Chapter 1

Inside the room, only the sound of firewood crackling and splitting could be heard. 

A woman sat in a rocking chair, gently patting the back of the child in her arms. 

“Lullaby, lullaby. My baby.” 

The baby, carefully wrapped in fine cloth, slept soundlessly, breathing softly. 

Though she liked that, the woman’s face showed a hint of disappointment as she gazed at the child. 

“When will you wake up and show your face to Mommy, my baby? Maybe you’re too pretty to show it. I wonder what color your eyes are. Did you inherit them from Daddy, or from Mommy? Your sharp nose is just like Daddy’s. Your lovely ears are just like Mommy’s. Mommy… is curious about everything about you, my baby.” 

“……” 

Only silence filled the space. 

It felt awkward, as if she were acting in a play all by herself. 

“My baby. Are you so quiet and gentle just so Mommy won’t have a hard time… that you’re not even crying?” 

“……” 

“Is that it? My pretty baby. My everything… You know, Mommy thought of some names for you. I didn’t know which one you’d like, so I came up with several. Listen. How about the name Brianna? She’s the God who always protects Mommy. If you don’t like that… hmm….” 

Thump! 

At that moment, someone burst through the door into the dark room, the curtains drawn tight. 

“Diana!” 

“Rixio. Shh. Quiet. The baby’s sleeping.” 

Ignoring the woman’s words, the man, his face twisted with displeasure, noisily pulled all the curtains open. 

“Why are you opening all the curtains! What if you scare the baby!” 

Only then was the woman’s appearance fully revealed—her hair, unmanaged, tangled and dry, her body thin and brittle. 

“Diana! Stop it!” 

Perhaps dissatisfied with what he saw, the man strode toward her. 

Seeing him approach, Diana, as if recalling something, gently offered the baby in her arms to Rixio. 

“…You always do whatever you want. Luckily, the baby didn’t wake up.” 

“Diana. Please.” 

“Ah. Rixio, did you see our baby? She… seems to be having a hard time. She keeps sleeping. Could you call her name? Then… she’ll open her eyes. Because you’re her Daddy. Ah, I thought of a name. Listen to it.” 

“Just stop!” 

“…Don’t shout. You’ll scare the baby.” 

Irritated, the woman lifted her head. Rixio’s gaze turned to the baby wrapped in golden cloth. 

It was a rotten corpse that could not be called a child. 

The child’s body, crawling with insects. 

But Diana only hugged the baby tighter. 

“Stop it! Why are you holding a child that’s already dead?” 

“How could you say the baby is dead! H-how could you say that?” 

“Ha. Get a grip. The baby was born and died before even a week passed.” 

“How could she be dead when she’s right here in my arms! Rixio, I know you don’t like me, but you loved our baby too. So why… why would you say such a thing!” 

Thinking words wouldn’t work, Rixio began trying to take the baby from Diana. 

Though she looked as if she might collapse at any moment, Diana, perhaps fueled by desperation, clung fiercely to the bundle. 

“Now you’re taking even my baby away! No. Not my baby… Not my precious baby…!” 

“She’s already gone! She’s dead. Can’t you see her decaying? If you loved her, let her go!” 

Her face, once as dry as a dead branch, suddenly overflowed with tears. 

“No! She’s not dead! She’s just tired for a little while, she’s actually healthy. So please… don’t take her away… She’ll smile at me soon… She’s my only hope.” 

“Diana.” 

“Please… You’ve taken everything… Why do you have to take my baby too. Why…! Don’t do this, please….” 

Feeling words wouldn’t reach her, Diana collapsed to her knees on the floor. 

“I’m begging you. Not my baby… Please don’t take my baby. Okay? I’ll do anything. So, so!” 

But Rixio took advantage of her weakness and finally took the child away. 

“Aaah!!” 

“Stop it.” 

“…Why… Why do you take everything from me? Why… why.” 

“Because she’s gone. She’s already gone!” 

“…No… She’s not gone. That day… I gave birth safely… On that rainy day, she was born crying….” 

At that moment, as Diana crawled on the floor, trying to reclaim the baby from Rixio, she suddenly clutched her head in pain and collapsed. 

“M-my head… My head hurts so much… Ah….” 

Overwhelmed by a pain she’d never felt before, Diana curled up tightly. 

“Diana. Are you alright?! Butler, go burn the child. Burn everything, even her things.” 

“N-no. No… Don’t do this… Not my baby… Please… Please.” 

Before she knew it, her face was covered in tears. She pleaded desperately, but in her fading vision, Rixio had already handed the child to the butler. 

Crawling on the floor like an insect, reaching out her hand, Diana’s body was swallowed by darkness. 

Forgotten, unwanted memories overwhelmed her along with the darkness. 

*** 

If someone were to ask if she was happy, Diana at that time could have said she was happy. 

‘God loves me.’

Even when she suffered verbal ab＊se from her father, even when she was beaten for being a useless child, Diana would clutch the necklace around her neck and pray. 

‘I earnestly, earnestly pray, please bring light to my life.’ 

To Brianna, the God who always guided her on the right path. Whenever she prayed, her empty heart felt full. 

Diana. Diana Anzrea. 

Born as the second daughter of the Anzrea Barony, she grew up always hearing her father’s words to be useful to the family. The only thing their family had was a palm-sized plot of land left by their ancestors, and the ambition of Baron Anzrea, a noble in name only, was excessive. 

That desire grew even stronger after a younger brother was born after Diana. Wanting to revive the family and proudly pass it on to his son, he raised his daughter as if she were merchandise. 

Fortunately, both daughters of Anzrea inherited beautiful looks. Because of this, the Baron sent both daughters to every party held in the Empire whenever he could. Each time, countless young noblemen took a liking to his daughters. Their beauty shone more and more each day. 

But the Baron’s greed was not satisfied with just that. 

In the end, after attending dozens of parties, Diana met a man at a party, just as her father had hoped. 

‘Your name is?’ 

‘Diana.’ 

‘I am Rixio. Rixio Pol Bevitro.’ 

Rixio Pol Bevitro. He was the second son of a Grand Ducal family. 

The man her father had so desperately wanted. And the man Diana fell for at first sight. Rixio also could not take his eyes off her. Diana was captivated by the passionate gaze of a man for the first time in her life. 

And that day, the two indulged deeply in each other. 

‘Why did you choose me?’ 

‘Because your hair is so beautiful, as if it holds the starlight.’ 

Rixio gently kissed her softly flowing hair, then slowly moved to her eyes, as if enchanted, and kissed her there. 

‘I love how I’m reflected in those pale golden eyes.’ 

‘……Do you love me?’ 

‘Is love important? What matters is that we’re looking at each other right now.’ 

She was charmed by his sly words. Diana experienced a man for the first time and fell for him. She fell endlessly, as if into a pit she could never escape. That was why, after meeting at a party, they set a wedding date in just one month. 

Diana was happy. She was marrying the man she loved. She couldn’t be sure if he truly loved her, but he did his best. 

But dreams are always destined to break. 

The more happiness she felt, the more cruelly it shattered. 

The night Diana arrived at the Grand Ducal mansion for her wedding, a man appeared before her, his face completely hidden behind a mask. 

He looked just like Rixio, but the feeling he gave off was different. 

“Who are you!” 

Even as Diana reached for the bell cord to summon someone, the man remained calm. 

“Aren’t you curious? Why Rixio chose you?” 

“……Leave. Before I call someone.” 

Her confusion lasted only a moment. Diana regained her composure and tried to grip the bell cord tightly. But…… 

“Because he saw the face of his lost lover in you. In the end, you’re just a substitute.” 

“……” 

“So? Now that you know, do you feel a little more interested in hearing me out?” 

She should have driven out this suspicious man, but Diana’s hand wouldn’t move. 

For some reason, it felt like she’d regret it whether she listened or not. In the end, her curiosity won. Her instincts couldn’t overcome her need to know. 

Watching Diana, who held the bell cord but didn’t move, the man slowly walked closer. 

“Since childhood, Rixio had a woman he believed was his destiny. But she died in an accident.” 

“……” 

“Why do you think your wedding was prepared so quickly? Because it was meant for someone else.” 

His voice was strangely persuasive. It felt as if everything really fit together, just as he said. 

“What a shameless man. To seat a woman who looks exactly like his beloved—same hair and eyes—in the empty bride’s place.” 

Diana’s neck slowly turned. 

But before she could say anything, 

“Think carefully. Can you really be happy living as someone’s replacement?” 

“What do you want?” 

“Your happiness.” 

“Who are you to say that?” 

“That’s not important. Now, think carefully. I hope you run away right now.” 

With those words, the man finally disappeared. Standing still, Diana felt a weight settle in her chest. 

Were the words of this unknown man true? 

If they were, what was she doing now? 

‘Should I ask? Or should I just let it go?’ 

Though she had finished all her preparations, Diana couldn’t calm her anxiety and eventually stepped outside with a shawl draped over her shoulders.