Nana's POV
It was so shocking that I initially thought it was a hallucination; even as I felt the burns from his slap, I couldn't believe it was real. He just slapped me because I touched him. Not only that, he drove away. I fell heavily on the ground from the force of his slap, yet he didn't care to check on me.
The royal guards around the area rushed to check on me, but I could barely see them. Even as they succeeded in helping me up, I still couldn't say anything as I was totally dumb.
"What happened? Why were you on the ground?" I heard Ava's voice and turned sharply to see she was also among those who were helping me up, and that couldn't help pumping rage inside my heart.
"What are you doing here?!" I yelled and winced as my cheeks hurt more. She gave a confused look that irked me very much. The fact that she was seeing my red cheeks made me really ashamed.
Had she seen him slap me?
"I just came out and saw you on the ground, so I joined the guards to check on you." She replied with her eyes stuck to my cheeks.
"What happened to your cheeks? They are pure red. Someone slapped you?" Ava added with arched brows, and I could sense the sarcasm in her tone.
"It is none of your business, slave!" I hissed, huffing as I walked away at a quick pace. Anger and shame were all that swelled inside my heart that I thought it would burst.
It was so painful to see him slap me like I was nothing. I knew he didn't have the heart to love, but I never expected him to hit me for touching him. My plan was to change him with my beauty, but it seemed like he always turned blind once his eyes were set on me. My beauty's got nothing on him.
The way I jammed the door shut when I got into my room would make anyone know how devasted I was. The hinge must have been the door shut when I got into my room, which would have made anyone know how devasted I was. The hinge must be strong enough to be able to withstand it.
"Jaden, do you hate me?!' I cried out, slumping on the bed as tears welled up in my eyes. The pain from his slap was nothing to compare to the deep pain of rejection I was feeling in my heart.
"Even if he doesn't have a heart to love or care for any girl, am I not too sexy and pretty to be slapped?" I sobbed silently, hugging the pillow so tight as my heart seemed like it was pierced.
Just as I shut my eyes, I recalled that Ava had really seen my red cheeks, making more tears flow down my cheeks. Ava must have laughed at me inside her mind, as I just got my share of the slap I dished out to her not long ago.
My door opened that moment, and I looked up to see it was Aurora, and I don't know how, but my body felt a chill of fear at her presence. I sat up slowly from the bed and dried my eyes as she took the chair in the corner and sat in front of me, her eyes as cold as they always were.
"I hope there is no problem?" I asked as she had yet to say anything for a few minutes. I was even expecting her to go ask why I was in tears, but it seems she doesn't care at all.
"I was passing Ava's room just now and decided to eavesdrop. All I could hear was her squeals of excitement and hysterical laughter. Her tone was all filled with elation and glee over something. Why?" Aurora inquired, curtly.
Her face contorted into a deep frown as she peered at me with a questioning gaze.
"What? How can she be happy? What is the exciting thing that happened to her?" I mumbled in anger, trying to recall if there was any
"I brought something for you." Aurora suddenly spoke out with a brief smile on her face, bringing out a small cylindrical bottle. It wasn't transparent, so I couldn't see what was in it.
"What is that?" I asked in fright, and she gave me a strange look.
"Are you in anyway scared of me? Why was your tone like that?" She shot, glaring at me.
"No...no..." I spluttered, knowing fully well that I was lying. The fear over Aurora was even a surprise to myself, as I don't know what caused it. She seemed, somehow, and her aura always caused an omnious shudder within me, which I can't just understand.
"This is a painkiller. It will help your cheeks stop hurting you and get the skin back to normal. Take it now!" She half-yelled, handing it over to me.
I took it, but my hand wasn't stable.
"Oh God, what have I done to myself?" She growled, giving me a disdainful look.
"You mean?" I inquired, and she got up from the chair, hissing exasperatedly.
"Do you know why Ava was overly excited inside her room? That is because she saw you being slapped by the same man who you claimed to be your boyfriend. She is happy because she wants him and seeing him hit you made her day. Don't you get it??" Aurora blasted, kicking off the chair with her feet in frustration.
Her words hit me so hard that I didn't know when I jumped off the bed in shock and embarrassment. Now I see why Ava was suddenly helping me rise off the ground. She even pretended like she didn't know what happened, whereas she was there when I was slapped.
Imagining how much she would have laughed at me in her mind really made me feel like crying as I felt totally embarrassed, especially as I had lied to her that Jaden was my boyfriend.
Shame flushed my cheeks and I really felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest with my head aching suddenly. My brain was imagining it all in my head, and I couldn't help feeling like trash. I felt so stupid, and that is how I must have appeared in Ava's eyes when she saw him slapping me.
Oh God!
"Take that drug now!" Aurora fumed at me, and without hesitation, I gulped the bitter liquid down my throat.
"I am going out now to deal with....." My voice hitched instantly as severe pain struck my belly. It was like my stomach was on fire, but yet I couldn't scream as my throat seemed to be blocked. The pain was so much that I felt like I would die, tears streaming down my face while I stared at Aurora, who had a little smirk on her face.
"How do you feel? It hurts so much, huh?" She giggled mischievously, and my legs lost their strength to carry me as I slumped on the floor, rolling and writhing in agony.
Did Aurora just poison me?
"The pain will stop in a few minutes, but I want you to know that the poison is already in your blood." She snickered as I groaned deeply, trying hard to bear the torturous pain that seemed like serpents were feeding on my intestines.
Just as she said, the pain stopped in a few minutes.
"What did you do to me?" I asked immediately, and she shrugged.
"I poisoned you." She responded dryly, as if it was nothing to worry about.
"What did you just say!!" I screamed in horror.
"You heard me right. The poison will kill you in three years if I don't give you the antidote. All you have to do is make Ava's life more hellish till she commits suicide. Once it's done, I'll give you the antidote and gift you with a charm to make Prince Jaden feel the mate bond and scent from your body." She paused and laughed briefly.
"I don't understand what you're saying! Why would you poison me? So if I fail to make Ava kill herself, will I die?" My voice was shaking in terror as I asked this question, but she looked so uneasy.
"Yes, if you fail, you are useless. So your death is nothing." she stated, curtly with no trace of emotion.