1 PROLOGUE

Another hour I will be someone else's consort.

Another hour I will be the next empress of the empire.

I have been standing rigidly in front of the huge standing mirror with a gorgeous wedding gown since dawn. My awe only lasts ten seconds at the first sight of the breathtakingly beautiful wedding gown and I'm already at my limit. These heavy accessory wrapping all around my body begins to take a toll now. It was early in the morning before the first sunrise appeared, the heavy door opened with a bang and a trail of maids began to come in and out to get me into the wedding dress. I barely keep my eyes open during the whole process.

"My Lady, you're ready." The head maid smiled proudly at me. Through the reflection of the mirror, several of the maids smile shyly at each other and giggle. The head maid shushes them with a wave of her hand and they immediately exit the room leaving only the temple's guard, Sando and the head maid, Lasima behind.

I can't stop staring at my reflection. Who is this woman? Is this really the empress of this empire? I barely recognised myself with this makeup. The round eyes, rosy cheeks, smooth white porcelain skin and half-open red lips. My now black long wavy hair was well tamed, shining & smooth with last night's super treatment they called a pre-wedding ceremony beauty session. My tiny black mole on the right of my lower lip was well hidden by the makeup. It appears flawlessly beautiful that I was mesmerised by my own reflection.

Eight months ago, I'm only an associate professor at the University of Shanghai. I never did my makeup before. I wear my thick glasses with a big bun high up like an old virgin lady, carrying all those papers and clumsily trying to get faster and faster to cope with the modern life I have been living my whole life. To make my life more interesting and fun, I allowed Ah Phung, my best childhood friend to dye my hair pink, do some skin-piercing including several on my lower lip, left ear lobe. She always lecturing me about wasting my potential. I never understand what she is talking about because every time she begins lecturing, I already think about what I plan on doing tomorrow or tonight. What food I am going to get or what today the lectures are all about.

"Your Highness," Sando called out. "It's time." I turned to the reflection of those two people behind me. They both stare at me with expectations or am I the stallion for their master's political game. I've only been to this foreign land for a short time, and here I am standing here to be wed off not by my parents but by a priest! My mind screaming in protest, I gritting my teeth thinking about that sneaky priest.

"Don't call me that." I glared at the man; refused to be called by that title. He bowed to me without care and gestured his hand to the door. I clicked my tongue in annoyance and crossed my hands in protest. I want to make my stand today. I refuse to wed. I was frustrated knowing that the temple's man was standing in guard close to me with one sole purpose. To guard me against running away. Lasima signalled out the outside maids to come in with a clap and maids rushed in. With my consent or without, I was nearly dragged to the altar to be wed to a total stranger!

I WANT TO GO HOMEE…