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Chapter 1

Jill

Age 9

Once upon a tiirl with a crown too heavy for her head and a prince as ready to steal it all for himself

“No, give that back!” I screaht off my delicate head

He laughs out loud and spins around on the grass a few feet away froer and thu smirk on his face He blows aside a strand of his brown hair, his dark eyes taunting et it back”

My eye twitches, and ritted teeth

When I approach hi it impossible to retrieve

“Stop,” I hiss

“No,” he replies, grinning so broadly I want to take off these pretty new heels I got from Mom and jab them in his face

Instead, I dig uard He twirls the crown around right as I catch up, giggling hard as he sidesteps to avoid me “Missed,” he muses

I growl in frustration “Luca!”

“Jill!” He ih-pitched tone, and the sound makes my blood boil

“C’hs as she follows us around the garden in her pink dress

“What, Jasmine?” he scoffs

“It’s not funny!” I ju it up and down, out of le

So I stop and put ainst my side “Why do you do this? Huh?”

He raises a brow and shrugs “Because you look stupid”

My jaw drops, and a gasp escapes my mouth “I do not!”

“Only queens and princesses wear crowns,” he retorts “And you’re neither”

I’ht exit from my ears “I am a queen!”

He waggles a finger “Queens are only queens if they’re ” He plops the crown onto his own head “Maybe I’ll be one now”

Jasle, but when I look at her, she slaps her hand in front of herto hide it

“C’mon then, Jill You wanted to be a queen,” Luca jests, and he waves his hand and dips into a bow

I frown “What? You want me to be your queen?” I snort out loud

He cocks his head “A queen isn’t a queen if she isn’t married”

I revolt at that thought

MeLuca? No way