He was waiting in the reception room.
The Crown Prince.
First of all — how was I supposed to act?
Lovestruck?
Absolutely not.
The very thought made me cringe.
How was I supposed to pretend to love someone I had never even dated in my previous life?
"My lady," Mary said gently, "we must prepare you. We shouldn't keep His Royal Highness waiting."
Right.
Royal protocol.
"Okay," I muttered.
I slipped out of bed and walked slowly across the room. The marble floor shimmered beneath my bare feet. Everything here looked like it belonged in a painting.
I sat before the large gilded mirror.
And froze.
The girl staring back at me was breathtaking.
I knew Seraphina had been described as beautiful in the novel, but this—
This was unfair.
Dark rose-pink hair cascaded down her shoulders in soft waves. Her eyes were a deep crimson, like polished rubies catching firelight. Her skin was flawless — almost luminous.
She truly deserved someone better.
Not that Crown Prince.
Wait.
She looked exactly like her mother.
Now I understood.
Her beauty came from the Countess.
Her father had silver hair and calm blue eyes. Her brother carried the same silver hair but inherited their mother's red eyes.
A beautiful family.
A loving family.
And now this was my face.
But where was the real Seraphina?
Before I arrived, she had been unconscious.
Was she gone?
Was she still somewhere inside this body?
Was I the imposter?
Did I get a second chance—
Or was this a cruel joke?
"My lady," Mary called softly.
I blinked.
"What is your name?" I asked.
She bowed her head slightly. "Mary, my lady."
"And… what happened to me?"
Mary hesitated. "You were having tea with Lady Elara. The cake you ate contained apricot kernels."
Lady Elara.
The name lingered in my mind, but only briefly.
Female lead of the Love Between the Investigation.
In the novel, Lady Elara Whitmore had been described as the embodiment of grace.
Soft chestnut hair falling in gentle waves to her waist. Eyes the color of early spring — light green, clear and expressive. She favored pastel gowns that made her appear delicate, almost fragile.
Men adored her.
Women admired her.
Servants trusted her.
She had that rare kind of presence — warm, polite, attentive. The sort of person who remembered birthdays and asked about your health with genuine concern.
In the story, she was kind to everyone.
Especially to Seraphina.
She had been Seraphina's closest friend since childhood. The only noble lady who never mocked her for loving the Crown Prince too openly. The only one who defended her at social gatherings.
At least… that was how the story framed it.
I frowned. "So?"
"My lady… you have a severe allergy to apricot kernels."
My chest tightened.
"But Lady Elara is my childhood friend. She should know that."
Mary looked uncomfortable. "Lady Elara said she purchased the cake from a café and did not know it contained them."
Silence settled between us.
There had been a scene in the novel where Seraphina fell ill.
But it had never been described as life-threatening.
So this was that incident.
Maybe our souls switched at that moment.
Maybe the original Seraphina died.
Maybe I arrived because she left.
Or maybe—
Mary adjusted the ribbons on my gown carefully.
"Lady Elara cried when you collapsed, my lady," she added softly. "She blamed herself."
I nodded absentmindedly.
Of course she did.
That was exactly the kind of person Lady Elara was supposed to be.
Gentle.
Considerate.
Innocent.
And I had more urgent problems than overthinking a cake.
The Crown Prince was waiting.
She helped me into a soft yellow silk gown, layered and elegant. It looked fit for a royal banquet.
I missed my pajamas already.
These clothes were beautiful.
And suffocating.
"Your hair?" Mary asked.
She braided the front strands delicately and left the rest flowing.
"It's beautiful," I admitted.
Too beautiful.
"His Royal Highness is waiting."
I inhaled slowly.
One step at a time.
The reception room doors opened.
And there he was.
Prince Cedric Valerian Caelmont.
The second prince.
The future Crown Prince.
The male lead.
When I finally allowed myself to look at him properly, I understood why the kingdom worshiped him.
He was undeniably beautiful.
His golden blonde hair caught the light like spun sunlight — polished, disciplined, not a single strand out of place. Not soft or playful.
Controlled.
His eyes were the true symbol of the royal family.
Clear gold.
Not warm.
Not kind.
Pure, unyielding gold.
The kind preserved in royal portraits for generations — proof of bloodline, legitimacy, power.
When those eyes lifted to mine, they did not soften.
They assessed.
As if I were a document placed before him for approval.
His features were sharp and perfectly balanced. Even seated, he radiated authority. The navy uniform embroidered with gold thread fit him flawlessly, emphasizing long limbs and a lean, athletic build.
He looked like a future emperor.
Not a lover.
And certainly not a man who would ever kneel for anyone's heart.
I felt nothing.
No flutter.
No admiration.
Only the faintest trace of annoyance.
This was the man Seraphina once loved so desperately.
This was the man who would watch her fall.
"I heard it was serious," he said flatly. "But it seems I came for nothing."
The words struck harder than I expected.
If I felt this offended, how must the real Seraphina have felt?
She loved him.
Truly.
And this was how he spoke to her.
Beside him stood Lucian.
The moment he saw me, he rose to his feet. His jaw was tight.
"Your Royal Highness," he said carefully, "she was unconscious for three days."
Three days?
Wait.
Three days?!
"She barely woke up moments ago," he continued.
Just minutes ago he had been scolding me.
Now he stood like a shield.
So this was what having a sibling felt like.
Scolding you.
Protecting you.
Even if it meant swallowing anger before royalty.
Cedric's lips curved faintly.
"So she is alive now," he said coolly. "Then there is nothing more to discuss."
He stood.
"Stay healthy," he added, glancing at me briefly. "So I don't have to come here again."
And then he left.
Lucian muttered under his breath, "I hope she doesn't have to see you again either."
"He left," I said.
For a moment, we just stared at each other.
Then we both laughed.
It was small.
Soft.
But it was my first real laugh.
It felt like I was experiencing my firsts all over again.
Later, I explored the mansion with Mary.
In the novel, the Ardent family had only received a short introduction.
Count Cassian Theodore Ardent.
War hero.
Offered a dukedom but chose to remain a Count. Wealthy enough. Uninterested in excess power.
Loyal to the royal family.
A military commander.
The Emperor had once promised him that his daughter would marry into royalty.
Countess Evelyne Maristella Ardent.
Gentle in appearance, but fiercely capable.
She managed the entire county and oversaw multiple businesses. In modern Korea, she would have been a billionaire CEO.
And Lucian Alaric Ardent.
Only twenty-one.
Heir of the Ardent County.
A skilled swordsman who had won hunting games and duels repeatedly.
No wonder people wanted to destroy the Ardent family.
They were powerful.
Loved.
Respected.
Which made them dangerous.
By evening, I was exhausted.
I thought I could eat in my room and sleep.
But another maid approached.
"My lady, dinner is ready. Everyone is waiting in the dining room."
Mary leaned closer. "She is Jane, the head maid."
"Thank you, Jane. I'll come."
In my previous life, I had eaten with my family only a handful of times.
My father returned home late.
My stepmother and stepsister never allowed me at their table.
So I didn't know how this worked.
Mary opened the dining room doors.
They were all there.
Waiting.
And when they saw me, they smiled.
The table was filled with dishes — warm soups, roasted meats, fresh bread, delicate sweets.
Lucian glanced at me. "Do you really love the Crown Prince?"
"Lucian," the Count warned calmly. "Not tonight."
The Countess studied me carefully. "Are you feeling unwell? You look pale."
Before I could answer, she gently lifted a spoon.
"Eat."
She fed me.
The maids filled my plate again and again.
As if they were afraid I would disappear if I didn't eat enough.
Were they trying to make me gain weight?
Was this normal?
I didn't know.
But they looked at me like I was something precious.
And a terrifying thought crept into my mind.
If they ever discovered that I wasn't their real daughter—
What would happen?