I'Am Disappointed From You

The grand palace gates creaked open, and at that moment, the entire banquet hall fell into hushed whispers.

And there I stood.

A sea of nobles turned to gaze at me, their voices weaving through the air like threads of intrigue.

"Consort Sefa looks stunning in that outfit!"

"Is that a new style of makeup?"

"Her complexion looks so much better—simply radiant!"

A sly smile curved my lips. I wore seductive makeup and a flowing red gown—the color of power, passion, and danger. A statement, a warning. Noor Giza, seated beside the king, tensed. She had assumed control over the banquet, but now, she watched in rising unease.

She knew.

She was losing grip over the night.

Still, she maintained her composure. With a practiced elegance, she tilted her head slightly and addressed me, her voice laced with artificial concern.

"You are so late. I almost thought you weren't willing to come..."

I met her gaze coldly. Did she think I wouldn't counter her words?

"Have you done anything to make me unwilling to come? If not, then please don't say such ambiguous things... It makes you look cheap."

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Noor Giza's expression darkened, her teeth clenching. She had not expected me to strike first.

Realizing that the attention had shifted in my favor, she turned her teary eyes towards the king and softly whispered, "Your Majesty..."

It was a calculated move—one meant to pull at his heartstrings.

But she wasn't the only one who could play that game.

The king's voice boomed through the hall, laced with frustration.

"SEFA YILMAZ!!!"

The moment he yelled my name, I let my eyes well up with unshed tears.

For the first time, the king and Noor Giza were stunned.

Because this was the first time I had ever shown pain.

With a shaky breath, I murmured, "I wasn't crying. What's the point of crying when I have a son?"

Silence fell over the banquet hall. Noor Giza's fingers twitched. She had intended to expose me for forging an imperial edict—but I had spoken first.

The king's eyes narrowed as he stood from his throne, stepping forward.

"You said you have a son? What is going on?"

I gently pulled my hand away when he tried to reach for me, rubbing it as if his touch burned.

"It's just… I adopted the Fourth Prince. From this day onwards, he is my son."

A sharp intake of breath swept through the crowd. The king's jaw tightened—his fury unmistakable. But before he could speak, I delivered the final blow.

"You promised me. You said that since I couldn't have a child, I could adopt one of the former consorts' sons… You promised me yourself."

Flashback

The first year of our marriage—before the king had ascended the throne.

At a royal banquet, the crown prince had attempted to poison him. It had been me who snatched the cup from his hands and drank it instead.

The poison ravaged my body. Countless physicians came, but in the end, the verdict remained the same: I lost my ability to bear children.

The original Sefa had trembled, crying bitterly.

Feeling immense guilt, the king had held her hands and made a solemn vow.

"You damaged your body while digesting that poison. If you can't have children in the future, you can adopt any child within the palace..."

But even then, Sefa had sobbed.

"No… I want my child."

End of Flashback

The king's eyes widened slightly as the memory resurfaced. His expression faltered.

"I failed you. But..."

Before he could continue, Noor Giza cut in, seizing her chance.

"Your Majesty, she forged the imperial edict to adopt the Fourth Prince!"

I turned to her with a slow, mocking smile.

"Who told you that? When I took the boy, I was merely upholding the emperor's promise. Even if I hadn't, how do you know whether the king issued an imperial edict or not? Could it be… you think that because you're carrying the emperor's child, you can spy on His Majesty and harbor evil thoughts?"

Noor Giza turned pale.

She immediately kneeled, grabbing onto the king's hand in desperation.

"I—I haven't… I really haven't! I just heard from a maid in her palace chamber that she bought an imperial edict that said… she could adopt a prince..."

I tilted my head.

"Oh, if that's the case, then you really do have a spy in my palace. Is this what you meant by being cultured and bestowed with integrity?"

The king snatched his hand away from her grasp. His face twisted in anger.

"Consort Noor, you really overstepped the mark!"

With that final warning, he turned and left the banquet hall.

Noor Giza remained frozen in place, still kneeling on the floor. Her voice cracked as she cried out desperately.

"Your Majesty!"

I watched her with amusement, then slowly squatted down beside her.

Leaning in close to her ear, I whispered, "You think you have the skill to compete with me? Mrs. Noor, I am really disappointed in you."

Noor Giza clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. Her entire body shook with rage as she ground her teeth.

Her voice, filled with venom, trembled as she muttered through clenched teeth.

"Sefa... Yil...maz!!!!!"