Suddenly a person who looked a lot like His Grace burst into my room.

"Oscar! What are you doing here?" said His Grace.

"Why didn't you tell me that Alina woke up? Both Erin and I were very worried." He said, obviously irritated.

Oscar? Another new person. And what was it he said? He and Erin were worried? Who's Erin? Oh, how many more people are in this house?

His Grace hesitated to answer. He looked at me, sighed, and turned back to that man.

"This is not the time. Please wait outside, I'll be out in a moment to talk," His Grace finally said in a low voice.

I, while the two of them were talking, was confused, scared and thinking. With Oscar's interjection I had time to think and partially process what had happened.

Who is Alina? Is she someone who looks like me? And where is she now? Is she alive or dead? Did I take her place or enter her body?

The only thing I was sure of was that I wasn't Alina.

I didn't know what to do. Even though everyone was treating me well, what would happen if they found out I wasn't Alina. They certainly wouldn't take it well, they seemed to care about her. Who knows what might have happened in that situation.

Oscar obeyed His Grace and left the room. Everyone's attention returned to me.

"Well, Lady Alina, let's continue" the doctor approached me again and continued to ask questions "can you tell me what is the last thing you remember?"

What should I answer? Should I tell them the truth? That I was in my office and suddenly lost consciousness? Or should I lie?

"Don't stress, if it's a difficult question I can ask something else," Dr. Connell interrupted my thoughts.

"I don't remember much, only that I was in a room and suddenly everything went dark around me... and I lost consciousness" I finally decided to answer with a hesitation not knowing if they would believe me .

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

It was not a complete lie but not the absolute truth either. It was the best answer I could think of at that moment.

The next questions were simpler and I could answer them but when there was a question I didn't want to answer I didn't answer it. In the end, I did whatever I had a headache to get them to leave me alone and it worked. Everyone went out to let me rest and only Mary stayed with me.

An awkward silence followed when Mary finally approached me hesitantly.

"My lady, shall I prepare a bath?"

"Yes, please," I replied.

After the bath, Mary told me I could rest a little longer in my room. But I wanted to find out some information about this place.

Anything would help me figure out where I was and if I could stay here as Alina until she came back. Or even if she doesn't come back, at least if I can stay in her place without anyone noticing anything.

"Mary, can I ask you something?" I said when she went to leave.

"Absolutely! What is it that you want?" Mary turned back.

"I want you to tell me about the things I don't remember. Who I am, what this place is, who all the people who were in here are, things like that."

"My lady, you really don't remember anything at all?"

"I'm sorry, Mary..."

"No, don't be sorry. Well let's start with you. You are Alina Kaymec and you are heir to the Duchy of Kaymec. You live here in the duchy with your father, Duke Kaymec, your older brother, Oscar, and your younger sister, Erin."

Strange. Those names remind me of something, but I can't think of what.

"My mother?"

Mary hesitated to answer. But finally she did.

"Your mother, Nadia, is no longer alive..."

I started to mumble but I didn't want it to show. I looked away and didn't answer.

The truth is, I didn't know what to answer. I may not have met Nadia but I felt bad for her and her family. I also didn't think that Alina and I had anything in common.

Neither in this life nor in the previous one I have a mother. But at least my father in this life seems nicer.

"Thank you, Mary. Is there anything else I should know from what I've forgotten?"

"No, my lady. Now what you need to do is rest."

That's exactly what I did. I decided to give myself time to recover before I thought about what I needed to do to live like Alina without her family suspecting anything. But I couldn't do that while I was sick.

And it wasn't long before the day finally came when I finally understood where I stood. After a week or so, a visit I received made everything clear to me.

"Lady Alina, your friend is here to see you." Mary said as soon as she walked into the room.

"Friend? What friend?" I asked in bewilderment.

"Oh yes! You must not remember her. It's Clementine Yvern, she's come to see you."

Clementine Yvern? I think I know that name. No, I definitely know that name.

I was sure I had heard that name before. And not in this life but in the previous one.