Chapter 18
It hurt. Jia finally broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. The Emperor pulled her trembling arms towards him, using them as leverage as he thrust into her again and again. Her stretched inner walls were abraded, wounded, then healed, only to be wounded again.
“Tight.” The Emperor said. With each thrust, her body moved with him, her vision shaking. The throbbing pain remained.
“Hng… Uh…”
Jia tried to push his hands away, but her tightly gripped arms remained immobile. The Emperor, buried deep inside her, let out a satisfied sigh.
“…It’s been a while since I’ve had a woman.”
“It… hurts…”
He pulled back slightly, then thrust back in with a sickening thud. Jia’s lips trembled. She no longer screamed as before, merely enduring.
Just… make it end quickly… that’s all…
Her inner walls seemed to have adjusted; the sharp pain was gone. But the feeling of fullness, the pressure filling her abdomen, remained. The torn flesh seemed to have healed; the stinging pain had subsided.
Yet, Jia continued to cry. Her romantic dreams of making love with someone she loved, in a tender atmosphere, had shattered like glass.
Erendia, where even after three years, she remained an outsider. Eustanville, filled with unfamiliar things. People who stared at her like a fish out of water. A world where she had no one on her side…
It was agonizing.
“Ha…”
The Emperor groaned softly, lost in pleasure. Jia felt the last of her tears roll down her cheeks. Light gradually returned to her blurred vision.
She saw herself reflected in his pale blue eyes. Her long hair was spread across the sheets, her body trembling like a frightened deer.
The Emperor smiled. Seeing that smile, Jia closed her eyes.
Unable to sleep, she lay awake all night. She felt no pain, no exhaustion, yet a crushing weight pressed down on her, as if she were pinned beneath a boulder. She longed to fall into a death-like sleep, to escape, even if only for a little while.
Clutching her spirit animal, she cursed the gods. She wanted to rage at them, to demand to know why they had sent her here. She wanted them to tell her what she had done wrong.
Time crawled by, and finally, the sun rose. A knock echoed through the room. Jia blinked slowly, turning towards the door.
Since she had refused food, Tristan and Ethan rarely knocked unless something was amiss. What could it be?
Contrary to her expectations, two unfamiliar women entered. They bowed respectfully towards Jia, who was still lying in bed. Startled, she sat up.
“Good morning, Lady Jia. I am Julia Distevan, and I will be attending to you from now on.”
“Good morning. I am Regina Loctana. I will be at your service.”
It was utterly unexpected. Jia was beyond bewildered; she was flabbergasted. She didn’t need to wash or eat, so there was nothing for them to attend to. Even Tristan and Ethan at her door felt like a burden, and now this.
“We will assist you with your morning preparations.”
The two women efficiently brought water and carefully washed Jia’s hands and feet. When they attempted to brush her hair, Jia finally shook her head and spoke.
“Um… It’s alright. You really don’t have to do this…”
“We are acting on His Majesty’s orders. Did our touch displease you?”
His Majesty’s orders. Jia sighed softly. There was no refusing. “No,” she murmured, staring blankly at the floor.
Her hair was brushed, and fine powder was applied to her face. The plain linen dress she wore was discarded and replaced with a dress far too extravagant for a slave. Jia had nothing to do; the maids took care of everything.
“Peach suits you beautifully, Lady Jia.”
“I’ve never seen anyone who looks so lovely in rose quartz!”
They fussed over her, trying on various dresses and jewelry, showering her with compliments. Each compliment made Jia more uncomfortable. Their sudden familiarity felt overwhelming.
I don’t need… these jewels…
The diamond at the center of the necklace was excessively large and heavy, making it difficult to move her head.
“Um… This necklace… it’s too heavy.”
“Then we have a necklace made of smaller diamonds.”
What is going on?
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