished the tainted wine, Lina and Phina excused themselves, leaving Victoria behind with the Prince.
The next morning, as Victoria dressed in her bridal gown and clasped her mother's bracelet, the palace was shattered by a scream. Brian had found the King's body, cold and lifeless. Fearing the loss of his succession, Prince Eric ordered Brian to keep the death a secret while he scrambled for a solution. Seizing the moment, Phina approached the Prince. Her voice trembled, not with grief, but with the thrill of victory. She pointed out that Victoria was the last person to serve the King, giving Eric the perfect excuse to jail her and save the throne by marrying Phina instead.
Desperate for power, Eric agreed to the switch. As Victoria stood at the altar, draped in white and unaware that the guards were coming for her instead of her groom, Phina stood in the shadows, ready to take her place as the new Queen.
The Prince marched into the wedding hall, flanked by guards, approaching his bride not for a kiss, but for a betrayal. "Victoria Renee Zane, you are under arrest," he declared. The hall erupted in gasps of shock and confusion, but Eric silenced the crowd, announcing that the ceremony would proceed with a different bride. It was only when Phina stepped forward, draped in white, that Victoria realized the full extent of the conspiracy against her.
As Victoria was dragged away, the Elders of Axel demanded to see the King. Eric, showing his dangerous nature, ordered his guards to surround the council members, forcing the wedding to continue under a cloud of fear. While the vows and rings were exchanged in a tense silence, Lina and Zane looked on with pride, showing no remorse for Victoria's fate as they celebrated Phina's ascent.
That afternoon, Eric convened a meeting with the council to announce the King's death, claiming Victoria had poisoned him during the feast and demanding she be hanged. The Elders, skeptical of the sudden accusation, called for an investigation. "Shut up!" Eric roared, challenging their defiance. Elder James—the only one who knew Victoria's true identity—spoke up cautiously, reminding the Prince that tradition required a full inquiry before a royal burial. The debate was interrupted by Phina, now the wife of the Prince and Queen-to-be. To the horror of the council, she condemned her own sister, insisting that Victoria's role in pouring the wine was proof of her guilt. Emboldened by his new wife's support, Eric demanded to be crowned the following day.
In the dead of night, Elder James visited Victoria's father, Zane, for a heated confrontation. "Why have you treated the child of glory with such cruelty?" he demanded. He reminded Zane of a long-hidden promise: that Zane was meant to protect the true Princess of Axel until she came of age. Zane bitterly countered, accusing James of lying about his future power and handing the throne to the advisor responsible for the murder of Victoria's real family. Their argument was cut short when Lina tried to invite them to dinner; James refused, leaving to find a way into the cell where Eric had forbidden anyone to visit Victoria.