The Emperor's Fox

Chapter 3: The Morning After

Janiya woke slowly, awareness returning in pieces. Silk sheets against her bare skin. Warmth at her back. A heavy arm draped over her waist.

She blinked her eyes open to find herself in Liang's enormous bed, sunlight streaming through the windows. The arm around her waist tightened, pulling her back against a muscular chest.

"Awake?" Liang's deep voice rumbled against her ear, still rough with sleep.

"Mmm." Janiya stretched like a cat, her tail swishing lazily. Every muscle in her body ached in the best way.

Liang's hand splayed across her stomach, and she felt his c**k hardening against her ass.

"Again?" she asked, amused.

"Can you blame me?" He nipped at her shoulder, his hand sliding lower. "Having you naked in my bed? I could spend days exploring this body."

Before they could go another round, there was a sharp knock at the door.

"Your Majesty," a servant's voice called urgently. "The Empress requests your immediate presence at breakfast. She insists on meeting the new...addition to your household."

Janiya felt Liang tense behind her.

"Empress?" she repeated slowly, ice forming in her stomach. "As in your wife?"

Liang sighed. "Janiya-"

"You have a WIFE?" She sat up abruptly, clutching the silk sheet to her chest. "You have a f*****g WIFE and you didn't think to mention that before you-"

"It's not-"

"Not what? Not important?" Janiya's voice rose. "How many kids do you have with this wife?"

Liang's jaw tightened. "Three sons."

"THREE-" Janiya scrambled out of the bed, looking around for her clothes. "Oh my god. Oh my f*****g god. I slept with a married man. A married man with THREE KIDS."

"Janiya, if you would just listen-"

"Your Majesty," the servant called again. "The Empress is becoming impatient."

"TELL HER I'LL BE THERE SHORTLY," Liang roared at the door, before turning back to Janiya with barely controlled frustration. "It's an arranged marriage. I don't love her. I barely-"

"I don't care." Janiya found her tank top and shorts, yanking them on. "Your grandmother told me I'd be your wife. Not your side piece. Not another concubine in your collection."

"You're not-"

"Save it." She headed for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To this breakfast," Janiya said coldly. "I want to meet the wife you forgot to mention."

Janiya stormed back to her chambers, fury radiating off her in waves. Servants scattered out of her path, clearly sensing the dangerous mood of the emperor's new favorite.

She should've known. Should've f*****g KNOWN this was too good to be true. Some rich old lady promises her a fairy tale, and she falls for it like an i***t.

In her room, she threw on the first thing she found: ripped jeans, a pink knitted sweater, and matching pink sneakers. She added jewelry, trinkets in her hair, decorations on her tail. If she was going to meet this empress, she was doing it on her own terms, not dressed up like some submissive concubine.

Her phone buzzed. A text from Liang's grandmother, of all people; a meme about dramatic morning afters.

Despite everything, Janiya let out a bitter laugh.

By the time she made her way to the grand dining hall, she was vibrating with anger. The doors opened, and every head turned to stare.

The hall was enormous, filled with nobles, courtiers, and concubines all dressed in elaborate silks and satins. They sat at long tables laden with food, dumplings, congee, fresh fruits, ornate tea services.

And at the head table sat Liang, now dressed in formal imperial robes, his face an unreadable mask.

Next to him sat a woman who could only be the Empress.

Yuna was beautiful in a classical way, with delicate features, elaborate hair adorned with golden pins, silk robes in imperial yellow. She looked every inch the refined noblewoman, her posture perfect, her expression serene.

Until she saw Janiya.

Then her eyes went cold as ice.

"Well now," Yuna said loudly enough for everyone to hear, a practiced smile on her lips that didn't reach her eyes. "It seems our guest from abroad has chosen morning attire suited for marketplace vendors rather than imperial palace halls."

Murmurs rippled through the assembled nobles. Several concubines, including Mei, whispered behind their fans, barely concealing their glee at Janiya's obvious discomfort.

Janiya raised an eyebrow, looking around the room at all the heavy makeup, the elaborate silks, the dusty fans. Everyone looked like they were playing dress-up.

"Your Highness," Liang said smoothly, though his eyes held a warning directed at both women. "May I present Janiya, a visitor from a distant land where fashion is...more practical."

"Practicality has no place in an imperial court, my dear husband," Yuna replied, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "This woman's attire is an insult to our traditions and guests."

Several concubines murmured in agreement.

Janiya ignored them all, her eyes fixed on Liang. "Can I leave today? Your grandma mentioned something about a market for shopping?"

The room fell silent at her casual dismissal of the Empress.

Liang's expression softened slightly. "The market can wait. But you will not wander the city unescorted. Guards will accompany you at all times."

"My grandmother's wishes are law in this palace," he added, shooting a glare at Yuna. "If she wanted Janiya to experience our markets, then so it shall be."

Yuna's face tightened, but she said nothing.

Janiya moved to sit, not at the head table, but at one of the lower tables, as far from the imperial couple as possible. A servant quickly brought her a plate of fruit.

She picked at it, her appetite gone, very aware of the whispers surrounding her. The concubines were having a field day, and Yuna kept shooting her looks that could kill.

Liang attempted conversation with his ministers, but his eyes kept drifting to Janiya.

"So," Mei said loudly from her seat among the concubines, "I hear the new girl spent the night in His Majesty's chambers. How...fortunate for her."

The other concubines tittered.

"One night means nothing," another concubine, Lin, added. "His Majesty has many women to choose from. I'm sure he'll grow bored of foreign curiosities soon enough."

Janiya's phone dinged. She pulled it out, and this time it was actually from Liang's grandmother, another meme, this one about dealing with petty bitches.

Janiya couldn't help it. She giggled.

The sound cut through the formal atmosphere like a knife.

Yuna stood abruptly, her silk gown rustling. "Liang, I will not sit here while this foreigner laughs at private messages during our morning meal. This is disrespectful to our traditions, to our guests, to ME."

"It's nothing," Janiya said, standing as well. "Your husband's grandma sent me something."

She didn't wait for a response, just headed toward the kitchens. She needed to get away from all these fake smiles and poisonous whispers.

"Janiya! Return here at once!" Liang's voice carried across the hall, sharp with authority.

Janiya didn't even pause.

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

"Did you see that?" Lin whispered loudly. "She just walked away from the Emperor!"

Yuna seized the opportunity, her voice carrying across the hall. "Your Majesty, this behavior cannot be tolerated. She shows you no respect, shows our court no respect. Perhaps she should be taught proper manners before she's allowed to dine with her betters again."

In the kitchens, Janiya found the head cook and asked if they had any oats.

"Oatmeal?" The cook looked confused. "I'm sorry, we don't keep such foreign ingredients. We have rice, millet, barley..."

Before he could finish, the kitchen doors burst open.

Liang strode in, followed by Yuna and several guards. His face was a mask of controlled fury.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded. "My concubine disrupts kitchen operations while my wife sits at the breakfast table."

"So go back to your wife!" Janiya snapped, whirling on him. "I don't care about any of you."

She turned back to the bewildered cook. "Just...give me whatever. I don't care anymore."

"Janiya-" Liang started.

"No." She spun back to face him, and there were angry tears in her eyes now. "Enlighten me, Liang. WHY am I here? You already have a wife. You have THREE sons. Is this a cult? A polygamy thing? Because either way, I'm not interested in joining."

The kitchen staff froze, everyone's eyes going wide.

"A cult?" Yuna gasped, hand to her chest. "Polygamy? How dare you suggest such vulgar practices! My son, are you going to allow this barbarian to insult your lineage?"

"She provides an heir, maintains political alliances," Liang said, ignoring his wife and speaking directly to Janiya. "But you-"

"I WHAT?" Janiya demanded. "I'm what, the fun side piece? The exotic pet?"

"You were meant to be my empress," Liang said, his voice dropping. "My true partner. Not just another-"

"You have three sons with her," Janiya interrupted, gesturing at Yuna. "Three. Perfect. Your duties are fulfilled. But yet 'she isn't what you want'? Sounds like YOU'RE the issue."

She grabbed her phone. "And for your information, 'King,' your grandma didn't command anything. I can leave whenever I want to. There's a plane waiting for me anytime I decide to exit this...whatever the f**k this is."

She pushed past the guards and stormed out of the kitchen.

"Stop her!" Yuna demanded.

But Liang held up a hand. "Let her go."

Janiya made it back to her chambers and immediately started packing. She threw her clothes into her designer luggage, her hands shaking with anger and hurt.

She couldn't believe she'd been so stupid. So f*****g stupid.

She'd actually started to like him. I started to think maybe this could be something real.

But no. He had a whole ass wife. Three kids. And apparently, a harem full of women waiting for their turn.

She wasn't doing this.

Her phone rang. Liang's grandmother.

"Nana," Janiya answered, her voice thick. "I need to leave. Your grandson...he didn't tell me he was married. He has three sons and a wife who clearly hates me and about twenty concubines."

"Oh dear," the old woman's voice came through, genuinely concerned. "I apologize, child. I had hoped Liang would appreciate your unique qualities rather than treating you like just another trophy. It seems my grandson needs a firmer hand guiding him."

"I just want to go home," Janiya said quietly.

"Of course. Your transportation is ready whenever you are. But Janiya...don't let one foolish man ruin what could be a beautiful future. Sometimes the best revenge is showing them exactly what they've lost."

Janiya smiled bitterly. "Maybe. But right now, I just need to get out of here."

An hour later, Janiya stood at the palace gates, her luggage beside her, waiting for the car that would take her to the airport.

Liang appeared, followed by Yuna and half the court who'd gathered to watch the drama unfold.

"Janiya," Liang started.

She flipped him off, the gesture unmistakable even in a foreign culture, and climbed into the waiting car.

As they drove away, she didn't look back.