From the morning, Eom Sang Gung and Geum Ok were busy preparing food and gifts to bring to Soon Young.

Yoon Eun Seol barely managed to persuade them to let her go alone quietly.

Moving noisily was burdensome, and above all, Soon Young would clearly not approve.

“The sky is gloomy, it looks like it might rain soon. Be careful and don’t be late coming back.”

Eom Sang Gung said, looking up at the cloudy sky.

Indeed, with dark clouds covering the sky, it seemed like it would rain at any moment.

Yoon Eun Seol got into the palanquin, leaving behind the worried Eom Sang Gung.

She deliberately chose this time, when the usual visitors to the house would have left.

Attending a family event for the first time felt unfamiliar and awkward rather than joyful.

As soon as she arrived, the servant rushed out to greet her warmly.

“Oh, young lady, welcome. Have you been well?”

“Have all the guests left?”

“The lady sent the guests away early today. She’s waiting inside, please go in.”

“I see. Give this to the housekeeper.”

After entrusting the food she brought, she headed towards the inner quarters and made eye contact with Eun Joo standing on the porch.

Eun Joo’s lips twisted as she looked her up and down.

“Mother, Eun Seol is here.”

Eun Joo called for her mother with a mocking smile.

As she stepped onto the porch, Eun Joo muttered to herself.

“Seems like you want to play the role of a proper wife. But you’re just the prince’s plaything.”

“What?”

“Do you know how ridiculous you look right now? Know your place. Do you know why the prince keeps someone like you around? Because you’re easy to toy with.”

“Watch your words.”

“Don’t trust the prince too much. Do you know where he is right now?”

Eun Joo sneered, folding her arms and lifting one corner of her mouth.

She would not waver.

She was no longer the weak, low self-esteem person she used to be.

She trusted him.

Wherever Lee Woon was and whatever he was doing, there must be a good reason.

“He’s probably in another woman’s arms having fun right now. That’s his habit after all.”

“…”

“Old habits die hard. Did you really think the prince would be satisfied with just you? You’re nothing but a passing breeze to him. If you don’t want to end up like your mother, you’d better work hard at pleasing him in bed.”

With those final words, Eun Joo turned and went into the room.

She had no intention of replying, but seeing Eun Joo’s harsh words made her sigh involuntarily.

Yoon Eun Seol followed Eun Joo into the room and handed Soon Young the prepared gift.

“This is a gift prepared by the prince. I gave the food to the housekeeper, so please enjoy it later.”

A smile briefly crossed Soon Young’s face as she checked the contents of the gift.

Pushing the box aside, Soon Young clicked her tongue in disapproval.

“You’ve only been married for how long and you’ve already driven the prince to visit brothels. If you don’t know how to do anything else, you should at least be good in bed. You’ve already let him seek out other women!”

“Mother, there’s no point in saying such things. It’ll only hurt your mouth. Just tell her why you called her here.”

At Eun Joo’s words, Soon Young seemed to remember and straightened her posture, glaring.

“As you know, Eun Joo is in marriage talks with the son of the Left State Minister. They say they’ll provide a household if we prepare a house, so you need to help with that.”

“What do you mean I need to help?”

“Tell the prince to get us a house near Bukchon.”

“What?”

It was ridiculous and outrageous.

It seemed they had called her for this kind of request.

Not knowing this, she had thought they were starting to consider her family and trying to include her bit by bit now that she was married.

She could barely contain herself, feeling pathetic for having such vain hopes even for a moment.

Yoon Eun Seol barely held back a bitter laugh.

“Getting a house in Bukchon would be nothing for the prince. Surely you don’t want your sister living in a small thatched house.”

“Isn’t father’s ability enough to get a house? Why ask the prince for Eun Joo’s house?”

“If your father could do it, would I be crazy enough to call you? There’s no money left after giving everything to the Left State Minister. They say they’ll provide the household if we just get the house. Would you have our Eun Joo go into that household empty-handed?”

“No matter what, how can I make such a request? It’s not just anything, but a house for Eun Joo…”

“Use pillow talk or whatever to ask him. What have you ever done for this family?”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t make such a request to the prince. Just let Eun Joo go into that household as is.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, there was a sharp sound of friction and her head turned.

Soon Young, who had been huffing, grabbed her hair and shoved her mercilessly.

Her body collapsed to the side.

There was a metallic taste of blood in her mouth. As she struggled to get up, Soon Young’s enraged voice flew at her.

“How dare you talk back! Have you lost all sense of respect since entering the royal family? Do I need to remind you of your place again today?”

“Don’t hit me. If the prince finds out…”

Another fierce hand struck her cheek.

“You, do you think I’m a joke? What will the prince do if he knows? You’ve gotten so arrogant being by the prince’s side. Who are you to talk back when I tell you to get something? Do you want to die by my hand today!”

She gritted her teeth. Her face was swollen and her nose was bleeding. Tears blurred her vision.

Used to such situations, Soon Young didn’t even blink as she ordered Eun Joo.

“Go send away all the servants who came with this wench, and tell the palace that this thing will sleep here tonight!”

Her body trembled at the chillingly cold voice.

A sneer crossed Eun Joo’s lips as she watched the scene.

Eun Joo got up, kicked the hem of her skirt spread on the floor, and walked leisurely.

“Mother, go easy. She’s already an unattractive commodity, what if you damage her?”

Holding back laughter, Eun Joo paused and reached out to ruthlessly pull out her hairpin.

“Do you think this suits you? People will curse if you wear things like this.”

Eun Joo threw the hairpin on the floor and burst into a mocking laugh.

Yoon Eun Seol finally felt scared as she watched Eun Joo open the door and leave.

Thinking she might get beaten if she stayed like this, her whole body trembled.

“Mother, please let me go. The prince will find it strange if I don’t return.”

“You’re determined to make me look like a terrible person. What do you think the prince will say if you go back looking like this?”

“I was wrong. Please… let me go.”

She clung to Soon Young’s skirt, pleading.

“Then go to the prince right now and tell him what I said, and either get a house or bring money.”

“That… I really can’t do that.”

How could she ask the prince for Eun Joo’s house, of all things?

As Eun Joo said, how could she make such a request to the prince who had just confirmed his feelings for her?

Not only could she not make such a request, but the prince wouldn’t agree even if she did.

“Is that so? Then there’s no choice. Disobedient children need to be punished.”

From that moment, Soon Young’s beating began.

She thought she could escape.

Because she was an adult now, because she was no longer a weak child.

But her body wouldn’t move.

Her mind told her to run away, but as if she had returned to being a child again, she could only tremble in fear without moving an inch.

* * *

She lost consciousness from the terrible fear and pain, then opened her eyes to a damp, musty smell.

It was dark, but she immediately knew where this was.

She had been locked up here more than once or twice as a child.

Judging by the darkness, it seemed to be night, and it was noisy outside as if it was raining.

The howling wind and eerie sounds from the door made her skin crawl.

She waved her hands in the air, crawled to the door, and shouted while knocking.

As she staggered to knock on the door again, lightning struck from the sky.

“Is anyone… there? Mother. Please open the door.”

Thunder struck again, and her terror reached its peak.

She covered her ears with both hands and hid her body in the corner.

“Please… let me out.”

It was a day like this.

On a pitch-black night with thunder and lightning, she, barely seven years old, had trembled in fear here all night, repeatedly fainting.

And then she was bedridden for nearly ten days.

After that, on nights with thunder and lightning, she had to stay awake with the lights on.

Her mind blurred at the intermittent sounds of thunder.

“…Prince.”

Why did she think of him at this moment?

She buried her face in her hands and cried out loud at the welling emotions.

.

.

.

Someone woke her up after she had fainted and collapsed again.

“Who…”

Yoon Eun Seol opened her eyes with difficulty and identified who it was. It was the maids who worked for Soon Young.

Though not familiar faces, she had seen them a few times before.

The maid who woke her up and supported her called out urgently.

“Hurry and get up.”

“Where is mother?”

“That’s not important now, you need to go to the room quickly.”

The rain seemed to have stopped as it was quiet around.

As she was coming out of the storage room supported by the two maids, an angry voice was heard from somewhere.

“Why is this person coming out of here!”

Lee Woon, he had come.

Although Soon Young and Eun Joo were staring at her with murderous eyes, she was no longer afraid.

He asked again in a suppressed voice, fixing his gaze on her sitting on the ground.

“I asked why this person is coming out of here!”

“It’s a family matter. She didn’t know her place, so we were teaching her a lesson.”

“You call this teaching a lesson?”

Lee Woon turned around and looked at Soon Young in disbelief.

Ignoring his sharp gaze, Soon Young continued shamelessly.

“It’s my fault for not educating her properly. I did it because I was worried she might bring shame to the prince, so don’t mind it.”

“Who made her like this!”

“Prince, I said it’s a family matter.”

“Who! Who did this!”