CHAPTER 5

AURORA’S POV

I stood frozen in shock, staring at the Queen like a statue until Fiona’s voice snapped me back to reality.

“Will you come downstairs already, or are you just going to stand there staring like a maniac?” Fiona snapped.

I quickly walked down the stairs and stopped in front of the Queen before bowing respectfully.

“Good morning, Ma’am,” I greeted.

She smiled warmly and gently patted my hair.

“Good morning. It’s nice to meet you, my child.”

She had a kind smile, and despite everything that had happened, I felt honored. This was my first time meeting the Queen of England, and it was happening in my own home.

“I’ve heard quite a lot about you from Fiona,” she said.

I frowned slightly and glanced at Fiona.

What exactly had Fiona told her about me?

“She told me you’re hardworking and quite stubborn. Is that true?” the Queen asked.

I lowered my gaze, unsure how to answer.

To be honest, I was surprised Fiona had said anything positive about me at all.

“Regardless,” the Queen continued, “I admired you the first time I saw you with Fiona at a shopping mall. I noticed how responsible and dedicated you were. That’s why I decided to bring you into my household.”

I blinked in surprise.

“I made Fiona a very generous offer,” she added.

My eyes widened.

“A very generous offer?”

She nodded.

The number she mentioned nearly made my jaw drop.

I couldn’t believe anyone would spend that much money.

The Queen simply smiled at my reaction.

“Surprised?”

Very surprised.

She signaled to two guards standing nearby.

“Please take her luggage to the car.”

The men immediately obeyed.

Then the Queen turned toward Fiona.

“Thank you for your cooperation.”

“My pleasure, Ma’am,” Fiona replied.

I could barely hide my disbelief.

A short while later, I found myself sitting inside a luxurious white Lamborghini.

As the car drove away from the house, I stared out the window.

I still couldn’t believe Fiona had sent me away so easily.

The scenery slowly changed as we traveled through beautifully maintained roads lined with trees and elegant homes.

I could feel Queen Marguerite occasionally glancing at me, but I was too nervous to look back.

Eventually, the vehicle stopped.

The driver opened the door for both of us.

I stepped outside and froze.

The mansion before me was enormous.

It looked less like a house and more like a small kingdom.

I stood there staring until a cheerful young woman approached and gently took my hand.

“Welcome,” she said with a bright smile.

She led me inside.

The moment I entered, I was speechless.

The grand living room was beautiful.

Elegant furniture, crystal chandeliers, expensive artwork, and polished floors stretched as far as I could see.

Everything looked perfect.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” the young woman asked.

I nodded.

“Most people react exactly the same way their first day here.”

I looked around in amazement.

This place was beyond anything I had ever imagined.

“Come, Ma’am. I’ll show you your room.”

Ma’am?

People were actually calling me Ma’am?

I followed her upstairs.

When she opened the bedroom door, I nearly gasped.

The room was larger than Fiona’s.

The furniture matched perfectly, and the entire room looked elegant and welcoming.

It didn’t feel like a servant’s room.

It felt like a guest suite prepared for someone important.

The young woman left after showing me around.

I sat on the large bed and admired everything.

I found myself smiling without forcing it… My life has been bad enough, I can’t even remember the last time I had a genuine smile, or had a reason to even fake a smile to start with.

After freshening up, I changed into some comfortable clothes provided in the wardrobe and rested on the bed.

I must have fallen asleep because I woke up later that evening when someone knocked on the door.

I opened it and found the same young woman standing there.

She was smiling again.

“Ma’am, the Queen has requested your presence at dinner.”

I nodded.

She turned to leave.

“Wait,” I called.

She stopped politely.

“What’s your name?”

She smiled.

“My name is Nice, Ma’am.”

“I’m Aurora.”

She bowed politely before walking away.

Nice.

The name suited her.

So far, nobody here had treated me like a servant.

If anything, they were treating me like a guest.

Curious, I checked my phone.

Several messages from Fiona and her daughters were waiting.

I opened Aria’s message first.

From Aria:

SORRY, KITTY CAT. MOM SAID YOU’RE STAYING WITH QUEEN MARGUERITE NOW. I HEARD THE PRINCE CAN BE VERY COLD SOMETIMES. GOOD LUCK.

I rolled my eyes.

Then I opened Fiona’s message.

From Fiona:

DON’T CAUSE TROUBLE. REMEMBER THAT YOU REPRESENT THIS FAMILY WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.

That was rich coming from her.

Finally, I opened Harper’s message.

From Harper:

HEY, STEP-SISTER. IF YOU MEET THE PRINCE, MAKE SURE YOU GIVE HIM MY CONTACT.

“Unbelievable,” I muttered, tossing my phone onto the bed.

After hours of sleep, I still felt lazy and relaxed.

I brushed my teeth and headed downstairs.

When I reached the main hall, I couldn’t find the dining room.

“The dining room is through that door, Ma’am,” Nice said, pointing toward a large glass entrance.

“Thank you.”

I walked toward it.

CLARK’S POV

“Mom, you mean you brought someone to live here?” I asked.

She placed her fork neatly beside her plate.

“Yes, and I have my reasons.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“And who exactly is she?”

The Queen smiled mysteriously.

“Trust me, son. I think you’ll find her interesting.”

I laughed.

“That’s a dangerous thing to say.”

She shook her head.

“You never change.”

“No, seriously. What’s her name?”

The Queen’s smile widened.

“Her name is Aurora.”

The moment I heard that name, I nearly dropped my glass.

“Aurora?”