Queen Aurora

Chapter 11

Queen Aurora
Chapter 11

I can still clearly remember my first taste of betrayal.

"Ang kapal ng mukha mong dalhin sa pamamahay natin ang babae mo?! Hindi ka na nahiya sa anak natin, at dito ninyo pa gagawin ang kababuyan ninyong dalawa?!" My mind would frequently flash back to the vivid image of my mother crying in front of my father and his mistress after she caught the act at our own house.

For a child to witness the pain of her mother with the person she had loved and trusted, that is something that will be forever engraved in my mind.

From then on, my life has been far from becoming normal. After learning of my father's betrayal, my mom took her own life and left me all alone to fend for myself in the harsh world. My father married his mistress and abandoned me. Several relatives took me in, but because I'm considered an orphan, they never treated me as a person.

This cruel world has taught me to become sharper and smarter to survive.

While coming home from high school, I came across a mysterious book on a deserted street. "Dawn" was the title of it. Despite the fact that the title has always confused me, reading the novel has been my only source of solace in this harsh world. I've always had a stronger connection with the villain than with the female lead. For me, like the mistress of my father, the female lead stole the love of the crown prince, who is supposed to be the villain's. It's funny how everyone would always side with the female lead who stole a love that was not supposed to be hers.

I've never known love. So, I've mistaken the affection of the man whom I met during my college years for that feeling. And he shamelessly exploited my weakness and innocence, only to be betrayed later on in our relationship with my best friend.

Huh, love? I will never believe such a thing again. I will never allow anyone to trample on me and abandon me again.

The sweet feeling of love is like a rope slowly lowered into your throat, only to hang you to death later on.

Ngayon ay nakaupo ako sa mahabang mesa na nasa dining hall ng kastilyo ng Wrights. At hindi ko alam kung bakit bigla nalang bumabalik sa akin ang lahat ng pinagdaanan ko sa totoong mundo ko habang nakatingin sa lahat ng karangyaan na mayroon dito.

This evening, Duke Henry officially introduced me to society by holding this grand ball. Countess Stella helped spread rumors about me that I'm kind, smart, and gracious. This rumor has somehow helped me be accepted by some of the nobles. But, of course, not by all.

"I can't believe that I'm sitting at this table with a filthy maid," one of the noble ladies beside us remarked.

Natigil naman ako sa pag-inom ng red wine na nasa kamay ko at pagkatapos 'non ay narinig ko na ang pigil na pagtawa nila.

Nagtaas ako ng mukha at mula sa harapan ko ay nakaupo si Freya habang katabi ang mga kaibigan. After the ball started, she invited me here, only to be ridiculed by her group of friends.

Nakita ko naman ang awang-awa na tingin ng mga noble ladies na tumabi naman sa akin.

By normal eyes, this is only a dinner table composed of the heiresses of high society. But to the noble's eyes, this is a cold war conflicted by two sides. Thanks to Countess Stella, several noble ladies didn't hesitate to befriend me. The rumor that Freya is mistreating me has also come to their ears, which added their sympathy for me.

"Hah, Meredeth must be enjoying the dungeon right now, knowing that her former maid became an heiress overnight." The noble lady added again. "It's so ridiculous how a maid could get the nerve to sit with us."