The End

Ch-2

"Ahhhhh" in the dark room under the moonless light, she rose from her bed with a shriek escaping her lips.

Her whole body was covered with cold sweat as Ana touched her neck with fear. She wrapped her hands around her neck but surprisingly there was no hard and rough rope covering it.

She was able to breathe again!! But how?

And the touch of the mattress under her body was soft and assuring. The room was warm and cozy, not like that cold and damp prison.

She stood up in a hurry, staggering as she lit the candles near the bed.

The whole room was filled with the soft glow of candles. It was her room! The room she used to live in before her marriage in the palace of her father but how?

She ran towards the soft bed which was still warm. The touch of the soft blanket felt oddly strange and familiar at the same time.

The small insignia of the family of marquees was covering the door and the silver decoration near her bed. She has chosen it personally.

But … How and why was she here? she was sure that she had died!

The door opened suddenly and four maids entered with her nanny.

Her nanny? Did she not die a long time ago? She stared at the woman with a surreal look.

"Ah! You are already awake. You must be very excited. Right?" Martha beamed as she walked closer but Ana kept staring at her.

"What happened my lady? Did you feel any discomfort?" Listening to the worried voice of her, Ana raised her hand and pinched her hard.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Martha felt that the lady was being emotional thinking about her marriage but.. Sigh! She took a deep breath.

"My lady! There is no time for jokes." She chided with a frown, "your highness is already here. He came earlier than we had thought. Madam had asked me to get you ready." 

"Huh!" Wait! She looked at the red dress in her maid's hands and those rubies. She had worn them when Garrison had visited their palace to ask for her hand.

Was it that fateful day?

"Is garr.. I mean Duke is here?" She coughed, but their faces already said, "you do not need to behave like that. We already knew that you have a crush on him,"

"My lady, we must hurry. Rose, give her a floral bath, June, prepare the best oils for her massage. You get the clothes and jewels ready while I will personally do her makeup." Martha's eyes were fierce as she held the make up brush.

It felt like she was going to war.

But Ana had different plans. If she had come back to this life at this crucial moment, then it only meant one thing. God wanted to save her from this calamity.

She just had to make sure that she did not marry Garrison. She would rather stay here happily.

"That would not be needed!" She announced with a grin. 

"I have already taken a bath yesterday. I am smelling like roses, see?" She forced Martha to sniff her. 

"And June, did you remember that black dress I bought when my pet died? I want to wear that one." 

"... pardon? The black one without lace or embroidery?" The maid stared at Martha when Ana nodded her head.

"My lady. This is not a joke!" Ana laughed. Who could understand it better than her? Her life was on stake.

"Are you asking me to repeat myself? I said, Bring that dress." Her nose was high in the air and her eyes were filled with authoritative aura.

They had never seen Ana behaving like that before. The maid was already walking towards the closet before she realized.

All of them looked at her horrified when Ana pushed Martha away and did her make up herself.

Horrible would not be enough to describe how she tied her hair. In that black dress, she looked no less than a witch.

She even colored her teeth yellow and green.

"This is perfect!" 

"For halloween?" The maids had the same question in their mind but surprisingly no one was able to stop her when she looked at them authoritatively.

Before they could come to their senses, she had already crossed the door.

—----------------

"Your highness, we are honored that you have accepted the offer to meet our daughter as a candidate for the duchess. My daughter is kind, smart and beautiful. I am sure you would not be disappointed." George smiled as the maids served them tea and all kinds of snacks.

Diana only nodded her head. Though the man held immense power, she still did not want her daughter to be a second wife of someone. 

If not for her daughter's stubborn nature and love of Garrison, she would not have let this man enter their house.

Garrison only nodded and took a sip of his warm lavender tea ending the conversation. Just by sitting there, he was leaving such a strong aura that the couple felt pressured.

"Your highness, I will try my best to fulfill all the standards of your highness if my daughter is chosen." said George softly, assuring that he would pay a large sum as dowry when Garrison's eyes flickered. 

It only felt that the tension had increased.

They only felt better when they heard the footsteps.

"Aah! Here she is! mMy beautiful daughter." George beamed with joy but he froze when he saw her.

"Father! Were you waiting for me?" 

"..."