For seven long years, the palace gates have remained closed. Following the tragic loss of his wife, Prince Julian Thorne locked his heart away, guarding his young son, Leo, from the vicious political games of the court. But under mounting pressure from a restless kingdom, the royal council reinstates the Selection—a high-stakes romantic contest to choose the next Crown Princess. High-ranking aristocratic families pay lavish fortunes to buy their daughters a place in the competition. For the lower class, the only hope lies in a ruthless lottery where a select few names are drawn. When Hannah returns home to discover her family sacrificed their meager savings to enter her into the drawing, her name is unexpectedly called. Swept into a world of haute couture, weekly public eliminations, and lethal court intrigue, Hannah must navigate a palace filled with ambitious elites who see her as an outcast. But as the Prince keeps his son hidden and his walls high, Hannah's raw authenticity might be the only thing capable of melting the guarded heart of a widower prince and winning the love of a lonely little boy.