FATE REBORN

CHAPTER 20

Chapter 20: The Princess in the Garden

I sat at my window, gazing out at the garden that stretched endlessly, a patch of vibrant colors and life, just beyond my reach. The servants bustled about, catering to my every need—delivering food, adjusting the curtains, tending to the flowers. All of it, perfect and carefully orchestrated. But despite all this luxury, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. Something vital.

Growing up as a princess, I had everything anyone could desire: fine clothes, extravagant meals, a safe home, and a father who, in his own way, loved me. Or so I thought. But what does it mean to be loved when your life is nothing more than a display of riches? I was never treated like a person—more like a prize, something my father was ready to sell off to the highest bidder.

That thought lingered in the back of my mind, stinging like an old wound. Did I mean anything to him, or was I just a means to an end? I couldn’t help but wonder.

But for now, I pushed those thoughts aside. Today, the sun was bright, and the air was fresh. It was a beautiful day, and I was determined to make the most of it. So I did what I did every morning: I went to the garden.

It was the only place where I could breathe without the weight of expectations crushing me. Here, I could walk aimlessly, run my fingers through the grass, and feel the earth beneath my feet without the watchful eyes of maids or guards. They were always there, lurking, their every movement a reminder of my imprisonment.

I often envied the maids. They were busy, constantly moving, always working toward something. They seemed so alive, so full of purpose, while I was merely existing—waiting, hoping for something more.

The stillness of the garden comforted me, yet it also reminded me of how little control I had over my life. After my stroll, I would return to my routine: a long bath, a meal, and then hours of aimless sitting. Books were my escape—pages filled with stories of worlds far beyond these walls. But even in those stories, I couldn’t find what I truly wanted.

I longed for adventure. I wanted to see the world outside this palace, to experience life as more than just a carefully curated existence. But my father… my father would never allow it.

Whenever he entered the room, a cold shadow followed him. His presence was overwhelming—he had a way of silencing everything and everyone with just one glance. Even when he wasn’t around, I could feel his control tightening like a vice. His voice, when it came, was never gentle, never reassuring. It was commanding, cold, and full of finality.

I was trained to be perfect, but no one is perfect. Except my father, of course—at least in his own eyes. He believed himself to be infallible, a god in his own mind. Hazel, the maid, used to joke that he thought he was God, but I knew better. A god wouldn’t be so… melancholic. A god wouldn’t snap at the smallest things, retreating into silence for days, leaving everyone in a suffocating quiet.

It was a cycle I had grown used to, but it didn’t stop me from resenting it. My brother, too, was slowly becoming more like him, isolating himself, shutting everyone out. But that wasn’t my problem. I had my own issues to deal with.

I couldn’t help but wonder, though, about my mother. She was… different. She seemed to shrink in his presence, her every word measured, as if her life depended entirely on his approval. But I refused to believe that. She had more strength than that.

And that, more than anything, was why I swore I would never marry a man like my father. I needed passion, love—not someone I feared at the sound of their voice.

But for now, reality called me back. I had my routine to follow—bath, breakfast, and then more idle time.

As I stepped back into the palace, the weight of it all settled on my shoulders again. But for a moment, I allowed myself a thought—just one—that maybe, just maybe, someday, I would break free.