The Heart’s Verdict

The day the exam rankings are released and I claim the top spot is also my older sister's birthday. During the birthday party, everyone asks what she wishes for. She turns her head and looks straight at my fiance, her red lips curving into a smile. "I want first place. Can you give it to me, Professor Howard?" The man lowers his eyes, saying nothing. The next day, my name disappears from the top of the rankings. After that, I fail to place five times in a row. When I confront my fiance, he simply hands me a slice of sponge cake and says, "Your sister has it hard. If she can't place first at Imperial Academy five consecutive times, she'll be forced into an arranged marriage with that crippled prince. As for you, you'll have other chances in the future." What he doesn't know is that I have no future left to wait for. As an illegitimate daughter, my engagement only exists because my mother sacrificed her life to secure it for me. Now, my mother is gone. And because my sister falls in love with my fiance, she makes my life miserable. To keep up appearances, my father allows my sister to propose a wager before the family council. If she can remain the academy's top-ranked student for five consecutive years, she will be allowed to take my place in the marriage. For that reason, I study by candlelight night after night, terrified of losing my fiance. But now, I rub the thick calluses on my palms. With a bitter laugh, I accept my fate.