Chapter 2:
My eyes blinked open, struggling to adjust to the brightness. A strong herbal scent invaded my nostrils, sharp and earthy. Blinking away the haze, I scanned my surroundings. The room was old-fashioned—too old. Wooden beams held up a thatched roof, and the furniture looked handmade. Nothing resembled the modern world I knew.
Where am I? What happened? Is this heaven?
No… I remember dying. But this place—it doesn't feel like any hospital. It feels like I've stepped into a scene from a movie set in the 1800s, or maybe even earlier.
I tried to sit up, confusion heavy in my bones. My clothes scraped roughly against my skin, and when I looked down, I realized I was wearing what appeared to be animal skin—crude and stitched together by hand.
"Did I get thrown into a movie set? Or… did I time-travel?" I chuckled dryly, amused by my own joke.
Swinging my legs over the side of the bed—hard and uneven like it was carved out of stone—I stood and staggered toward a small window. Outside, there were endless fields, dense forests, and mountains in the distance. No cars. No roads. No phone towers. No signs of modern civilization.
"What the fuck…?"
Before I could process it, I heard footsteps. I rushed back to the bed, throwing the fur blanket over me just as the door creaked open.
An old man entered, probably in his late fifties. His clothes mirrored mine—animal skin fashioned into a sleeveless top and a skirt-like wrap. The way he moved, checking my pulse and inspecting my face, made it clear: he was some sort of healer.
"Oh, Lady Pearl, you're awake!" His voice trembled with relief. "You nearly died yesterday. I begged the chief to give it one more day. Thank the stars you pulled through. Are you still short of breath?"
I nodded slightly, my throat dry and voice barely audible. "No…"
He smiled warmly and reached into a pouch slung over his shoulder—made from what looked like tanned hide. He pulled out a bundle of wrapped leaves.
"I prepared this medicine specially for you," he said, unwrapping the leaves. "You've been sickly since birth. Yesterday, when your heart stopped… I feared we'd lost you."
I offered a weak smile and watched as he left, muttering instructions to someone outside the door.
"No need to worry, the second lady is awake," he said to a subordinate. "Report to the chief and prepare another dose. I'll check on the first lady next."
Second lady? First lady? My head spun with the new terminology. I pinched myself—hard. I winced at the sharp pain.
This was real.
So this is my second chance?
A small, victorious smile tugged at my lips. If this world had really given me another shot at life, then I wasn't going to waste it. But first, I needed to understand where—or who—I had become.
I closed my eyes and concentrated, willing myself to remember. Images flooded my mind—flashes of memories not mine but hers. Pearl. That was her name, and I was her now.
And then—Anita? Tony?! Even in this life, they were tormenting me?
The door slammed open, interrupting my thoughts. A young woman stepped in, her movements sharp and deliberate. As she turned, the light revealed her face.
My stomach clenched.
She looked exactly like Anita from my past life.
"Pearl," she sneered, "why don't you just die already or give up on Sir Jude? Are you too dumb to understand that neither of those is an option for you?"
Mia. That was her name now. And she was Pearl's elder sister. The most adored and favoured daughter. I was the weak, unwanted one.
I laughed softly. So Jude existed here too?
If my stolen memories were accurate, Jude was my ex-fiancé from my past life. And just like before, he and Mia were entangled in some doomed romance across lifetimes, while the girl wearing my face—Pearl—was merely an obstacle.
Not this time.
"You can have him," I said coolly, laying back on the bed. "Tell Father to annul the engagement. I don't care."
Her expression faltered—surprise, then joy.
"Don't go back on your word," she snapped before storming out.
I watched the door swing closed behind her, then sighed. This is going to be interesting.
Later, I attempted to leave the room, only to be blocked by two guards.
"First Lady Mia gave orders," one explained nervously. "You're forbidden from going outside due to your condition…"
I could tell he was conflicted. His voice trembled.
"I want to see Jude," I said softly.
Relieved, the guard nodded. "This way."
As we walked, I paused beside a slave girl. "I'm thirsty," I said.
She glanced at me with disdain. "And what should I do about it? We only serve First Lady Mia. The kitchen's that way."
She stalked off. I turned to the guard, expecting him to say something, but he remained still—silent and obedient.
Mia had everyone under control.
I found my way to the kitchen. The moment I entered, whispers followed me—some eyes filled with pity, others with disgust. Just as I began to retreat, a gentle voice called out.
"Second Lady, would you like some water?"
I turned. A younger girl stood before me, her eyes kind.
"Yes, thank you," I rasped. She handed me a wooden cup, and I drank eagerly. The water was lukewarm but soothing.
Even the healer hadn't offered me water. That old man… was he truly concerned for my health, or was he working with Mia all along?
Just as I passed Mia's room, the guard got distracted. I peeked in and saw them—Mia and Jude. Tangled in an intimate embrace.
I stepped back, unfazed. It was the same story, over and over again. The same doomed triangle. But this time, I'd play the game differently.
Suddenly, the guard reappeared, blocking my view.
Right. He wasn't my guard. He was her spy—planted to watch me, report everything I did, and ensure I never caught a glimpse of the truth.
I smiled and turned back toward my room. That was enough observation for one day.
This place was rotten—its people worse. I had enemies in every corner.
But I will survive.
Mia wanted me to give up Jude not for love, but because Father had made a deal with the Beast Clan—creatures from a distant world. One of his unmarried daughters was to be offered in marriage to preserve peace between realms.
And Mia had no intention of sacrificing herself.
So she pushed me forward. Either I married Jude and stayed here to be slowly destroyed by her, or I threw myself into the unknown—into a beastly world.
The latter felt like the lesser evil.
Just then, a servant entered. "Lady Pearl, the Chief requests your presence in the meeting hall."
So soon?
Mia must've hurried to finalize the engagement break before I could change my mind.
"Understood," I said simply, rising from the bed with quiet resolve.
Let the games begin.