The grand ballroom of the royal palace gleamed under the soft glow of chandeliers , the golden light reflecting off every polished surface. The air was alive with music and laughter , but despite the merriment around me , my thoughts were clouded.
I, Apple Red , the only daughter of Earl Red, stood at the entrance of the ballroom, my heartbeat a dull throb beneath my Twilight dress , My usual red ribbon styled on my dark wavy hair..as usual. My fabric clung to me in all the right ways ,but tonight..it was nothing to what I faced. My engagement to Robin , the crown prince , had be planned for years-until Ella Glass appeared , like a shadow thrown over my future.
As I made my way through the crowd , eyes followed me. I was, after all, supposed to be the future queen. But now, I felt like a stranger in a life I had called my own.
Robin stood at the center of the ballroom, laughing softly with the guests, his red hair flickered brightly like the fire. His prescence dominated the space , tall and broad-shouldered , his charm pulling people in. And then there was her. Ella Glass . A delicate beauty with skin as pale as vanilla , her hair a cascade of golden curls , and those ridiculous glass slippers glittering as she twirled under the chandeliers . Everything about her screamed perfection , and I ? I couldn't stand it.
I swallowed my bitterness , trying to maintain my composure as I approached. "Prince Robin," I greeted with a perfect curtsy . My lips curved into a practiced smile , one I had perfected through years of court training.
"Lay Apple," his smile polite but distant . He hadn't looked at me like that in years.
Ella , always the perfect charmer , turned her delicate face towards me. "Lady Red," she said, her voice soft , sweet , and insufferably innocent.
"It's a pleasure to see you again."
"The pleasure is min," I replied , my voice smooth . Too smooth , I throught , as my eyes glanced at her glass slippers as she stepped a bit away seeming to have realised she been clinging on to a man with a fiance. How do those even hold up?
But before the conversation could countinue , a familiar voice cut through the crowd , calm yet commanding.
"Lady Red , You look striking tonight."
I turned , instinctively tensing. Jack , the duke of the North , strode towards us, his expression cool and unreadable , his silver hair swept back in effortless style. His posture was imposing, his tall frame dressed in the finest black velvet, a clear contrast to the glittering spectacle around him. Jack wasn't the type to blend in. He commanded attention by simply existing.
"-You look striking tonight." As soon as the worde left his face , I swear I could have seen something flicker Robin's eyes...His brows furrowed slightly, though he masked it with a polite smile.
"Thank you , Your Grace," I replied , meeting Jack's gaze with a mixture of caution and curiosity. I knew better than to take his words at face value-there was always more beneath the surface with him.
Ella , ever the perfect diplomat , smiled sweetly her eyes narrowing just a fraction as she caught the shift in Robin’s expression. “Indeed, Lady Apple, you do look lovely tonight. Twilight blue suits you.”
"How observant of you, Lady Glass," I replied smoothly, keeping my tone light, though the undercurrent of tension was unmistakable. Robin's gaze lingered on me for a moment longer before he turned back to Ella, his grip on her waist tightening ever so slightly. It was a subtle gesture, but it spoke volumes.
"Prince Robin," Jack interjected, his voice cutting through the thickening tension,
"you seem... distracted."
Robin cleared his throat, his composure returning quickly. "Not at all," he replied, though his glance at me lingered once more.
"Simply appreciating the company of such distinguished guests."
Jack’s smirk deepened, a flicker of amusement in his dark eyes. He knew exactly what he was doing, stirring the pot just enough to keep things interesting."Distinguished, indeed," he murmured, his gaze briefly locking with mine before he turned back to Robin.
"But as I said earlier, we shouldn’t lose sight of the night’s true purpose."
His words were a subtle nudge, a reminder of the engagement that had yet to be formalized. Robin’s face stiffened slightly, and Ella’s smile wavered, if only for a second. Jack’s presence was like a knife in the middle of a delicate dance, sharp and ever-threatening.
---
As the evening wore on, my frustration simmered beneath the surface. Robin and Ella twirled together on the dance floor, their laughter filling the air. I could feel the weight of judgment from the crowd, their eyes on me like needles, pricking at my composure. My fists clenched at my sides, the tension building. Beside me in the quite garden facing balcony , Jack stood silently, his cold, assessing gaze never wavering.
I shot him a sharp look, my patience fraying. "And what would you have me do, Your grace?" My words dripped with sarcasm, masking the knot of anger tightening in my chest. "Poison her glass slippers? Or perhaps the apples she eats?"
For the first time that night, I saw Duke Raventhrone’s lips twitch into something resembling amusement. He tilted his head slightly, considering me with those cold, calculating eyes. "Poisonous apples..." he mused softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I like it."
His casual delivery sent a shiver down my spine. He was never one to joke, and the way he said it, with that calm, detached tone, left little doubt that he meant it. For a fleeting second, the absurdity of it all almost made me laugh—poisoning apples, like something out of a child’s fairytale. But then again, wasn’t that what this was? A twisted, political game where fairy tales and real danger intertwined.
His’s eyes locked onto mine, that ghost of a smirk still playing on his lips. "Make a contract with me, hm?" he said, his voice deceptively soft. "And I’ll ensure you get what’s rightfully yours."
I swallowed hard, the weight of his words hanging in the air between us. "And what exactly would that contract entail?" I asked, though I already knew the answer. With Him , there were always strings attached, always a cost to everything he offered.
"You already know," he replied, his voice dropping lower, as if we were conspiring in the shadows. "Poison her slippers, the apples—whatever you choose. But don’t lose this battle, Apple. You’re more dangerous than she could ever be, and you know it."
I looked over at Ella, still glowing like some ethereal creature in her glass slippers, twirling in Robin’s arms as if the world were hers to take. My heart twisted painfully. It should have been me standing beside him, laughing at the absurdity of it all, but instead, I was here—on the sidelines.
Jack leaned closer, his breath warm against my ear. "It doesn’t take poison to win a crown. Sometimes, you just have to remind them of the bitter taste of the apple they’ve forgotten."
I pulled back, meeting his gaze, and for the first time that evening, I smiled—a small, dangerous smile. “And if I do?” I asked quietly. “What then, Jack? What do you get out of this?”
His eyes darkened, the amusement fading as quickly as it had come. "I get to watch the game unfold," he said simply. "And perhaps, the satisfaction of seeing you take what’s yours."
For a moment, we stood in silence, the ballroom’s noise fading into the background. I looked over at Robin, then at Ella. The bitterness that had been gnawing at me all night surged once more, but this time, it was accompanied by something else—something darker, more determined.
"Very well," I said softly, my voice carrying the weight of a decision made. "I’ll play."
Jack’s cold smile returned, satisfied. “Good. Just remember, Apple—sometimes the simplest tricks are the most lethal. You don’t have to poison the whole fruit. Just one bite will do.”
With those parting words, Jack disappeared into the crowd, leaving me alone with my thoughts—and the growing realization that tonight, I wouldn’t be the one left behind.
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