It was around the start of winter, and the weather is getting colder by the day. And snow is falling from the sky in soft, delicate flakes, covering the ground in a blanket of white.
Around this time, everyone rarely goes out of their houses, as the cold weather can be quite harsh and unbearable. Only those who have to go to work brave the freezing temperatures and icy roads.
Despite the cold weather, Layla doesn't have to worry about its dropping temperature as the mansion is fully equipped with central heating and a cozy fireplace.
The perks of being wealthy!
Now that Layla remembered her past life, she always found herself in difficult times when winter came, as she couldn't afford to keep her home warm. She has to use all her blankets to keep herself warm, but it's not enough for her to feel comfortable.
But now that she has been transmigrated into a wealthy family, she can finally enjoy the luxury of heating and no longer has to worry about freezing during the winter.
She doesn't even need to force herself to go out to the streets in the harsh weather to buy her groceries and necessities because someone is taking care of it for her.
She feels grateful and blessed to have this level of comfort and convenience in her life.
"Thank you." Layla said this to a servant, who poured her cup of tea.
The servant smiled, then stepped aside to give her privacy.
The feeling of luxury and ease washed over Layla. This life is really the best.
Layla was enjoying her tea inside a greenhouse. The flowers are blossoming beautifully around her despite the cold weather outside.
Layla found this fascinating and discovered that the warmth inside the greenhouse was supplied by a magical artifact that makes a certain area warm.
She thought it was some kind of machine and was driven by her curiosity to ask to see the artifact herself. And what she saw was something she had never seen before. It was not a machine but rather an item that emitted some strange energy.
This made Layla certain that her world from her previous life and this life are different. She wondered what other mysteries and discoveries awaited her in this new world. There were familiar things, just like in her previous world, but the items were run by magic crystals and not electricity.
This discovery made Layla certain that she was in a different world. This world is full of unknown things, including magic.
However, Layla had other theories she needed to explore before drawing any conclusions.
Is she inside a novel?
Or did she somehow stumble into a parallel universe?
She decided to keep an open mind and continue her exploration.
"Good afternoon, Madam Ophelia." Benidict greeted as he appeared in the greenhouse.
"The same here, Benedict," she replied with a smile.
Layla was slowly getting used to being called madam and the name Ophelia for staying here for weeks. She was starting to feel like a part of the estate.
"What made you come here, Benidict?" Layla asked curiously, then sipped her tea.
"I would like to inform you that the master will arrive tomorrow," replied Benidict.
Layla stopped drinking her tea and looked at the head butler with her eyes wide open.
"You mean my husband, Samuel Archer?" she asked, trying to hide her disbelief.
"The one and only," Benedict confirmed.
Layla tried to muster a smile towards the head butler. "That's good to hear. I can't wait to meet him."
She hoped the head butler didn't see right through her lie. Like heck, she even wanted to meet that stranger husband of hers.
Just the thought of meeting that man tomorrow made her stomach churn with anxiety.
The head butler smiled and said, "I will send someone to assist you in preparing."
Layla remembered that all the staff had to welcome the master of the house under the leadership of the mistress. Now that the body she was in was the wife of this master's house, it's now her responsibility to lead the staff in welcoming the master of the house.
Ugh, I think I'm gonna puke just thinking about it.
---
The very next day, Layla was interrupted from her sleep when a group of female servants came into her room, forced her to get out of bed, and groomed her to the bone.
She didn't know what they did to her body, but the only thing she remembered was the pain and discomfort since she was half asleep the entire time.
When she finally regained her whole consciousness, she was already sparkling clean and dressed in a gorgeous gown. Her hair was styled perfectly, her makeup was flawless, and jewellery adorns her neck and ears.
She felt like a princess and couldn't believe how amazing she looked, despite her previous discomfort.
Heck, this body is gorgeous!
She thought to herself while looking at her reflection in the mirror.
If this beauty had been in my previous life, many entertainment companies would have been fighting to sign me!
"You look beautiful, Madam Ophelia. The master will surely fall in love again with your appearance. " One of the servants, who was holding the mirror, said it to her with a smile.
What's with the cringe-worthy statement?
Layla was trying to stop herself from showing her disgust at the servant's comment.
"Thank you," Layla forced out, hoping her discomfort wasn't too obvious.
She quickly looked away and made her way out of the room.
As she made her way to the entrance of the mansion, many servants were already on standby, waiting for the arrival of their master.
She joined them and made her way to the very front to meet the head butler already there.
"I'm glad you're here, madam." Benidict greeted.
"Thank you, Benedict. Is everything ready for the master's arrival?"
"All done. We are just awaiting his carriage now."
Everyone was waiting for the master's arrival for quite some time until they receive a notice from the gate entrance that the master had already entered the estate. And just as they received the notice, a group of men dressed in knight's armour and riding a horse approached the mansion.
The group of men was led by the master of the estate himself. Everyone watched as the master hopped down from his horse and waited for him to enter the mansion.
They expected him to walk straight to the entrance of the mansion when he turned around and saw a white carriage with golden accents pull up next to him.
The master opened the door of the carriage and walked inside. Soon after, he walked out while carrying a figure in a bridal style and walked inside the mansion in a hurry.
"Prepare a room and call a Physican. Now!" The master ordered without roaming his eyes around him, focused his attention on the figure in his arms, and walked past Layla, who was watching the whole thing happen in front of her eyes.
"Yes, master," the head butler responded, then looked at Layla with hesitation before turning his back away from her to follow his master's order.
Layla was staring at the direction the master went, still in shock from what she had just witnessed.
She can feel her heartbeats beating faster, which makes the world around her sway as if there's an earthquake.
No, no, no, no, this can't be happening, she thought to herself.
She can feel a sharp pain in her head as her thoughts race, trying to make sense of the situation.
She winces and clutches her chest, hoping the palpitations will stop soon. And her breathing is growing heavier.
"Madam, what's wrong?" one of the servants near her asked in concern.
She looks up at him, trying to form the words.
"I-I can't breathe." She manages to gasp before collapsing onto the ground.
***