Chapter 1 — The Pendant of Blood
The entire ballroom froze.
No one moved.
No one breathed.
Even the baby’s cries seemed softer now, as if the child could feel the terrifying shift in the air.
The king stood in the center of the marble floor, his gloved hand gripping the silver pendant so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His sharp eyes remained fixed on the young woman in the maroon gown.
The same woman everyone had mocked only moments ago.
The same woman the queen mother had slapped in front of hundreds of guests.
The same “worthless orphan.”
But now…
Everything had changed.
“Your Majesty…” one nobleman whispered. “What is it?”
The king didn’t answer.
Instead, his voice thundered through the hall.
“I said lock the doors.”
At once, royal guards rushed to every entrance.
Heavy doors slammed shut.
CLICK.
CLICK.
CLICK.
The sound echoed like gunfire.
Panic spread across the guests.
“What is happening?”
“Why are the doors locked?”
“Is there danger?”
The older woman—the queen mother, Isabella—forced out a cold laugh.
“Arthur, this is ridiculous.”
She stepped forward, still elegant despite the tension.
“It’s just cheap jewelry. Probably something she stole.”
She glared at the young mother.
“Even her trash has a story.”
The young woman flinched but tightened her hold on her baby.
Tears streamed down her face.
Her cheek was red from the slap.
She looked broken.
But the king’s expression darkened.
Slowly…
Dangerously…
He turned toward Isabella.
“Cheap jewelry?”
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
Isabella frowned.
“Yes. Why?”
The king raised the pendant for everyone to see.
Gasps erupted.
The crest engraved on it glimmered under the chandeliers.
A lion.
A crown.
And beneath it…
Three stars.
Every royal family member recognized it instantly.
Impossible.
No.
It couldn’t be.
One elderly duke stumbled backward.
“That crest…”
Another woman covered her mouth.
“Oh my God…”
The king’s voice cut through the room.
“This crest belongs to House Valemont.”
Silence.
Complete silence.
The name alone carried history.
Power.
Blood.
Fear.
House Valemont had once been the most powerful royal branch in the kingdom—until tragedy struck twenty-five years ago.
A fire.
A massacre.
A missing child.
Everyone believed the bloodline had ended.
The king slowly turned back to the crying woman.
“What is your name?”
She swallowed hard.
“M-Maya.”
“Full name.”
Her lips trembled.
“I don’t know.”
Murmurs spread.
The queen mother laughed again.
“There. You see? She doesn’t even know who she is.”
The king ignored her.
“Who gave you this pendant?”
Maya looked down at the silver crest.
Her breathing became shaky.
“My mother.”
The room stiffened.
The king stepped closer.
“Your mother?”
“She…” Maya’s voice cracked. “She gave it to me before she died.”
“When?”
“I was six.”
The king’s eyes widened.
“How did she die?”
Maya hesitated.
Pain flashed across her face.
“She was killed.”
Gasps.
The baby started crying again.
Maya gently rocked him.
“She told me to run. She said never let anyone take the pendant.”
The king’s voice dropped.
“What else did she say?”
Maya closed her eyes.
As though reaching into memories buried beneath trauma.
“She said…”
Her voice became barely audible.
“‘When the lions kneel, the lost star returns home.’”
The pendant slipped slightly in the king’s hand.
His breath stopped.
No.
No…
Impossible.
Only one person knew that phrase.
His younger sister.
Princess Elena.
The missing princess of House Valemont.
Dead for twenty-five years.
Or so everyone believed.
The king staggered back.
The entire room watched in disbelief.
Isabella frowned.
“Arthur?”
No answer.
The king whispered—
“That was Elena’s phrase.”
Shock exploded.
“What?!”
“Princess Elena?”
“She survived?!”
“No…”
The king stared at Maya.
His voice shook for the first time in decades.
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-four.”
The math hit him like lightning.
Twenty-five years ago.
The massacre.
A missing infant.
Twenty-four years old.
No.
No…
Could it really be?
Isabella suddenly stepped in.
“This is absurd.”
Her voice sharpened.
“She’s manipulating you.”
The king didn’t move.
“She’s lying.”
Still silence.
“She trapped your son with a baby and now she wants the throne!”
Maya looked horrified.
“No! I never wanted—”
SLAM.
The king smashed his cane against the floor.
Everyone jumped.
“Enough.”
His eyes locked onto Isabella.
“You slapped her.”
Isabella stiffened.
“She deserved—”
“Did she?”
The king’s tone became terrifying.
“She was disrespectful.”
“She was silent.”
“She embarrassed the family.”
“She stood there holding your grandchild.”
Isabella’s face tightened.
Arthur took one step closer.
“Tell me something, Isabella.”
His voice became ice.
“If she is who I think she is…”
He paused.
The ballroom held its breath.
“Do you understand what you just did?”
Isabella’s confidence cracked.
No.
No…
That was impossible.
“She’s no one.”
The king whispered:
“If she is Elena’s daughter…”
He looked at Maya.
“…then she is not no one.”
He turned to the crowd.
“She is royal blood.”
Gasps.
“And higher in succession than half this room.”
The hall erupted.
“What?!”
“This can’t be!”
“Impossible!”
Maya’s knees nearly gave out.
Royal?
Her?
No.
She had grown up hungry.
Abused.
Alone.
She cleaned houses to survive.
Worked double shifts while pregnant.
Slept in shelters.
No family.
No protection.
No name.
And now…
Royal blood?
She shook her head.
“No…”
Her voice cracked.
“No, there’s a mistake…”
But before anyone could speak—
A voice came from the back.
Cold.
Male.
Amused.
“No mistake.”
Everyone turned.
A man stepped out from the crowd.
Tall.
Elegant.
Dangerous.
Prince Adrian.
The king’s eldest son.
Maya’s husband.
The father of her baby.
He had been silent all night.
Watching.
Calculating.
Now he smiled.
A smile that made Maya’s blood run cold.
“Father.”
The king narrowed his eyes.
“You know something.”
Adrian’s gaze landed on Maya.
Then the baby.
Then the pendant.
“Yes.”
Maya’s heart pounded.
No.
What was he doing?
Adrian stepped into the center.
“I ran a private investigation months ago.”
The crowd gasped.
The king’s voice hardened.
“Why?”
“Because Mother hated her too much.”
Isabella stiffened.
“Adrian!”
He ignored her.
“You tried to destroy Maya from the first day.”
His voice sharpened.
“You bribed servants.”
Gasps.
“You poisoned rumors.”
Shock.
“You paid doctors to lie.”
Horror.
Maya stared.
What?
Adrian continued.
“You even attempted to separate her from our child.”
Isabella went pale.
“Stop talking.”
“No.”
Adrian’s voice thundered.
“Not tonight.”
The queen mother shook with rage.
“You ungrateful son—”
Adrian turned.
His eyes burned.
“No.”
Silence.
“For years, I obeyed you.”
His jaw tightened.
“I believed your lies.”
A dangerous pause.
“But not anymore.”
Maya whispered:
“Adrian…”
He looked at her.
And for the first time—
His expression broke.
Pain.
Regret.
Love.
“I’m sorry.”
Her tears fell harder.
He walked to her slowly.
Every step deliberate.
Then he knelt.
The prince.
Kneeling.
Before the woman everyone humiliated.
The ballroom gasped.
Maya froze.
Adrian lowered his head.
“I failed you.”
Silence.
“I saw the cruelty.”
His voice cracked.
“I saw what Mother did.”
Tears filled Maya’s eyes.
“And I stayed silent.”
He clenched his fists.
“That is my greatest shame.”
The baby cried softly.
Adrian looked at his son.
Then at Maya.
“If you can ever forgive me…”
He whispered.
“I will spend my life earning it.”
Maya trembled.
She had waited so long to hear those words.
Too long.
But before she could answer—
The king spoke.
“Guards.”
The guards stepped forward.
Arthur pointed at Isabella.
“Detain the queen mother.”
The entire ballroom exploded.
Isabella screamed.
“ARTHUR!”
Her mask shattered.
“You can’t!”
Arthur’s voice became absolute.
“I can.”
“You choose HER over me?!”
Arthur stared at her.
“No.”
He raised the pendant.
“I choose truth.”
Guards grabbed Isabella.
She struggled wildly.
“No! Let go!”
Her eyes burned with hatred.
She pointed at Maya.
“This isn’t over!”
Maya instinctively shielded the baby.
Isabella screamed:
“She should have died with her mother!”
Silence.
The world stopped.
Arthur slowly turned.
“What did you say?”
Isabella froze.
Too late.
Her eyes widened.
She had said too much.
Arthur’s voice became deadly quiet.
“What.”
Did.
You.
Mean?
Isabella’s lips trembled.
“No—”
The king stepped forward.
His eyes no longer human.
Only wrath.
“You knew.”
The truth crashed down.
Maya stopped breathing.
Arthur whispered—
“You knew Elena was alive.”
Isabella shook.
“No…”
“You knew about the massacre.”
“No—”
“You knew about the child.”
“No!”
Arthur roared:
“YOU KNEW!”
The chandeliers shook with the force of his voice.
Maya stared at Isabella.
Her entire body went cold.
The queen mother…
knew her mother?
Knew the massacre?
Knew why her mother died?
Isabella’s face twisted.
Then—
She smiled.
A terrifying smile.
“Yes.”
The room gasped.
She laughed.
A broken, horrifying laugh.
“Yes.”
Maya felt ice in her veins.
Isabella looked directly at her.
“I know exactly who she is.”
Arthur whispered:
“God…”
Isabella’s eyes gleamed.
“She is Elena’s daughter.”
Maya’s world shattered.
May you like
And Isabella delivered the final blow.
“I should have killed her too.”
