Saved by the Ice Cold Prince's Embrace

Katrina, working as a servant in the household of Count Sashaval, endures brutal abuse due to certain circumstances. One day, she is sent to Prince Clarence, the "cursed prince" rumored to be cold and heartless, as a substitute for Charles. Deeply scarred by years of abuse, Katrina cannot hide her fear even in the luxurious mansion. Amidst this swirling despair and anxiety, she finally meets Clarence, the master of the house, for the first time. The destinies of the substitute young lady and the lonely prince begin to quietly unfold.

Clarence openly expresses his disgust at Katrina, who is drenched in the blizzard, calling it a "sympathy-seeking act." However, instead of drying herself, Katrina desperately wipes the wet carpet, begging for forgiveness. Feeling uneasy about her unusual fear, he catches her when she collapses with a high fever, and is astonished by how light she is. Disarmed by her innocent reaction upon waking, he becomes certain: this girl is not the "arrogant Charles" he has heard so much about.

"If you don't work, you won't eat," Katrina said, trembling, as countless scars etched onto her body. The painful truth and her words and actions were too much for Clarence to bear, and he embraced her. "There's no need to apologize, just tell me your real name." Pierced by his unwavering gaze, Katrina revealed her name, trembling, and he gently told her, "I want to get to know you." Surprised but relieved to finally have a place to belong, Charles, who had learned of her survival, was seething with a dark desire for revenge.

The two head out to the snowfield at her request, but when she trips and falls, Clarence can't help but laugh. The two are slowly growing closer, but a report that arrives shortly after changes the atmosphere. It reveals the fact that she was mistreated as a maid's daughter and how she was abandoned as a substitute. Knowing the hell Katrina has gone through, he quietly resolves.

Katrina, receiving her training as a young lady in preparation for a ball, goes shopping in the capital with Clarence and others. She buys clothes, pretending it's all practice, and feels genuinely happy as he awkwardly escorts her. However, when she is alone to buy gifts for everyone in the mansion, fate takes a sudden turn. She is confronted by the hateful Charles and Madame Sachaval. Her peaceful time is shattered by this horrible reunion.

When Katrina reunited with Charles and the others, she witnessed her precious gift being trampled and was struck while protecting a shopkeeper. However, for the first time, she strongly declared her intention to break away, saying, "I will never return to the Count's mansion." Just as Charles, enraged, was about to raise his hand, Clarence stepped in. Charles insulted him, but the tables turned when he discovered that Clarence was the First Prince. Clarence silently pointed his icy blade at Charles and condemned his tyranny.

Clarence embraces the injured Katrina with a heavy heart, filled with guilt. The next day, she is relieved to hear him call her "a precious woman" and sees his joy at her gift, and the two head to the royal castle. Katrina has decided to let go of her lingering attachment to the Sashaval family, but the queen who awaits them looks stern at Katrina's appearance, which differs from what she was told. Faced with the intimidating presence of royalty, Katrina is reminded of her own status and is almost overwhelmed by feelings of inferiority once again—

Katrina was intimidated by the stern-faced queen, but in reality, she was welcomed with a hug and called "like a doll." Clarence declared his intention to marry her in front of her parents. Katrina was surprised, but when the king asked her for her true feelings, she honestly confessed how his kindness had warmed her heart. The queen and others were delighted that she had melted their lonely son's heart and approved of their relationship. Relieved, Clarence asked his father to remove her from the Sashaval family register in order to free her from her shackles.

Alone in the garden, Katrina receives a straightforward declaration of love from Clarence. Despite her anxieties about their difference in social status, she dedicates herself to intense training in dance and etiquette in preparation for the ball, striving to become a woman worthy of his side. Then, she receives news that her removal from the Sashaval family has finally been officially decided. Finally freed from the shackles of the past and now a free woman, Katrina expresses her gratitude to Clarence for saving her.

While Clarence is away, Katrina is suddenly kidnapped by mysterious men. Behind them are Madame Sashaval and Charles, who have been relentlessly pursuing her. Madame Sashaval, enraged, raises her hand and declares, "I will not allow you to be happy." However, Katrina, having experienced love, does not flinch and glares at them with a determined look. This attitude only enrages them further, and she is once again imprisoned in the dreaded attic of the Sashaval house.