Becoming engaged to the Crown Prince had been Edna's lifelong dream, proof of her worth in her own eyes. Achieving it, however, led to the Prince's plunder, her family's ruin, and finally, her own treasonous end. ... more>>

Reborn, Edna found herself facing an unexpected proposal—from Duke Ian Lombardi, the very man to whom she'd entrusted her dying breath. Powerful, handsome Ian Lombardi. The more she learned, the more her heart ached for him.

The Emperor's bastard. The Empire's shield. Despite his grand titles, he lived in abject poverty, constantly scorned and mistreated. Edna resolved to accept his proposal, not out of love, but out of a desperate need to protect her family and herself.

'This time, may we both survive.' <<less