Hearts heartbreak:The Crown's Bitter blood [1]

A hollow crown: The Queen's Last Deception

Back at the castle, Ace, still disguised as Lovely, had just returned after quelling a group of escaped criminals from the dungeons. Though the escape of the real Lovely gnawed at her, she maintained her composure as she was summoned by the queen. Walking through the grand halls, she could feel the gravity of the situation pressing down on her. Yet, beneath the surface, a thrill of triumph surged through her veins.

The chamber doors loomed ahead, and with a calm grace, Ace pushed them open and stepped inside. Courtney, Lovely's stepsister, was already there, kneeling beside the queen. Her white hair was tightly bound in a bun, and dark shadows marred the skin beneath her weary, crystal-blue eyes. Courtney barely acknowledged Ace's presence, her attention consumed by the sight of their ailing mother.

The queen lay in her velvet bed, her once-vibrant hair—a striking blend of red and silver—now thinned and frail, falling in wisps against the pillow. Her body had wasted away, leaving her a skeletal figure, clinging tenuously to life. Ace knelt beside her, carefully arranging her expression to mimic sorrow and concern, though internally, she reveled in the queen's pitiful state. "What a pitiful creature," she mused, hiding her disdain behind a mask of grief.

The queen's voice, weak and raspy, broke the heavy silence. "My beautiful daughters," she began, each word a struggle. "I have thought long and hard about who should take the throne of Wonderland. And I have decided... I give my throne to my Lovely."

Ace's heart pounded—not with surprise or sadness, but with exultation. "I'm the queen of this deck," she thought, a fierce determination igniting within her. "And I will demand the respect I deserve. Soon, I will be queen." But outwardly, she assumed an expression of shock and deep emotion. She let out a choked, "Mother," perfectly mimicking Lovely's voice, her eyes glistening with feigned tears. "I love you," she whispered, leaning in to hug the dying queen.

As she embraced the frail woman, Courtney stood silently. She offered a bittersweet smile, her heart too burdened by grief to feel jealousy or resentment. Unaware of the deceit unfolding before her, she quietly left the room. The queen's breaths grew shallow, and she whispered in Ace's ear, "I'm sorry... for always pressuring you. I truly love you... Continue baking and follow your dreams."

The queen, believing she was holding her beloved daughter, Lovely, closed her eyes for the final time. Her last breath escaped her lips as she died in Ace's arms, never knowing that she had passed the crown to an imposter. Ace clung to the queen, savoring the moment of victory, her eyes gleaming with the knowledge that Wonderland would soon be hers to rule.