Gemma and her adopted sister Lia compete to become crown princess, but their mother sabotages Gemma by adding wine to her peach compote, causing her to appear intoxicated before the king. Gemma’s clumsy behavior leads to Lia being appointed secondary consort while Gemma is married off to a cruel prince whose previous wives died mysteriously. As Gemma suffers brutality and decline, she dies hearing Lia’s rise to power. Suddenly, she wakes up on the selection day again, aware of her mother's betrayal and the family’s favoritism. Gemma decides to face the palace with newfound clarity, confronting her strained family dynamics as the selection begins.