Fatal Game of Hearts

A month before the SAT exams, I was finally brought back to the Bowen family.

In fear that I would take back all the love and attention, Archer Bowen, the adopted heir, pouted to his childhood sweetheart.

"Keira, Zane pissed me off. Teach him a lesson. Go after him and make him fall for you. Then get photos of him naked and ruin him completely."

The next day, the school queen, Keira Johnston, showed up in front of me with a huge bouquet of roses while smiling like a dream.

"Zane, I like you. Be my boyfriend."

At the same time, a cold mechanical voice rang out in my mind: [Target has appeared. Host, begin conquering Keira Johnston immediately.]

I looked at Keira, who had once bullied me, and curled my lips into a faint smile.

"Sure."

Keira Johnston froze for a split second, then her smile turned even softer as she shoved the bouquet of roses into my arms. "Then come back with me tonight—"

"I don’t like roses. Bring me sunflowers next time." Before she could finish, I tossed the bouquet straight into the trash.

Her expression tightened, irritation flashing across her face like she was about to snap.

[Keira Johnston’s affection level: negative. Increase immediately.]

I beat her to it, my own face turning cold. "You said you like me. Don’t tell me you’re just fooling around?"

She instinctively opened her mouth to argue.

I looked her up and down, eyes narrowing slightly. "You were the one who confessed, which means you’re the one chasing me. Naturally, you should be giving me what I actually like. If it’s not sunflowers next time, we’re breaking up."

With that, I turned and walked off.

[Affection falling. Recalibrate.]

At the program’s urging, I let out a quiet, mocking laugh.

'Women are predictable. The better you treat them, the less they value you. Just watch. Within a week, Keira's affection level will turn positive.'

From that day on, Keira started bringing me breakfast in different variations.

Every morning, the surrounding students would stare at me in envy. After all, I was just a bookish nobody with thick black-framed glasses and an oversized uniform. There was nothing remarkable about me except for ranking first in the grade.

And yet somehow, I had the attention of the school queen.

For two days straight, I ate the breakfasts she brought without a word of thanks.

On the third day, I walked up to her holding a carton of milk. "I’m allergic to milk. As my girlfriend, you should remember that."

Keira responded gently, saying okay, without the slightest hint of anger.

Of course, she wouldn’t be angry.

Last night, Archer Bowen tried to provoke me, and I shoved him straight down the stairs.

When he ran to our parents to complain, I bit my lip, panicked, and denied everything. "I didn’t—"

Then something seemed to occur to me. I looked at him in disbelief. "Archer, did you fall on purpose to frame me?"

Just