Chapter 4

The palace staff were rushing around in every direction. When I asked what was going on, I learned that the New Year was approaching, and the palace was preparing to hold a grand celebration.

Rosie was in charge of organizing the entire event. The Queen Dowager had signed off on it, and Martin had given his permission.

All of this had happened right under my nose, yet I, the queen, hadn't known a thing about it. I'd been completely sidelined in this massive palace, stripped of any real power.

It wasn't until I heard some maids saying the banquet had already begun and that they were going to check it out that I realized it was underway.

Time ticked by, second after second, as I gazed at the moon and silently let my tears fall.

It wasn't until hurried footsteps sounded outside my palace that someone finally came for me. "Your Majesty, the Queen Dowager and the King would like you to join them."

I wiped away my tears and headed to the banquet. But the moment I arrived, the entire hall fell silent.

A group of men was kneeling on the floor. It wasn't until I drew closer that I recognized that they were my subordinates.

The Queen Dowager gave a slight nod when she saw me. "Helena, I was about to make an announcement, but some of your former subordinates stepped forward to speak up against it, so I'll leave the decision to you."

I glanced at Martin. His expression was as calm as always. "Please go on, Mother."

"Well, you've been married to the king for quite some time, yet you still have nothing to show for it. Although you've only recently been crowned queen, the royal family still has no heir.

"I was thinking of appointing a new consort, but since I didn't want to upset you, I thought we could bring your younger sister into the palace to help shoulder the responsibility.

"That way, whichever of you gives the king a son, the child belongs to you both."

Her words rang in my ears. I stared at Martin, disbelief written all over my face.

But Martin merely said in a cool voice, "Helena, don't let jealousy get the better of you. Have some dignity."

All the feelings I'd foolishly convinced myself were real, all the love I'd imagined he still had for me, came crashing down on me at once.

I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my palms. The pain made it hard to breathe. I stared straight at Martin, wanting nothing more but to ask if he still remembered the promise we'd made to each other.

But when the words reached my throat, I swallowed them back down. My silence made the Queen Dowager's temper begin to flare.

Rosie suddenly dropped to her knees and pleaded for forgiveness. "Please, Your Majesty, don't put my sister in such a difficult position. I once heard her tell His Majesty that she'd rather become a nun than share her husband with another woman.

"How could I bear to watch my own sister give up everything and become a nun?"

Rosie's words did nothing to calm the Queen Dowager's anger. If anything, they only made matters worse.

When the courtiers heard her bring up how I'd once insisted on being the only woman in their king's life, they turned disapproving looks on me too.

Martin was the king, a man who sat at the very top of the world. How could anyone expect him to have only one woman in his life?

And just like that, the men kneeling on the floor and I became, in everyone's eyes, ungrateful schemers who used past favors to demand special treatment.

"How dare you! You're part of the royal household, yet you've been conspiring with people from the court!

"Guards! Drag those men out and beat them to death! Take Helena away and confine her to the palace. And strip her of her royal seal."

I stared at Martin, who was sitting up there, doing nothing but watching us. Behind me, people were trying to drag off the men who had once served under me.

I let out a bitter laugh and fell to my knees, pleading with the Queen Dowager and the King. "This was all my doing. They knew nothing about it. Please spare them, Your Majesties. Whatever the punishment, I alone will carry it."

But no one listened, and Martin stayed silent. My former subordinates were dragged out to be beaten. Before they were taken away, none of them spoke to me. It was as though we'd become strangers.

But I saw the tears in their eyes. They were grieving over the injustice done to me, and the injustice done to themselves.

Rosie was officially granted the title of Royal Mistress and ordered to enter the palace that very day. As for me, I was escorted back to my palace, where the maids sent by the Queen Dowager took away my royal seal.

"Your Majesty, the Queen Dowager has decreed that starting tomorrow, the Royal Mistress will take charge of the royal household on your behalf."

One by one, my former subordinates were beaten to death. Not a single one had begged for mercy before meeting their deaths.

The system remained silent for a long time before finally speaking again. [Helena, are you sure you still want to continue?]