Duchess Stella is assassinated in public by her sister Grace. She is reborn on the day of the royal selection hunt. This time, she wants nothing to do with power struggles—she chooses the hunter Clovis and marries him, settling into a cozy little home. But her father forces her to walk barefoot over crushed rose thorns and renounce her family. Clovis, however, is actually the king in disguise. The Dowager Queen tests Stella in secret, and Stella's kindness and integrity win her approval. Grace conspires with Peter to assassinate the Dowager Queen and frame Stella. At the gallows, Clovis breaks free, reveals his identity as king, and presents solid evidence. Grace and Peter are hanged. Stella finally earns the Dowager Queen's full recognition, shares a smile with Clovis, and they begin preparing their grand wedding.
