Once upon a time, a little girl asked a question to her father. "When will I be able to marry a man?" She asked. Her cute little blue eyes were full of anticipation. "Will he be handsome and brave?"

The father patted the fluffy hair of the little girl. "My little girl, one day you will meet the most suitable person to marry you. That person will love and protect you but for now, can't you treat your brother as your personal knight?"

That girl named Melissa.

The sister of Leonardo who was the future 'Master Of Merchants'

"Hmmph! Brother is not cool," the child replied. "I will marry the most beautiful person that I will see! And that person needs to be strong and cool! It will be great if he will also respect father and mother the most!"

"Fine, fine," The father chuckled as he stands up. "My daughter, Melissa," the man uttered. "Father needs to go for a business trip, be good to your mother and brother Leonardo. Alright?" The man told her with a smile. "I'll try to go back as soon as possible."

"Yes!" Melissa said. "I know that father will make a great-great fortune in the future!"

However...

Days after the father went away. The news suddenly spread to the countryside. This news will change their life forever.

"A beast attack happened! The King didn't even do anything to stop it! I wonder why the Duke of Chavez hasn't even made a move to throw that king away! He could do that! Our kingdom is falling into chaos."

"Do you plan to do in treason?! If an Imperial guard heard you. You will immediately die!" A commoner hushed her husband.

"E-Excuse me," Melissa's mother approached the two. She'd been anxious because her husband didn't go back after going on a business trip. When she heard the news circulating around the countryside. She became really worried.

"The attack happened at the gate of the Ibanez Kingdom. I heard that a lot of businessmen died in that attack," the woman replied to her. "Does your husband... also... went there?" She asked.

Melissa's Mother went blank when she heard it. She was lost at that moment. Her two children who were currently looking at her were also in tears when they heard the news. Especially Melissa, the girl who adored her father very much.

All of them went back to their house with a sullen faces.

They already know what happened to their family's head.

He probably died in that attack.

Maybe if they didn't ask for a better life, things won't turn into this...

The mother thought. They just wanted to live a better life for Melissa and Leonardo. They don't want them to grow up with grumbling stomachs. They wanted to give the best for them, but because of this...

"FATHER IS NOT DEAD!" Melissa shouted.

The mother who heard her daughter's shout glanced at her.

"Melissa, didn't you hear the news? Father is... Father is..." Leonardo cut his words while trying to hold his tears. "Father is dead..."

"HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT? FATHER IS NOT DEAD!" Melissa told him before pushing her Brother. The little girl runs to their door with tears. She won't accept that her father is Dead! He needs to meet her future husband!

How could he be dead?!

When Melissa opened the door, a beautiful scene made her speechless.

A beautiful girl with an angelic look appeared before her eyes. The beautiful girl was pulling a cart and she is going in the direction of their house. Melissa suddenly went in a daze. "Beautiful angel..." she uttered.

The tears in her eyes stopped. She just wanted to appreciate the view.

The beautiful girl has long beautiful hair that is dark as midnight, she also has fair skin, and seeing the girl pulling a large cart is very wrong in Melissa's eyes.

How could an angel pull a cart that big?

"Hello? Are you Melissa?" The beautiful lady asked her. Melissa took a step backward when the girl went in her direction. Her cheeks blushed a little like a shy rabbit. "Oh, what a cute girl," The girl told her.

"Who are you?" A voice behind Melissa asked. It was Leonardo who had red eyes from crying. When he saw the beautiful lady, his eyes went into a daze.

"You're Leonardo aren't you?" The girl asked. "Hi, my name is Gabriella. I am here to bring Sir Leon to you, he's your father right?" The girl named Gabriella told them. She pointed the cart behind her. "He's currently injured and he's sleeping in that cart with my brother."

"F-father?!" Leonardo screamed as he immediately went to the cart. "Father is alive?!"

"My husband is alive?!" The Mother shouted as soon as she went to the door.

"Yes, madame. He's at that cart, he needs to be treated immediately because of the wounds in his body," Gabriella replied to their mother. The mother cried as she immediately went to the cart and check if that man is really her husband.

"Oh my god, thank you, thank you!" The mother repeatedly uttered.

Melissa's eyes became teary while looking at the young Gabriella that was currently in front of her. "I knew it, Father is not dead!" Melissa uttered with a crying face. "Did you save father?" She asked Gabriella. "A-Are you the one who saved father?"

The Young Gabriella scratches her head. "Maybe..." She said with hesitations. "But he has to let us live in your house in return..."

Melissa glanced at Leonardo who currently trying to carry his wounded father behind his back. Her mother couldn't carry her husband because of the shock and relief when she saw him.

To push the cart and to bravely save her father. The young Gabriella instantly became special in Melissa's heart.

"Then..." Melissa paused with watery eyes. "Will you marry me?"

••••••

"WHO IS THAT?" Melissa frowned while looking at the white-haired man who was currently dancing with Gabriella. She crossed her arms with a pout on her lips. "How could he dance with Gabriella? He is not worth it."

Melissa knows that the person who was dancing with her Goddess is the Duke, and this certain fact just made her more bitter. That man is the father of that winter-faced woman who also took Gabriella's attention from her.

Don't tell me, this is my new rival?

Melissa thought.

"Gabriella didn't even dance with my brother when we were just a kid! Just who is that?" Melissa said with jealousy. She suddenly glanced at Maria who was sitting beside her. "M-Maria?!" She said nervously.

The atmosphere around her became cold.

Maria was gripping the wine glass with milk in her hands while looking at her father and Gabriella.

Melissa moved slightly away from Maria. "This girl is really scary," She uttered to herself.

THUG!

Melissa jolted her body when Maria Eleonor placed the wine glass with milk on the table. That actions made a loud sound, which made her scarier. "You're right, he wasn't worth it to become her first dance," Maria uttered.

"I can clearly see a conspiracy against the Duke of Chavez," Selena who was currently twirling her red hair uttered. She was also sitting with the Ladies who were looking at the dancing figure of the Duke and Gabriella.

"Hmmph! I believe I am better than the Duke," Melissa uttered to herself. "That's just a dance anyway..."

A swift whistle escaped from Selena's lips. "But look at them, they actually look perfect---"

"HELL NO!"

"NO WAY!"

The two shouted at Selena. People at the banquet glanced at the two of them. However, they just choose to ignore them. They didn't give a damn anyway.

Selena smirked at both of them. "I'm not lying tho..." she said before looking at the other people who were glaring at the Duke of Chavez. Selena counted in her hands.

The Marquis, Gabriel, Maria, Melissa, Nico the butler, and even the child that was adopted by Gabriella are looking intently at the dancing figure of the two people in the middle.

As a person who could see a hint of past and the future. Selena could only shake her head with a sly smile. Although she couldn't see Gabriella's past and future clearly, she was certain that everything is in its right place.

"Their story doesn't even have its real beginning yet, but many people have already opposed the Duke of Chavez already," Selena let out a chuckle.

"It doesn't matter, I could make a lot of money out of it."

•••••••••