Chapter 3: Il Minjoon

I gasped as the baby left my body. Although the pain was gone, my whole body felt numb. Suddenly, a deafening cry echoed in the wide poorly lit room.

Finally, It's done.

I felt so tired and drained. Never, again.

'Your Excellency, here is the crown prince.'

I opened my eyes as the maid placed the baby in my arms. The bawling suddenly stops and turns into snivels. White pale skin combined with white silvery hair greets my sight. A pair of pale blue eyes stared at me. So clear and round. Sparkling, beckoning me forward.

So this is the male lead?

He babbled, spit flowing out of his mouth. His hands moving up and down. I leaned forward, so close that our heads almost kissed. He touched my cheeks and giggled. His hands were soft, like silk.

No, this is my baby.

This big ball of soft pudgy flesh is my baby.

As I come to this realization, I felt bitter.

I was to die by the hands of this child. Just because of a misunderstanding.

You see, the plot is quite deceiving.

The former Empress was neither delusional nor treacherous.

Instead, she was strong and unwavering.

Before, they were both in love. The previous Emperor, before ascending to the throne, swore to only love Xu Hae Gi, the former Empress, till the end of time.

At a distance. A man and a woman can be seen sitting back to back in the wide-open field, overlooking a massive city, and a castle at the center.

'I love you.'

Said the man with silver hair. Tightly embracing the woman in his arms.

'Really?'

The girl with misty blue eyes exclaimed. A solemn gaze stared at a distance.

'Why? You don't believe me?'

'I don't.'

'Is it because of me being the Emperor? You need not to worry, you will be the only one for me.'

'Lies.'

'From the day that I first met you, my heart told me 'She is the one. My ocean.'

'You and your ocean again. Stop it before hit you in the face.'

'Haha! But it's true! I vow to love you and only you, I will not mistreat you. I will be filial to you and will treat you like my one and only treasure. I will always make you happy. The day that I make you cry is the day that I'll die. I swear on my life as Il Dae Hyun, the future Emperor of the Il Kingdom.'

'Promise?'

'Promise.'

I smiled bitterly.

It was all lies.

Without warning, the door opened. A man with long straight platinum hair that flowed down his lower back, stomped forward. His dreamy brown eyes that are usually filled with warmth and adoration are now brimming with anger and distrust. His eyes narrowed, and, with a scowl on his face shouted.

'You insolent wench!'

Yes, he was the man who swore to love me. The one who promised to not mistreat me. Or at least the original person residing in this body.

I closed my eyes.

There are always two sides in a story. And I plan to hear hers.

After the scene, a man is spotted with a blue-eyed woman in a courtyard holding hands. The moon shined brightly, making them look like lovers in the moonlight.

'Hae Gi, leave with me, I know that you're only forced on this marriage but do not fret. I have a plan.'

'Brother, I love him already. I do not want to leave him. Please understand.'

'He will just use you to control our Kingdom! Like all of the former rulers in this country, do you think he will be any different? They don't love Hae Gi. It's not in their nature.'

'He is different! He promised me! I believe in him.'

As the two argued, a lone shadow can be seen in the distance. His eyes burning with loath and indifference.

The Emperor felt victimized. Betrayal was being displayed in front of his eyes. Feeling wronged, he swore to torment Xu Hae Gi for the rest of his life.

That was the start of the former Empress' torture.

The Emperor abandoned her and their precious baby. Claimed that the child was not his and that it was a spawn of another man. She cried, for forgiveness, claiming that she was wronged and she was filial only to him. That their love was true and the child was the proof.

But he did not listen.

He, who promised her a life full of happiness was shattered. He married left and right. The palace was then filled with cunning, and abusive women.

She despaired. Not for her, but for the child. She was afraid that the child would be eaten by those monsters.

Hence, she decided to be the baby's shield. The one who will brandish a sword to whoever threatens her son. But she had to sacrifice being a mother, to her own child.

She assigned her trusted friend and rival to guard and care for the baby secretly while shielding the boy from the Emperor's concubines and corrupt officials.

She did that for 20 years hoping that her son could stand on his own when the time comes. And he did.

She watched as the boy took the throne using his own hands with the girl, Min Ji Ah.

She was content as she stepped down from the throne. 'It was now over.' She thought.

Yet she was baffled when she learned the truth about the girl. That woman was seeing the leader of the Bakjan, their sworn enemy. They even dared to scheme against her child, Minjoon.

So she, who believed that killing was the best way to eliminate an obstacle, decided to kill that girl for Minjoon's sake.

But in the end, she was killed by her own son who was outraged by his mother's actions.

She died lost.

'It was all for you.' She wanted to say.

She was deemed as evil and heartless, the evil Empress who abandoned her own child. The one who killed their savior's lover due to being deranged and delusional. A pretentious woman blinded by power and greed.

And that was Xu Hae Gi's story.

But just to inform you, I plan to change that. Just a teeny little bit.

With a plan in mind, I opened my eyes.