Queen of Hearts

When the bell of Sacred Heart Academy tolled the thirteenth chime, I finally realized—it wasn’t marking time. It was counting down to death. They said those kissed by Lucas would forget pain. But no one warned me that prey marked by Marco would sin just by breathing. That day, I collapsed in the rain, trembling, until Lucas lifted me into his arms. His fingertips were warm—like the first light of spring breaking through ruins. “Don’t be afraid,” he whispered. “I’m taking you home.” But the moment he leaned in, I heard a cold laugh from behind. “Your home?” Marco leaned against the wall, tie loose, eyes sharp as blades. “The day she was born, her fate was written—belongs to me.” From then on, my world split into two nights. One beneath stained glass, where Lucas fastened a silver chain around my neck, vowing to atone for my sins with his life. The other deep inside an underground casino, where Marco gripped my chin and forced me to drink red wine: “Good girl. This is your inevitable coming-of-age.” I heard their names echo together in class. At the ball, both asked me to dance—one hand offering roses, the other a dagger. In the darkest corner of the library, Lucas kissed me, trying to cleanse the brand Marco left behind—while Marco smiled and recorded it all: “Look how good your beloved is at self-deception.” Then came the day Lucas knelt before me, holding a ring in his palm. “Marry me. Let me take you away from all this.” At that very second, my phone vibrated. A video from Marco—my parents bound to chairs, faces bloodied. And five words beneath: “Who do you think deserves you?” I finally understood—this was never a choice. The moment I stepped into Sacred Heart Academy, I wasn’t a lover. I was a sacrifice. The spark of their war. And… the only one who could burn their lies to ash. Now, it’s my turn to set the pendulum in motion. The next chime won’t shatter a heart— It will crush the altar.