Susanna woke with a start, her body stiff and disoriented. The sudden light in the room was blinding, spilling in through tall windows. She instinctively squinted, her hand reaching for her phone to check the time, but it wasn't there.
Where's my phone?
A spike of panic surged through her chest. 'I'm late!' Late for work. There was an important deadline today, a meeting. She needed to—
'No.' Her mind caught up with her surroundings, and the panic slowed to confusion. This wasn't her apartment.
Her heart thudded as she looked around, the foreign room unfolding in front of her. The walls were a soft, creamy shade, and the room was filled with ornate antique furniture—luxurious chairs, a dark wood wardrobe, and a coffee table with a delicate vase atop it. Everything was expensive. Everything was…
'This isn't my room.'
Susanna sat up, quickly swinging her legs off the side of the bed. The thick velvet comforter slipped from her, pooling around her waist, and her bare feet touched the cold marble floor. She froze as the full impact of her situation hit her.
This wasn't her room.
Her eyes flicked around, taking in more details—the silken curtains draping over the windows and the morning sun's soft glow spilling across plush rugs. The bed she had just woken up in was far too large, too opulent, for someone like her.
What the hell is this?
Panic began to rise again, but before she could spiral further, her gaze fell upon the mirror opposite the bed. Her reflection caught her immediately.
The woman staring back at her was… beautiful.
Her long brown hair cascaded down her back in soft waves, streaked with golden highlights. Her face was delicate—high cheekbones, smooth lips that looked naturally rosy. Her eyes, were a pale shade of brown, shimmering with an almost ethereal light. She looked confident, and poised, like someone who belonged in this world. Someone important.
This woman… this woman is me?
Susanna reached up, trembling, as though she expected the reflection to disappear if she touched it. But it didn't. The woman in the mirror remained, and the strange, disconnected feeling inside her only deepened.
She blinked, rubbing her eyes, but the reflection stayed the same. Her chest tightened, but it wasn't entirely from fear. There was something else there. A strange flutter in her stomach. Almost like
Like I'm dreaming.
Her fingers grazed over her face, and she flinched slightly at how smooth and soft her skin was. She'd never had skin this perfect before. She looked like someone else entirely—like a noblewoman, someone wealthy and revered.
Not me.
Her heart raced, her breath coming faster. This can't be real. This can't be happening.
A dizzying wave of memories flooded her mind. She staggered back, clutching the edge of the dresser for support as pieces of her new identity began to slot together in her head. The name surfaced first—Duchess Susanna Brown.
Her mouth went dry. 'I'm the Duchess?'
Memories that weren't hers began to flood her thoughts—fragments of another life: childhood memories, a wedding ceremony…
Duke Alexei Xavier Brown.
The name echoed in her mind, bringing with it a strange, uneasy feeling. She frowned, a sense of dread creeping in. Duke Alexei…Susanna's husband. He had gone to war the very day they married, leaving her alone. The rumours had followed her in the years since—they'd called her bad luck.
Her stomach churned. This wasn't just some dream. This wasn't some fantasy.
This was real.
She was transmigrated in this world now. The life of Duchess Susanna Brown was hers to navigate, and yet, it felt so alien.
Her gaze shifted around the room, trying to piece together this unfamiliar world. The luxurious surroundings. The elegance of it all.
I'm wealthy. I'm a duchess.
The thought made her stomach twist again. She wanted to laugh, but it wasn't out of joy—it was out of disbelief.
She'd never had anything like this in her life. She had worked for every scrap, every bit of independence. She'd been an orphan. Then she'd lived with relatives who didn't want her, always moving from one home to the next. No one ever stayed long enough for her to feel like she belonged. And now? She was here!
She had to be dreaming.
But even as she thought it, she knew deep down that it wasn't a dream. This was real. She was no longer the girl scraping by to make ends meet. She was a Duchess now, living a life of wealth and luxury.
How had this happened? She'd spent years of her life struggling, never getting a chance to dream. And now? To be dropped into a life of opulence she hadn't earned? It felt almost like a cruel joke.
There was no going back now, nothing to fight against, no worry about her living expenses.
Suddenly, she heard a soft knock at the door, followed by a gentle voice calling from the other side.
"Milady, are you awake?" A soft voice called from the other side.
Her breath caught in her throat, and for a moment, she hesitated.
Was she ready to face the world as Duchess Susanna?
But there was no time for hesitation. Whether she was ready or not, she had to face this new life.
"Come in," she called, her voice surprisingly steady, though her mind raced.
Two women entered, dressed in robes. One wore black with a white apron, and the other, much younger, was dressed in a simpler attire. Both looked at her with a mix of reverence and apprehension.
"Good morning, milady," they said in unison, their voices soft but filled with something Susanna couldn't quite place.
"Do you like to bathe or to have breakfast?" One of them asked.
She glanced at them, remembering from the memories that Duchess Susanna had been arrogant and cold to her servants. The maids before her had been terrified of her.
"Milady, please spare us!"
The maids, who knelt while begging for their lives, surprised Susanna.
Something in Susanna stirred. She couldn't help but wonder: Could I be like the previous Susanna?
"Bath," Susanna said, her voice calm, though her mind churned with the gravity of her situation. "Stand up!"
The maids nodded and hurried to their work.
Susanna heaved a sigh of relief. She could not possibly live with the same personality as the previous Susanna, who mistreated the servants depending on her whims.
"Milady, your bath has been prepared."
"Thank you," she said, but soon realized that she was out of character.
The maids exchanged glances but said nothing. They led her to a lavish bathroom, which was a marble masterpiece, surrounded by gilded walls and plush towels. She stood still for a moment, staring at the tub, trying to steady her thoughts.
"We'll help you," the maid said.
"No, I'll bathe by myself," she said, her voice carrying an unexpected authority. The maids exchanged looks and then retreated.
As she found herself alone, she slowly immersed herself in the comforting warmth of the bath, hoping to soothe the rapid flutter of her mind. The sensation of the water surrounding her caused her to shut her eyes, overwhelmed by a blend of bewilderment and incredulity.
She perhaps would stay here, live in luxury and enjoy her time to the fullest until she understood this new world she transmigrated into.
When she emerged from the bath, the maids were waiting for her with a selection of dresses. The gowns were grand, jewelled, and overwhelming—completely different from her simple, modern taste. Her stomach churned slightly as she looked at them.
What the hell is this? Did Susanna wear those dresses? What a weird taste!
"Milady, are the dresses not to your ladyship's liking?" the maids questioned, trembling.
"Is there a simpler dress?" she asked, but the maids kept looking at her nervously. She sighed and said, "The green one is beautiful."
After dressing, Susanna stepped out of the room and walked through the hallways, taking in the lavish surroundings. She paused as she overheard a conversation between two maids near the corner.
"I heard the war extended another season," one of them whispered.
"Yes, it's been over two springs," the other replied. "Where will it end?"
"Duke Alexei is on the battlefield while Prince Lionheart is throwing parties now and then."
"I heard King Alavin ordered Prince Leonard to go to the battlefield."
Susanne's heart sank, listening to the familiar names. Aren't those the characters' names of the novels I read last night?
Her body trembled as she recalled the duke's name.
Duke Alexei Xavier Brown. No wonder it was familiar!
At this moment, she realized one thing.
She transmigrated into a novel as a character who would die at her husband's hand!