Chapter 1 : Marriage
There were rumors that Prince Leonard married the second young master of the Ascend Group to bring good fortune to the ailing Mr. Harkness.
Leonard himself had heard some of these rumors. Unlike his siblings, he wasn''t well-informed and rarely heard any gossip. Even the chatty servants were secretly surprised that the Ascend Group would agree to bring this jinx into their home.
Although Leonard was a member of the royal family, he had always lived a secluded life, almost isolated from the world.
When he was born, his mother had a sudden hemorrhage and almost couldn''t be saved. His father, the king, had a car accident on the way to the hospital and lost a leg. The royal wizard was consulted and predicted that Leonard had a hard life and would bring misfortune to those around him, so he needed to be raised in isolation.
His father believed the wizard''s words without question. What should have been the most cherished youngest child in an ordinary family became a taboo in the royal family.
He was deprived of the right to attend private school with other noble children. Before he turned eighteen, his only freedom was to attend a designated school outside. However, due to his status, he didn''t have a single friend to talk to at school.
Even so, Leonard cherished his time at school, as it was better than being treated as a non-person in the palace. He was labeled a jinx, and because of the wizard''s words, he had endured coldness and humiliation for eighteen years.
Now, finally, someone was coming to save him. It was Mr. Harkness, whom he had secretly admired for a long time. They had only met once, but from that night many years ago, Mr. Edward had been Leonard''s pillar, giving him the strength to endure long, lonely nights and live on his own until now.
On the day of the engagement, the second young master did not show up but sent a diamond ring through someone. The diamond was so large that an ordinary family couldn''t afford it even after a lifetime of hard work. Leonard carefully kept the ring, not because of the size of the diamond, but because of the hope it carried.
He had never been so happy. He had been waiting and waiting, and finally, the day had come. On the day he left the royal family, Leonard took only a few clothes, the engagement ring, and a slightly yellowed handkerchief. There was almost nothing else to take. He got into the car and left the place that had felt like winter all year round.
"Leonard Vanderbilt, do you take Edward to be your husband, to share all of life''s joys and sorrows, in poverty and wealth, for as long as you both shall live?"
"I do."
Leonard answered, smiling shyly and sweetly.
"Edward, do you take Prince Leonard to be your husband, to love and cherish him, to be faithful to him, for as long as you both shall live?"
Through the veil, he saw the man hesitate for a second before saying, "I do."
Leonard''s heart was pounding. It was the first time he had seen him in person. Before, he had only seen photos in borrowed phones or magazines from his classmates.
Edward was tall and handsome, looking like the perfect dream lover in his formal attire. Leonard blushed slightly. Edward was so handsome that it made his breath catch.
Leonard held onto him, and Edward wore a restrained smile as they walked out of the church together. The wedding was simple, and the reception was pitifully small. The royal family wouldn''t spend much money on this jinx, and the Ascend Group, as rumored, was only doing this to bring good fortune.
Leonard didn''t mind at all. He was more than satisfied. The person taking him away was Mr. Harkness. What could be happier than that?
