The doctor, the butler's son, introduced himself. "I'm Ethan," he said, his tone professional but distant. He took a step closer, pulling a small glass ball from his coat pocket with his left hand. It shimmered faintly in the light, but otherwise, it remained still. In his right hand, he gently took Rebecca's wrist, his fingers cool against her skin.
"This might feel a bit strange," Ethan said. "I just need to ask you a few simple questions. It's a routine procedure to see how much memory you've lost."
Rebecca nodded slightly, her heart racing under the calm façade she maintained.
Ethan looked her in the eyes. "What is your full name?"
"Rebecca," she answered softly, pausing as if unsure of her last name.
"And where are we right now?" he asked, watching her closely.
Rebecca hesitated for a moment. "I... don't know."
Ethan glanced at the glass ball in his left hand. It stayed perfectly still, no flicker of movement or light. He pressed on with the questions, his tone even.
"Do you remember your age?"
Rebecca shook her head. "I'm… not sure."
Ethan nodded slightly, still watching her reactions. "Do you recall any family members, or anyone you're close to?"
Rebecca gave a small, uncertain shake of her head. "No…"
As the questions continued, Rebecca noticed that the glass ball never changed. It stayed motionless, not a single spark or ripple in its surface. Ethan asked about the most basic details, but every time, Rebecca pretended not to know. Her voice stayed soft, and she played the part of someone confused and disoriented.
Finally, Ethan pulled his hand away from her wrist, sliding the glass ball back into his pocket.
"That'll do for now," he said, his tone neutral, though his eyes held a hint of something unreadable. He stood up, looking over at the untouched food before turning back to her. "You seem stable. Rest for now."
Without another word, he turned and walked out of the room, the door clicking softly shut behind him. Rebecca stayed still, her heart racing. She couldn't tell if her act had fooled him or if her real identity had been discovered. The uncertainty gnawed at her—had she escaped disaster, or was she still in danger?
After some time, the butler returned, his steps slow but deliberate. He stood by the door for a moment before speaking, his voice low and measured.
"It seems," he began, "there's a possibility that you've lost your memory." He looked at Rebecca with sharp, calculating eyes. "It could be from the attack in the forest. The magic... it might have affected you. Your ex-husband's enemies have been getting bolder."
Rebecca's heart skipped a beat. She remembered nothing of the attack, but she nodded, keeping her face calm. This was exactly the cover she needed.
Rebecca leaned back slightly, playing her part. "Can you tell me... about myself?" she asked, her voice soft, almost hesitant.
The butler's eyes flickered for a moment before he answered, keeping his explanation brief. "You are Rebecca Hellshade, daughter of a fairy and a high-ranking demon minister. You were married to Lord Valen Darkclaw, a powerful man. The marriage was arranged, but it didn't work out as expected. After the war started, things... fell apart."
Rebecca nodded, acting as if this was all new information to her, even though she had pieced most of it together already from scattered memories.
"And the child?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly, pretending to feel uncertainty.
The butler hesitated for a moment but then continued, "Your son's name is Draven. Draven Darkclaw, the child of you and Lord Valen. He's... well, he's different." His tone held something cold, as though there was more to the story, but he didn't elaborate.
The mention of the names made Rebecca's heart race. Draven. Darkclaw. Valen. The names stirred something deep in her mind, a strange familiarity she couldn't shake. She felt a sudden jolt, a memory trying to resurface.
Feeling the shock hit her, she acted quickly, gripping the side of the bed and putting a hand to her head, wincing in fake pain. "I... I think I remember something, but it hurts," she said, her voice strained. "My head... I need to rest."
The butler raised an eyebrow, studying her, but didn't push further. "Very well," he said stiffly. "If you need anything, call for me."
As soon as he left the room, Rebecca dropped the act, closing her eyes as the realization hit her. Draven Darkclaw. Valen Darkclaw. These were names she had read before. Before her death, she had read a novel with these exact characters. This world... it was the same world from that book!
Rebecca sat frozen, piecing together the fragments of her memory. The plot of the novel unraveled in her mind, and with it, the dark reality of the world she now inhabited.
In the story, Valen Darkclaw was the villain, feared and ruthless. He had kidnapped the heroine of the novel, the princess of the demon kingdom. But his plans had been thwarted when the hero, a powerful figure from the fairy realm, had waged war against him. After that defeat, Valen disappeared, vanishing from the world for 15 years.
When Valen returned, he was no longer just a villain bent on capturing the princess—he was obsessed with her. But the time away had changed things. The princess had moved on, the kingdom had changed, and Valen had grown more dangerous. His son, Draven, now 15, had been trained in the shadows during Valen's absence. Raised to be a weapon, Draven feared no one, except his father. Valen had molded him into a killer, ruthless and cold, just like himself.
Rebecca's heart raced as she remembered the part about Draven becoming obsessed with the daughter of the heroine. Both Valen and Draven had their sights set on the princess's family, their obsessions driving them to kidnap those they desired. A chill ran down her spine. This was the twisted dynamic of father and son—each possessed by their desires, unyielding, and merciless.
But then she recalled something that sent a shiver down her spine: In the original plot, Rebecca Hellshade, the character whose body she now possessed, had died when her child was 7 years old. Draven had been young, helpless, and alone when his mother was killed. But now, here she was, still alive, which meant the fate of this character had changed the moment Rebecca had entered this body.
She clutched the sheets, her mind spinning. What had caused this shift in the story? Why was she still here? Could it be that her presence in this world altered the fate of the people around her? And most importantly—what would happen next?
The last chapter she had read in the novel hadn't been published. She had no idea how things would unfold from here. The uncertainty gnawed at her, but one thing was clear: this world was dangerous, and both Valen and Draven were central to the chaos that would soon unravel.
Rebecca bit her lip, her heart pounding in her chest. She had no idea what was coming next, but she knew one thing for sure—she needed to stay alive.