Therese

"How are you, love?" she asked as she looked at me. The people around us gasped at her insolence of calling a member of the royal family her 'love'. Even my parents beside me looked at her, aghast at her sudden declaration.

"Hey now," my mother said gently, smiling at her. "Who are your parents?"

"This is amazing, Aaron! Someone fell in love with you at first sight. My genes are really superior!" the king shouted in amazement as my mother pinched his shoulder.

Even though the two of them were having fun, I was still frozen from shock. There was a certain knowing from her voice that told me that she knew something.

Could it b-

"I'm woo" she said, as my mother asked her age. The mature way of speaking from a while ago was gone. My mother obviously loved her as she always wanted to have a daughter. She lifted her up and placed her on her lap. The little kid looked at me.

I silently begged my mother not to get close to her, but it was too late. Her obsession with daughters is going to be the death of me.

"What is your name?" My mother asked her. My father was suddenly immersed in a conversation with a diplomat and begrudgingly stopped looking at my mother. I know it annoys him when his precious time with my mother gets interrupted.

"Thewece fwom house Fawenas" she said innocently and cutely.

I looked at her. It's impossible. I am sure I could never mistake the one I love for another woman.

She had the same hair--the same appearance--the same color and glimmer of the eyes. The warmth of her gaze landing on me was the same as she looked at me before. So how come? Why is she so similar yet so different?

Why is she a noble when she was the lady-in-waiting of the oldest daughter of the Farenas family before?

She caught my bewildered expression, her green eyes inspecting my face. Suddenly, her innocent face flashed me a smile, as if to say,

[You remember]

It sent shivers down my spine. The cold sweat was back again, and my arms and legs started to tremble. Good thing that I am sat at my chair because if not, I would have fallen down.

I had to mask the very last bit of emotions that might leak out. There was no doubt that this is the woman I fell in love with on my other future, but I can't let her know. I cannot let things go the wrong direction.

I sat up straight, looked at her as if I was innocent, and did the stone-cold expression that I perfected throughout the years.

Her gaze at me changed from knowing to wondering, her head tilted to the side, and her eyes squinted.

I desperately tried to harden my expression when she suddenly started to snore.

My mother tried her hardest not to laugh loudly to not awaken the child she carried in her arms. Meanwhile, I was able to sigh in relief as her very presence made me feel as if there was not enough air to breathe.

Suddenly, the Marquis Farenas came to us, sweaty, obviously running around in search for something. His brown hair was cleanly cut like that of a soldier's, and his one-lensed spectacle was not properly installed anymore. His skin is clear as he is still young, but his dark eyes showed a certain amount of virtuosity for his craft. He is the current chief of the knights of the imperial capital.

At his side, hiding, is another brown-haired girl with black eyes, nevertheless glistening still. Her silver gown flew beautifully like the moonlight escaping the shade. She was Eva, the person my father chose as my rightful bride. She received queenly education since she was five due to the engagement, and she always bullied Lorelei for being closer to me.

"Your majesties," the two of them bowed. "It seems like my daughter wandered away from me and ended up at your presence. For that, I humbly apologize."

Marquis Farenas, as I remember, is a good-natured man. It seems like he never changed.

"Oh don't mention it. I loved her presence with me, and it was my first time seeing my son have different kinds of expression," my mother said. "He was so red too."

I desperately plead if there are gods up above that my mother does not do anything that would ruin my heart. Pleas-

"May I invite Therese to the palace for a play-date?" My mother dropped the bomb on me as if I never had a choice.

"M-mother I-" I attempted to speak, but her eyes glistened like stars as she looked at me.

Her lifeless eyes flashed on me as she smiled. I could never go against my mother when she is this happy.

"Of course, my queen, we'd be happy to. Just tell us when" Marquis Farenas said, smiling. His handsome face almost rivalled my father's, but my mother was indifferent.

I looked at Eva, who paled and seemed sad. My mother gave the Marquis the sleeping Therese. I suddenly had an idea.

"Can we invite Eva too, mother?" I asked. Therese' eyes suddenly plopped open and stared at me as Eva almost leaped with joy.

"In that case, can I invite all of your children in the palace? I'm sure it will be more fun," My mother said, looking at the now wide-awake Therese.

"I'll see you again, dearest Therese," she whispered, and the three of them walked away. "Marquis Farenas is really kind. Did you know that he adopted Therese from the Island of Tuvera?" she added.

S-she was adopted. It all clicked now. The reason why she was no longer Lorelei because she denunciated her name to be adopted in the Farenas household.

Why is she doing this? Why did she purposefully approach me? If she really has her old memories, didn't she learn her lesson before? It is of no use to approach me since my love only led her to her doom.