Chapter 1

Ever since I was a little kid, I loved reading, books of different genres, I'll picture what I read in my mind and feel the flow.

As I grew up, I loved it even more, I study through those books since I didn't have the opportunity to go outside with other kids my age, in other words, I was not treated like a normal child supported and raised with love and care.

I did not meet my mom in her lifetime, she died when she had me but I heard she loved reading too, so I study with the ones she left behind.

' At least for once, the problems are not mine ' I would say to myself.

I'm yet to experience the real world even if I don't know how it works, I'm not too sure if what happens in books happens in real life but I love it when there's always a happy ending.

As I lead my life, I'm not sure if I'm going to have a happy life in this little world of mine but one thing I dream of is to be married to someone I love, I don't want to be forced to marry.

I don't think that will be possible because it's common in Ivory Kingdom to marry off a girl whose age is eighteen.

I sighed at the thought of getting married off, it always frightened me,to marry someone I don't even know, whom I don't even know his personality, I know it's going to happen to me and I kind of awaited, not because I wanted it but because it's what every girl my age believes is bound to happen, I won't lie but somewhere, just a little place to only fit a mosquito in my heart hoped my future won't be like that, especially with one of those fearful masters out there.

I picked a book, the one I just got, the one I sneakily got from the basement library yesterday night, I opened my little window to feel the breeze, ready to be lost in my own imagination, as I opened the first page...

' LUCIA... '

I jolted and the book fell from my hands.

' LUCIA ' I heard again.

Now I know I'm in serious trouble, I rushed down to the main chamber, as soon as I opened the door, a slap met my face and I staggered, this is not happening for the first time but every single time felt like first time.

I composed myself quickly and immediately bowed my head and stared at the floor.

' Your grace,you called for me ' I said in a low but very sharp voice, there was a pin drop silence.

I was about to speak again when she spoke

' What were you doing? '

My heart raced ' I was... I was... I was cleaning my room ' I stammered when I knew she must not know I was reading or about to read, I didn't know what to say so I lied.

' What's there to clean in your room? '

' I... I forgot to clean the cobwebs ' , I hated this, it'll lead to a punishment any time from now, I felt my heart will jump out of my chest in any minute.

' Clean the house ' she said and walked off while I stood there dumbfounded.

' That's it? ' I wondered and I got more and more scared.

Normally, I'll receive strokes of the cane, I got used to that and then, I'll eventually clean the house.

She hates it when there's dirt and I tried my best to remove them, but now, only telling me to clean up the house?

' I hope I'm not in deep trouble ' I said to myself.

' Are you just going to stand there? ' Aurelia said.

' No, your grace ' I said and walked off, holding my cheek.

Aurelia, she's my stepsister but she dislikes me, we're the same age, she hates everything I do in the house, she once made me clean the house thrice and asked the servant to give me more punishment just because I broke a cup when her mother wasn't home, her mother would do worse,she hated me that much but who am I to object, I had to do everything unless I want to sleep in the dungeon forever.

Her mother, who is also my stepmom is the duchess, my father is a Duke but currently away on a journey for the past five years, I still don't know the purpose of it, even if he's here, I doubt he'll treat me like his daughter, since birth, he preferred Aurelia to me.

I made moves to clean the house but wondered what was happening, other servants moved up and down, I can't ask any of them, I must not be seen talking to them unless it is necessary so I kept my thoughts to myself.

' Maybe there will be a visitor ' I thought.

I'm still not sure but I continued to clean anyway.

After a couple of hours,I cleaned everywhere and settled in my room, something was off,I noticed the mischievous smile on Aurelia's face, I know something bad is about to happen but I'm not quite sure.

I picked the book I dropped earlier and started reading, I was lost in the pages, the feeling is always satisfying, I imagined it was me, living a very peaceful and tireless life.

' Is this possible? ' I wondered and continued to read , I flipped the pages and all of a sudden I heard a knock and I stopped to see if that was real or it's just me, it's only noon.

I heard the knock again and I knew at that moment that it's happening again.