Chapter 2
"Did you pull this stunt to get my attention from Clara?"
I blinked. "What?"
He scoffed, his hands tucked in his pants. "For how long are you going to keep up with this? Forcing yourself on a man who doesn't want you, and now what? Drowning yourself just to get my attention?"
"What are you talking about? Who is Clara? And why would I drown myself to…" my voice trailed off.
Wait a minute!
My brows furrowed as I looked at the man, "Did you say this woman drowned?"
He scoffed. "Are you playing with me, Jessica?"
She drowned herself, and I was also drowned. No! Don't tell me this is what I'm thinking, please. No! My soul couldn't have transmigrated into this woman's body, right? Please, I can't handle that.
But why would she drown herself? And who is this Clara this man keeps yapping about? Ugh! I'm about to lose my mind.
"You knew Clara was sick and I needed to stay by her side, but you did this? Can you be more heartless than this?" He snapped.
"Stop talking already! You are driving me nuts! I need to think!" I yelled at him, and his eyes flickered with shock.
I looked at him. "This woman… When did she drown?"
He blinked.
"I mean me… When did I drown or when did I drown myself rather?"
"I don't have time for this. If you want to die, just fucking die quietly and stop bothering me. I'm not about to be dragged into this mess with you!" He gritted angrily, and I scoffed.
I didn't know what that word 'fucking' meant, but I could tell from his expression that he was swearing at me, and I won't let this slide.
"Fucking you too!"
He huffed.
"You're crazy, Jessica,"
Then he turned to leave.
"You've not answered my question!"
He paused and looked back at me over his shoulder. "You should go back to sleep. Maybe you'll remember everything when you wake up again,"
And with that, he stepped out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
I dragged my fingers through my hair, squeezing my eyes shut. What on earth is happening? I still don't want to believe that I transmigrated into this woman's body. No! I can't accept that.
Susanne walked in, her face dull… as if she was about to cry.
"You… come here," I grabbed her hand, dragging her to sit on the bed with me, but she quickly shot to her feet.
"What? I need to ask you some questions," I blinked.
"This is the bed you share with your husband, Mrs Whitmore. No one else is allowed to touch it,"
Husband? That annoying bastard just now? Why do I have to be in the body of a woman who has husband issues?
Ugh!
"Whatever… So, tell me… How did this woman drown?"
She bit her lips as she looked away.
"I'm sorry, Mrs Whitmore, but I'm afraid it's better if you don't remember it,"
"Can't you see that I'm dying to know here?" I yelled in my head.
"Tell me, Susanne. I'm just curious," I tried to stay calm and composed.
I need to find out how I got here. That way, I can go back to my kingdom.
She dropped to her knees and burst into tears, "I don't want to lose my job, please. I might lose my job if I speak about it,"
Sighs. I'm dead.
I can't figure anything out since this lady is not ready to speak.
Right… Maybe I can threaten her.
"I'm going to fire you myself if you don't tell me what I want to know,"
Her eyes widened as she gasped loudly.
Relax, girl. I didn't mean that. I'm not a heartless woman.
"Please, Mrs Whitmore… I need this job to cater for my siblings. I can't lose my…"
I shot her a glare, and she swallowed nothing.
"Uhm… Th…the thing is…" She paused and looked around as if to be sure no one else was around. Her forehead was already dripping with sweat, and I wondered what on earth she was about to tell me.
Then she leaned close and whispered. "I have no idea what happened
but the maids in the villa said that you suddenly started to act crazy after drinking the tea Mr. Whitmore made for you, and…" she paused, swallowing hard.
"... You ended up throwing yourself into the swimming pool that you wanted to die,"
I stiffened. What the hell is happening?
"Rumours are going around the villa that he did that to get rid of you so he could marry his mistress, Ms. Clara,"
My inside boiled with rage. Now I understand why he kept saying that I was putting up an act to steal his attention from that damn Clara.
I can't believe I woke up in the body of a helpless woman that was also betrayed by her husband and mistress, just like what happened to me. I guess there are many heartless people in this world… even in this lifetime.
As much as this hurts, this doesn't matter. I need to get out of this place… I need to go to the palace and find a way to return to my body and make those bastards pay.
"When was she poisoned? When did she drown?"
She raised a brow, confused.
"I meant me… When did everything happen?"
She sighed, as if she felt relieved.
"Yesterday,"
My brows knitted together. That was about the same time that I drowned.
My goodness! We must've switched bodies at that moment.
Where is she now? Is she also in my body in the Qing Kingdom?
Whatever! I need to find my way to the palace first.
"Susanne, can you get the palanquin? I need to go see my father right away."
She blinked, that terror from earlier creeping up her face again.
"Pa…palanquin? What's that?"
I groaned inwardly, resisting the urge to pull out my hair in frustration.
"Carriage… I mean carriage."
She blinked. "What are you talking about, Mrs Whitmore? We don't use carriages here. It's not like we are in the 1800s or something," She muttered, but I heard her loud and clear.
I blinked. What's she talking about? Isn't this 1825?
Or is there something else I'm yet to figure out?
I leaned close to her, my eyes fixed on hers, "What year is this?"
"This is 2025, Mrs Whitmore. And we use cars now,"
I blinked, "What?"
I took a moment to calculate what she said, her words still echoing in my head.
I gasped. What! Two hundred years later? Ah! If this is true, then does that mean that everything I owned has turned to dust? My parents, my kingdom, my dream to become the empress… Everything?
My throat tightened, cold sweat forming on my forehead, "Wh…where is this place?"
She blinked. "What do you mean?"
"I mean which kingdom is this?"
"Kingdom?" She chuckled, as if this was funny, "This is no kingdom, Mrs Whitmore. We're in New York.
My breath caught in my throat. Ah! This is not even China?
Ok, I'm doomed.
First, I need to think of a way to go back to my world. I can't be stuck here. I need to get my revenge… If I'm absent for too long, the kingdom will be given to that witch.
I sat there for a moment, trying to think of a way, then it clicked! There's only one way to go back to my world… It's the same way through which I got here… The poison and… what did she call it earlier? Pool? Whatever that was, I needed it.
With that in mind, I turned to Susanne, wearing a smile.
"Susanne, do you by chance know the kind of poison he gave me?"
I need the exact poison… the exact level of pain. It's the only way it can happen.
She blinked, "Huh?"
I almost pulled my hair angrily. Answer me, please! I'm running out of time.
"Nobody knows the poison he gave you, Mrs Whitmore,"
What?! No, please!
Maybe I should ask him myself.
"Susanne, go get that grumpy jerk," I ordered, and she blinked, confused.
"What's his name again? Whitmore? Yeah, Whitmore… Go get him for me,"
"You mean your husband?" She blinked again, and I cursed silently.
"My husband… whatever! Just go get him. Now!"
I'm sure he wouldn't mind giving me the poison since it'll make me leave him alone. He can deal with his wife when she returns to her body.
"Alright, Mrs Whitmore. I'll go fetch him," Then she stood and stepped out of the room, but turned around immediately.
"Mr. Whitmore is on his way here… She's with Ms Clara,"
She was barely done talking when that jerk walked in.
"Yeah… Good thing you're here. I need…" My voice trailed off and I froze the moment a familiar young lady walked in.
Qing Jingxue… My half-sister…