A Night with the Zillionaire Prince.

the marble floor. But in the servants' quarters, where the air smelled faintly of disinfectant and forgotten dreams, Amelia Carter was al

oom, and help her mother (Sophia) out of bed. A soft groan reminded her of that last task. Amelia wiped

gently, touching the

th the kind of fatigue only illness could br

Mom. Just thought you coul

ightstand. The label had faded, but Amelia knew the dosage by heart. This was the fourth kind she h

pills, Amelia returned to her chores. She moved like someone

against the floor snapped he

l voice. "Where's my sil

blouse from the hallway rack and m

u. Her nose wrinkled as she looked Amelia up and do

nstead, she turned quietly and returned to the kitchen, heart thudding, cheeks burning. There had been a ti

as a baby. Back then, Mrs. Cactus had been slightly less cruel, when Mr. Cactus was still

was before her mother started bribing professors to boost her grades. She graduated with a fake degree, while Amelia, who had earned her way

to the servants' quarters to help her mother bathe. Sophia lean

hia murmured, voice trembling. "Not i

uld choose anywhere in the world to

a cough that rattled through her frail frame. Ame

e, one she had discovered years ago when life first started becoming too much. From there, she could see the skyline of the city, all glass towers and blinking ligh

ould wake up to the same marble halls, the s

t tomorrow would be the begi

vet, a prince was about to be given a choice-a bride, a future, and a secr