Chapter 1

Looking at the man she loved, she couldn't help but smile bitterly at herself. The first day they met, a memory both beautiful and painful, flooded her thoughts.

Although she knew that loving him would lead to pain, she chose to continue because her heart demanded it. All she wanted was to be happy, even if it meant experiencing just a little bit of joy.

She grew up in a complete and rich family but they didn't care about her. They treated her like a servant, ordering her around and even punishing her like a dog. They would often beat her. Sometimes they would even treat her like a prostitute. Her brothers would bring her along and introduce her to their superiors then they would leave her with those perverts. She was almost raped but luckily she escaped. But when she got home, her eldest brother slapped her.

"How dare you fucking hurt the son of the

governor? Are you out of your mind?" He shouted at her.

It was one of the worst days of her life. Then a man came, he gave her light. He gave her hope and strength.

"Why are you crying?" That was the first sentence he said to her. She clearly remembered the concern in his eyes that day.

Hearing that, she was surprised and flattered. Everyone knew that she was the unfavored daughter of the Ailer family so no one wanted to associate with her. They avoided her like the plague.

That man was Troy D'Sielve. The only heir of D'Sielve Clan, a family of ministers who ruled over the court and his father was the King's most trusted aid.

He was the Prime Minister's son and she was only the daughter of a mere merchant family.

Their paths shouldn't have crossed but fate played with her and brought him into her life. Her family's business was cloth and jewelry. Her family had the best designer in the kingdom so the wife of the Prime Minister personally visited their home, asking if they could customize a gown and a set of headdresses for her.

She fell in love the moment she saw the concern in his eyes. Because who wouldn't? She suffered for 20 years in the hands of her own family and no one ever showed concern for her. It was the first time that she felt warmth.

Troy always visited their home. Their families also became close, despite the significant gap in their social statuses. Her sisters would often ridicule her, calling her a slut and a gold digger. They would embarrass her in front of Troy, but he never showed disdain towards her. He would comfort her when they were alone. He even almost got into a fight with Victor, her second older brother when he saw the bruise on her arm.

Rumors spread around the city. They said that the youngest daughter of the Ailer family seduced the only son of the Prime Minister. They claimed that she was after his money and desired to be his wife, so she shamelessly followed him around. People threw curses at her whenever she went to the market to buy things. She didn't understand why people would believe that kind of rumor without even confirming it. Then she found out that her sister, Veron, was the one behind that scheme.

She was so worried that Troy would also believe the rumors, so she sent him a letter, asking him to meet in their usual meeting place.

She waited for hours before he came. He said that he would never doubt her, and he would always believe her.

She cried, not because she was in pain, but because of happiness.

Someone believed in her, finally.

Then... something happened between them. She gave herself to the man she thought was the heavens' compensation for all her sufferings.

She stupidly believed in him.

Then he asked her to marry him, which she happily accepted.

Troy's family was opposed to their marriage, but he stubbornly persisted in marrying her. He announced to everyone that he would never marry unless that woman was her.

So the D'Sielve family had no choice but to accept her into their family.

She thought that it would be the beginning of a change in her life. She thought that her suffering would finally come to an end. But she was mistaken. She entered that family with a smile on her face, but when she was already inside, her smiling face was replaced by sadness and despair.

"Troy already has five concubines. But don't worry, you are the main wife. When you get pregnant, your child will be the next heir of this family, even if one of them gets pregnant too," Troy's mother said to her with a smile on her face.

But ridicule is evident in her eyes. She might even be laughing at her because of her stupidity.

Having concubines was normal in their world. Her father also had 3 concubines, and her sisters were from those women. She had two illegitimate sisters, Veron, and Annie.

"But Troy didn't mention this to me. I thought..."

"Are you under the impression that you're the only woman in his life? You must be kidding. Troy holds a high status, and it's unlikely he would commit to only one woman. Consider the reality, Yana, and don't be naive."

She accepted it. Even though it was difficult to see her husband with other women, she accepted it. She had no choice. She entered this situation, and she couldn't get out unless she divorced him.

Divorce was not the solution to her problems, and it would make things worse. She had nowhere to go. As a woman, even if she had abilities and talents, she couldn't go far. She couldn't become an official, and she couldn't start a business because she didn't have enough money.

It was because of her gender and identity. She was not a noblewoman, and only men had the right to enter official positions and the army.

She got pregnant, but her child died. It wasn't even born yet, but it became a thorn in the eyes of other people. Someone poisoned her. She knew that, but they said it was an accident. Troy blamed her for killing their child.

She slapped him because of anger, but she immediately regretted it. He coldly looked at her, his eyes were filled with madness and coldness.

He imprisoned her inside the room and raped her so many times. Her body was still weak so she couldn't take it and suffered internal injuries.

She couldn't bear a child anymore.

It was more painful than death. Losing her child and the betrayal of her husband.

Now, in front of the man she once loved, she surprisingly felt nothing. No anger, no disappointment.

She laid on the bed, staring at Troy. He was also looking at her.

She smiled at him and said, "Were you disappointed that I'm still alive?"

His eyes wavered for a moment but he stayed silent.

"I really loved you, you know. I am grateful because you took me away from my family, and if not for you, I wouldn't have felt even a bit of happiness. Meeting you, I have no regrets. I have never regretted loving you, Troy. I actually wanted to be with you for the rest of our lives because that's the promise we made in front of the gods. But... cough"

She clutched her chest and repeatedly coughed. It felt like something was forming in her throat, so she covered her mouth with a handkerchief and saw that there was blood.

She gracefully wiped the blood from her mouth, not letting it bother her. She knew her end was near.

"I never wanted you to die," Troy softly uttered. She could barely hear it. But did it matter? No. She was dying, anyway.

"I didn't kill our child," she said to him, despite struggling to speak, she forced herself to provide an explanation, making her cough worse.

"I know... I'm sorry." He said with complicated emotions in his eyes.

"You knew, and yet..."

She coughed again, and this time, more blood came out.

Troy became tense and called for the physician.

"Don't talk anymore. The physician will be here soon, and you'll get better. I regret doing those things to you. I was blinded by my anger, but I'll compensate you, okay? Don't leave me." He begged. His fists clenched, and his eyes turned red.

"Those concubines, I'll send them away. I'll punish those servants who treated you badly. I'll build a house just for the two of us. It doesn't matter if we can't have children, as long as you're by my side. I'll love you and give you everything. I will soon become the Prime Minister, and I will send my mother to the temple so that she can't bother you anymore. Just... just please don't leave me." He added, his voice cracked.

She gestured for him to come closer. She touched his face, wanting to engrave his appearance in her mind.

As she said, she didn't regret loving the man in front of her. He failed her, but she also had shortcomings.

She held no grudge against him. She just felt thankful that the gods pitied her a little and allowed her to experience happiness, even for a short period of time.

"Troy, it's too late now. I know you were hurt when we lost our child, and I'm aware that you've already taken revenge on those who wronged me. I understand that your emotions influenced your actions. But, did you also love me?"

"I loved you, and I still do, Yana. Stay with me, please."

"Goodbye, Troy. In my next life, I hope fate will not bring us together again."

A tear fell, and she took her last breath.

Dying seemed like her only option now.

Or not...???

She died, but when she opened her eyes again, a white ceiling welcomed her.

What happened?

Then she looked at her beautiful and small hands. These hands weren't hers. This place wasn't her room; no, this place was very different from her world.

The lights were different, the furniture was different.

She was reborn but in another person's body, she concluded.

And now, she was in an unfamiliar world.

Earth...

Year 2023.