My King Forced Me to Marry His Hidden Daughter—Then I Unlocked the Truth

The face inside the wooden barrel was not that of a beast, as the whispers had suggested. Instead, Marcus looked upon a young woman whose skin was a tragic map of severe, twisted burn scars. Her emerald-green eyes were wide with unspeakable fear, tears streaming down her damaged cheeks. But the horror Marcus felt was not disgust; it was the sudden, crushing weight of recognition. He knew those scars. He knew exactly how they had been made.

The Sins of the Father

Fifteen years ago, a devastating fire had consumed the eastern wing of the royal palace. Marcus's father, Lord Alden, had claimed it was a tragic accident. But on his deathbed just days ago, his father had confessed to the arson, revealing he had started the fire to destroy evidence of his treason. He had begged Marcus to marry the princess as penance. Now, Marcus realized the cruel depth of King Henry's game. This marriage was not a peace treaty; it was a poetic trap designed to force the son of the arsonist to carry the burden of his father's crime.

King Henry stepped closer, his voice dropping to a low, venomous whisper that only Marcus could hear.

"You recognize the work of your father's hands, don't you, Marcus? She was trapped in the nursery because of his greed. Now, you will spend the rest of your life looking at what your family destroyed."

The King then turned to the silent, watching congregation, raising his voice so it echoed off the cathedral walls.

"Now, Marcus! Show the kingdom your devotion. Remove the barrel entirely and kiss your beautiful bride! Or refuse her, and I will have your entire family executed for the treason your father committed."

Marcus stood frozen. If he walked away, his mother and siblings would die. If he stayed, he would be bound to a woman who had every right to hate him. He looked at Isabella, who trembled in her wooden prison, waiting for his rejection.