The Empress

Liliana's visit

Liliana sits on her bed thinking she says to herself, I have to find a way to stop the wedding and if I can't, the Emperor will marry my daughter instead of that girl

Nicholas wakes up and sees his wife in deep thought

Nicholas: Lily why aren't you sleeping?

it's almost two in the morning. what is it?

Liliana: don't worry about me not sleeping go back to bed

Nicholas: Lily just tell me what is going on

Liliana: I'm thinking of a way to better our living conditions

Nicholas: I don't understand

Liliana: Nicholas, what if Lucia marries the Emperor instead of Joy

Nicholas: what in God's name are you saying? how can Lucia marry the Emperor. what is wrong with you?

Liliana: Nick, if Lucia marries the Emperor, it will benefit us more because through Lucia, we will have a lot of connections. if Lucia becomes the Empress, we will be on another level of living.

Nicholas: oh God, didn't I tell you to leave this matter alone. If you do anything to sabotage Joy's life and it backfires, our lives will be miserable

Liliana: if Joy becomes an Empress, she will make us pay for everything we did to her

Nicholas: I know my daughter and she won't do anything if we apologise to her

Liliana: oh God you are so damn stupid

do you think your daughter will forgive us especially when she finds out that we are responsible for her mother's death and also for the fact that Lucia and Lisa are your daughters? do you think your daughter will forgive you after she finds out that everything we have was willed to her by her mother( Nicholas sits down quietly) listen Nick darling Lucia has to marry the Emperor

Nicholas says calmly; what will happen to Joy?

Liliana: Joy will definitely find her way out

Nicholas: we have hurt that girl too much. we can't keep doing this and if the royal family gets to know that she is underage, we will be in prison

Liliana: don't worry dear. I will handle everything. let's sleep

in the palace, everything is almost ready for the wedding. the maternal family members of the Emperor have arrived and Joycelyn was introduced to them and just like the Emperor's paternal family they also began treating Joycelyn like one of their own

The family gifts Joycelyn and expensive tiara made with gold and expensive things

Lady Gloria is in her room reading, a maid enters and tells she has a visitor

Lady Gloria comes out to meet her guest only to find out that it was Liliana. Lady Gloria was surprised and she felt unpleased to see her

Liliana: hello Mrs Richardson oh sorry I mean your Excellency

Lady Gloria: hello Mrs Blankson. how are you?

Liliana: I'm not doing bad

lady Gloria: what brings you here?

Liliana: your Excellency, I'm here to talk to you about something important about Joy

Lady Gloria: what is it?

Liliana: Joy is not my daughter (lady Gloria frowns) Joy is the daughter of a maid who worked with us. the maid died during childbirth so we kept her as our daughter. we raised her as our own.

Lady Gloria: what are you saying?

Liliana: I know this is a shock to you but it's the truth. If we knew that you were from the royal family, we wouldn't have married her to you. Joy is nothing but a slut. She isn't in school because she got pregnant and committed an abortion ( lady Gloria shouts in between: what are you saying) I am telling you the truth

lady Gloria: does Joy know that she is a daughter of a maid?

Liliana: Yes she does

lady Gloria: and yet she hasn't said anything. this is too much. if this is the case then this marriage can't happen. I will have to speak to the Emperor now. I'm sorry Mrs Blankson, I have to go now and talk to the Emperor

Liliana: lady Gloria, in case you talk to the Emperor please let him know that my daughter Lucia can be his wife. she is a very decent girl and she is a virgin

lady Gloria walks closer to Liliana and says you want your daughter to marry the Emperor?

Liliana nods

lady Gloria just smiles and tells her that she needs to go

Lady Gloria leaves from there and Liliana leaves the palace

Lady Gloria goes to meet Sir William and tells her everything Liliana said and this makes sir William angry

Sir William angrily shouts: I can't believe this. I have to tell the Emperor and my brother about this. I thought Joycelyn is a nice and a sweet girl. this is hard to believe. Sir William leaves saying she was going to meet the Emperor and Sir Stephen

Sir Stephen and the Emperor were discussing the final details of the wedding when a guard came to tell them about the Sir William's arrival

Emperor Michael: let him in

Sir William enters and they noticed his anger. Emperor Michael makes him sits down and Sir Stephen offers him water after that they asks him what happened.

Sir William tells them everything Liliana told lady Gloria

Sir Stephen: I can't believe, Joycelyn doesn't look like such a girl

Sir William: exactly my point. I can't believe this

Emperor Michael starts laughing

Sir William and Sir Stephen look at him surprisingly

Sir Stephen: why are you laughing?

Sir William: this is a serious matter

Emperor Michael: I knew it will come to this (still laughing)

Sir William and Sir Stephen look at each other

Sir William: Michael what are trying to say?

Emperor Michael: Liliana is lying. please don't tell anyone about this and tell Aunt Gloria to keep quiet

Sir Stephen: Michael, is there something you know

Emperor Michael: Liliana is only fabricating stories because Joycelyn is not her daughter and the Blanksons wanted to use this marriage to destroy her so after getting to know that she will be the Empress, she is trying to destroy Joycelyn and Joycelyn chose Bella and Esther as her bridesmaids instead of her daughter

Sir William: What! I can't believe this? Joycelyn isn't her daughter? now I understand Joycelyn's behaviour towards them

Emperor Michael: She chose Bella and Esther because she doesn't trust them

Sir Stephen: how did you find that out?

Emperor Michael: uncle do you remember that you told me that there was something suspicious about Joycelyn and the Blanksons? (Sir William nods) Joycelyn confided in me and told me everything and the worst is the yesterday grandmother Helen came and told me something about Joycelyn so don't worry Liliana is lying and I will deal with it.

Sir Stephen: Michael, what did she tell you?

Emperor Michael: Father I can't tell you but just know that uncle William made the best choice of a wife for your son and I have hired a private investigator already so let's hope he finds something that will help end this

Sir William and Sir Stephen nod their heads in response

They continue to discuss the details of the wedding

after a while, Sir William leaves and goes to meet lady Gloria.

Lady Gloria: what happened? will the Emperor cancel the wedding?

Sir William: no my dear, Liliana lied to you. Joycelyn has already confided in the Emperor so the Emperor knows everything. Sir William told lady Gloria everything the emperor said

Lady Gloria: now I understand why Liliana wants her daughter to marry the Emperor instead of Joycelyn

Sir William: Did she tell you that? Lady Gloria nods

lady Gloria: I won't entertain Liliana again. I will teach her lesson

Sir William: dear don't do anything to her for now.

Lady Gloria: you are so patient with these things.

Sir William: if I wasn't patient, I wouldn't be married to you. They both laugh

Emperor Michael goes to meet Joycelyn

Joycelyn happily greets him

Emperor Michael: wow seeing you smile feels good.( Joycelyn blushes)

Emperor Michael takes Joycelyn hand and they both sit down

Emperor Michael: how are you and how is your studies?

Joycelyn replies: my studies are going well. Your majesty, Thank you for everything

Emperor Michael: I'm not doing it for free

Joycelyn asks shockingly: please what do you mean?

Emperor Michael: I want you to be brave and be able to crush every obstacle that comes your way. This is what I want in exchange of you going to school and me keeping your secrets. alright

Joycelyn nods with tears in her eyes

Emperor Michael: don't cry. I want you to transform into a very brave woman

Joycelyn replies: I promise I won't let you down

Emperor Michael: good girl