I am the Queen

After rounds of walking, the group stopped in front of a frosty glass door. The tall, gorgeous lady brought her palm against the glass, and a second later, the door opened, revealing what was inside.

Satele frowned, thinking that the security of the place was tight. Even she successfully followed the two, she doubted she could get past anywhere beyond this point.

They must really have something to hide!

Her nerves were hyperventilating in excitement and were slowly showing on her face while Asher threw a glance at her and smirked, which she reciprocated with a glare. She didn't waste any more time, brushing Asher to the side, she walked ahead, phone at the ready.

Satele stopped when another brightly lit hallway greeted her with transparent glass partitions at the side, and . . .

People?

There were also people. Ordinary people, sitting on the nearby lounge in contrast with the majority of people in lab coats going to and fro.

What is this?

She glanced left and right, but all she could see, besides the ordinary folks, were individuals in white coats and animals.

Before she could walk around to check, she felt hot air behind her ear, and she shivered beyond her control.

"This is the laboratory and the private vet section. Have you found anything worthy of your news? If you like, you can watch how the animals are dissected and put into jars and processed into meat," Asher said in undisguised mockery.

Pushing him aside, Satele walked a few steps away from him while holding her reddened ear. She was hot all over from shame and embarrassment at knowing that Asher found out what she was hoping to see, only to be slapped on the face that this area was meant to save the animals' lives.

Wait a minute . . .

Satele stopped for a second to think. What is he doing here? And . . . judging by the guard and the tall lady's attitude towards him . . . he seemed to be important.

She opened her mouth to ask, but another voice intruded in their space.

"Ah, Boss! You're here!"

All eyes zeroed at those two men in loose uniform with tattoos on their uncovered skin.

Those thugs who kidnapped the dog! Before Satele could think things through, her legs zoomed towards the two, and her mouth opened for interrogation. Her phone's recorder at the ready.

"You two, you're from Fate Academy, right? What happened to the dog that you snatched earlier? Is it dead? Why did you bring it here? Is it true that this place performed animal experimentation?"

The two men took a step back while raising both hands as they defended themselves against the barrage of questions and the approaching girl. "Whoa! What's with this chick?!"

"Have you received payment from this establishment to bring strayed animals here to be exploited? Or are there other reasons? Judging on how the staff received you earlier, it seems that you two are a frequent visitor to this place. Or are you secretly working in this establishment? Then––!"

Before Satele could finish her interrogation, a tall, well-built physique blocked her view.

"That's enough."

She glared at Asher and mocked, "Why? Are you feeling guilty now?"

Asher's face remained stoic, yet his eyes were blazing with furry, and Satele unconsciously took a step back.

"I don't care about what you do or what you're asking. But have more consideration to those who came here to have their pets healed."

. . .

. . .

Satele swept her surroundings and saw that most people were now looking at her, skepticism and worry on their faces. Drowning in shame and embarrassment, she lowered her head.

The place turned much colder and unsettling.

"Alright, alright. That's enough." Álvaro broke the awkward silence and put a lace around Satele's neck without a word that stunned the latter. And before Satele could react, Alvaro was already beside Asher, smiling, clearly enjoying the show.

Satele felt that the man was taking enjoyment in the misery of others.

Lowering her head, she checked the ID, which was hanging around her neck. It was a VIP access pass! She threw a gaze at the guard who was now back and standing behind the tall, gorgeous lady in a formal shirt and pencil cut skirt, looking all strict and disapproving at her.

Asher huffed a silent sigh as he faced the lanky and fat man behind him.

"What are you two doing here? Didn't I ask you to fetch me flowers for Eva? Why are you here?"

The lanky man was the one who answered while rubbing the back of his head, feeling a little scared. "Ah . . . well, the truth is . . . On our way to the flower shop, we came across a dying dog. He was run over by a car and was left on the sidewalk to die. Feeling his life is on the line, we brought it here."

Asher sighed and pinched the space between his brows. He never like cute pets, but to make his precious Eva happy . . . "How is it now?"

The two abruptly loosened, feeling their Boss was no longer angry at them for disobeying orders. Ehehehe, we know it. As long as it's related to her highness, the Queen, Boss will forgive us for anything!

"Don't worry, Boss! The dog is safe. Besides from its broken leg and dehydration, nothing else was life-threatening. The doctor said it would recover in days' time," It was the fatty who answered in full smiles. If he had a tail, it would be wagging left and right by now, asking for a pet for a job well done.

"Mm . . ." Nodding his head, Asher threw a glance at Satele. "You two, I have another job for you. Tour this woman around and answer all her questions."

The two men and Satele blinked. And before they could react, Asher, Alvaro, and the tall, gorgeous lady were already further along the brightly lit corridor.

They could only manage an "eh" before the three of them glanced at each other with a question mark on top of their heads.

----

"Eeehhh~ what is it again . . . ? We kidnapped the dog and brought it here for experimentation while we were compensated with a thousand bucks for our reward. And we are hooligans that do this kind of business for years now, and this place is actually a laboratory that uses animals for experimentation," the lanky man lazy narrated, picking his nose as they walked on the cobbled pathway around the establishment. When he got a booger, he casually flicked it to who knows where while sniggering.

The fat guy beside him guffawed as he added, "Ahahaha, that's a good one! Also, add that we kill animals to be appetizers during our drinking season! In that way, our image will become even more ferocious and intimidating. Ahahaha!"

Biting her lower lip in indignation, Satele watched the two laughed so nonchalantly. They were already walking for almost two hours around the place, and yet, none of her questions were seriously answered.

"You two! Be serious! Don't you know the severity of the issue if I wrote this? Tell me the whole truth, now!"

Lanky made a side glanced at Satele and resumed talking in a carefree manner, "The truth, huh . . . Even though the truth is already in front of your eyes, you still refused to believe it since what you want to write is something dramatic and eye-catching, right? Then, write what we said to you. Besides, even if you write it, without evidence, no one will pay it any mind. Instead, it will be you who'll be in trouble for writing without any bases."

Taken aback, Satele was quiet for a minute. Couldn't find the words to retort since what lanky said was mostly right much to her shame.

She hates to admit it, but somehow, she was becoming that kind of person who wanted to write something the masses would want to hear rather than the truth. She was slowly straying from her ideal profession, gradually becoming someone who wanted to stir the public's opinion to be famous.

She didn't know when it started nor what brought the changes. She was not that kind of person before. Was it brought by that woman? Was it brought by her circumstances? Or was it the harshness of society and reality?

She didn't know.

What she did know, to survive, kindness, compassion, honesty –– wasn't enough. She had to be ruthless and conniving, or else . . . she'd be stepped upon and push around for the rest of her life.

She wanted to change. Change her family's circumstances. She wanted to be the kind of woman who was respected and admired. Not the type of woman before her right now.

It was like a wakeup call to her. And this realization was brought about by these unexpected people who were considered a menace to society. Could there be any more ironic than that?

Clenching her hands, Satele stared at the two with all seriousness. Changing her way of speaking as she said, "Even so, if I wrote this and added the source that this information came from your mouths, from that alone, what do you think will happen to you two, huh?"