My Fiancée Hates Me
Chapter 99: Imitation

Queen Dowager Iris invited me over for some tea with her a week later.

I wore a simple white buttoned up shirt with a striped bow tie and a long red skirt with gold embroidery.

"Lady Arielle, I am so glad that you could make it," Queen Dowager said as she walked over to me and grabbed my hands.

"...It is an honor to be invited. Of course, I would come to repay my respects towards the Queen Dowager and Her Majesty Queen Gaelle," I said as I turned my head towards Queen Gaelle. Queen Dowager made me sit by her side again.

"I have heard that my grandchild has been inviting Lady Arielle to the Castle quite often these days," Queen Dowager said.

"People of the Court like to gossip about my movements. It is a bit unpleasant to have my every movement being watched," I said with a smile.

"I feel the same way. The Court is really stuffy in that kind of way. That is probably why I like you so much, Lady Arielle. You are a breath of fresh air with your honesty and have a strange charm that draws people in. I hope that you will continue to be a good influence on this kingdom in the future," Queen Dowager said.

Queen Dowager Iris is honestly concerned with me. That is why it hurts to let down the expectations of someone I have respected for a long time.

On my way back, I ran into Queen Gaelle.

I did a curtsy to be respectful and went on my way.

"How long have you known?" Queen Gaelle asked.

For the first time ever, I heard her speak to me. If I had not known that she poisoned both my mother and me, I would have been elated to hear that she was finally willing to speak to me. All she is doing now is admitting her crime to me after I have found out everything of her plans.

"...I have no idea what you are talking about," I said.

I absolutely loathe the kind of person you are, but it was not like I was a person without any faults. I made many people hate me during my first life. I lived in ignorance thinking that my love for Erik could get through anything without doing anything on my end. That is probably why Erik suffered so much because of me.

"... You are just like her in every way possible. It sickens me," Queen Gaelle said as she covered her face with her hands.

"... You have long won over my mother when you took His Majesty from her. Leave her alone from now on," I said.

"I used my family's power assets to separate His Majesty from your mother and succeeded in getting married to him, but I know that his heart is not with me," Queen Gaelle said. "My mother is already happily married with my father," I said as I clenched my fists.

"Lady Amalie got married to the Duke and gained the happiness of a loving family, while I have to continuously live-in doubt of His Majesty's affections. Then, she had you... You are almost the carbon copy of her. All of those years of fear were as I expected! His Majesty most likely chose you as my son's fiancée because he knew that you would grow up to look just like her. Even my own son is infatuated with you! When you are with my son, it is like I am watching my husband fall in love with Lady Amalie again," Queen Gaelle said as she lifted her face up from her hands.

A cold wind blew through and knocked her hat with her veil off.

It was then that I understood why she always wore a veil.

Her glare could pierce into the soul of others. I could only remain silent as I watched her show me her bitterness unfold.

"Every time I look at you, I just want you to writhe in agony. When you were younger, the Prince asked me what kind of flower suited the Lady of the Maddox House. I had him deliver a poisonous flower to you, but somehow found a a way through it all after everything and everyone I sent to you. Even that despicable Baron girl was of no use. She had black hair just like mine. If only she were smarter, she could have won the Prince's heart," Queen Gaelle said bitterly.

The flower that killed my mother was meant to kill me...

The young Erik probably said along the lines, "I want to replace a flower that suits the Lady of the Maddox House."

Queen Gaelle probably thought the flower was meant for me instead of my sickly mother.

"It would have been perfect if you died by the Prince's own hands... Nothing would make me happier if Lady Amalie died by her own lover's hands," Queen Gaelle said with a twisted smile on her face. Just because Erik looks like His Majesty and I look like my mother does not automatically make us like our parents. Queen Gaelle was trying to live her fantasy childhood through people that looked like my mother, His Majesty, and herself. She then wanted everything to burn after not getting the result she wanted.

What a Princess complex...

"All you have is ugly jealousy of other people's love...I am not my mother and Erik is not His Majesty," I said.

"That is a lie! You sound and look just like Lady Amalie," Queen Gaelle said as she grabbed me by my shoulders.

"I am not her! Neither is Erik! Stop using your own children as tools to fulfill your own fantasies!" I yelled as I shook her off of me.

This woman is terribly selfish and incorrigible. She was even possibly worse than Kaya Ouchi.

She soon slapped me.

"You won't do as I say either!" Queen Gaelle screamed as she threw herself at me. "Give up the Prince for me, Lady Amalie!"

I was soon pulled from behind into a protective embrace.

"That will be enough, Queen Gaelle," Garett said as he pushed me behind him.

"It is because you exist as well that I cannot be happy either!" Queen Gaelle said as she lunged herself at Garett.

"Stop!" King Arundel yelled from a distance.

"Prince...this is not what it looks like," Queen Gaelle said in surprise.

Erik said that he was also never called by his name. To Queen Gaelle, King Arundel and Erik were both Prince to her.

"I understand, Gaelle," King Arundel said as he walked over and held Queen Gaelle's shoulders. "I am sorry for everything..."

King Arundel was about to take her away.

At this rate, there will never be any closure for her...

I moved Garett aside and walked in front of him.

"Your Highness!" I yelled.

Both King Arundel and Queen Gaelle turned their heads toward me at the same time.

"...I am deeply in love with you. Please marry me," I said to King Arundel as I held my hands over my chest.

King Arundel released Queen Gaelle and walked over to me.

"...I am sorry, Amalie. I cannot be with you. The only person I have room for in my heart is Gaelle," King Arundel said as he lowered his head to me.

"... You finally chose me," Queen Gaelle said as she clung onto King Arundel.

"Please be happy from now on, Your Highness," I said as I lowered my head as well.

Garett pulled me away by my arm.

Something about watching his back from behind brought ease to both my mind and body. I could barely notice the pain in my cheek after having my wrist being gently pulled along.0000