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nMarinette (Sun-hee)'s POV

nI remembered reading the novel, the part when Tristan's corpse was delivered to the duchy. It was from Diana's perspective. Her heart was breaking, tears falling down on the corpse, the man with pale face with the sword inside his stomach left there unmoveable.

nDuke Jellal who saw his son die, his son went far away to the place he never reached broke down in an instant since he couldn't take any more of his family's death.

nWhile the only one who stood there far away from the corpse, it was Marinette she stood from upstairs, Diana looked at Marinette's indifferent face as she showed no sign of sadness in her eyes.

nShe only took a glance at Tristan's corpse and walked back into the room as nothing happened for her.

nShe was cruel, heartless, she was a villainess in everyone's eyes. But it was that only woman who showed up in the duke's study room every day, not the sweet Diana.

nWhile Diana was mourning her brother's death for weeks, there were many people besides her to comfort her.

nAnd Marinette did all the paperwork, every morning, there were always assassins' dead bodies dragging outside Marinette's room.

nThat was the best time for the relatives of the Mortel to strike for the duke's title from Jellal since he didn't have any son to inherit his title any longer.

nDiana didn't know much about the work, and the politic, if they could kill Marinette when she didn't gain enough power yet, they will win.

nThat was when Richard supported the noble, they all wanted to defeat Marinette. The engagement will break when she died.

nBut against all odds, she won all of them. She became the winner of the hunting event and was awarded plenty.

nShe was the role model of every woman in the noble but then, just when Marinette thought she would get the duke's title and became the new duchess.

nThe body of a man with blood splattered from his mouth was lying in their favorite work spot, duke Jellal was dead before he announced the next heir.

nThat was when everything started to go wrong, they accused Marinette the one who poisoned the duke since she was the only one who got access to the duke's room since Tristan's funeral.

nPoison was found hidden in her room, Diana slapped Marinette right in the face, Marinette broke down, that time she couldn't hold back her tear any longer, she was starting to cry loudly calling her father back.

nThat surprised everyone, but it didn't help her escape the death penalty.

nShe was set to die with her head cut off.

nBut at the last moment, before she thought she would die, a miracle appeared in front of her. It was a devil disguised as an angel who walked to where the execution took place and showed everyone the emblem.

nThat person was duchess Catherine, Diana's mother.

nThe emperor stopped Marinette's execution when he saw the one and only emblem in Catherine's hand. That emblem was given to her by her ex-fiance, the brother of the emperor.

nIt was the emblem that resembled life, having the emblem meant she could save her life one time from the law of the empire.

nMarinette was saved from the death door, she touched her neck couldn't believe that person saved her life.

nCatherine took Marinette with her to her family's household waiting for the biggest announcement in the following week.

nThere was only one thing that could change her life, it was the duke's legacy.

nIf it said Marinette will be the next duchess, Marinette will rise again.

nEveryone gathered in the courtroom including Diana and the royal family, with only the past few days Marinette stayed at the marquess' house. She became skinny, there were eyebags under her eyes, her eyes were filled with anticipation as it was her only hope.

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"The next duchess of the Mortel, before passing away, duke Jellal decided to appoint his daughter to look after the household, thus goddess Anastasia and the noble in the room, please be the victim as today, lady Diana Mortel will be the new duchess of our empire.

"

nMarinette...became a joke. When Richard put the brooch on Diana's collar as it was the tradition of appointing the new duke. The brooch her father used to wear, it was the one Jellal showed her when they worked in the room together.

nMarinette clenched her hand, no tear came out, she walked away from the courtroom all the way back to the marquess's house.

nThey still accepted her, lady Catherine brought her into her house even after seeing all the tomatoes and eggs on Marinette.

nEverywhere she went, the people Marinette spent a fortune on to help them turn their back on her and threw stuff starting from the pebbles, eggs, tomatoes, to big rocks and dirty water at her.

nThe only thing left by her father was the mask, it was taken away by the people when she fell on the ground miserably.

nShe got back up quickly even with her knees bleeding, she tried to get the mask back but they jokingly threw it from one person to one person like she was a monkey chasing after one banana.

nIn the whole month, Marinette didn't take a single step out of the house. Newspapers all over the floor, it was the news of Diana becoming the duchess, Diana saved the dukedom, Diana was the only one who helped the duke the whole time, Diana becoming the crown princess...and so on.

nWhen she gave up from being involved with the cruel world, that was when the news suddenly came to the house and made Marinette furious.

nDiana sold the duchy to the royal family and gave all the military to her prince charming.

nShe rushed back to the duchy, the guard didn't let her in even though she was desperately begging them to let her in.

nShe stood there in the middle of winter seeing they moved all of her father and brother's books away.

nSome of them dropped on the ground, it was old so it was shoved into the fireplace.

nThey burnt it for some warmth.

nShe stood in front of the gate under the snow falling for three days straight watching them destroying the mansion with magic.

nEven the grave of the Mortel was destroyed along with it, Diana said that they will live in her heart forever so removing their graves and building a church there was the best choice since it will help a lot of people.

nThe basement where she used to live was also filled up with dirt, Marinette screamed out of her lung wanting to tear Diana apart but yet again, the second male lead Victor came in time and pushed Marinette into the pile of snow.

nShe was knocked unconscious and when she regained her consciousness again, the snow already covered half of her body, her body was all numb shivering from her head to toes.

nShe no longer had anything, it was the fittest ending for the villainess, there were children singing Christmas songs, Jingle Bell in front of the duchy.

nCold tear coming out, she cried and cried...

nBut then that man walked to her reaching out his hand for her giving her a warming smile, the only good thing that happened to her so far.

nShe accepted his hand and trusted her life in his hand, her life belonged to him from that day on.

nIt was the first prince, Philip.

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"Why do you help me?

" she asked him while the prince used his light magic to warm her, he smiled and wrapped his scarf around Marinette's neck.

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"I'm alone...this Christmas...

"

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"What a weird excuse!

"

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"We're quite similar, aren't we?

" Philip said to Marinette, Marinette put her head without thinking on Philip's shoulder as she was tired.

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"You mean a b*tch of the empire and the illiterate first prince?

"

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"I really can't believe you said that.

"

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"Isn't that what similar about us?

"

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"I was going to say we're alone this year.

"

nHe chuckled and held her hand tightly and pointed at the shooting star in the night sky.

nIt was beautiful such as in the winter season, the sky was clear, all they see was the milky way star glittering upon the sky.

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"They say your wish will come true if you wish when you see the shooting star.

" he said and he closed his eyes to wish.

nMarinette finally smiled a little and stared at that man's face when he was wishing.

nWhen he suddenly opened his eyes, she was startled because of him and turned her head away.

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"So what did you wish??

" he asked with his sparkling eyes.

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"Er...you say your wish first.

"

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"...I wish that I could become strong, not a coward, if I was strong from the start, I won't wait this long to save you...

"

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"We never met before though, why are you saying it like you have to save me?

"

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"Who knows...now, it's your turn.

"

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"Ah...

" she was silent for a moment trying to answer since she didn't even get to wish.

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"I wish to go back in time.

"

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"Really!?

"

nShe nodded and said,

"If I ever came back in time, I will come to you first that time.

"

nThey had their conversation watching the night sky without knowing the future they will face when they joined hands to defeat Richard, it was death.

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nBack to the moment, in the imperial ball,

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"Will you give me the honor to be your dance partner tonight, my lady?

" Richard stood from his seat walking to his current fiancee asking for her hand.

nMarinette looked at him with a smile, she put her hand on his palm slowly but when it nearly touched, she took it back and got up from her seat.

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"I don't plan to dance tonight.

" she told him straight in his face, no one saw the embarrassment on Richard's face except Diana who was sitting beside them.

nThose were the words Marinette said before she walked down the stair to ask for a man's hand to dance with her.

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"Please give me the honor to dance with you, your highness.

" she reached out her hand to the man in the dark blue suit, Philip.

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"It's my honor, my lady.

" Philip smiled and took her hand, they walked to the center of the ball. All eyes on them even the crown prince upstairs looked at them, he chuckled and went back to his seat beside Diana.

nMarinette and Philip bowed at each other then danced along with the romantic song they performed in the ball.

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"I heard you're an excellent dancer, my lady.

"

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"It's just a rumor, I'm just an average.

" said, the one who stepped on Prince Philip's shoes several times in a row.

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"Forgive me if I'm rude but do you have any grudge against me?

" his feet started to get hurt because of being stepped on by Marinette's tall heel.

nMarinette laughed nervously before Philip spun her as part of the dance, she came back to his arm and talked in a low voice.

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"We're quite similar, aren't we?

"

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"Pardon?

"

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"Do you hear the whispers? It is music to my ears now.

" the prince looked at all the nobles while gently holding Marinette's waist.

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"Pfft, they really belong with each other!!

" they hid their mouth behind their fan, and spit arrow on the villain.

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"One couldn't read, and one ugly.

"

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"Stealing her sister's lover isn't enough and now she secured the crown prince's brother in front of everyone.

"

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"I really pity the couple above.

"

nThe people they were bad talking about could hear all of their every single word but they were dancing and smiling a little.

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"Let's have a dance next time, my lady.

"

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"When that time comes, I'll be an excellent dancer like the rumor.

"

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"I'll look forward to that.

"

nMarinette bowed at Philip again after the song finished, and she glanced at Richard upstairs with her lip unable to suppress the feeling from smirking at him.

nRichard saw Marinette smirking at him, he clenched his finger and smiled back a little. In everyone's eyes, he was like a forgiving prince charming.

nBut in Diana's eyes...

nUpstair,

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"Your royal highness, can I ask you something?

" asked Diana drinking her red wine.

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"You...why are you not calling my name?

" he asked her back smiling.

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"There's nothing between us now, so I don't have to.

" she replied calmly as if she prepared for that question for so long.

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"You really move on quickly, huh?

" he sipped his wine smirking, while Diana was searching for the man she was waiting for among the crowd.

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"I don't want to hear it from you of all people.

" she chuckled hearing that crazy man who killed her without mercy saying something shameless like that.

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"Haha...so what're you going to do in this life, Diana?

"

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"It's none of your business, I hope you can keep your title crown prince in this life as well.

" Diana got up from her seat when she saw the black-haired handsome man finally arrive, it was Victor.

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"I cheered for you, Diana. But you won't get quite far away...you will return to me one day.

" Diana glanced at him for a second then ignored his words.

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"I won't ever love you again, Richard...when you were engaged with Marinette, I cried...not because I was sad...I was relieved since Marinette already replaced me.

"

nRicard giggled,

"Go on, go as far as you can...but remember, I will be waiting for you.

"

nRichard said to the air watching Diana walking down the stair to Victor and asking him to dance with her.

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"The party is only starting...

" he sipped his red wine again and called out the waiter behind the curtain.

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"Make sure to put the poison in that woman's drink.

"

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"Yes, sir!

" the waiter bowed and disappeared into the crowd walking with the plate of two glasses of wine, poisonous one and drinkable one.

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"Let's see...who will drink poison and who will drink wine among you two?

"

nTo be continued....!

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