𝐈 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 | 𝐏𝐉𝐌

Prologue

- Prologue -

In the historical, fictional country of Maewo, things operated differently.

The Kingdom wasn't the only family of royal status, though it had the final decision in every situation - the King and the Queen were assisted by The Kim family, in all royal matters for the state.

People knew and looked up to the leader of the Kim family, Kim Jaewon, with equal nobility and respect. He appeared to be stainless of all flaws, strong and powerful with an excellent intellect..

But like everyone hides a devil in themselves, so did he.

Flashback:

It was a stormy night, the clouds clapped with defeaning thunderstorm, and amidst the rattling of the windows, the high scream of Kim Ji-eun, his wife, unleashed stronger than the lightening, echoing through the walls of the Kim's house.

Jaewon had stood up, listening to the feeble cry of his first child. His happiness had lasted for a moment before the nervousness tightened his heart.

Was it a girl or a boy?

His gaze fell onto the maid when the doors of the room were opened. She sobbed uncontrollably, as she met his eyes.

His heart beated in anxiety, as words flew out of her mouth in the most devastating news.

"Lady Kim was too weak..too weak to bear the pain" his heart broke so hard, it might have physically shattered to pieces, but tears were something he had locked away long ago.

"What..what about the child?" he wanted an heir. A boy.

"It's a girl, master"

Things altered so rapidly after that. One moment, he wanted to grieve for his wife's departure, and in the next, he was the reflection of the devil himself, with his pupils darkening in rage.

The hatred for his own child spread in his heart like poison. A man couldn't stoop lower, but he did.

He did, as he spoke "Hide it. Hide the child from every single witness. Announce it dead if you have to.." he had gritted his jaw as he had clamped the woman's arm and glared into her fearful eyes

"No one should know Kim Ji-eun had given birth to an alive, and breathing child tonight. She died, and so did the child."

After that devastating night, the child was named Kim Alaya, and hid away into the dungeon with only maidens to care for her, and Lady Kim Ji-eun was buried six feet under the mud.

A year later, the country blossomed with the welcome of Alaya's stepmother, Kim Haejin.

With her evil tactics and greedy soul, Haejin not only swallowed Jaewon's power and wealth, and chipped away at his leadership but also poisoned him to his deathbed.

Just so she could be The Lady Kim.

And it all happened so discreetly behind the walls of the house, neither the Kingdom nor the common people ever picked up a whiff of Alaya's existence or Haejin's concealed, and continued wrongdoings.

Except..for The Guardian.
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TBC