I whispered for him to put me down, but he ignored me and carried me straight to my room. Once we arrived, he gently placed me on the bed while Martha watched in amazement from behind. I was just as confused as she was. What had gotten into him? Why was he suddenly being kind? Despite my questions, I was grateful that he had chosen to protect me from his siblings.
After settling me on the bed, Reuben took a seat next to me, and I could tell he had something to say. He turned to Martha and demanded a first aid kit, prompting her to quickly leave the room to fulfill his request. I braced myself for what was to come, unsure if it would be good or bad news.
"First of all, I'm sorry for what happened tonight," he began.
But I chose not to accept his apology. "If you hadn't told your mom about me, we wouldn't be in this situation. So, I decline your apology."
Reuben didn't seem bothered. "The truth is, I don't care if you accept my apology or not," he replied in his usual arrogant tone.
Of course, it was all an act. "I knew it. Now tell me what you want. What's the reason behind your sudden kindness?"
Reuben paused as if considering his carefully, before finally speaking up. No "I'm asking just in case you don't have a problem with me having three hundred concubines," he asked in a serious tone. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't hide my shock.
"This is what you wanted to know?" I asked, completely bewildered.
He turned away from me and said, "My siblings doubt your ability, but I have faith in you. Naomi, you may not realize it yet, but you possess the aura of a queen. From the moment I discovered you were the one I would marry, I saw greatness in you."
His words left me speechless and shocked, but he continued, "There is no doubt in my mind that you will become the strongest queen in history. You are the kind of woman I need by my side. However, I must be honest and admit that I do not find you physically attractive."
His words shattered my heart, and I wanted to lash out at him, but I could only stare at him in disbelief. "You probably already have an idea of the kind of women I am usually attracted to, and you are quite different from them. But that doesn't change the fact that you are a good woman. I'm afraid I cannot see myself falling in love with you, not in this lifetime or the next. However, I still need you."
"Do you expect me to stay?" I asked bitterly, looking away because I was afraid of breaking down if I looked into his eyes. Being called unattractive to my face was a new and painful experience.
"It's not really up to you," Reuben replied, and I knew he was right. At that moment, I felt powerless and weak, and according to him, unattractive. There was nothing I could do.
I fought back the tears and faced him, trying to appear strong. "So, what do you suggest we do? You don't find me attractive, yet you still want me to be your queen. How do we navigate this situation?"
He smiled as if he had been anticipating this question for a long time. "It's quite simple, we pretend to be a couple in public, but behind closed doors, we keep our distance from each other."
"I am allowed to have concubines, but unfortunately, you are not permitted to be with another man. And as my queen, you have to bear me children. We can discuss the topic of intimacy later."
"Just so you are aware, I will be bringing in many concubines in the future, and you must not cause any trouble for them. I will ensure that your stay here is comfortable, and if anyone bullies you, you can come to me for help, except for the queen, as even I am afraid of my mother. That is all I have to say for now, do you understand?"
I found myself nodding in response. Reuben seemed satisfied with my answer and got off the bed. Martha entered the room with a first aid kit, but he paid no attention and left. She gave me a sympathetic look, and I could tell she had overheard our conversation.
Placing the box on the floor, she came to my side and said, "I apologize for everything you have been through, my lady. Shall I call a doctor to tend to your wounds?"
A strong wave of emotions overwhelmed me, and I couldn't hold back my tears. I cried uncontrollably as if I were a helpless baby. If Reuben were still walking in the corridors, he would probably be able to hear me, but I didn't care. My heart was breaking into pieces as if it were being pricked by countless needles.
Martha climbed onto the bed and gently placed my head on her lap as I sobbed uncontrollably. "Don't worry, my dear," she comforted me, rubbing my back. "Everything will be alright, it's only temporary." I clung to her tightly as she whispered soothing words into my ears, eventually lulling me to sleep.
Instead of waking me up with her usual loud drumming, Martha gently tapped me awake, for which I was grateful. I stretched and yawned, feeling as though the memories from yesterday were nothing more than a distant dream. I was determined to leave it all behind.
Turning to Martha, I asked, "What do I have planned for today?" I was starting to get the hang of this new routine.
Just as she was about to answer, the door suddenly burst open, and Belen and Jade entered the room with confident strides. Fear instantly washed over me as soon as I laid eyes on them. I hadn't expected our reunion to happen so soon.
"Good morning, Naomi," Belen greeted me cheerfully, but there was an underlying tone of something else.
Belen and Jade remained silent as they forcefully pulled me out of bed. I looked to Martha for assistance, but she deliberately avoided eye contact, indicating that she was also powerless in this situation."I'm not even properly dressed," I protested, hoping to find a way out of whatever they had planned."Don't worry about that, we'll take care of it," Jade replied with a mischievous smile. With no other choice, I reluctantly followed along.True to her word, Jade made sure to dress me up. However, I was far from satisfied with the outfit I was forced into, but I kept my complaints to myself. The dress was so long that it practically swept the floor, with sleeves that threatened to engulf me entirely. I've never been one to dress provocatively, but this was just too much. Even nuns don't dress like this because I could barely breathe and this seemed to please both princesses as they stared at me in awe. "Don't you know that modesty is expected of you as a queen?" Jade remarked, not
A chilling silence hung in the air, and it was no surprise that my actions caught them off guard. However, I had reached my limit. I was tired of being bullied and insulted to my face. If I didn't stand up for myself now, who knows what they would do next.It only took a few seconds for her to recover from the shock. She got up and wiped the remaining juice off her face."Are you out of your mind?" Belen's harsh tone grabbed my attention, but before I could respond, I felt a slap on my cheek. I didn't need to guess who it came from. Without hesitation, I returned the blow, making sure to gather all the strength within me to leave a mark.Silence fell upon us once again. Blondie blinked, too stunned to speak. Jade got up and approached me. It was clear what her intentions were. As soon as she reached me, she raised her hand to strike, but I caught it mid-air."Don't you dare," I warned, refusing to let go. My grip was so tight that she couldn't break free, no matter how hard she tried.
After being whipped until I blacked out, I regained consciousness to find myself back in the comfort of my room. I was lying face down, unable to move due to the stinging pain in my buttocks."My lady, you're awake," Martha's voice came from behind me. I tried to nod, but the sharp pain shot up my spine, causing me to cry out."I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you," Martha sniffled. I couldn't see her face, but I could sense her tears."It's not your fault, Martha. You're not the one who did this to me," I reassured her."But I stood by and watched it happen," guilt was evident in her tone. If only I could embrace her and let her know how grateful I was to have her in my life. If my maid had been like the others, evil and plotting my downfall, I might have given up a long time ago."Let me apply balm to your wounds."My skirt was lifted, and I didn't object. A cold sensation spread over my wounds, causing some pain but also relieving it slightly."Can you get me some water?" I asked
It had been a whole week since I endured the brutal flogging, and although it took some time for my wounds to heal, the pain was gradually subsiding. The queen had exempted me from attending classes and participating in any activities, confining me to my room for recovery.Giselle made a point to visit me every day, despite my clear indication that I wasn't interested in being friends. I couldn't help but wonder why she persisted in wanting to befriend someone like me. Not that there was anything inherently wrong with me, but the people in this place were not fond of forming close relationships with someone of mixed heritage.Martha informed me that Giselle's father held a prominent position in the royal family as the king's uncle, and he was one of the influential figures who held power. Despite her privileged background, Giselle didn't flaunt it. Martha described her as humble, and even though she associated with Belen and her group, she stood out as someone unique."Mi mi!" Giselle
After my wounds had healed, classes resumed and Madam Florence became even stricter with me. I could sense that she had a problem, but she wouldn't say it. I wondered if one of the girls I had beaten up the other day was her daughter."Stand straight!" she commanded, slapping my back with a ruler. I glared at her, but she raised her eyebrow as if challenging me to say something. I quickly closed my mouth, reminding myself to endure it. I remembered Reuben's words - there will come a time when none of them will be able to treat me like this, but for now, I have to rely on their mercy."It's been a while, Florence," a familiar voice said. I turned my head to see Giselle approaching with a smile, but a slap on my back forced me to face forward. "Focus!" the woman yelled."Giselle," she said in a friendly tone I had never heard from her before. Pulling her into a hug, and I was surprised that she could do more than just scream and yell. "Indeed it has. How is your mother? I heard she hasn
Normally, I was unable to leave the palace, but thanks to Giselle's influence, I was able to pass through the gates without any trouble. Belen and the others had already left, assuming that we knew the location of the bakery, which, of course, belonged to my family. I was both excited and nervous to see what kind of surprise they had planned."It's alright," Giselle reassured me as she skillfully navigated through the busy roads. "I'm here with you, nothing will go wrong. Besides, your mother used to be a Princess, right? Even though she isn't anymore, they still have to show respect.""I hope so," I silently prayed in my mind. After being stuck in traffic for what felt like hours, we finally arrived at the street leading to the bakery. As we approached, a line had formed outside, and a smile spread across my face. Business was still thriving, and I couldn't wait to see my parents. I had missed them so much.Stepping out of the car, we walked inside. The first person I laid eyes on wa
My mom walked out of the kitchen without saying anything to me, and I followed behind her, determined to find out what was going on. I saw Giselle and Sally having a lively conversation, laughing as if they had known each other for years.I cleared my throat to get Giselle's attention, causing her to pause and turn towards me. "Are you finished talking to your mom?" I asked. My mom, who was on the other side of the room, looked at Giselle with disgust, but Giselle seemed oblivious to it. I nodded in response to Giselle's question and she smiled."By the way, you never mentioned your sister to me," Giselle said.Sally glanced at me from the counter, and I resisted the urge to give her the middle finger, especially in front of Giselle. We had to pretend to be normal."There's not much to say about her," I replied. It wasn't a lie; besides her obsession with the royal family, Sally didn't have much going on.I noticed that Belen and the others were nowhere to be found, which was strange
I was given the punishment of kneeling with a bowl of water all night, and the queen herself made sure to oversee it by placing me next to her bed. While she snored loudly, I endured the pain and discomfort, my hands held up in exhaustion. At one point, I even contemplated assassinating her while she slept, but I knew the consequences it would bring upon my family if I attempted such a drastic act.During the queen's slumber, I took advantage of a few hours to relax and slack off, which helped me endure until morning. As I saw the sunrise, I quickly resumed my kneeling position, and shortly after, the queen woke up. She seemed pleased to find me still kneeling and, with a yawn, she spoke."You may leave now and take the day off to regain your strength. Be prepared to resume your classes tomorrow."I dropped the bowl on the ground and stood up to leave, but she stopped me, saying, "Take it with you." With a frown on my face, I followed her command and left the room. On my way out, I bu