Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress

With a cold pair of amber eyes that looked dead due to the lack of emotion, Empress Arabella silently watched as the ever so glorious and formerly undefeated Valeria Empire finally fell to ruin for the first time since its founding.

Surely, her name would go down in history as the villainous empress who caused the downfall of her own husband — the mighty Emperor Ferdinand.

Yes, HIM!

Along with the Valeria Empire that sheltered her for years.

Or did it?

Wasn't it only pain and grief that it caused her?

Ah, there was a bit of joy and warmth in the beginning, when she was nothing but a young pampered lady who knew nothing about the world.

But when she grew wiser, she realized, even those brief moments were not true.

This empire was nothing but a prison to her. 

It shackled her to this cold unwelcoming place and took away everything precious to her.

Her youth, her love, her home, her freedom — and most especially, the light of her life.

Everything!

All this place gave her was misery.

It was hell.

But then again, for Arabella, she had been dead for a while so it didn't really matter anymore.

Nothing mattered since her son's death.

Ah, wait! There is!

Revenge.

The destruction of her once beloved husband and the source of his power.

***

The morbid scent of burning bodies and buildings greeted her nostrils as she got closer to the edge of the window.

Black smoke rose everywhere and made dark clouds loom over the once bright and prosperous empire.

From the highest floor of the Magic Tower, she marveled at the sea of flames engulfing Riva — once the beautiful and glorious capital of Valeria.

This was the fruit of her years of hard work.

All her painstaking efforts finally paid off!

It had been ten years since she plotted to ruin her husband and what he loved the most.

Power.

The power and prestige of the mighty Valerian Empire.

And now, she finally succeeded.

Her husband lost his throne and Riva was in flames.

Valeria had fallen.

Was she happy as she listened to the screams of their people dying?

Heh. Were they ever her people? 

All they did was torment her. 

They were never her people even when she tried her best to be their Empress.

They never truly accepted her despite her efforts.

They never saw her improvement and achievements. 

Instead, they only saw her faults and mistakes.

When she performed well, they scoffed and said it was to be expected. 

That it was the least she could do as the spouse of the Emperor.

They made it seem like she should have done even better and sooner than she did even when her carefree and happy life was suddenly stolen from her so she could be here.

Even her good performance seemed like a mistake since everyone simply said she should have done it so much earlier than she did.

No one talked of her good deeds and improvement since they didn't see it as one.

Yet, if she made even the smallest mistake, it always became a huge issue which got known to everyone and they never moved on from it.

They talked about it so much more than any of her achievements.

Even after the years went by, she was just a foreign Empress they always judged and criticized.

She never truly belonged here, so they were never her people in the first place.

Still…

Was she happy that the capital and the places she used to wander around were all engulfed in flames and would soon turn to ashes?

She wasn't.

But it didn't matter.

Because she could no longer be happy.

Her heart died long ago. 

It was buried with her only child. 

That adorable kid was her light in this dark and cruel place.

He was her only joy.

Her happiness.

Her everything.

Yet, her own husband took his life.

Arabella considered herself dead ever since her son died. 

She thought of herself to have been buried along with him.

What remained was an empty shell with nothing but her hatred, fury, and sorrow. 

It was no longer her.

Just the strong longing to seek vengeance for her innocent and charming son.

It was what kept her alive even when she was already dead inside. 

She had to exact her revenge and ruin the person who mercilessly poisoned her only child.

***

Arabella's eyes had no emotion in them despite the carnage down below.

No happiness or sadness.

Just relief.

Everything was finally over. 

She could finally follow her beloved child.

But when she suddenly wakes up, reborn as her younger self, with a new-gained ability which enlightened her of the truth, will Arabella still be able to continue all the plots she prepared to drag her husband down once again?

Or will love find its way even amidst all the hatred and fury she holds for him and cleanse her tainted soul?