Chapter 1: Confused Sophie

Cough! Cough! Sophie opened her eyes but the things welcomes her was blurry visions. she squinted her eyes and blinked many times. She feel her head aches so much and it makes her dizzy all of a sudden.

"Jenna! Are you fine?! Who did this to you?" A man with curly blonde hair said in a worry. He focused at the girl in his arms. He slowly supported her to sit down. Looking at her wet clothes and her delicate body he can't help but feel more worried. She is his beloved, how can he take it?

"Your Highness..." a lady in purple dress said. She is Angelina Weston, Jenna Norsz's friend. They both attended the banquet but something unexpected happened. Lady Viviana Caster called out and invited her friend to go outside in excuse to appreciate the flowers under the moon. She knows that Lady Jenna and Lady Viviana were enemies. Lady Viviana was the Prince's fiancé and Lady Jenna is his beloved. Everyone knows how the Prince gave importance to Lady Jenna. So she was worried that something might happen that's why she called out some noble ladies so that there are witnesses if Lady Viviana would do something again. As expected there is, they saw both their clothes were wet and they seemed they fell in the pond. Everyone was shocked and because of that many gathered outside and it reached to Prince's ears.

"What exactly happened?" Prince Gerald ask calmly but you can see that his expression is scary. His eyes screaming killing intent. Angelina felt her body got cold all of a sudden. Her face turn pale.

"I, I, I..." she stuttered. She was too afraid and it's her first time to talk to a member of a royal family. He is the Emperor and Empress' only son, and likely to inherit the throne. His future is bright.

A noble lady stepped forward and helped Angelina out. "Greetings to Your Highness, pardon me for intruding but may I speak?" she confidently said. Everyone's gazes were at her but she stood there dignified and looks very noble.

Prince Gerald looked at her in a cold manner. He scanned the lady in front of him then he finally speak. "Speak." he indifferently said.

The lady swallowed her own saliva before speaking. "Your Highness, we don't really know what exactly happened. When we went outside and went to the garden, we saw them sitting on the ground and their clothes were already wet." she carefully explained. She bowed her head as if she want someone to agree with her. As she expected there is. Everyone nodded in agreement especially those young noble ladies who went with them first.

"Your Highness, what she said is right. We only saw Lady Norsz and Lady Caster's dress were wet at that time but we don't know what happened before they looked like this." she paused. "And... We never expected that both of her Ladyship will be in state of unconciousness." her voice is getting lower and lower. She immediately bowed her head.

Everyone bowed in unison. They know how Lady Norsz weigh in His Highness' heart. Though he looks charming in normal days but if he get furious that would be another story.

The atmosphere is getting tense and the silence made their heart beats faster. They can not afford to look at His Highness.

"Ah... My head hurts." everyone was jumped out their hearts out. They wanted to find who made that noise and praised for her bravery. Those nobles search who it was.

"Cough! Cough! Ah, I think my head got some water in it." Sophie said and she patted her head numerous times. She stood up and patted the unseen dust on her dress. She felt that someone is staring at her as she felt goosebumps all over her body. Sophie raised her head and the thing welcomes her was unfamiliar foreign people, weird dresses and elegant jewelries. In short renaissance vibes.

"What?" she said confusingly. Though she heard their conversation but it had nothing to do with her. Their stares are like they staring at a suspect of a crime! She felt sudden uneasiness and guilt.

"You can still act as if you're an innocent!" Prince Gerald said in anger. Sophie was surprised at first but she immediately turn it back to normal. She was astonished at her sight. Those curly blonde hair like plates of shimmering gold! His eyes looks very charming but now though he is angry you still find his attractiveness. But her eyes fell on the lady in his arms. She had hazelnut hair, she looks very charming and innocent even though she is just there lying.

"I wish when I sleep I look like that." Sophie thought. She sighed in her heart. She remembered in her school days when they where at the bus she unconciously fell into slumber. Her friends took a picture of her, unknowingly. Remembering that she felt ashamed and want to kick their *** off!

Prince Gerald followed her gaze and it fell upon the lady in his arms—Lady Jenna. Looking at her state... wet clothes and unconcious. His anger raised up again. He fiercely look at his fiancé. She became more and more vicious. Her jealousy affected innocent people. He doesn't love her and he was forced to take this arrangement. He agreed as per his mother's request.

At first he didn't mind that lady—Lady Viviana Caster. But now he never expected to meet someone he love now. He is now making his moves to cancel the engagement between them. He is still considering her position as his fiancé. They never had intimate encounters though they met when they were very young those are just in form of etiquette, as if he was just meeting a guest. He never thought that his fiancé indeed inlove with him and forced him to do something against his will under his mother's orders. He know that his mother and Lady Caster are close.

First of all they were distant cousins and her father is a Marquess which is in the Empress's side—his mother. He hate this situation of his and what happened now made his anger worsen. He wanted to burst it out but he was unable to. He is the prince of this empire and they are in a royal banquet. Fortunately, those higher rank nobles or close to the royal family are in seperate hall. It includes Lady Caster's parents, Marquess Gideon Caster and Marchioness Genevieve Dulvan Caster.

"Viviana Mari Dulvan Caster! I, Prince Gerald is calling our engagement off!" he said straight without pausing and looks very determined. He doesn't care about what his mother and this nobles will thought. He can't take it anymore, is it like now or never.

"Err... W-what?" Sophie was confusingly shocked. Wait? She was just called Viviana? Then the one they are talking earlier was her!? Or they are mistaken?

She looked around hoping maybe he was talking about was somebody close to her direction. But no one was around her... She is very confuse and her mind went blank for a moment.

"What the f*ck is going on?" she whispered to herself. She want to knock her head maybe she is dreaming right now. "Ah, ah, ah!" she screamed in her heart. What the hell? Just like what the hell is happening!?

After what the prince said those nobles starts to whispered. She heard some sympathy and ridicule towards 'her'.

She wanted to explained herself. Her mouth was about to open when she heard someone calling. "Vivi! Vivi!" nobles turned their head to that sounds came from. They were shocked at first seeing Marchioness Genevieve Caster running towards her daughter and behind her was Marquess Gideon Caster. He looks very upset and worried. Sophie looked at them when she saw they are going towards her she stepped backwards. Afterall her name is not 'Vivi'!

Seeing this the couple gets more upset and worried. They were little bit shocked seeing her drenched clothes and messy hair. Mrs. Caster was about to faint luckily Mr. Caster has good reflexes and he was able to catch his wife.

"Servants! Take care of Her Ladyship." Mr. Caster said. Servants nodded and supported Mrs. Caster whose weak.

"B-but dear..." Mrs. Caster said. Though she is weak because she is pregnant but the most important now is her daughter. They were in the special banquet with high rank nobles and no servants can easily entered without permission. Their personal butler came in a hurry and reported of what happened in the other side of the banquet. They both hurriedly came out without saying any consent to the Emperor and Empress.

"Your health is the top priority here. Don't worry I will deal with it." he said. He saw that his wife is convinced and got in the small carriage that they brought. After they heard about what happened they are worried that their daughter can't walk by herself because of her state.

After he saw his wife was put in a small carriage he faced his daughter. Sophie was startled. Now she was called 'Viviana' and obviously they went here just for her. She is afraid that this 'father' of her might be strict. She felt guilt in her heart.

"F-father..." she called out. She felt uneasiness and it's very awkward to say this because originally it's not her 'real' father. She closed her eyes and bowed her head. "Ahh! I look like a kid whose getting to be whipped in the butt!" she thought.

He stepped forward shielding his daughter to those gazes of others especially this prince. "What happened Your Highness?" he politely said in a calm manner looking straight to the prince eyes. The prince gave him the same look. He won't backing out now.

"Why don't you ask your daughter? Lady Viviana Caster." he said trying to be polite. Mr. Caster—Gideon stared at him for a moment. He knows what his daughter's attitude is like. He is still doubting but he needs to deal with this matter.

In her surprise she was not getting any punishment. She was curious of what's happening. She slowly opened her eyes and welcomes her was a broad back of a man. She looked up closely and she recognized it was her 'father'. She was amazed at first but she shook her head. She smiled secretly because this 'father' of her is kinda sweet.

He finally sighed and turn back to face his daughter. She looked mess and seems she's shivering. He took out his coat and put it to her body gently. Sophie was shocked she even flinched because totally they are strangers. She still not figured out why she seems in different body and time. But she smiled in her heart because this body's father is actually sweet and caring. She let him do what he's doing because she really feel cold in this wet clothes.

"What happened?" he asked looking straight to her face. She avoided the gaze and she felt awkward at the moment. "Argh! It's not me! How will the hell can I explain this?! Should I pretend I lost my memories..?" she thought.

Everyone is staring at her so intensely. She feel pressured and frustrated. Her mind went blank not knowing what to do. "I, I..." she stuttered. "Ahh! What the hell will I tell!?" she scream in her thoughts. She tried to peek at this father of hers. He seems very serious... and scary. "Aish! No other options! More importantly I can't make a lie, who knows who will backstab me!?" she thought.

"Sorry, b-but... Actually... I don't know exactly what happened!" she said in a very low voice. She bowed her head and looked at the ground avoiding their gazes.

When Gideon saw this his heart aches. He know very well his daughter. She never bowed with anyone and she never say the word 'sorry' as if it was a taboo. He heard that his daughter found unconcious near at the pond and her clothes were wet. He felt relieved seeing his daughter gained conciousness. But why it seems she lost her memories..? It's like this daughter is like someone else. He clearly know about her manner and attitude. She always has strong bearing not letting herself suffer a loss. If something trouble happened she will hug his arms acting coquettishly and saying it's nothing to do with her and throw a tantrum.

She tried to peek and saw that this father is in a deep thought. Was he convinced?

When the prince heard this he wanted to laugh at her acting. Is this her new trick to get out of trouble? He was about to open his mouth to refute but he heard her voice.

"Ugh..." because of this sound everyone's attention shifted to the lady in His Highness' arms—Lady Jenna Norsz.

"Ah! Lady Norsz! Finally, you're awake!" Lady Angelina exclaimed happily. She wanted to go and supports her but the prince already did that. She can only watch her closely being supported by the prince.

"Are you fine? Do you feel cold? You should change your clothes." Prince Gerald asked in a worry. Lady Norsz shook her head and stand by herself. She doesn't want to make more trouble and especially Lady Caster was his fiancé. Thinking about this her heart aches.

She distance herself and said. "Thank you for Your Highness' concern but I'm doing fine. I have Lady Angelina by my side so don't worry any further Your Highness." after hearing it Lady Angelina go by her side and support her best friend.

Gideon face became gloomy seeing this scene. "Your Highness worry too much at Miss. Don't you have a fiancé here?" he sarcastically said. Nobles' starts to whisper and he saw those awkward gazes. He frowned and look back at his daughter. Sophie avoided the gaze. Well he doesn't know about what happened about the engagement that this blonde hair guy said. She sighed, she doesn't wanted this father of hers to look ignorant and fool.

"Well... His Highness said earlier that he called 'our' engagement off. He announced it and said it out loud in front of this people before you arrive." Sophie calmly explained as if it was not her who was engage. Gideon was shocked and immediately looked at the prince. He is too much!

"You! You're not considering my daughter's position!? You just blatantly cancelling your engagement?" he furiously said. Though he knows what his daughter's manner but he can't just casually cancelling the engagement. It might hurt her daughter's feelings.

"Whose cancelling who..?" a voice rang out. Everyone looked where the sounds came from and the person welcomes them is Her Majesty! The Empress.

"Greetings to Your Majesty." everyone bowed and said in unison.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***