Tuesday, January 2, 2024
Today marks five years since I married Victor Castellani, one of the most powerful businessmen in the country.
Right now, I'm inside an elevator, heading up to his office. I'm holding a gift in my hands: his favorite cologne. It wasn't easy to get my hands on it since it's imported.
"I hope he likes it," I say, taking a deep breath just as the elevator doors slide open.
I make my way to his office, and his secretary soon lets me in.
"Go right ahead, sir," Carlos, Victor's secretary, says as he opens the door for me.
"Thank you," I reply with a smile as I step inside.
Victor is sitting behind his desk, going through some documents.
"What do you want?" he asks coldly without taking his eyes off the folder in his hands. "Make it quick and leave. I'm busy."
His words make my smile falter for a moment.
"It's just that... I bought something for you," I say, approaching his desk. I hold out the gift bag toward him. "I hope you like it."
"I've told you countless times! I don't love you, and I don't think I ever will!" Victor says coldly.
His words cut like knives, striking me straight in the heart.
"I just brought you a gift... You don't have to be so cruel to me," I murmur, trying to hide my pain as I place the bag on his desk.
Victor doesn't even look at me. His attention remains fixed on his papers and reports.
"I know our marriage was arranged. It was our parents' idea, but... today marks another year of our marriage. I thought that maybe we could..."
"All right, then," Victor interrupts, turning his attention to his secretary. "Carlos, schedule a dinner for Ariel and me."
I watch Victor, his cold eyes as unreadable as ever. They've always been that way, as far back as I can remember. Our fathers had been close friends for years, so I've known Victor since childhood. He's always been cold and distant, even toward his own family.
His father still doesn't understand why. They gave Victor all the love in the world, yet he never showed them any affection in return. Not even when his mother died did he show the slightest hint of emotion.
I remember her funeral clearly. He didn't shed a single tear. When I approached him to offer my condolences, he merely muttered a dry "Thank you." It was as if he'd lost some distant relative rather than his own mother.
I didn't grow up in Brazil. I was sent to boarding school in England when I was a child and only returned home a few times a year.
My father arranged a merger with Victor's father's company through our marriage. I always assumed one of my sisters would end up marrying him. But for some reason I still don't understand, Victor chose me. He said he would only agree to the marriage if I was the one he married.
I had no choice. My parents forced me into it.
After the wedding, Victor took control of the newly merged company, which brought together my father's transportation business and his family's soft drink brand. I don't know why I still try to get close to this "Mr. Ice." That's what the employees call him behind his back, of course.
After the wedding, our families officially divided ownership of the company between the two of us: fifty percent for Victor and fifty percent for me.
"Sir, we've got a problem with the Korean client!" the director announces as she rushes into the office.
Her words pull me out of my thoughts.
"He's demanding that you go there in person immediately!"
Victor lets out an impatient sigh.
"Damn it."
"Make all the arrangements. I'll be flying to South Korea this afternoon."
"Of course, sir."
His coldness is suffocating, but I try to keep my composure.
"What about our dinner?" I venture to ask.
"I'm sorry, Ariel. We'll have to reschedule."
I should have known he'd put work first. It doesn't even surprise me anymore. Still, I try to hide my disappointment.
"All right, then. I'll get going. I don't want to get in your way," I say, heading toward the door.
"Do you want to come with me?"
I freeze completely.
My heart starts racing.
Victor rarely invites me to do anything with him.
For a moment, I wonder if I've heard him correctly.
"Yes!" I answer quickly.
"Don't take too long. Go pack your things. Carlos will pick you up at home when it's time to leave."
As soon as I get home, I rush to my bedroom and start packing without wasting a second.
"My goodness, sir! You're in such a good mood!" the maid comments as she enters my room.
"Victor invited me on a trip!" I say, trying to hide my excitement.
"A trip to celebrate your wedding anniversary?" she asks curiously.
My expression falls almost immediately.
"No... It's just a business trip," I reply, disappointed.
Wednesday, January 3, 2024
The flight was smooth. We're in South Korea now, but something about this place makes me uneasy.
Victor has rented a house, an old mansion with architecture that seems to date back to the Joseon Dynasty. It's strange. Almost unsettling.
He's gone to deal with the problems involving the client and left me alone. My uneasiness keeps growing, so I decide to explore the garden.
I walk among the trees until I stop in front of one in particular. It's enormous. There's something strangely familiar about it, as if I've seen it somewhere before.
There's a deep hole in the middle of the trunk. Curious, I reach out and slip my hand inside. My fingers soon brush against something solid: a small, rectangular object. Carefully, I pull it out.
It's an old book.
"What is this?" I murmur.
Written in Korean on the cover are the words: Book of Spells.
I clutch the book tightly and hurry back into the house, far too curious to ignore what I've just found.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I open it with trembling hands. A shiver runs down my spine, accompanied by a strange knot in my stomach. As I flip through the pages, I realize the book is filled with spells.
One of them immediately catches my attention.
Love Potion.
My heart races as I read the first few lines.
Maybe this is how I can finally make Victor love me.
Before I can read any further, I hear his voice calling out to me.
"Ariel, where are you?"
I quickly close the book and hide it inside my suitcase. Then I rush over to him.
"I'm here!"
Victor looks at me with his usual cold expression.
"Let's go to dinner," he says, his face as expressionless as ever.
"Where?" I ask excitedly.
"Somewhere nice. I think you'll like it."
Victor takes me to a restaurant by a river. The lights reflect off the water, creating a beautiful, almost romantic atmosphere.
"It's beautiful here!" I say, admiring the scenery. A little spark of happiness warms my chest.
But, as always, Victor ruins the magic of the moment.
"We're going back to Brazil tomorrow morning. Be ready."
"But already?" I ask, unable to hide my disappointment.
"We didn't come here to sightsee. We're here on business," he replies as if it should be obvious.
Friday, January 5, 2024
It's morning, and we're already back in Brazil. Right now, I'm sitting on the edge of my bed with the book open on my lap. It's fascinating and contains all sorts of interesting potions.
I'm fluent in Korean, but reading ancient Korean is incredibly difficult. Each potion requires a specific herb.
"The potion must be strained using the leaf..."
Wow, it's just like making coffee! So these potions can only be made once.
I write down the ingredients and quietly leave the house. It's still early, and Victor is asleep. I head out, buy everything I need, and pick up an electric kettle as well.
Back in my bedroom, I begin preparing the potion. As soon as the liquid starts boiling, I tear out the page containing the recipe and begin straining the potion into a cup.
Now all I have to do is mix it into Victor's drink... I think, staring anxiously at the little vial.
"Sir, are you awake?" the maid asks, knocking on my bedroom door.
"Yes, I am!" I reply.
"Mr. Victor is waiting for you to join him for breakfast."
"I'm coming! I'm just finishing getting ready."
I slip the vial into my pocket and head downstairs, trying to keep my nerves under control.
When I reach the dining room, I see Victor already seated at the table, flipping through some papers with his usual cold expression.
"Sit down," he says indifferently, without taking his eyes off the documents.
Suddenly, his phone rings, and he gets up to answer it.
My heart starts pounding.
This is my chance.
I hurry over to his cup, pull the little vial out of my pocket, and pour the entire contents into his coffee. My hands tremble as I empty every last drop.
Then I quickly return to my seat, trying to act as though nothing has happened.
Victor comes back, still on the phone. He picks up his cup and takes a sip.
With every swallow, my heart fills with warmth.
He finishes the coffee without noticing anything unusual, sets the cup down, and says, "I'm heading out. I have an important meeting this morning."
"See you later, Victor."
He gives me a brief glance, cold and distant, before leaving.
As soon as the door closes, doubt begins to eat away at me.
"Will it work?" I whisper to myself.
My heart is a mess. Victor is cold, distant, and has never shown me the slightest affection. Even so, there's something about him that keeps me hooked.
Maybe it's the way his serious eyes remind me of my teenage crush, Sasuke Uchiha.
Oh... I was so in love with him. I watched the entire anime just because of him.
The morning drags on, and my anxiety only grows. Before long, I start wondering: What have I done?
I'll find out soon enough. And whatever happens, I know it will change everything.
Suddenly, my phone starts ringing. Carlos's name, Victor's secretary, appears on the screen. I answer immediately.
"Hello, Carlos!"
"Sir, please stay calm."
My heart begins to race.
"What happened?"
"Mr. Victor has been in an accident. He's at the hospital."
My world seems to stop.
"What?! How did it happen? Is he all right?"
"He crashed his car. His condition is stable, but he hasn't regained consciousness yet. He suffered a severe blow to the head."
"Which hospital is he at?"
Carlos gives me the address, and I rush out without a second thought.
At the Hospital
When I arrive, I see Victor's father standing in the hallway. His expression is a mixture of worry and relief.
"Good morning, sir," I say, trying to remain composed.
"Good morning, Ariel."
"How is he?" I ask, unable to hide my anxiety.
"Thank God, he's out of danger. He just needs to rest."
"Can I see him?"
"Of course. Go on in and stay with him. I'm going out to get something to eat."
"Thank you."
I enter the room slowly, and the sight of Victor lying in bed makes my heart ache. He looks so vulnerable.
I approach him and take his hand.
"Victor, my love... Why did this have to happen to you?" I whisper, tears streaming down my face.
I sit beside the bed, still holding his hand, and rest my head against the mattress.
Suddenly, I hear a faint voice.
"Don't cry."
I lift my head immediately.
"Victor! You're awake!" I exclaim through my tears, overwhelmed with relief.
But something is wrong.
His eyes wander around the room as though he's never seen the place before.
"Where am I? What is this strange place?" he asks in confusion.
"You're in a hospital."
"What is a hospital? And why are you wearing such... strange clothes?"
A wave of uneasiness washes over me.
"Victor, why are you talking like that?"
He looks at me as though I'm a complete stranger.
"Why do you call me Victor? That isn't my name. I am the Crown Prince of the Great Nation of Joseon."
I feel as though the ground has vanished beneath my feet.
"The Crown Prince? What are you talking about?"
At that moment, the doctor enters the room, followed by Victor's father.
"He's finally awake!" the doctor says with relief.
I seize the opportunity to voice my concerns.
"Doctor, something's wrong with him. He's saying he's a crown prince... I don't know what's happening!"
Victor's father steps closer, looking visibly confused.
"Victor, what's going on with you?"
But Victor-or rather, the Crown Prince-stares at him coldly.
"I've already told you not to call me that! I am the Crown Prince of the Joseon Dynasty! And I demand to leave this place immediately!"
The doctor approaches cautiously.
"Please, calm down, sir. This could be a side effect of the head injury. Let's talk this through calmly."
But the Crown Prince abruptly gets up, attempting to climb out of bed.
"I don't belong here! Let me go at once!"
The doctor quickly adjusts his IV and administers a sedative. Gradually, the Crown Prince begins to lose his strength until he collapses back onto the bed.
"What's happening to him, doctor?" I ask, tears threatening to fall once more.
The doctor sighs thoughtfully.
"The impact may have caused a psychological disturbance. He appears to be experiencing a dissociative state, as though he genuinely believes he's someone else."
Victor's father presses a hand to his forehead, clearly shaken.
"Will this go away? Will he return to normal?"
"It's too early to say. We need to monitor him and run some tests."
I look at Victor's face-confused, pale, and distant-and feel my heart tighten.
"Why is this happening? Who are you...?"
And for the first time, I have the feeling that I'm facing a mystery far greater than anything I can understand...
Perhaps even greater than Victor himself.