CHAPTER 4

It seems as though I am cursed, as wherever I go, there is always someone trying to kill me. I had to leave my previous pack in order to save my own life, only to discover that even my mate wanted me dead. There is no logical explanation for this, except that someone has placed a curse upon me. And he is not the only one who wishes me harm. I can't help but wonder what I have done to deserve this punishment.

Dario made it clear that his men were constantly watching my every move, and any attempt to defy him would result in my imprisonment. I knew that escaping my fate was impossible, especially considering the five-year time frame. So, I accepted my role as his wife, knowing that anything could happen during those five years.

He informed me that today, there would be a coronation to introduce me to the world as his wife and crown me as queen. I couldn't help but wonder if the people were aware that their new queen would only reign for five years.

Unlike my treatment in my previous pack, the people here worshipped me and were too afraid to even approach me. Since my arrival, I have had no one to talk to, as everyone keeps their distance. I was sitting by the river with two female servants standing behind me when someone suddenly emerged from the flowers and pushed me into the water. I let out a piercing scream, filled with panic. After a struggle, I managed to pull myself out of the water.

I encountered a young girl who seemed to be around my age. The servants, pretending not to witness the encounter, looked away. Instead of being upset, I found it amusing. Finally, someone who dares to approach me.

She screamed at me, accusing me of trying to steal her position as queen. It was clear from her behavior that she was a spoiled brat. It has been so long since I had a conversation with someone. The king has not visited since the first day. Despite her apparent desire to harm me, I wanted to toy with her for a little while.

"If you want to be queen so badly, I can give it to you," I said in a cunning tone. Her frown quickly turned into a wide grin. "Really?" A sudden idea struck me. "Since you desire to be queen so much, how about you go to the coronation in my place? What do you think?" She seemed to consider the idea but was uncertain.

"How do you propose we make this work? We clearly don't look alike."

"You seem to have forgotten that every bride must wear a veil on her wedding day. If the king were to figure out something is wrong, it wouldn't be at the altar. And since you desire this position so much, I assume you have some familiarity with him, don't you? So even if he discovers that the brides were switched at some point, you won't have a bad ending."

"You're absolutely right," she exclaimed, amazed by my intelligence. "I had no idea you possessed such wisdom. If I had known, I wouldn't have bothered causing any trouble. Let's become friends," she eagerly grabbed my hand and sat beside me. "I already like you."

Little did she know, I had ulterior motives. "But before we proceed, let's strategize how we're going to accomplish this," I glanced at the servants behind her, and she understood the hidden message. She introduced herself as Zoe and revealed that she had grown up with the King. They were once engaged, but he broke it off when he became the ruler, instead of fulfilling his promise to marry her.

Chris never explained his actions, and Zoe refused to give up. She was furious to discover that he had found a common girl in the woods and intended to make her the queen. "So, I initially came here to kill you," she said with an evil smirk, "but you've managed to convince me otherwise. I want to befriend you instead."

I knew I was causing trouble, but I had no intention of sitting idly and waiting for my impending five-year sentence before he executed me. I planned to make him suffer and what better way to start than by ruining his highly anticipated wedding? I felt guilty for involving Zoe in this mess, but she was foolish enough not to realize she was being manipulated. The King would undoubtedly be furious when he discovered that the brides had been switched.

Zoe and I began executing our little plan as I was getting dressed. She hid underneath my bed, and as soon as the servants left the room, we swiftly switched places. She covered her face with a black veil that was originally intended for me. Since we had similar body structures, it would be difficult for anyone to notice the switch unless they saw her face. After a short while, the servants returned and led her to the grand hall where the wedding and coronation were scheduled to take place.

To ensure that the coast was clear, I cautiously peeked outside the door to see if anyone was nearby. Luckily, there was not a single person in sight. It seemed that everyone had already made their way to the hall for the celebration. This was a clear indication for me to proceed, so I carefully made my way out with no one available to stop me.