Chapter 1

This was the third time this month that Anna had tried to harm me and Gabriela.

We stood beside the Spirit Pool in the Celestial Realm, watching as Anna sank deeper and deeper into its waters until only bubbles remained on the surface.

Gabriela furrowed her brow and snorted, "Anna, stop pretending."

Just then, hurried footsteps approached from behind.

I tugged at Gabriela's sleeve, but before I could utter a word, a powerful force shoved me toward the Spirit Pool.

I fell in, losing all control over my body. Gabriela's panicked cry echoed in my ears. "Etta!"

I struggled to surface, only to see my husband, Mose, leap into the pool without hesitation.

But he swam in the opposite direction from me.

It wasn't until he had rescued the unconscious Anna from the bottom of the pool and began resuscitating her on the shore that I realized he hadn't spared me a single glance.

Water filled my nose, and as I was about to lose consciousness, a force pulled me towards the shore.

I heard Gabriela's anxious voice in my ear. "Etta! You can't die! What would I do without you?"

Gabriela pressed on my chest until I coughed up all the water in my lungs, finally regaining full awareness. I managed a weak smile, leaning into her embrace.

"I won't die so easily," I murmured.

I looked over at Mose, who was still trying to revive the pretending Anna with his magic.

His hands trembled slightly as he pleaded, "Anna, wake up. I can't lose you again."

Gabriela slowly helped me to my feet and snapped at Mose, "Are you blind? Didn't you see that you pushed Etta into the water just now? Anna has magic to protect her; she won't die. Etta is just a mortal, and what's more, she's your..."

Before Gabriela could finish, Anna woke up with a violent cough. She opened her eyes, the redness at the corners making her appear pitiable.

Whether intentional or not, she pressed her soaked body closer to Mose.

"Mose, I'm fine. You should check on Etta first," she said softly.

Mose cast a cold glance at me. "Which one of you pushed her?"

I shook my head and replied, "She jumped in herself."

Gabriela grew even more furious, pointing at Mose and berating him. "Do you have a brain? This is the third time this month that Anna has had an 'accident' in front of us. Even the stupidest person should have figured out what's going on by now."

Anna, still in Mose's arms, began to sob. "It's my fault. I accidentally fell in. Mose, don't blame them. It has nothing to do with them."

She tried to pull away from his embrace, only to be held tighter.

Mose picked her up and began walking towards the sleeping chambers.

"You've caught a chill. I'm taking you back," he said.

Gabriela blocked his path, with me shivering from the cold behind her.

She warned, "Don't forget that Etta is your wife. She nearly died because of you just now. Do you have no heart?"

Mose deftly avoided Gabriela, not sparing me even a glance.

He replied, "I haven't forgotten, but I know one thing for certain. You guys just can't stand seeing Anna well."

Gabriela was furious. She pulled me along, intending to stop the pair again, when another voice came from behind us.

"What happened to Anna?"

Rudolf strode over, his eyes fixed concernedly on Anna.

Mose didn't bother with a detailed explanation, only saying coldly, "Brother, you'd better keep your wife in order. You don't want Anna to die again."

He walked away, leaving Rudolf to stare at us with a gloomy expression.

Rudolf grabbed Gabriela's arm, trying to take her away, but she wrenched herself free.

His face darkened further. "Gabriela, it seems I've been too lenient with you. You're so spoiled and unruly. Go back and receive your punishment."

Then he left without another glance at Gabriela, hurrying after Mose.

In the cool breeze, only the two of us remained, soaked to the bone. Passing servants whispered among themselves as they observed our pitiful state.

"Now that Anna has returned, what place is there for these two mortals?"

"Indeed. If not for one looking like Lady Anna and the other having saved Prince Rudolf's life, how could they have had the fortune to marry into the Celestial Realm?"

Gabriela stood with her head bowed in silence for a long while before suddenly grasping my hand.

She said, "Etta, let's leave. We don't have to endure this mistreatment anymore. I once helped the Chief Alchemist, and he promised to grant me one wish. I'll ask for a potion to fake our deaths, and we'll leave together, okay?"

I nodded, exchanging a knowing smile with her.

The peach tree beside us rustled slightly. We turned to look, only to see a shower of falling petals.