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Prologue

Once upon a tiirl named Ella

When her fair, kind-hearted but empty-headed mother married the handso of a faraway kingdos and leave for a desert kingdom in a land far, far away

The king’s older daughter hated Ella on sight

As for the king’s heir Sheikh Khal, he was known to be gallant and courageous And yet with Ella, he was different He was aloof, sharp-tongued, and cruel

Everyone therefore believed the sheikh hated Ella as well

But everyone rong

So This Is…

“How are you doing?” Ruth asked as she came to me in a flurry of silk Her cheeks were flushed with a h she was in her late thirties, she looked a decade younger in her bridal finery

Well…everyone thinks we’re in this for the money, but other than that?

I s reception ever, Moone through just to raise me up alone, she deserved this

“Oh, Ella” Ruth threw her ar She was a touchy-feely kind of person, someone without any kind of reserve, and I supposed that was the reason ical father – he did not deserve to be called Dad – as a hardened criminal, found it so easy to make her fall for him, knock her up, and then steal all her money

“This day wouldn’t have been perfect if you weren’t happy,” she whispered

I hugged heras you’re happy, I’hed when I , you know?

It was only when the orchestra had begun another song – So This Is Love, the 1948 version – when I noticed the sheikh standing across the ballrooly iure in his white military uniform

He looked sowould be that he had all the girls swooning or drooling at the sight of hi, and I didn’t even like him

The ballad continued to play

Mm…mm…mm…