(Lina)
It had been a few days since I survived the royal court, and things had settled down a little.
Well, as much as they could in this crazy, royal life I was now living. But something was nagging at me, something that had been bothering me since I first woke up here.
Who was Isabella?
I mean, I knew the basics. I was in her body, living her life, and everyone around me treated me like I was her. But I didn't know anything about her past, about who she was before all this. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized I needed to know. If I was going to survive in this world, I had to understand Isabella's life—especially her family.
I took a deep breath and asked the system the question that I had been thinking for a while. 'Tell me about Isabella's past. Who were her parents? What kind of life did she have?'
'Isabella's father, Lord Ashford was heavily involved in politics. He held a high-ranking position and worked closely with the royal family. Her mother, Lady Margaret, was well known for her charity work and social connections.'
I frowned. That sounded like the perfect, proper royal family. But if Isabella had parents who were so important, why didn't they seem to care about her?
I thought about the few memories I had of them from Isabella's perspective. They were distant, cold, and always seemed more focused on appearances than on their daughter.
I hesitated for a moment before asking the next question. 'How did she end up with Nicholas? What happened?'
Again, the system responded quickly.
'When Prince Nicholas expressed his intention to marry Isabella, her parents saw it as an opportunity to strengthen their ties with the royal family. They quickly agreed to the marriage and arranged everything without much input from Isabella herself. Once the marriage was decided, Isabella's parents practically pushed her into Nicholas' arms, seeing it as the best move for their family.'
I felt angry about that. They shoved her into a marriage with someone she didn't even get to choose? That was bad enough, but the system's next words hit me even harder.
'Isabella tried to run back to her parents several times after the marriage. She cried and told them about Lady Elara, and how hurt she was by their relationship. But her parents sent her back to Nicholas each time, telling her to be a good princess and to fulfill her duties.'
Isabella had been trapped. She had gone to the people who were supposed to care about her, and they had turned her away. She had tried to fight for herself, tried to escape the pain of seeing Nicholas with someone else, and her parents had just told her to go back. To be a good princess. Like her feelings didn't matter at all.
'Did she ever have a good relationship with her parents?' I asked quietly, already knowing what the answer would be.
The system paused for a moment before replying.
'No. Isabella's relationship with her parents was strained from a young age. They were more focused on their social status and political connections than on her well-being. Isabella often felt neglected and unloved by her parents, and the arranged marriage to Nicholas only worsened that.'
I felt a lump in my throat. It was like Isabella had been nothing more than a pawn in their game, a tool to get closer to power. No wonder she had tried to run. I could imagine her crying and begging her parents to listen, to help her, and then just pushing her back toward Nicholas, telling her to do her duty.
I thought back to my own life. Sure, I'd had my struggles, but at least my parents had cared about me. They had always wanted what was best for me, even if we didn't always agree. But Isabella...she hadn't had that. She had been alone in a world where everyone seemed to see her as a means to an end.
I sat there for a while, letting the information sink in. It explained a lot—why Isabella had seemed so distant and cold in the memories I had of her. She had built up walls to protect herself, and who could blame her? With parents like that and a husband who didn't care about her, it was no wonder she had felt trapped.
I sighed, rubbing my hands over my face. 'What about Nicholas? ' I asked, though I wasn't sure I wanted to hear the answer. 'Did he know about how her parents treated her?'
The system didn't hesitate this time.
'Prince Nicholas was aware of Isabella's strained relationship with her parents but did not intervene. He saw the marriage as a political move and did not concern himself with her personal feelings. His relationship with Lady Elara began before his marriage to Isabella and continued throughout, further deepening Isabella's sense of isolation.'
I clenched my fists, anger boiling inside me again. Nicholas knew. He knew she was struggling, she felt abandoned by her parents, and he did nothing. He just let it happen, let her suffer while he carried on his affair with Lady Elara. And Isabella had no one—no one to turn to, no one to help her.
I couldn't believe it. How could people be so heartless? How could they treat someone like that, like they didn't matter at all?
For a moment, I felt a deep sadness for Isabella. She had been dealt such a terrible hand, and she had tried to fight back in her way, but it hadn't worked. Her parents had betrayed her, and her husband didn't care. She had been utterly alone.
But now, I was in her shoes. I was in her life. And I wasn't going to let them treat me—or her—like that anymore. I didn't care about their stupid rules or their politics. If they thought they could push me around the way they had pushed Isabella, they were in for a rude awakening.
I stood up, determination settling in my chest. 'I'm not going to let them win,' I said quietly. 'Not like this.'
The system didn't respond, but I didn't need it to. I knew what I had to do. I had to find a way to survive in this world, not just for me, but for Isabella, too. She deserved better than the life they had forced on her, and if I had anything to say about it, she was going to get it.
I had learned a lot about Isabella's past, and it wasn't pretty. But it had given me a new sense of purpose. I wasn't just surviving for myself now. I was surviving for her, too.
And no matter what Nicholas, her parents, or anyone else thought, I wasn't going to let them control me.
I wasn't going to be their good princess.