All Chapters of The Queen Stands Uncoquered : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Chapter 1: My stepsister was wearing my wedding dress while I was dying on the floor.It was white, custom-made from Paris, with the Lane family crest sewn in diamonds on the back. My mother had ordered it for me before she died. It was supposed to be my coronation dress, for the day I became CEO of Lane Group.Now Chloe Lane wore it as she married my husband."Oh, Sophia, don't look at us like that," Chloe said, her voice sweet and fake, the same voice she had used since we were children. She held Ethan's hand tightly, her brand-new diamond — my diamond — flashing. "You were always too soft to run a company. Dad always knew it. Ethan always knew it."I tried to move, but my body wouldn't listen. The pain in my stomach was spreading. Cold. Wet. Blood.Ethan Cole, the man I had loved for seven years, the man I gave up an arranged marriage with the most powerful man in New York for, looked down at me with disgust.He kicked a stack of papers toward my face. They slid across the marble

CHAPTER 3: "I do."Two words. The entire Lane Group boardroom went dead silent.Alexander Knight's hand was large and warm around mine. Too warm. Possessive. Like he was afraid I would disappear if he let go.Ethan Miller's bouquet of roses fell to the floor."Sophia! What kind of joke is this?!" Ethan shouted, his handsome face twisting. "You are MY fiancée! You can't just—""Your fiancée?" I pulled my hand out of Alexander's grip just enough to turn around. I smiled sweetly at Ethan, the same sweet smile I used in my last life right before he killed me. "Ethan, did you forget? I broke up with you five minutes ago. In front of all the directors.""You—" Ethan looked at my father for help. "Uncle Lane! Say something!"My father slammed the table. "Sophia Lane! Do you know what you are doing?! Mr. Knight is not someone you can play with! This marriage alliance—""It's not an alliance," Alexander finally spoke. His voice was cold, low, and every director shivered. He didn't even look a

CHAPTER 7: The ward was so quiet you could hear the IV dripping.My hand was still in the air after slapping Chloe Lane. My palm was burning, red, but I felt more alive than I had in two lifetimes.Chloe fell back onto the cold hospital floor, her white dress now stained. She held her face with both hands, her eyes wide, not with tears — but with pure disbelief. In her twenty-two years of life, no one had ever dared to touch her. She was the little princess of the Lane family, the adopted daughter that my father loved more than his own blood. The girl who could cry and make the whole world stand on her side."Sophia Lane! You... you hit me?"Her voice trembled. It was the voice she used to use to frame me. The innocent, broken voice.My father, Robert Lane, finally reacted. He rushed over like a madman and pulled Chloe up from the floor, holding her in his arms like she was a fragile piece of porcelain."Sophia! Are you crazy?! Have you lost your mind?! Apologize! Apologize to your s

9:00 AM. Lane Group Headquarters.The entire building was waiting.Chloe stood at the entrance in a pure white designer dress, looking like an angel. She held Ethan Miller's arm. Her cheek was still swollen from my slap yesterday, covered with thick foundation, but she smiled perfectly."Everyone, today Sophia will officially take over Project Starlight. As her sister, I am so proud!" she said to the reporters she had secretly called.The reporters whispered."I heard she slapped her sister in the hospital yesterday...""She married overnight just for money, no wonder Chloe is more suited...""Project Starlight needs a clean image, not someone who hits family..."Ethan squeezed Chloe's hand. "Don't worry. Today the board will vote to remove her as Project Manager. My father already spoke to three directors. As long as you bring out your design, Starlight is yours."Chloe smiled. In her bag was a stolen design — MY design. The one I drew for three years for my mother's rose garden, tha

I won the board meeting, but I lost my appetite.I didn't go home. I went to my grandfather's old office on the 33rd floor. The office that had been locked since he died. My father had changed the lock, but Alexander's people opened it in ten seconds.The room was dusty. Grandpa's glasses were still on the desk. His chessboard was still mid-game — he was playing alone the night he died.I sat in his chair and finally let myself cry."Grandpa, I got it back. Starlight is mine again. Mom woke up..."Alexander didn't follow me in. He stood at the door, watching me cry, his hands clenched.He knew I needed this minute alone.When I wiped my tears, I saw a box on the bookshelf. A velvet box I had never seen before. Dusty.I opened it.Inside was a wedding dress. Not a modern white gown. It was an old, handmade Chinese red qipao wedding dress, embroidered with phoenixes and roses. My mother's favorite — roses hidden inside phoenix feathers.And a letter. In my grandfather's handwriting._To