Knotting His Runaway Queen

Seraphina's POV

The diamond ring sliced through the air, catching the cold glint of afternoon sunlight before crashing hard against Duke Lucian Austen's handsome face.

"WE'RE DONE!"

The entire Royal Rose Garden fell into deathly silence, with only the distant sound of the fountain continuing its endless flow. Every noble guest stared in shock at me—Seraphina, the Montrose family's eldest daughter, publicly humiliating one of the kingdom's most powerful dukes.

An hour ago, I had been lost in dreams of a beautiful future...

"My dear friends!" My childhood sweetheart and fiancé Lucian raised his champagne flute, his voice echoing throughout the garden. "I have thrilling news to announce!"

I wore the pale blue silk gown my mother had left me, smiling at this man I'd grown up with. Golden hair, deep blue eyes, perfect features—for eighteen years, I'd believed he was my destined soulmate.

My heart raced, my cheeks flushed with excitement. Finally, it was happening—the announcement of our wedding date...

"I'm going to marry TWO wives! This represents the progressive thinking of modern nobility!"

What?

Time seemed to freeze. I felt my heart skip a beat, then begin pounding wildly. What had he just said? Two wives? This had to be some kind of joke...

"My beautiful fiancée, Seraphina Montrose, and—" He reached out to pull a voluptuous woman with flaming red hair to his side, "my beloved Vivian Rose!"

No. This wasn't a joke.

Vivian Rose—that woman who'd been frequenting our estate as a "friend." She clung smugly to Lucian's arm, wearing the Austen family's ruby bracelet on her wrist.

My blood turned ice-cold instantly. Eighteen years of childhood friendship, three years of engagement, reduced to this humiliation.

"Are you out of your MIND..." I whispered, trembling.

Murmurs began around us. I heard someone saying, "Good God, this is absolutely ridiculous..." Others were snickering, "The Montrose girl's going to lose it..."

"Seraphina, don't be so dramatic." Lucian approached me, his face wearing that fake tenderness. "You should feel honored to share my love with such a beautiful woman. Besides, your father's been tight on funds lately—my generosity could help the Montrose family."

Honored? Share?

Mother's dying words echoed in my ears: "Seraphina, never let anyone look down on you. You're a daughter of the Montrose family—live with dignity."

"What do you take me for?" My voice shook. "Some commodity to be traded at will?"

"Darling, don't be so emotional—"

"ENOUGH!" I ripped off my engagement ring. "I'd rather stay single forever than have anything to do with scum like you!"

And that led to the opening scene.

As sunset fell, the estate's backyard was shrouded in orange-red twilight. The guests had long since departed, leaving only a garden full of wreckage.

I sat alone on the stone steps, trying to sort through my chaotic thoughts. Heavy, threatening footsteps approached from behind.

"We need to have a serious talk, Seraphina."

Lucian's voice was darker than before, his handsome face sinister in the dusk.

"There's nothing to discuss." I didn't turn around. "We're finished. Completely finished."

"Finished?" He laughed coldly. "You think you can humiliate me in public and just walk away? Seraphina, you're so naive."

I stood to face him. "What do you mean?"

"Do you know how your father's been managing to maintain your lifestyle?" His smile grew more sinister. "He embezzled thirty thousand gold coins from the military fund! Corruption, misappropriation... these charges are enough to have him executed ten times over."

I felt the world sway beneath my feet. No, father wasn't corrupt—that money was to save mother's life! The doctor said that medicine was expensive, we had no choice...

"You BASTARD!" I stood up, fury making my whole body shake. "You know what that money was for! Mother was dying, we needed—"

"I don't care about your reasons." He cut me off coldly. "Now listen carefully. You have two choices. Either marry me and be my dutiful first wife, smile and accept Vivian. Or tomorrow the entire kingdom will see your father's wanted posters."

"And if I refuse?"

"Do you really want to know?" He stepped closer. "Your father will be publicly executed, your family's assets will be seized, and you'll be exiled. And I'll make sure everyone knows this could all have been avoided if Seraphina Montrose hadn't been so selfish."

My hands clenched into fists, nails digging into my palms. He had calculated this so precisely, so coldly...

"I need time to think."

"Smart girl." He smiled, reaching to caress my face. "I knew you'd be reasonable. But don't keep me waiting too long—"

Just as his hand was about to touch me, I grabbed the small flower pot beside me and smashed it against his temple with all my strength.

"What the—" Ceramic shards mixed with blood splattered across the ground as he screamed, clutching his face.

Before he could react, I turned and ran.

"You crazy BITCH! CATCH HER!" His roar echoed behind me.