"I'm sick. But don't worry. Work well without thinking about my condition. Trust me! I can take care of myself, Honey!"

A sigh was heard from a 24-year-old green-eyed girl who had just finished handing over two portions of pasta ordered by a customer to a waiter. Her mood suddenly turned bad even though the busy day had just begun. She felt uneasy knowing that her beloved was sick and didn't come to work today.

"Diana, what's wrong?" the head chef rebuked when he saw one of his subordinates who worked as a Saute chef or a chef specializing in handling complementary sauces looking distracted. Even though the kitchen wasn't too busy because the restaurant had just opened, the head chef still felt strange seeing the scene in front of him. Diana Steel daydreaming at work? No way. That's not Diana's character at all.

As far as the head chef knew, Diana was the most enthusiastic figure. The most passionate figure who barely knew fatigue. In fact, Diana was everyone's favorite because she was always able to spread positive energy to everyone.

"Nothing, Chef," Diana replied with a smile. She quickly put the phone that had been her focus back into her pants pocket.

"Is there a problem? Or is something happening?"

Diana shook her head. Trying to lie, but it seemed her facial expression couldn't cooperate.

"Do you want to ask for permission to go home?"

"May I?" Without realizing it, Diana replied enthusiastically. To be honest, if allowed, she would only ask for permission for two hours. Just to visit her fiance and bring food and medicine. After that, she would return to work and even be willing to work overtime.

The head chef laughed seeing Diana's innocent reaction. This is the girl he knows. Always straightforward about her desires and feelings.

"Sorry, Chef!" Realizing she was too enthusiastic, Diana immediately apologized.

"Take it easy, Di! If you want to ask for permission to go home, go ahead! But, finish the 4 orders that are waiting first," said the head chef while pointing at 4 papers containing orders that were posted in front of the order reception area.

"Yes, Chef!" Diana replied while saluting the head chef. The blue-eyed man just laughed heartily. Raising both thumbs before leaving to supervise the work of the other chefs.

With dedication, Diana started cooking spaghetti sauce and quickly served it perfectly. Even though she couldn't wait to surprise Gerald, Diana still tried to focus and ensure that the taste of the food she served to customers remained delicious and appetizing. In fact, the head chef always praised Diana's sauce.

******

Arriving at Gerald's flat, Diana entered just like that because the door was never locked by Gerald when he was there. Diana's smile widened as she looked at the food she brought in a plastic bag she was carrying. However, Diana stopped right in front of Gerald's room when she saw the man was exchanging sweat with a woman Diana knew so well.

"Ah...Ah...Ah...," that wild ****** filled Diana's hearing sense. The girl even almost threw up the contents of her stomach because she was so disgusted.

Vanya, Diana's best friend, was the woman who was with Gerald. Without thinking, the food that Diana brought was thrown hard at the two humans who were only covered by a thin blanket. Both of them were immediately startled when they saw Diana there staring at them full of hurt and hatred.

"Di?" Vanya whispered with a pair of eyes that widened perfectly. Gerald jumped agilely to grab his pants that were lying under the bed. Meanwhile, his cheating woman could only tighten the blanket covering her naked body.

Diana didn't answer the call. Without thinking, she quickly approached the woman she loved like a sister and then vented her deep disappointment.

"You j*Lang woman! How could you!" Diana said angrily while yanking Vanya's long hair.

"Forgive me, Di! Don't hurt me," Vanya said tearfully. The woman felt all wrong. She wanted to release Diana's hand from her hair, but still had to maintain the thin blanket that was her only body wrapping.

"I've considered you like a sister, Vanya! I even let you live in my house for free all this time. But what's the reward, huh? Is this how you thank someone who already loves you?"

Slap! Diana's slap landed on the cheek of the woman who always looked innocent. Even until this moment, Vanya's innocent face was still perfectly attached.

"Stop, Diana! Don't hurt Vanya!" Gerald said while pushing his future wife hard to defend his mistress. The man who had just managed to put on his boxer shorts then dragged Diana roughly out of the room and then slammed his fiance's body onto the cold floor just like that.

Diana couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. Gerald turned out to be more defensive of Vanya than her who was the fiance of the man. In fact, their dream wedding would take place in a month. However, today everything was destroyed. The dream was just a bitter memory.

"Hah! So, you defend her more than me?" Diana asked after managing to get back up. Her beautiful green eyes stared full of anger. Making the love that Gerald could always see clearly now turn bleak.

"Vanya didn't do anything wrong, Di. I started everything. I fell in love with her first." Gerald tried to explain the situation.

"Then, what do you think of me, Gerald? I'm your future wife, but you dare to cheat on me with my own best friend? And Vanya, aren't you my best friend? Even if Gerald likes you, don't you intend to reject or stay away from him? He's your best friend's fiance, Vanya," Diana shouted at the end of the sentence. Vanya was still silent in the room. The woman still didn't dare to move anywhere. She even trembled greatly when Vanya's shouts echoed expressing her anger.

"You're scaring Vanya, Di! Go home! Let's talk about this later." Once again, Gerald only thought about Vanya's feelings. That made Diana even more devastated. For a moment, Diana was just silent. Trying to neutralize the raging feelings while staring sadly at the warm soup that ended up spilling on the bed because she threw it earlier.

"Since when?" The question slipped out while trying to hold back sobs. It was enough that she humiliated herself in front of a man like Gerald. She didn't need to make a lot of fuss anymore. All she needed to know was when they committed this cruel betrayal.

Gerald bowed his head for a moment. "It's been going on for 6 months. Since... You always decide to work overtime and don't have time to be with me anymore."

Hearing the answer from the mouth of the traitorous man, Diana laughed wryly. "You forgot because of whom I have to work hard, huh? It's because of you! If you weren't cheated by bogus investments, I wouldn't have to constantly work overtime at work to pay off debts that you said you couldn't bear yourself, Gerald. I didn't even mind when you said you couldn't help me pay off the debt anymore because your sister also needed a lot of money for school fees. I understand. I understand very well even though I have to keep my fatigue to myself. But, it turns out, I was blatantly cheated. You don't want to pay your debt anymore because there's that cheap woman you're paying for. Right?" Diana exclaimed overflowing.

Gerald was silent. The man just bowed his head silently. "And you!" Diana pointed at Vanya who was standing frozen in front of the bedroom door. The woman was now wearing her tight dress even though she wasn't wearing underwear. "I've been kind enough to accommodate you and feed you all this time. I don't mind if you're lazy to work. But, is this how you repay me? You cheap woman!"

Vanya's eyes widened hearing the insults that came out of Diana's mouth. It seemed that the woman with wavy blonde hair was very unacceptable. She then stepped closer to Diana. Intending to slap Diana but instead she was the one who got slapped.

"Stop, Diana!" Once again, Gerald tried to push Diana. However, this time the girl felt more ready. She wasn't pushed even a little, on the contrary, she again grabbed Vanya's long hair and slapped the woman's face repeatedly.

BUGH!

Because he was overwhelmed with breaking up the fight, Gerald finally punched Diana's face without realizing it. His fiance immediately stepped back while holding the corner of her lip that was torn and releasing a red, fishy-smelling liquid.

"You bastard, Gerald!" Diana winced who instead of stopping even more blindly. This time, her target wasn't just Vanya. However, her br*engsek fiance also became the target of blows that had not been sharpened for a long time. Yes, Diana is a black belt holder in Muay-Thai. So, the matter of beating people up was once a common thing for her.

After almost 15 minutes of making Gerald battered, Diana ended her rampage with a sigh of relief. Vanya was seen cowering in the bedroom door. Since earlier, she had only been trying to save herself without wanting to know how Gerald's condition was which was no different from a punching bag in Diana's hands. In fact, Gerald's two front teeth were knocked out.

"You want some too?" Diana asked when she saw Vanya's gaze looked frightened seeing Gerald's two teeth that had just been spat out by the man.

Quickly, Vanya shook her head. Her grip on the door leaf tightened even more.

"You two listen! From now on, I don't want to have any relationship with you anymore." Diana stared at the two adulterers sadly. "You tempting woman!" She pointed at Vanya. "Take all your things immediately from my house. And you, you ungrateful man," her index finger switched to Gerald who was still writhing in pain. "Starting today, we have no relationship whatsoever. And, the matter of your debt, you pay it off yourself starting today."

"What do you mean by not having a relationship?" Gerald asked with wide eyes.

Diana grinned. "Our wedding is off. I don't want to marry a treacherous man like you."

"You don't have the right to decide on your own, Di. What will my parents say later?" Gerald said while holding back the pain under his jaw.

"I don't care. Just marry your mistress."

Hurriedly leaving Gerald's apartment, Diana was now on her way home. No need to take a vehicle, because her house was not too far from Gerald's rented flat. The pain in her chest felt increasingly stifling. Many times the 24-year-old girl hit her chest to reduce the pain but it didn't work.

"Why did it turn out like this?" Diana said while crying. The tears she had been holding back now fell again. Yes, she wasn't that strong. At least, her heart wasn't as strong as her physique. Diana was still a girl like most others. Still felt destroyed when love betrayed and ended up this pathetic.

Feeling unable to continue working in such a ruined situation, Diana took the initiative to ask the head chef for permission to not come to work again today. The head chef had asked the reason, and Diana was forced to lie by saying she was feeling unwell. Luckily, the head chef was a very understanding person. The man who would soon retire gave permission and asked Diana to return to work after her condition was truly fit.

After putting her cellphone back into her sling bag, Diana continued her steps towards her parents' legacy house. The girl really wanted to quickly lie down on her not-too-soft bed that could give peace. She just wanted to sleep all day. Until the pain in her heart gradually improved. Even if not completely healed, as long as it wasn't too destroyed, that was more than enough for her. Besides, no big wound leaves no trace, right?

On the way, Diana met an old grandmother selling old books who looked almost desperate because no one cared about her. Many times the grandmother approached people passing by, but none of them intended to buy or just look around. Besides, in this day and age, what young people are interested in old books like that anymore? Moreover, there are smart devices that can provide limitless information compared to old books that who knows what they contain. Including Diana.

However, Diana's sentimental side felt pinched. It was impossible for her to ignore an old grandmother who was so tired and struggling to make a living. After thinking for a moment, Diana took out a mineral water from her bag and approached the old grandmother.

"Do you want a drink?" Diana offered, handing the mineral water she had just opened to the grandmother.

The grandmother smiled. She ignored the drink offered by Diana. Instead, she took a green-covered book and handed it to Diana.

"W-what is this?" Diana asked awkwardly because she wasn't ready to be stuffed with the not-too-thick book.

"That book has finally found its owner. Buy it, child! You and that book are destined to meet."

"Sorry, Grandma! But I don't really like books," Diana refused gently. She wanted to return the book but the grandmother refused.

"The price is only one dollar, child! Grandma begs you, buy it! This book is very suitable for you. The character's name is the same as your name, Diana."

"You know my name?" Diana asked confused.

"Of course. It's on the keychain on your bag," the grandmother replied while laughing.

Diana scratched the back of her neck which wasn't itchy. It was true what the grandmother said. The name Diana Steel was clearly displayed on the rectangular keychain on her sling bag.

"But, Grandma..."

"Believe me! You and that book are soulmates. Read it to the end, and you will find something you've been looking for."

Diana seemed to be weighing things. One dollar wasn't too much money. Besides, wasn't her intention to help the grandmother? In the end, Diana bought the book.

"Remember, read it to the end so you know how to deal with your problems," the grandmother warned before she and Diana parted ways.

******

That night, Diana couldn't close her eyes. The time showed one o'clock in the morning and her tears still hadn't subsided. This afternoon, Vanya came to take her belongings. Of course, Diana didn't leave anything behind. All the traitor's belongings had been packed in a suitcase and thrown out as soon as the owner came to pick them up.

There was no significant resistance. Vanya just kept silent without intending to object to Diana's harsh attitude. However, what was surprising to Diana was that there wasn't a bit of remorse in Vanya's eyes even though she had destroyed her best friend's beautiful dreams very consciously. She strode away with steady steps. The corner of her lips even lifted cynically when Gerald came to pick her up in Diana's yard.

Constantly thinking about Gerald and Vanya's betrayal, Diana got up and took a glass of water on the bedside table. She finished the drink completely and then lay back down looking at the ceiling. Suddenly, the image of a novel book with a green cover flashed in Diana's mind. The girl got up again. Moved to take the book that was in her sling bag this afternoon and then sat leaning against the head of the bed while reading the contents of the novel.

In general, the novel tells the story of a princess who since birth has been ostracized by her father who is a powerful King. Not only because she was considered the cause of the Queen or her biological mother's death due to giving birth to her, but also because she did not have any magical powers like the King's lineage. The girl was continuously ostracized for 24 years until a King from another country came to invade and seize his kingdom. According to the agreement, the notoriously cruel King would still let the princess's father rule under his power's supervision. And, the ostracized princess was required to marry the invading King. The marriage only lasted one year. Their relationship had no development. In fact, a third person who was the princess's own cousin began to interfere and threaten her existence.

The peak, one night, the princess was slandered for sleeping with another man. The mastermind behind the slander was the princess's own aunt and cousin. The princess who had been afraid of her husband could not give any defense. She could only surrender even when she was beheaded by her own husband. Pain, stinging and destroyed. That emotion seemed to permeate Diana when reading the ending of the story. She felt unacceptable. Even if only limited to a story, Diana did not accept that the princess who had a similar name to her could only surrender all her life.

"You should have fought, Di! Not continuously surrendering like that," Diana murmured while closing the novel book. "If I were you, I wouldn't possibly be silent. I would teach those two snake women a lesson and also make the cruel Emperor kneel under my feet."

********

Feeling the sun's rays starting to disturb a pair of eyes that were still closed, Diana finally had to wake up immediately. She ignored the headache. She knew, all of that was the consequence of the effects of lack of sleep and crying all night. Diana even felt that her eyelids were like glued. It was difficult to just open them.

"What is this?" she muttered with her eyes blinking a few times. Maybe because of the effect of swollen eyes so everything in her room felt foreign. In fact, her room felt much wider. The more she looked with her puffy eyes, the more strange things she caught.

There were several people passing by wearing maid clothes shaped like dresses with white tops and knee-length black bottoms. There was also a black head covering on their hair. And strangely, when they saw Diana open her eyes, they bowed respectfully like in the kingdom movies that Diana often watched.

"It seems, breaking up makes me hallucinate," Diana said while chuckling.

"Has Her Royal Highness Princess Diana woken up?" greeted one of the women who approached her.

"Her Royal Highness Princess Di-ana?" Diana asked with an uncomprehending look. And....

"Where am I? Who are you?" Diana shrieked in fear when she realized that her surroundings had really changed. This wasn't her room. Not at all.

"Princess, what's wrong? Are you alright?" asked the maid who had approached her earlier.

"Don't come near!" Diana warned, inching slowly down the bed. She looked around. Everything was foreign. There was absolutely nothing she recognized in this place.

Was she kidnapped? Really? Was this the doing of that cheating couple? Did they want revenge on Diana?

Determined to find out what was going on, Diana ran towards the exit. However, upon reaching it, she only found a long corridor on both sides that led to who-knows-where.

"Princess, what's wrong?" The maid was still approaching her. Several other maids also approached, with panicked expressions.

Diana ignored their presence. She went back into the room. The large mirror on the right side of the room was her target. And, upon reaching it, she carefully examined the face in the mirror. Yes, it was still her face. White skin, green eyes, and wavy brown hair were still hers. However, the nightgown she was wearing was clearly not hers. And, a necklace with a translucent bright green Jadeite gemstone pendant was clearly not hers either.

"Who told you to kidnap me, huh? Was it Gerald and Vanya?" Diana asked fiercely to the group of women who had been following her all along.

"What do you mean, Princess?"

"Don't play dumb. How much were you paid to mess with me, huh? You think I'm afraid of you, is that it?"

"Forgive us, Princess. We didn't mean it that way." One of the maids replied timidly, slightly surprised by the reaction of their Princess, who was known to be gloomy and hardly ever spoke. "We wouldn't dare to play around with the Crown Princess of the kingdom like you."

"W-who am I?" Diana asked, confirming what she had just heard.

"You are of course Her Highness Princess Diana, the only daughter of His Majesty Emperor Sean." The maid answered with confusion.

"Huh?"

Diana was stunned. For a moment, she froze, trying to process the situation.

"I'm Princess Diana?" she asked, pointing to herself.

All the maids in uniform nodded their heads in unison.

"The Princess must prepare immediately. Soon, the entourage of His Majesty Emperor Ashlan will arrive. His Majesty Emperor Sean said that you must prepare as well as possible to welcome his arrival."

Princess Diana, Emperor Sean, and Emperor Ashlan. Those three names felt familiar in Diana's memory. And... Boom!! Like being struck by an electric shock, Diana immediately fell to the ground when she realized something. She had entered the world of the novel she had read last night. But how was that possible? What was really happening?

"Princess, are you alright?" The maids quickly approached Diana, trying to help the young woman stand and lead her to the bed.

"Have some water, Princess!" One of them quickly grabbed a drink and helped Diana drink it.

"Am I in the Eastern kingdom?" Diana asked, trying to confirm.

"Yes, Princess. You are still in the Eastern Kingdom. And, today is your wedding day with the leader of the Western Kingdom. His Majesty Emperor Ashlan," answered the maid who gave her a drink.

Diana still didn't fully believe it. It was possible that someone had sneaked into her house last night and kidnapped Diana. Then, maybe that person also read the novel that Diana bought. The only way she could prevent her sanity from being disturbed was to make sure of everything.

Without warning, Diana immediately ran out of the room. The group of maids who had been surrounding her had no choice but to run after Diana, who was suddenly acting like that.

"Princess, you mustn't run like that. It's forbidden!" said one of the maids who was closest to Diana.

Diana still didn't care. She looked left and right and didn't recognize anything. From the long corridor, Diana finally arrived at a very large courtyard. There was a fountain right in front of her. On her right was a large flower garden. And, on her left was a magnificent building that contrasted with the place she had just come from. Yes, it could be said that her place was like a place of exile. It was too far to get out, even making Diana feel breathless just from running from there to here.

"Princess, we have to go back. His Majesty the Emperor will surely be angry if he sees you in an open place like this," said the maid again.

Diana ignored it. Her goal in running right now was the magnificent building on the left. She ignored the warning shouts from the maids.

"You... Why are you here?" A woman in a magnificent maroon dress, holding a fan and wearing a round hat on her head exclaimed as Diana entered the magnificent room.

"Guards! Guards!" the woman shouted angrily.

Two guards who had been trying to hold Diana in front of the entrance ran hastily into the room.

"Why is Princess Diana here? Can't you stop her, huh?"

The two guards were silent. Of course they couldn't answer anything. How could they forbid a Crown Princess from entering her own Father's room?

"Aunt Levrina?" Diana guessed after observing what the arrogant woman was doing.

Duchess Levrina widened her eyes. This was the first time she had heard her niece call her name without any fear in that melodious voice.

"How dare you call my name, Diana!" Duchess snapped angrily.

"What's all this commotion?" Suddenly, Emperor Sean appeared from his office. Instantly, the atmosphere suddenly fell silent. There was a pain along with the increasingly rapid heartbeat when Diana clearly saw the face of Emperor Sean, who even Princess Diana had never seen until death came.

Those green eyes were the same as hers. But, that was the extent of their resemblance. When their eyes met, Diana shed tears involuntarily. The girl didn't even realize that she was now crying just because she was looking at the middle-aged man who looked so dashing in his old age. There was a longing that arose just like that.

"Why is that child here?" asked Emperor Sean in a flat, cold tone.

The maid who had been chasing Diana finally arrived. They immediately prostrated themselves in front of Emperor Sean with fear.

"Forgive us, Your Majesty. The Princess suddenly ran and we couldn't stop her."

"Take her back to her room and make sure you dress her well. One more thing, make sure that girl doesn't cause any more trouble or your heads will be the stakes," said Emperor Sean coldly, turning his back on Diana.

"Father..." Diana called out, restrained. She didn't even realize that she had said that name.

"What are you waiting for? Quickly drag that girl away from the Emperor!" ordered Duchess Levrina arrogantly. She seemed not to want the Child and Father to stare at each other any longer.

The maids nodded. They took Diana back to her place of exile with pity. A Princess who should have enjoyed luxury and power ended up in exile and now was even being subtly expelled from her own country.

*******

"You are very beautiful, Princess!" praised the maid in charge of doing her makeup.

There was no smile on Diana's face. The wedding day that she had been looking forward to with her lover had to happen with a man she didn't know at all. To make matters worse, that man was a cruel and tyrannical leader. Diana's future felt bleak. Moreover, she didn't know where to run and how to get out of this parallel world. In addition, the shadow of death in front of her eyes added to how terrifying her future was.

"The Emperor has arrived. The Princess is expected to go to the wedding hall, now!" said a guard, informing her.

Diana was still silent with a blank stare. There was no way to escape. There were 6 male guards stationed by Duchess Levrina so that she couldn't go anywhere.

Duchess Levrina was the sister of the late Princess Diana's mother. Diana still clearly remembered that the cunning woman was the one who made her Father hate her more and more with the incitements that she launched more and more every day. In fact, that snake woman was the one who made her have to die at the hands of Emperor Ashlan because of her heinous slander.

"Alright, Diana! You're not Diana Emerald. You're Diana Steel. If you can't avoid it, then just face it! Change the story according to your wishes and don't want to be weak like Diana Emerald." Diana tried to convince herself with the determination not to give up, let alone die young. She already had one asset in hand, namely she knew the plot of this story.

Arriving at the wedding hall, a man in a flowing black robe and a mask that he had never taken off seemed to be waiting for Diana. The girl took a deep breath. The first step she would take to avoid death was to eliminate the nervous look and replace it with a brave look.

"Are you two ready?" asked Pontifex, the highest leader of the Eastern kingdom's temple when the two brides arrived in front of him.

"We are ready," they both answered firmly and loudly.

The man next to Diana seemed startled when he heard how firm the woman he knew was so weak was. At least, according to the informant he sent to find out what his future wife's personality was like. However, he didn't show his surprise so much. Moreover, now his mask was still perfectly attached.

There were many rumors as to why the Emperor never took off his mask. However, the most accurate and reasonable rumor was that the Emperor's face was damaged while fighting with another kingdom when he was very young. But, how damaged and severe the wound was, there were still those who didn't know for sure because even the servants in the Western kingdom had never seen it. The only other person besides his parents who had even often seen the Emperor's face was Knight Bennett. The bodyguard and cousin of the man himself. However, unfortunately, what the Emperor looked like would remain a secret because it was impossible for Knight Bennett to reveal it without the permission of his Lord.

After the wedding ceremony was over, Emperor Sean immediately left the place without saying anything to his daughter and new son-in-law. Emperor Ashlan didn't seem to mind that either. He seemed to understand that a King who had just surrendered couldn't possibly reconcile quickly with his enemy even though they had now become family.

"Knight Bennett, take Queen Diana to the carriage. Tonight, we will return to the Western kingdom," ordered Emperor Ashlan to his personal aide.

Diana was startled. Honestly, she wasn't ready yet and hadn't been able to adjust to anything. Suddenly, she was immediately asked to go to the Western kingdom without any preparation.

"Don't prepare anything. All your needs are already available there." As if able to read Diana's mind, Emperor Ashlan had interrupted even before Diana spoke.

"B-but..." Diana still wanted to protest, but Knight Bennett stopped her.

"Just do what His Majesty the Emperor says, Queen! It will be better and safer for you," he said.

Diana nodded in resignation. Knight Bennett was right. She mustn't do anything that could provoke the emotion of the cruel Emperor. Otherwise, her life could be even shorter than Diana Emerald's.

That night, Diana left with her husband to the Western kingdom. And, for some reason, even though she realized that the body she now possessed wasn't her body, the heartache because no one let her go felt so suffocating. Even her tears fell involuntarily.

"Why am I crying? Why am I still looking back and hoping that His Majesty Emperor Sean is standing there to let me go? Isn't his daughter Princess Diana Emerald? Meanwhile, me? I'm Diana Steel," she muttered in her heart.