The storm raged above, as though the heavens themselves were weeping for her. Thunder cracked like a whip, reverberating through the darkened forest, as if nature itself mourned the cruelty unfolding beneath its canopy.

Leticia stumbled through the rain, her breath ragged, her gown clinging to her skin, soaked and heavy. Her carriage lay overturned behind her, its broken frame a cruel reminder of the life she had once led, now reduced to wreckage. The horses had fled, their frantic whinnies lost in the howling wind. She was alone—almost.

A searing pain ripped through her body. She gasped, her knees buckling as she looked down in disbelief at the gleaming blade lodged in her stomach, its hilt gripped by the very man she had promised to love.

Adrian.

Her fiancé.

His dark hair clung to his forehead, drenched in rain, but his eyes—those cold, indifferent eyes—held no trace of the warmth she had once known. His hand twisted the blade, and she cried out in agony, the sound lost beneath the roar of thunder.

"You don't deserve to live, Leticia," Adrian said, his voice devoid of emotion, as though he were delivering an undeniable truth. "I should have killed you the day you poisoned her. You're nothing but a stain on this world."

The words struck her harder than the blade, their weight crushing her spirit in a way no physical wound could. Leticia stared at him, her red eyes wide with shock, filled with questions that would never be answered. Her body trembled as the life drained from her, blood mixing with the rain at her feet.

Adrian's expression remained unyielding, the face of a man who had cast aside whatever bond they once shared. Without another word, he pulled the blade free, the sound of it sliding from her flesh barely audible over the storm. He turned his back on her, walking away, leaving her crumpled on the forest floor.

Leticia's legs gave out, and she collapsed, her body hitting the wet earth with a dull thud. The cold mud soaked into her dress, clinging to her skin as she gasped for air. She clutched at her wound, but the warmth of her blood seeped through her fingers, impossible to stop.

The rain poured relentlessly, washing over her as if trying to cleanse the world of her existence. The trees swayed violently, their branches whipping in the wind, but she no longer had the strength to move. She could only lie there, her chest rising and falling with shallow, labored breaths.

Leticia tilted her head toward the sky, her vision blurring as the dark clouds rolled overhead. The storm rumbled as though it mourned with her, as though it knew. Her once-bright red eyes, now dull with exhaustion, reflected the storm's fury.

She closed her eyes, allowing memories to flood back like a tide that refused to recede.

 ***

Flashback : The beginning of Leticia's Lament,

What kind of lady was I?

It's strange, isn't it? The idea of being reborn. One moment, I was surrounded by flashing lights, the screech of tires, and the bone-shaking impact of metal on metal. And then... nothing.

I don't remember much about my life before I came to this world. Just fragments, really—like bits of a dream that slip through your fingers the moment you wake. I know that I came from a world where everything was fast, bright, and loud. A world where people carried tiny devices—smartphones, I think they were called—constantly glued to their screens. There were tall buildings, hundreds of them, scraping the sky, and machines that roared down roads made of something black and hard.

When I first woke up here, I wasn't Leticia Drakemorne. I didn't have this name or this life. I didn't even know who I was at all. Just the memory of the accident stayed with me—a shadow that lingered even though everything else was washed away.

But here... in this world, I was given a new life. A second chance, I suppose.

I was reborn as Leticia Drakemorne, the daughter of Duke Zephyr Drakemorne—one of the most powerful and influential men in the entire kingdom. It didn't take long for me to adjust to my new life. How could I not? I was surrounded by luxury, comfort, and the love of a family that doted on me. I was no longer that girl from the fast-paced world of machines and glass towers. I was Leticia—the cherished daughter of a noble house.

My father, Duke Zephyr, was gentle and kind. He would sit by my bedside, reading me stories, his voice always steady and soft. But it wasn't just my father who adored me. I had two older brothers—Sebastian and Raphael. Both of them were fiercely protective of me, treating me as if I were the most precious thing in the world.

I remember feeling so safe and so loved. Every day, I was surrounded by people who cherished me, and I thought—maybe, just maybe—this was my reward for the life I had left behind. This new world, this new family... it felt like a gift. A second chance at happiness without the pain and hardships.

I even had two best friends—Kael Vermillion, the crown prince, and his sister, Princess Selena. They were my heart and my companions in everything. We shared laughter, and they became my second family.

Then, on the day of my coming-of-age ceremony, my life changed again. I saw him—Adarian, the son of the Grand Duke. It was love at first sight. His presence was magnetic, his dark eyes filled with mystery, and I found myself drawn to him in a way I had never experienced before. I begged my father to arrange our engagement, to let me be with him, and to my joy, he agreed.

I had everything now—wealth, family, friends, and love. What more could a person ask for? I was the happiest woman in the world.

Everything was perfect.

At least, that's what I thought.

Then came the news that spread like wildfire through the kingdom—the lost daughter of a baroness had been found. Lyria Frostveil. At first, I didn't care. Why should I? She had nothing to do with me, with my life. She was just another noble, another name.

But then I saw her at one of Princess Selena's tea parties. Lyria was... enchanting. Long black hair, eyes like sapphires, and a voice as sweet as honey. She carried herself with such grace and softness that it was impossible not to notice her. People gravitated toward her, drawn by her beauty and her charm. Even my friends, my brothers... and Adarian.

At first, I told myself it didn't matter. But soon, it became clear—Lyria was taking my place. My friends laughed with her, my brothers admired her, and even my fiancé seemed captivated. I tried to ignore it, to stay composed, but how could I?

Jealousy, like a venom, began to seep into my heart. I watched her, day after day, slowly becoming everything I had once been. That jealousy festered, twisting my actions, until I became someone I didn't recognize.

I started bullying her. At first, it was small—spilling tea on her dress, making snide remarks in front of others. But it escalated. I slapped her in front of the entire court at a ball, publicly humiliating her. 

I became... a villainess. 

I knew it. People whispered about me behind their fans, calling me cruel and wicked. But I didn't care. Not until I saw them—my people, my friends, my family—standing by her side. 

Defending her. 

Protecting her. 

It was as though the world had turned against me, leaving me utterly alone. The bitterness consumed me, and in my rage, I did the unthinkable.

I poisoned her.

It wasn't a lethal poison. I didn't want her to die—not really. Thanks to holy powers, she was saved. And soon, everyone knew what I had done. The looks of disgust and hatred from those I loved... they still haunt me.

Regret clawed at me, tearing away my pride, leaving only guilt behind. I couldn't sleep for days in guilt. I couldn't believe what I had become. I wanted to make things right, to apologize, to beg for her forgiveness. That's why I left the mansion that day, intending to visit her, to say I was sorry.

But the carriage never took me to Lyria's estate. Instead, it veered into the forest, and there, waiting for me amidst the rain and the trees, was Adarian.

 ***

Back to Present:

The present was cold, heavy, and soaked in rain. Leticia's body trembled, her blood mixing with the mud beneath her as the storm raged on. The thunder cracked viciously in the distance, and the forest seemed to wail along with the wind, howling in its cruelty. 

In that moment, she felt tired—so very tired. Tired of the deceit, the heartache, and the hollow life she had lived. 

The weight of it all pressed down on her like the rain drenching her fragile form. Her vision blurred, her limbs felt numb, and yet, for the first time in what seemed like forever, she felt at peace. No more pretending. No more fighting for a place that was no longer hers. No more trying to hold onto people who had already let her go.

A faint smile curled at her lips, despite the pain coursing through her body. "Finally," she whispered to the sky, her voice so soft it was almost lost to the wind. "I can sleep peacefully now."

Her eyelids fluttered, heavy with the finality of her fate. The bitter taste of betrayal lingered, but it was fading, just as everything else was. 

This is it, she thought. The end of everything she had clung to. The end of Leticia Drakemorne, once the beloved daughter of a duke, now left to die alone in the unforgiving forest.

With those final words, Leticia closed her eyes, her body sinking into the cold, wet earth beneath her. The last of her strength slipped away, leaving her motionless—just another forgotten soul in the depths of the forest.

For a moment, the world seemed to still. The trees, the sky, the earth—they all bore silent witness to the end of her story. Or so it seemed.

But somewhere, in the echoes of the storm, something stirred—faint, almost imperceptible. The storm, it seemed, was not just mourning. It was waiting.