Chapter 1: The Girl Who Woke in Another World
The scent of lavender and candle smoke lingered in the air. Anne's eyes fluttered open to a golden ceiling carved with constellations she'd never seen before. Silken sheets tangled around her limbs, and somewhere in the room, a clock ticked softly. Everything felt too delicate, too polished—too wrong.
Where am I?
Before the thought could fully form, the doors burst open.
"Anne! You're awake!" A woman in a flowing sapphire gown rushed to her side, tears brimming in her eyes. Behind her, a tall man followed, his expression both relieved and cautious.
Anne blinked at them. They looked at her like she was their daughter.
"I… I don't know you," she said, her voice hoarse and foreign in her own ears.
The woman gasped and turned to the man. "Get the doctor. Now."
Moments later, a man with silver-rimmed glasses examined Anne with steady hands and a deeply furrowed brow. "Seven days," he murmured. "She was unconscious for seven days. She's lucky to be alive. We thought…"
"You said she might never wake up," the man said.
Anne's heart pounded. "What happened to me?"
"You fell," the woman said gently, brushing a hand through Anne's hair. "From the high cliffs near the lake. It was a miracle someone found you in time."
Anne stared down at her trembling hands. None of this made sense. She didn't remember cliffs, or lakes—or these people.
The doctor hesitated. "It's possible… she has amnesia. It may take time for her memories to return."
The woman's hand tightened around hers. "What matters is that you're alive. And we'll help you, no matter how long it takes."
Anne nodded numbly. Something inside her told her not to trust so easily. But she said nothing.
Then came the words that would shake her to her core:
"There's something important you need to know," the man said carefully. "Before your accident, you were promised in marriage."
Anne looked up sharply. "Promised?"
"Yes," the woman added with a soft smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "To the prince. The Empress herself chose you. The engagement is official."
Anne's blood ran cold.
A stranger. A royal engagement. A life she didn't remember.
And somewhere deep within her, a voice whispered—
*This isn't the first time you've lost everything.*
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End of Chapter 1
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