My Spouse Prioritized the Interloper
Fiona Thorne · Ongoing · 213 Chapters
About this book
They treated her like an invisible, orphaned peasant bride. Now, she’s the untouchable Queen of their rival empire—and her ruthless ex-husband is begging for a second chance.✨ TROPES: Secret Royalty • Arranged Marriage • Enemies to Lovers • Mistaken Identity • From Weak to Queen • Race Against Time"I thought I was nobody. Turns out, I was royalty."For years, Princess Elara grew up believing she was just a disposable pawn in a cruel political game. She was a supposedly nameless orphan sent across the border to wed Prince Caden of the enemy kingdom, Verloren. In his cold, distant court, Elara was systematically ignored, insulted, and treated like an invisible ghost. She was the laughingstock of the high-society elite.Until a bloodline secret shatters the entire continent.Elara discovers she is no ordinary, rejected bride. She is the long-lost, hidden crown heir to Verdana—Verloren’s far more wealthy, terrifyingly powerful neighboring empire. In the blink of an eye, the girl they treated like trash becomes the greatest threat to their survival.She left them in the dust. Now, she has to go back to stop a war.Taking her rightful place on the obsidian throne, Elara is finally seen, finally radiant, and armed with lethal power. But just as she begins to claim her crown, the drums of war begin to beat. To save millions of innocent lives, Queen Elara must do the unthinkable: return to Verloren, the very kingdom and husband that brutally betrayed her.But when she steps back into the lion's den, the rules of the game have changed.Prince Caden isn't the heartless monster she remembers. The cold armor around the ruthless prince has completely shattered, and Elara is shocked to find he has been desperately hunting for his runaway wife all along. Consumed by deep regret and a sudden, fierce possessiveness, Caden is ready to fight his own kingdom to win her back.With exactly one week to stop an empire-ending war, protect her new throne, and navigate a dangerous web of corporate court secrets, Elara faces a deadly ultimatum.Will she follow her heart and forgive the prince who let her walk away, or will she use her crown to crush his world to pieces?
CHAPTER 1
ELARA’S POV
The crystal champagne flute trembled in my hand as I watched my husband of three years move through the crowd like a predator among prey. Polished and pristine in his midnight blue formal attire, Prince Caden Verloren was the picture of royal perfection—a masterpiece I once believed I had some part in creating.
"You've barely touched your drink, Your Highness," Lady Mirabelle whispered, her voice dripping with false concern. "Is something troubling you this evening?"
I forced my lips into the practiced smile that had become as much a part of my royal wardrobe as the heavy crown that often adorned my head.
"Not at all," I lied. "Just savoring the moment."
What a bitter thing to savor. The Grand Hall of Verloren Palace glittered with more jewels and secrets than stars in the night sky. I'd grown accustomed to both during my years as Caden's wife, though neither brought me comfort anymore.
"He looks especially handsome tonight," another courtier remarked, her eyes following my husband's movements with poorly disguised hunger. "The future king in his element."
"Indeed," I replied, the single word nearly choking me.
I remembered a time when Caden's smile had been reserved for me alone. When his hand would find mine beneath the table during tedious state dinners. When his eyes would seek mine across crowded rooms just like this one, a silent promise that we were in this together.
Those days had vanished like morning mist before the summer sun.
"Elara." My mother-in-law's voice cut through my thoughts. Queen Arielle approached with the silent grace of a viper. "Do fix your posture, dear. A queen never slumps."
"I'm not a queen, Your Majesty," I reminded her, though I straightened my spine nonetheless. "Merely a princess."
Her lips thinned to a bloodless line. "For now. But appearances matter at all times. Especially tonight."
The cryptic addition sent a chill down my perfectly straight spine.
"What's special about tonight?" I asked, trying to keep my voice light.
The Queen's smile didn't reach her eyes. "You'll see soon enough."
Before I could press further, she glided away, leaving me with a growing knot of dread in my stomach. I set down my untouched champagne and made my way toward Caden, determined to extract some explanation.
I nearly reached him when the King's steward struck his staff against the marble floor three times. The resounding crack silenced the room immediately.
"His Royal Majesty, King Darius Verloren the Third!"
The crowd parted as my father-in-law entered, Caden immediately moving to stand beside him. My husband's eyes swept the room but passed over me as though I were merely another courtier. I felt my cheeks burn.
"Valued guests and noble friends," the King began, his booming voice filling every corner of the vast hall. "We gather tonight not only to celebrate the prosperity of our kingdom but to share joyous news."
My breath caught in my throat. Could it be the northern treaty? Caden had been working for months to secure peace with our traditional enemies. If successful, it would mean an end to centuries of bloodshed.
The King's hand came to rest on Caden's shoulder with unusual affection. "Prince Caden has secured an alliance that will strengthen our realm for generations to come."
Pride swelled in my chest momentarily. So he had done it. Despite the personal distance between us, I couldn't help but admire his diplomatic skill.
"Through the ancient and honorable practice of royal marriage," the King continued, "we will unite our bloodline with that of the Vassari Empire."
The pride in my chest curdled instantly into something cold and horrifying.
"Marriage?" The word escaped my lips before I could stop it, though thankfully too quietly for anyone but the nearby servants to hear.
