The Queen of the Deck

The card trembled in my fingers, though my hand clutched it tightly.

The Queen.

The moment the men saw it, the atmosphere in the room shifted like a storm.

“She’s mine,” the golden-haired man said first, his voice dripping with charm but carrying a sharp undertone. He stepped forward with a smirk, flashing his Ace card. “The Queen should stand with the Ace of Hearts. We’d make the perfect pair, don’t you think, sweetheart?”

“Pathetic,” another voice cut in, cold and merciless. The silver-haired man adjusted his glasses, his gaze as sharp as a blade. “The Queen belongs with strategy and strength, not empty flirtations. This isn’t about romance—it’s about survival. And under my protection, she will live.”

“You mean under your control.” The billionaire, the Ace of Diamonds, scoffed. His tailored suit shimmered under the chandelier’s glow as he stepped closer. His eyes locked onto mine with possessive fire. “Don’t listen to them, Ivy. With me, you’ll never want for anything. Money, power, security—it’s all yours. All you have to do is stay by my side.”

A chair scraped as the man with dark hair, sitting silently until now, finally moved. He stood, towering, his expression unreadable yet filled with tension. “You’re all making this harder than it needs to be,” he muttered. His black eyes flicked toward me—intense, unwavering. “The Queen doesn’t need your promises. She needs protection. I’ll handle that. End of discussion.”

Before I could process his words, a low chuckle echoed across the room. The Joker. He leaned lazily against a pillar, spinning his card between his fingers with dangerous ease. “Tsk, tsk, gentlemen. You’re fighting like dogs over scraps.” His grin widened, feral and mocking. “But here’s the truth—you’re all wrong. The Queen doesn’t belong to anyone.”

The air grew heavier. The men tensed, glaring at one another, like predators in a cage.

And me?

I was the prey.

My lips parted, a protest on the tip of my tongue, but the weight of their gazes silenced me. The Queen card felt like it was burning into my skin.

How had my life come to this?

---

~Flashback~

One week earlier…

The smell of coffee, not gunpowder. The warmth of sunlight through my small apartment window, not the glitter of chandeliers. That was my world. Simple. Safe. Forgettable.

I worked part-time at a bookstore, surrounded by the scent of paper and ink, escaping into stories that weren’t mine. My life wasn’t extraordinary; it wasn’t even interesting. Wake up. Work. Go home. Repeat.

Sometimes I dreamed of more. Of danger, of passion, of a world that felt alive. But dreams were just that—dreams. I was nobody.

Or so I thought.

It started with an envelope slipped under my door. No sender. Just my name, written in elegant ink. Inside was a single card: the Queen of Spades.

I had laughed nervously, thinking it was some kind of prank. But when I stepped outside the next day, men in black suits were waiting.

“You’ve been chosen,” they said.

I ran. Of course, I ran. But no matter how far I went—down crowded streets, into dark alleys, even across city lines—they always found me.

And then, one night, they caught me. Dragged me into a limousine with tinted glass, pressed the card back into my hand, and whispered, “Welcome to The Deck.”

From that moment, my life stopped being mine.

---

~Back to the Present~

“You’re trembling.”

The voice jolted me back to reality. The Ace of Spades stood closest now, his cold eyes scanning me with terrifying precision. “If you want to survive, Queen, choose wisely. Align yourself with the wrong Ace, and you won’t live to see next week.”

Before I could respond, the Ace of Hearts scoffed and grabbed my wrist. “Don’t listen to him, Ivy. He doesn’t care about you. He only cares about winning.” His smile was infuriatingly bright, but his grip was firm, possessive. “But me? I’ll make this fun for you. You’ll forget all about the fear.”

The Ace of Clubs stepped forward in an instant, his hand snapping to the blond’s wrist, forcing him to release me. “Don’t touch her.” His voice was a low growl, dangerous. “If anyone lays a hand on her without her permission again, they’ll answer to me.”

Tension snapped in the air like a drawn bow. The two men glared at each other, ready to strike.

“Enough.” The Ace of Diamonds raised his voice, commanding the room. He took deliberate steps forward until he stood directly in front of me, his shadow swallowing mine. He cupped my chin, forcing my gaze to meet his. His eyes glittered with arrogance. “Don’t be fooled by their chaos, Ivy. You’re mine now. Everything you are, everything you have—it belongs to me.”

I froze. My breath hitched.

And then, from the corner, came the Joker’s slow clap. His laughter sliced through the tension.

“Oh, this is delicious,” he drawled, eyes gleaming with madness. “The Queen, torn between her loyal Aces. How tragic, how poetic. But tell me, Ivy…” His voice dropped to a whisper that still carried across the hall. “…do you even know why you were chosen?”

The question sank into me like ice water.

No.

I didn’t.

All I knew was that my life was no longer mine.

---

~Flashback (Unfinished)~

Back then, I still thought I had a choice. I still thought I could escape.

I remember standing outside the bookstore one last time, watching the rain slide down the glass window, telling myself that tomorrow would be normal again.

But the men were already watching. The game had already begun.

And I… I had already been dealt the Queen.

---

The men surrounded me, their voices clashing again—threats, promises, bargains I didn’t understand.

But one truth became clear as the Joker leaned in close, his smile dripping with secrets.

This wasn’t a game I could walk away from.

The Queen had been chosen.

And she was me.

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