Chapter 2: The Game Begins
1258 Words
Selena sat beneath the cherry blossom tree in the garden, the petals dancing through the air like confetti from a celebration. The irony wasn’t lost on her—this place, once her sanctuary, now felt like a silent witness to her humiliation. But she wasn’t the same girl anymore. She wouldn’t let it happen again.
The first step was remembering everything—every lie, every whisper, every false smile. Clara hadn’t won by being smarter or more beautiful. She’d won because Selena hadn’t seen her as a threat.
But now she did.
The birds chirped in the distance, and the wind brushed past her skin, but Selena’s thoughts were fixed on Marcus Thorn. He would be the key to it all. She needed to act before he could get too close to Clara—or before Clara could play her favorite game again: seduce, manipulate, destroy.
“Selena?”
She turned.
It was Noah.
She hadn’t seen him yet in this new timeline. The sight of him made her heart jolt. Tall, with tousled black hair and kind eyes, he’d always been the quiet family friend, the one who watched from the background. She never realized how often he was there—offering help, covering for her, noticing things no one else did.
In her past life, he was the only one who attended her funeral.
“Noah,” she said softly, rising to her feet.
“You okay?” he asked, stepping closer. “You’ve been quiet today. That’s not like you.”
She gave him a small smile. “Maybe I’m just thinking more now.”
He chuckled. “That can be dangerous.”
“You have no idea,” she muttered.
He studied her for a second. “You look… different. Not in a bad way. Just—sharper. Like your eyes see more.”
She blinked. “Maybe they do.”
He nodded slowly. “Clara told me you snapped at her earlier. You guys fight?”
Selena tilted her head, amused. “Did she come running to you already?”
“She said she was worried.”
“Of course she did.”
Noah frowned. “Selena, what’s going on?”
She debated for a moment. He had always been kind, but kindness made people vulnerable—and she couldn’t afford weakness right now.
“Just realizing some truths,” she said. “And preparing for what’s coming.”
He looked at her like she was speaking in riddles. “You’re kind of scaring me.”
Selena gave him a gentle smile. “Good.”
—
That evening, Selena made her way through the city to one of the Hart Foundation’s charity events—an elite gathering filled with polished smiles and hidden knives. It was her parents’ world. Clara thrived in it. Selena used to hide in corners, trying not to stumble in her heels.
Not tonight.
She wore a deep red gown that hugged her curves and shimmered beneath the chandelier light. It was a far cry from the soft pastels Clara favored. Tonight, she wasn’t a shadow—she was a flame.
The moment she entered, heads turned.
Even Clara, dressed in powder blue and laughing at the center of a small crowd, froze. Her smile faltered as her eyes raked over Selena.
“Selena?” Joanna gasped, appearing beside her. “Why are you here? I thought you weren’t attending.”
“I changed my mind,” Selena said coolly. “After all, the Hart name belongs to both of us, doesn’t it?”
Joanna’s mouth opened, but before she could speak, someone else cut in.
“Well, well. Look who finally decided to show up.”
Selena turned, her gaze locking with Marcus Thorn’s.
Her heart didn’t skip.
It clenched.
Handsome, charismatic, and every bit the snake she remembered, Marcus looked just as she recalled—perfectly styled hair, a confident smile, and eyes that calculated everyone in the room.
In the past, she’d fallen for that smile. Tonight, she saw the venom behind it.
“Marcus,” she said, lips curving slightly. “Still as dramatic as ever.”
He laughed. “You always knew how to sting.”
She tilted her head. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”
He blinked. She watched as confusion flickered across his face before he masked it with charm. “You look stunning.”
“Thank you. I thought I’d try something new—being seen.”
Clara appeared, slipping her hand through Marcus’s arm like it was her place. “Selena, you look… red.”
“Bold colors suit me,” Selena said. “They’re harder to ignore.”
The tension between them rippled like a taut string. Clara’s grip on Marcus tightened.
Selena’s smile widened.
“I see you’ve gotten close,” she said, voice casual. “So soon after my engagement was called off.”
Clara’s eyes narrowed. “That was a mutual decision, wasn’t it?”
“Oh, of course,” Selena said sweetly. “Mutual… betrayal.”
Marcus coughed, clearly thrown. “Let’s not start drama at a charity event.”
“Why not?” Selena shrugged. “Drama is what this family does best.”
She walked away before they could respond. Every step sent a silent message: I see you. I remember. I’m not the same.
—
Outside on the balcony, she took a moment to breathe. The city lights stretched below, glittering like a field of stars. In her past life, she had stood here, alone, watching Clara and Marcus dance together inside. It had been the first time she realized she was losing everything.
But this time…
“You really made an entrance,” a voice said behind her.
Selena turned. Noah stepped onto the balcony, drink in hand, jacket slung over his shoulder.
“You followed me?” she asked, amused.
“No,” he said. “I was watching you.”
Her brow lifted. “That’s not creepy at all.”
He laughed softly. “You’re different, Selena. It’s like you know things none of us do.”
She leaned on the railing. “Maybe I do.”
He studied her for a long moment. “You planning something?”
“Always.”
“Is it dangerous?”
“For some.”
Noah hesitated. “You know… I’ve always had your back.”
She glanced at him. “Even when I was being replaced?”
“You were never replaced. Some people just… never saw your worth. But I did.”
Her chest tightened. In her past life, she hadn’t realized how deeply Noah cared. She’d been too caught up chasing love from people who never deserved her.
She reached for his hand. “Then I hope you’ll still have my back when everything starts to fall apart.”
He didn’t flinch. “I will.”
Selena smiled. For the first time in years—maybe ever—it felt like someone was truly on her side.
—
That night, in her room, she opened a fresh notebook.
She titled the first page:
“Operation Rebirth: The Fall of Clara and Marcus”
Then she wrote:
1. Gain power at the Hart Foundation.
2. Win back public influence—events, charities, attention.
3. Watch Clara and Marcus—record everything.
4. Expose them, one secret at a time.
5. When they break, make them beg.
Selena closed the book and leaned back.
This time, she wouldn’t die a forgotten daughter.
She’d live as the woman they never saw coming.
- Writer
