Forbidden

THE OPPOSITE LIFE

As Mei returned to her palace, she felt invigorated by her visit with her mother. She settled back into her calligraphy practice, her brush gliding effortlessly across the parchment. Just as she was losing herself in the rhythmic strokes, she glanced up to see a familiar figure standing at the window.

A bright smile spread across her face as she caught sight of the person who had been making her smile every day since she was six years old.

---

Ning's life was a stark contrast to Mei's. As she left the palace, Ning couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy towards her half-sister. She strolled through the gardens, her thoughts consumed by the disparities in their treatment. From birthdays to betrothals, Mei had always been the favored daughter.

Ning's own betrothal to a mere aristocrat's son seemed paltry compared to Mei's engagement to a powerful prince. The weight of her mother's expectations and the king's indifference threatened to suffocate her.

As she entered her palace, Ning was greeted by the sight of her mother reveling in the jewelries sent by the king. Her mother's eyes sparkled with greed, and Ning felt a familiar sense of disillusionment.

Her mother's past was marked by scandal. Ning had grown up hearing whispers of how her mother had drugged the king, manipulating him into a night of passion that resulted in Ning's conception. The king, bound by honor and duty, had taken Ning's mother as a concubine.

Ning's gaze lingered on her mother, her heart heavy with resentment. Her mother didn't see her as a daughter, but as a tool to extract favors and riches from the king.

As the hours ticked by, Ning retreated to her room, lying on her bed as she stared blankly at the ceiling. Her thoughts swirled with longing and despair. "How I wish that my life wasn't this way," she whispered to the silence.