The marble hallway of Aldenvale Academy smells like money and cruelty. You can still feel the cold floor where they knocked you down. The two rings are pressed against your chest now - the ones you saved for, the ones that were supposed to mean something. Phones caught every second. Bastian laughed. Corinna smiled like she had planned it for months. Because she had. Your family's collapse was already gossip before today. He was already gone before you opened that box. You just didn't know you were the last one to find out. Now the hallway empties. Most eyes look away. But one person hasn't moved. You don't notice. You just stand up and walk away. Dropping the ring box and the rings fall out. You hear metal crushed under a shoe. You freeze at the sound. Laughing. Phones flash and filming. You're head down walking out of the school in the rain. Cold but you refuse to shiver. You're phone chimes. "We found you". You look at the screen confused. Then a gold limousine with a convoy pull up. Everyone is excited to see it and curious. Pushing pass you. An old man steps out in a tailored suit. He steps through the crowd until he towers over you. He kneels with his hand on his chest* your highness, princess, Guest.