The Greatest Villainess (Completed)

Chapter 51

Weeks passed, and life in the Empire slowly returned to normal. The palace began to recover, and so did the people, little by little. The heavy tension that once filled the air dissipated, leaving a newfound sense of relief and peace. The Empire was finally free, yet here I was, standing at the edge of uncertainty, feeling as if I was suspended between two worlds. An unshakable insecurity had taken hold of me. Do I truly belong here? Everyone saw me as Empress Celestia, but in truth, I was not her. I was Adil-a woman from a different world, trapped in this body and life that never felt like my own.

What am I supposed to do now? Should I go on living this life, pretending to be someone I'm not? I let out a soft sigh, unable to silence the whirlwind of thoughts swirling inside me. Everyone around me was moving on, finding peace, yet I felt like I was bound by invisible chains, weighed down by my own emotions and memories. Thoughts of my former life haunted me, filling me with an unsettling confusion. Should I slip away from this world, leave without a trace, and return to my true self, even if no one noticed? I bit my lip, feeling a pang in my heart. And then, the ache deepened as my mind drifted to Isaac.

Isaac. The very thought of him made my chest tighten with sorrow. I wiped away the tears that had begun to spill down my cheeks, but they continued to fall. I loved him, and the thought of choosing between him and my past life left me torn in two. If I decided to stay here, to embrace this life as Celestia... what would happen to the person I once was? Could I simply let my past self fade away, as though it never existed? I had cherished that life, valued it so deeply. How could I let it go?

I had once thought this choice would be easy, that my heart would lead me to an answer without hesitation. But I was mistaken. This decision felt impossibly hard, like trying to move a mountain with bare hands.

"Wife?" the soft sound of my husband's voice broke through my turmoil, pulling me back to the present. I quickly composed myself, wiping away the last of my tears. But a shiver ran through me as I felt his warm hand resting gently on my waist, grounding me in that single touch. "What's wrong?" he asked, his tone filled with concern as he reached up to tilt my face toward him, his fingers gentle against my chin. I bit my lip as my gaze met his, struggling to hide the sadness in my eyes. His brow furrowed as he noticed the traces of tears. "Did you... cry?" he asked, his voice softer, filled with worry. There was a warmth in his eyes that I could no longer ignore-a tenderness I hadn't allowed myself to fully believe in before. Would he understand?

I parted my lips, the words fighting to escape, but they felt too heavy to say. I took a shaky breath, trying to gather the courage to speak, and finally, I whispered, "I... I am not Celestia," the confession barely escaped my lips, each word trembling, laced with a sorrow I could no longer hide. His brow relaxed, the initial shock fading, replaced by a gentle, understanding smile. He cupped my face, his thumbs brushing softly along my cheeks.

"I know," he murmured, his voice calm and assured.

I blinked in surprise, my brows knitting together in confusion as his words registered. Had he truly said that? He... knew?

My eyes widened, my heart pounding as realization sank in. "Y-you knew?" I stammered, my voice cracking with emotion, disbelief coating every word. How long had he known? And... how could he possibly have known all this time?

Tumango siya, naalarma ako nang umalis siya sa aking harapan. I watched him closely as he walked over to his desk, opening a drawer and retrieving a small, worn book. He looked back at me, his expression unreadable, before returning to stand in front of me, extending the book towards me. My brows furrowed in confusion as I took it. As I opened it, I discovered... nothing. The pages were completely blank. I looked at him, my confusion deepening, and he smiled gently.