Becoming The Alpha's Sole Sweetheart

"Ah... Ghost!" This exclamation nearly caused Adelina, who had just surfaced at the well's edge, to stagger backward. A repeated fall after transmigration would undoubtedly secure the record for the fastest demise of a reincarnated female protagonist. She, Adelina, the Chief Physician of the Royal Hospital in London and the youngest medical professor in the hospital, experienced a car accident after work and unexpectedly reincarnated into this body. Fate played a jest on her, offering another chance. In this life, she was resolute not to meet such a bizarre end. Not long after, the steward of the Duke's mansion hastily arrived with the servants, carrying lanterns that illuminated the backyard. Adelina sat on the well platform, tending to her drenched, long hair. In the pale moonlight, the steward scrutinized her repeatedly. People couldn't return to life once they were dead, yet the woman before him was unmistakably the Countess who had thrown herself into the well earlier that morning! As a former military man, he couldn't help but shudder. The young men, inexperienced in such matters, were even more uneasy. Soon, Adelina heard Steward Liu say, "Quickly, go and invite the old lady to come and have a look." Having sat on the well platform for quite some time, Adelina revisited the memories of this body from the beginning. The original owner, Adelina Lioncourt, was the sole legitimate daughter of the local wealthiest family, the Lioncourt family. The Earl Lioncourt doted on his darling daughter, who grew up as the apple of his eye. Originally, the prospect of marrying into the Duke's family shouldn't have befallen her. However, on that day, the Earl brought the young and handsome General Estevan to the mansion for a discussion, and she happened to see him. It was love at first sight, and she insisted on marrying no one but Estevan. Helpless, the Earl had to propose the marriage. The Duke, who could form an alliance with the wealthy Lioncourt family, naturally agreed readily. So, following the customs of the Lioncourt family, Adelina married into the Duke's mansion, becoming the wife of General Estevan, along with her stepsister Sabrina. However, Adelina's days in the Duke's mansion were far from easy. Arrogant and despotic, she offended everyone in the mansion from top to bottom. Her husband Estevan despised her to the extreme. Adelina, who came over, didn't have a chance to get close to Estevan for half a year. On the contrary, her sensible, considerate stepsister Sabrina, who didn't contend and didn't compete, enjoyed the favor. As a result, people whispered privately that one day, the title of the General's wife would fall to Miss Sabrina, who had a good temperament. They endured it, harboring the weight of such predictions. "Hmm..." Adelina chuckled softly. "What a wise and non-confrontational approach!" Her sudden laughter caught the steward behind her off guard, and the lantern-bearer ended up sitting on the ground, even wetting the crotch of his pants. It was understandable for these people to be frightened. Just this morning, the Duke's General's wife had suddenly thrown herself into the well. When someone saw it, all that remained by the well was a pair of satin high heels. The well was too deep, and for some reason, it was covered with many weeds. Both the Duke and Marquis Estevan were not at home, so the steward had to inquire with the old lady. The old lady urgently ordered people to retrieve the body, but the well was too narrow, and strong men couldn't get down. All available tools were used, but they couldn't even salvage a piece of clothing. The old lady had already sent someone to inform the Duke. After all, the one who threw herself into the well was the Miss of the wealthy Lioncourt family. The Lioncourt family had been supporting the Duke's military expenses for years. If this incident caused unpleasantness, it would undoubtedly affect the military funding from the north. The old lady was anxious, and just as she was, someone came to report that the madam had climbed out of the well. Shocked, the old lady couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Even though she didn't like this daughter-in-law, she didn't want to have a falling out with the wealthy Lioncourt family. Swiftly donning her shoes, the old lady hastened to the backyard with the aid of others. As the lively footsteps drew near, Adelina continued to groom her wet hair. Despite the previous owner of this body having a volatile temperament, she possessed an extraordinary talent—her nose was particularly sensitive, several times more acute than an average person's. Furthermore, she was compelled to study pharmacy for three years at home. Despite her lack of enthusiasm and limited learning, she had memorized the pharmacopeia thoroughly. Thus, the last few words etched in her memory were: salvia divinorum. She didn't plunge herself into the well; someone pushed her from behind. As she descended into the well, even though she didn't discern the person's face clearly, she perceived a faint aroma of salvia divinorum in the air. Salvia divinorum can be smoked or consumed as a tea, resulting in effects like uncontrollable laughter, extreme tension, or mood swings. This plant is frequently employed by shamans in divination or healing rituals. Shamans typically extract the juice from the plant, mix it with water to create an infusion or "tea," and then ingest it during religious ceremonies to induce hallucinations. This singular clue was all the body left for her. The commotion had already roused everyone in the Duke's mansion. In the distance, a group of footsteps neared, two maids leading with lanterns, trailed by several madams and misses. They all seemed to have just arisen, their faces bare of makeup, yet their eyes were wide open.