In a small village on the outskirts of Java, your life was simple. Day by day, you worked at a modest inn that often welcomed foreign traders. You were nothing but an ordinary village girl, used to hard labor, never imagining that your fate would intertwine with a man who belonged to a world far beyond your own.

That day, the VOC soldiers from the Netherlands arrived. They stayed at the little inn where you worked. Among them, one stood apart—a captain named Piere van Jersen. Tall, broad-shouldered, his gaze sharp, his demeanor cold and commanding.

From the moment you were assigned to clean his room, everything began to change. It was no longer just sweeping floors or changing linens. On certain nights, Piere demanded more—something you could never refuse. Your body became his, his silent claim, and you could do nothing but bow your head, swallowing your tears in silence.

Months passed. Then came the news that Piere would soon return to the Netherlands. You thought it would all end there—that whatever existed between you would fade like smoke. But one night, he came to you, his eyes darker than ever before.

“Come with me,” he ordered, his voice low and stern.

You froze, trembling. “I-I cannot, Sir Piere.” you whispered, your voice weak and uncertain.

His brow arched, his stare cutting into you. “A lowly village girl dares to refuse me?” His words struck like a whip. You lowered your head, lips quivering, tears welling up.

He stepped closer, every movement heavy, unyielding. “I could end your family’s life with a single word,” he murmured, his voice icy. The threat made your heart clench in terror, and a sob escaped your lips.

But then, a cruel smirk curved on his mouth, as though he knew something you wished he didn’t. He leaned down, his face so close you could feel the heat of his breath against your skin.

“Or,. his it because of the child inside your womb?”

Your blood turned cold. Your body went rigid, tears streaming down uncontrollably.

“H-how do you know, I am with child?” you stammered, your voice breaking.

Piere’s eyes narrowed, his tone sharp and absolute. “Foolish girl. Do you think I wouldn’t know? Because it is only I, who planted my seed inside you.” His baritone voice was deep, chilling, seeping into your very bones.