Chapter One
_ A Different Beginning
The pain was tearing me apart; I felt as if my body was splitting in two. I lost consciousness only to regain it again. Why haven't I died yet...
I took a sharp breath, trying to stand up, but I... where am I?! I found myself on a soft bed, and my vision began to clear despite the intensity of the pain. A spacious room with walls decorated in pure gold, the golden bed curtains drawn open, and a large balcony. Wait, this is Altan Palace. Did someone move me here when I fainted...
The pain was still gripping my body, but it was a different kind of pain, very different from what it was before I passed out. I tried to get up, but my body hurt, specifically my lower abdomen. I placed my hand on my stomach to feel the pain, and my breath was stolen away; it was very swollen. I looked back at my stomach and found it large.
'Wait! What is this?! What is happening?!'
I gathered all my courage and stood up, but my voice betrayed me and I screamed in pain. The maids rushed to me—Rosie and Celine, my close maids. My throat went dry, and with a voice I could barely force out, I said:
"I wa...nt water."
Rosie rushed to me and gave me a glass of water, speaking anxiously after checking my condition:
"Your Grace?! ... Celine, call the doctor, it seems Her Grace is about to give birth.."
"Birth??!!"
I muttered with a complex feeling, tears streaming from my eyes. Am I dreaming? But the pain is alive inside me. I looked at my hands... they were smaller, and at Rosie, who was young and youthful...
"R...Rosie... tell the doctor to hurry, I don't want my baby to be hurt."
I felt Rosie's surprised look at my urging, but I no longer cared. Rosie shouted to the maids to begin the birth preparations...
'Am I dreaming? No, no, it's not a dream. Have I returned... truly, have I gained another chance? Truly! Ayan, my little one, we will meet again.'
Tears were heavily soaking my face, and the maids were doing their work to the fullest. The pain I felt was becoming bearable; what I had lived through was far worse...
The private doctor arrived, and after a labor that lasted more than seven hours, I heard my baby's voice... his first voice in this life. I felt happiness; throughout my labor, tears were flowing from my eyes without ceasing...
"Your Grace, the heir has been born. It is a male..."
Everyone knew the kind of emotion I previously held for the child, so the midwife did not present him to me. But this time, I wanted to hold him. I will not waste a single second in this life; I will love my baby more and more than anything else...
"Give me the child.."
"Pardon?"
"I said give me my child..."
Those present were in a state of astonishment and confusion, but the midwife, after cleaning him, wrapped him in a piece of white cloth and placed him in my lap...
A beautiful, small baby. Beautiful white hair, a small face, and a red nose—he was still entirely flushed. I drew him closer to me and breathed in his scent; it was sweet and beautiful.
'How did I hate you?! How did I hurt you, my little one?!'
"Welcome to this world, Ayan."
Even though I was only looking at my little one, I felt their gazes on me—astonishment and confusion. Celine approached me and said with a smile:
"Your Grace, shall we take the baby so you can rest?"
I hugged my baby tighter and said sharply:
"No, I will keep him near me."
Rosie was amazed and signaled Celine to step back, then she approached me:
"Your Grace, you must rest, and we must dress the baby and take him to sleep in his room."
"Move Ayan's bed here, and his basic necessities here. Move everything here. After you bring my baby's bed, you can begin your work."
I spoke firmly. Rosie smiled at me and gestured for the servants to carry out the orders....
Less than half an hour passed, and the bed and all the baby's needs were ready. After she finished, she took the baby from me and placed him in his bed, and the maids began helping me clean up and change my clothes. I was like a broken doll with no energy, but I was alive and my baby was alive. I was very happy; I swore I would never let harm come near my little one ever again...
After I finished, I looked at Rosie:
"Rosie, bring my baby to sleep in my arms."
"My Lady, how will you rest while the child..."
"I am fine. I won't rest until Ayan is in my arms. Also, inform Mr. Stanley to prepare the papers for the new Altan's joining of the family, and I want you to summon the best painter in the Empire; I want him to immortalize my baby's first moments. And yes... open Altan Palace and distribute food and gifts for a month in celebration of the young Duke's birth and..."
She nodded yes to me. I stretched out on the bed, then took the baby from his bed and placed him near me. I kissed my little one, and before I closed my eyes as Rosie was leaving, I spoke quietly with a sleepy voice:
"Rosie, do not let anyone approach my baby except you."
"I follow your orders, My Lady."
I caressed my little one and then fell asleep while smelling his scent, praying inside me that what I am living now is not a dream...
* * *
"Did you hear?! The Duchess never left the baby's side."
"I can't believe it. Didn't she used to hate the child?!"
"I heard she tried to abort him.."
"I still can't believe it. How did she change?"
"I expected her not to touch the child."
"Perhaps it's motherhood."
"Please, I was there. she was strange and was crying the whole time."
"The Duchess was crying?"
"Quiet, Lady Rosie is coming."
As the shocked Rosie descended from the third floor, she bumped into the maids who were gossiping. Rosie was as shocked as they were, but she did not comment...
Seeing the slacking maids, she spoke firmly:
"Is it not time for work?!"
"We apologize, Head Maid."
Rosie smiled and said with excitement despite her confusion:
"We must get ready, we have a lot of work. The Duchy will distribute food to the people of the estate."
"What?!"
All the maids were shocked and urged Rosie to explain:
"Yes, we will distribute food and drink, and we will announce that the Duchy of Altan is celebrating the birth of the new Duke, Ayan de Altan."
"Did the Duchess give him a name?!"
"I thought she wouldn't give him one."
"But isn't it a good thing?"
"The name is beautiful."
The maids were talking with shock and wonder at the Duchess's strange actions, but this did not make them displeased with it...
Rosie looked at them, and the maids said excitedly:
"I must get ready, our little master has joined the palace."
"Oh my God, I want to see the young master."
The maids got excited and started their work, while Rosie tried to process what was happening. Her mistress, who had changed strangely, and her mad desire for her child—did she hold affection for her child?! Is it motherhood?! Didn't she see that the child resembles the Duke?! Rosie was not displeased; rather, she hoped things would go well...
* * * The atmosphere in the Duchy of Altan was festive. Although the Duchess did not hold a private party for the child, she shared her happiness for the baby with the people of Altan by distributing food and money to the poor throughout the Duchy. The child received many gifts from the Imperial Family and from people flattering the family and those who consider themselves followers. They were expensive gifts, but Elite paid no mind to those things. What she did was ensure the safety of the gifts, check the servants, and begin organizing matters so that Ayan could live a peaceful life for a child of his age, far from harm. He will become the Duke of Altan; she will make her child the best and the happiest.
A month after the birth of the child, who became more and more beautiful, the dark atmosphere of the palace began to brighten. Elite started acting more strictly as a Duchess, but the people of the Duchy were excited; they felt she was the hope for this palace...
A month after his birth, the young Duke was taken to the temple for the child's blessing; the things she had not done in her previous life, she did now. The beautiful child was wrapped in white cloth embroidered with gold, and the child wore beautiful and comfortable white clothes for a baby. She carried the child gently and with love. She wore a white dress decorated with gold threads in patterns similar to the child's clothes. She wore an embroidered white cloak resembling the wrap she carried the child in—a symbol of a golden sun hiding behind the sea. The colors gold and light blue symbolized the Duchy of Altan.
The priest took the child, placed him on the designated platform, smiled, and said in a low voice for the Duchess to hear:
"It seems the young Duke will become a brilliant wizard."
Elite knew that, but she smiled at her child who was sleeping peacefully. The priest spoke in a loud voice:
"We announce the birth of our Duke, Ayan de Altan."
The temple was crowded with well-wishers, despite the absurdity of declaring loyalty to a child born only a month ago, but they know that the family system was determined upon seeing the symbol of Altan. Had the child not been born, the title would have passed to a relative, but the line of succession is clear...
After the priest's announcement and the child's blessing, Elite carried her child gently and affectionately. She was smiling at her baby with great love and stood on the platform so the people of Altan could approach and pay respects to the new Duke. The nobles were paying their respects; there were those who carried disdain in their words and their declaration of loyalty, but Elite knew about all of them. In the month she spent her time with Ayan, she was arranging for Ayan's future life using information from her previous life, and she also decided to build a private information network to help her child. She will do everything for this beautiful child sleeping in her arms. But what is most important now is coming...
"I greet the young Duke and our beautiful Duchess, and I am happy for my grandson and my daughter."
Elite smiled at her child as if talking to him, then looked at her father with a smile:
"Father, my child is happy with his maternal grandfather as well."
The Count was the last of the arrivals to pay respects, so he extended his hand for his daughter to descend from the platform. After she bowed respectfully to the priest, Elite held her father's hand and descended with him. When they moved to exit the temple and reached the carriage, she gave the child to Rosie and climbed in. Afterward, she took her child so her father could enter the carriage with Rosie. The Count wanted to speak but did not utter a single word. Elite spoke with a cold smile to her father:
"Father, it seems you have much to discuss with me?!"
"Certainly."
"We will arrive at the palace soon, then you can talk."
Elite's words and gaze were cold, devoid of life, but her child, who woke up and made small murmurs, made Elite flinch and look at the little one urging his mother to look at him. Elite smiled at her child's face, lifted him closer, and whispered lovingly: "Ayan, my little one, are you hungry?!"
The baby made beautiful sounds as if he understood his mother. Warmth filled Elite's face, and her eyes became busy only with her child...
The Count was in a state of confusion and disbelief and could not take his eyes off his daughter. Elite, who had always cursed the child, was smiling at him like a land receiving rain after years of drought. The Count did not care about that; his only concern was wealth and status. His eldest daughter is married to a Marquess in the West, and his youngest daughter is a Duchess and now the mother of the Duke, and the family's power will be concentrated in his hands. Despite his annoyance with his son, who always goes against his wishes and wants to enter the priesthood instead of succeeding the family, if he gains greater wealth, he can marry a beautiful young lady and have children. The Count smiled at his thoughts..
"We have arrived."
His train of thought was interrupted by Elite's voice. He looked at her with an artificial friendly smile. She returned the smile and gave Ayan to Rosie, who had descended before her:
"Take Ayan to my room, change his clothes, and I will come to feed him."
Rosie nodded and carried the little one inside. The Count descended and helped Elite descend in a noble manner...
The servants received their mistress, and Elite moved quietly, holding her father's arm. Upon entering the palace, she signaled the servants:
"Take the Count to the office, I will go change my clothes and return."
She looked at her father and said with a cold smile:
"Father! Go ahead to the office, I must change my clothes."
"No problem."
The Count headed to the office accompanied by servants with confident steps, like someone moving in his own home. The servants realized that; despite their annoyance, they did not have the authority to do anything. Elite went up after seeing her father acting arrogantly; she chuckled sarcastically then headed to her room...
* * *
I entered the Duke's office; I felt victory.
That stupid girl was truly useful. It's good that the Duke didn't care that his wife was a commoner; he liked her because she was beautiful and young. He was a perverted man and had many mistresses, most of whom were young, so convincing him wasn't a difficult matter. He liked her because she had a small and innocent face.
The Duke was generous to those who flattered him, or more accurately, generous to his desires, and I was the person who helped him. He was a man who was not satisfied with one woman, and I helped him in bringing young girls to warm his bed, and I used to get rid of them after their use was finished. I don't want someone who might bear him an heir and ruin my plans. Finally, that useless girl got pregnant. It was as if fate was playing in my favor; the foolish Duke died, and after Elite gave birth to the heir and makes me his guardian, I will take control of the reins in the Duchy as the guardian of the young Duke. I will crush everyone, starting with that disobedient child...
I continued wandering in that lavishly decorated office, sat on the Duke's chair, and looked at the desk with pride:
"Luck is on my side; soon all of this will be under my hand."
"I did not know my father had such great ambition."
I swallowed my saliva when I heard her voice. I felt a coldness hitting my limbs. I looked at her while painting a friendly smile; I fear this girl might act in a stupid way that ruins everything. I said with extreme kindness:
"No, I don't mean—I mean I want to help my grandson."
She looked at me with a cold gaze. It is the first time she looks into my eyes with courage; in fact, she seems like another person I don't know. Before I could speak, she pointed to the chair:
"Can you step away from the desk?"
I thought that I must be patient now, so I smiled and stepped away voluntarily. But what surprised me was that she approached the desk and rang the bell, and the servant entered:
"Peter, clean the office.."
The servant bowed and left. I looked in shock at her rude behavior:
"Why did you do that?!"
"Heh.."
My body shuddered from her cold and sarcastic laughter. Is she really Elite, that child who was always afraid and did what I wanted?..
I looked at her for her to speak, but she pointed to the sofa and said:
"It is better that we sit there until they come to clean the office."
"..."
I couldn't speak, but she spoke with a cold smile:
"You came for the delegation, right?!"
Before I could open my mouth, she added kindly and with a gentle voice that did not belong to her smile:
"Father, haven't you grown old?! Why don't you retire?"
"What?!"
"Let the father retire, and let the family pass to the eldest brother. Surely this is your wish."
It was my wish but not now. Also, didn't Louis say he doesn't want to lead the family? What is she raving about? I opened my mouth in anger:
"What is this nonsense?! Besides, your brother refused to lead the family."
I looked at her surprised face and smiled:
"Brother, did he say that?! But Louis told me that you are the one who refused to hand things over to him."
"What?!"
What the hell is happening? I looked at her in shock, anger boiling inside me, but she was smiling confidently. 'Is she provoking me?! That's impossible, she is a stupid and cowardly child and never went against my word.' I opened my mouth again:
"You... you, what are you raving about?!"
She did not answer me but remained smiling. My limbs turned cold. She didn't speak...
Tick Tick Tick!!!
I looked at the door and at her while she was smiling and permitted entry...
A man in his early thirties entered with a friendly smile, wheaten blonde hair, and green eyes. He looked at me with a smile then bowed to Elite and said respectfully:
"Duchess, I have prepared all the documents you requested, and the young gentleman is waiting outside."
"Good, tell him to come, I have waited for him for a long time."
They completely ignored me. Then the person they were talking about entered. My face stiffened, and I felt as if my eyes would pop out of their sockets. Dark brown hair, and amber-red eyes... Louis Bryant.
"What brought you here?!"
...... To be continued ......