Chapter 2
I could still feel the pain in my body.
Queen Marilyn patted my hand, pulling me back to reality. "Good girl. If Derek ever treats you badly, let me know. I'll be there to give you my blessing on your wedding day."
I nodded obediently, my face softening into a shy, alluring smile.
Derek stood off to the side, silent.
I didn't miss the contempt and disgust in his eyes. He'd looked at me the same way in my previous life. By the time I died, his hatred for me was pure venom.
"Miss Francis, may I have this dance?" he said, reaching out as the strings started up.
I pretended to be shy, slipping my hand into his, my smile sweet and warm.
The disgust in his eyes deepened, barely contained. He looked like he wanted to throw me off a cliff.
I scoffed. If he was so desperate to protect Ella, he'd at least try to act the part.
*****
By the time the ball finally ended, the night was at its darkest and the mist was thick as ever.
On the carriage ride home, a girl in a plain linen shift stopped me in the street.
She was crying like her heart was breaking, tears pouring down her face. "Miss Francis, you're so gentle and generous. Please, give Prince Derek back to me. You'll find someone better, but I have no family. He's all I have."
I opened the door and looked down at her. She had delicate eyebrows, a sweet face, and these big, helpless eyes.
It was Ella. Derek was crazy about her in my previous life. And in this one, she was still the girl he wanted to protect, no matter what.
She dropped into a deep curtsy, trembling. Her lip was bleeding from biting down too hard. Her cries were desperate, her voice raw. Every word sounded torn from her heart. Honestly, she couldn't look more pathetic.
"Miss, what's your relationship with my fiancé? And what brings you to beg before me like this?" I asked. In my previous life, after Derek and I got engaged, Ella never tried to block my way like this.
Ella looked completely lost. She rolled her eyes and wiped away her tears. "Miss Francis, Prince Derek and I love each other. Please, let us be together."
Before I could say a word, Derek appeared out of thin air, a swirl of black smoke coalescing into his form.
He gently helped Ella to her feet and flashed me a polite smile. "Sorry for the disturbance, Miss Francis. She's a maid who's been pestering me. I'll send her away."
And he really sent Ella away. Then he personally escorted me home, acting attentive the whole way, making sure I was comfortable and well taken care of.
After he said goodbye to my parents and left, I flicked my fingers and used my magic to conjure a tiny bat. I sent it after him.
"Prince Derek, didn't you say you had a plan?" Ella was crying so hard her eyes were all red and puffy. She looked totally wrecked. "What, your plan is to marry her anyway?"
Derek pulled her into his arms and gently patted her shoulder. "Ella, why won't you listen to me? This is dangerous.
"Even if I marry her, you're the only one I care about. Marrying her is a stalling tactic. Once I take the title, I'll get rid of her myself."
She leaned weakly against him, crying uncontrollably. Then she looked up, her eyes uncertain. "You really won't betray me, will you? You know why I died in my previous life.
"Every night, I wake up drenched in cold sweat from the nightmares. I know you love me. But the baby I'm carrying can't wait that long."
He gently stroked her belly, his tense expression softening. "Ella, don't worry. I only want a child with you."
*****
After that, Derek kept inviting me out every day, like it was a chore. My parents smiled and encouraged me to spend more time with him, hoping we would grow closer.
One night, he took me to Rosecastle Gardens and picked a rose for me. "Miss Francis, in my eyes, you are as radiant as this rose. If I could, I would keep you by my side forever."