Chapter 4: Her Past and the Unknown Future

Irene POV:

"I shall restrain," he said, even though I could feel something bulging on my waist, "you should rest, my love."

Flushed and somewhat nervous, I just nodded. I felt my heart beating fast and found my fingertips touching my lips.

"My first kiss. . ."

---

The next day, I opened my eyes to an empty bed. I really had no energy to go down for breakfast, so I decided to reach for the diary I kept in the drawer. Thinking about it, I have been in this—dare I say, dream—and have been getting intimate with another woman's husband without knowing my name, his name, and everyone else's name.

I gently opened the diary and read some excerpts, and by the time the servants had gone up to serve me food, I have finished half of its content.

To put it simply: My name is Flor Ann Gutierrez, now Flor Ann Villanueva, and my husband's name is Sebastian Leonardo Villanueva. We both met while we were children, so Sebastian had a habit of calling me Floran.

We both studied within the palace walls. Floran excelled in embroidery, philosophy, and biology while Sebastian specialized in swordsmanship, politics, and mathematics. According to the diary, Sebastian is of royal blood, therefore he owns everything in this kingdom—from the buildings to the people—as the royal family are the ones to establish Suvia from the ground up.

Floran is a lowly baroness, therefore the queen mother (Sebastian's mother) did not like her. It seems as if the hostility between them haven't faded. Even Sebastian knows how bad their relationship are. As for the king father (Sebastian's father), he is a neutral person who always supported his son on his decisions, though there are hints that the king father may have also disliked Floran.

I sighed. "Really, this troublesome family."

It looks like this will be Floran and Sebastian's first child together. they have been trying to produce an heir for years and have found themselves unsuccessful. Rumors have also spread that Floran may have been infertile.

As of this time, Sebastian manages the kingdom—state of affairs, holding regular cabinet meetings, signing documents, and plenty more. I, on the other hand, am supposed to maintain the household—hold regular parties and join the bloody battle on high social society.

I munched on my chicken, trying to figure out where exactly am I. "According to what is written here, it seems as if I have gone back a few thousand years."

As bizarre as it is, there might've been something in that painting. Perhaps, if I let things unfold the way they should be, then I might be able to get back to my world—my time.

I smirked. "I don't even know what's supposed to happen. All I know is that this child will be gone and Suvia will disappear."

The real Floran must be elsewhere. . .

A knock on the door suddenly destroyed my train of though. It opened and in came the queen mother herself, Catherina Ana Villanueva, adorned in silk traditional clothing and jewels. I stood up and curtsied.

"Greetings to the former Moon of the kingdom, Queen Mother Catherina Ana Villanueva. May the Kingdom of Suvia prosper in the hands of your descendants."

Her stare was sharp, deadly was the better term.

"As expected of a lowly baroness. Your etiquette needs work," she said.

It pierced my ears and heart further that what I expected. I am not Floran, therefore I should not be affected by her, but the way she drew out her aura and used her words as swords was like a predator hunting for its prey. It was pure venom.

She finally drew her fan and covered half of her face. "I am here to give regards to you, the current queen, as you have finally acquired the means to produce a potential heir."

I was stuck silent. Was she here to just greet me? Surely that was not all, right? Knowing how the diary, Floran herself, portrayed this woman, she must have something up her sleeve.

I tightened my grip. "T-Thank you, Queen Mother."

Her eyes were still as sharp as daggers. "I am also here to inform you that from now on, you will be staying in the Jade House."

Jade House? What's that, a house made of jade?

"M-May I ask why?"

"No one gave you the permission to speak," she said sternly, "another woman will be staying in this room."

Another woman? A concubine?

"I-I don't understand. . ."

She laughed and leaned closer to me. "Well, well, well, it seems as if your husband has found another woman to be his bride. It is time, perhaps, for him to see that a bride as lowly as you, who can't produce an heir, is not worth the effort."

Her words hurt more than I thought. It pierced my deeper that when she mocked my ettiquete.

"I do not believe my husband is that kind of man."

She smiled, "Oh? Then let's hear it from him. . ."

"Mother. . ."