I am the Queen

The lush forest of trees and all kinds of shrubs swayed as the last crumpled of leaves hanging on the twigs fell and danced with the approaching winter breeze.

For the students in Unmei Academy, they were struggling for the fall exam, while the eagerness for the two months long-awaited holiday vacation was pushed at the back of their minds.

And for Evangeline Heart, she was also struggling –– for a very different reason. If Eric was cutting their time days ago, now, she literally couldn't get hold of the man.

She was able to see and be with him only, and only during lectures and school hours. But before and after that, he completely disappeared to who knows where.

She even went to places he was working at, but to her chagrin and annoyance, Eric was no longer working there. She asked about his new working place one time only to be rejected by his silence. She even secretly stalked him only to lost him time and time again.

Eventually, she couldn't stand it anymore and had him investigated, and found that he was unexpectedly working at Sparkling entertainment and nothing more.

And now, she was standing alone in the school's garden, on her favorite spot beside the lake, leaning against a gigantic millennium-year-old tree, busying herself with her phone.

Hmp! If you won't come to me . . . then I'll go to you.

Gazing at the sky, Evangeline smirked when she finished what she was doing. Though Eric was avoiding and accompanying her less and less, she was still trying to be persistent to be with him.

"Evangeline!"

Upon hearing that meek voice, which was pretending to be intimidating, Evangeline's jolly mood plummeted.

"Hello, Ms. Lacroft. Do you need anything from me?"

Evangeline's lips quirked in a taunting smile when she saw the approaching woman with her bouncy pink curls swaying from her every step. Her eyes were red while her cheeks were puffy, appearing like she was about to wrestle her.

Sisley stopped meters away from Evangeline and said with a voice thick with accusation.

"Stay away from Daniel."

Evangeline's gaze, which was scrutinizing Sisley's worn-out appearance and puffy eyes were narrowing. She didn't want to know nor care why the woman who was always fresh as a newly blossomed flower would look like a wilted cactus in the desert.

Though the corner of her lips twitched upward, guessing Daniel must have done something to make her, the usually meek and pure and naïve Sisley Lacroft, be this fuming mad, stomping her way to her.

"Miss Lacroft, don't you have eyes? That's what I've been doing these past months."

Sisley glared and retorted, "Don't lie to me! I know you secretly met up with him."

Tilting her head, Evangeline asked, "Where's your proof?"

Sisley bit her lips. Her eyes reddened from the frustration of talking to Evangeline. She realized that no matter how much she screamed and got angry at her, Evangeline would remain calm while she ended up infuriated.

Deeply breathing, Sisley calmed herself as she controlled her rage. The thought that Daniel was cold towards her because of the woman, made her want to pull Evangeline's hair out.

However, she held herself since fighting Evangeline wouldn't solve anything. Thus, she started to reason with her.

"Evangeline . . . I know that what I did to you is unforgivable . . . , but Daniel and I truly like each other. I think it's wrong for you to stick your nose in our relationship."

Instead of getting angry, Evangeline giggled dryly. "Miss Lacroft, I honestly don't know what you're talking about."

The fury which was somewhat sated was beginning to boil once more as Sisley snapped, "Don't pretend that you don't know! If it's not you . . . then . . . then . . . Daniel's attitude towards me would never change."

In contrast with Sisley's innocent face, her voice was screeching, turning low in a huff, trembling tone towards the end.

Evangeline's face then lit up. She thinks I'm the cause of Daniel's sudden change?

She huffed a soft and mocking laughed before she snorted in indifference. "How Daniel is treating you had nothing to do with me," she said, lips kicking in a sarcastic smile. "Have you ever thought that he's doing it because of his status as a Prince? I mean, let's be real here. Have you not ever realized the obvious or you chose to ignore the truth that Daniel is a Prince, and you are . . . what? A daughter of a businessman? Tycoon? Maybe from a long line of some ancient noble family? Oh . . . right, just a messily daughter of a salaryman."

Sisley's face, which was red with contained anger, gradually turned pale. Her eyes reddened, and water pooled beneath her eyelids.

Evangeline ignored Sisley's pale face and continued to berate the naïve woman nonstop.

"Do you think there is an ever after between you two? I think it's time for you to wake up and smell the reality, Miss Lacroft. The sooner you realize your standing, the sooner you'll be out from the pain. I mean, there are other men out there. Don't waste your time on a person who you cannot reach. Why stick to a man who doesn't love you that much? You're losing your sense of self."

. . .

. . .

Sisley's face turned gloomy, and her tone was foreboding.

"Evangeline . . . you're only saying that because you don't understand. But once you do, try saying it on my face again."

Turning away, Sisley wiped away her tears as she left, not glancing back.

". . ."

Evangeline watched the back of the departing woman while her smile never left her lips, yet her brows crumpled in a furrow.

What's that even supposed to mean?

----

The production crew of VY magazine, a fashion magazine renowned throughout the globe, were busy going in and about getting the lights, backdrop, cameras ready for the shooting.

Angel Lin was inside her private trailer while her styling crew was busy dolling her for the shoot.

At the side, Eric was occupied getting everything Angel might need. His position was Angel Lin's personal assistant's assistant. Since Angel had many projects and drama series and movies, her assistant needed another assistant to do all the miscellaneous things while Angel's personal assistant handles the celebrity's schedules.

It was already a week that he was working for Angel Lin and had somehow gotten the hang of his work. Though he got scolded here and there, he quickly got used to it since all the people in this field were always busy and panicking, irritable, and impatient with the slightest delay.

And these past days that he was working for her, he noticed that Angel Lin was a woman of passion towards her craft, and he developed an admiration for her dedication and professionalism.

Though she made enemies like the few women she worked with for the reason she only demanded perfection. If she were not satisfied with the take, she would retake it a few more times, causing her colleagues to cursed her in silence.

However, Eric sympathized with Angel. He saw that she really loves what she was doing and wouldn't tolerate anything less, which made the people admire her and made some women jealous, while in secret, revered her.

It was no wonder she was the top among the newcomers of celebrities and a popular one at that. She indeed had the talent and attitude to be on top of her generations.

Though Eric also sympathized with Evangeline as to the reason why she hated Angel, it didn't mean that he too would have a biased attitude towards the latter. Even more so that he saw Angel's dedication and eagerness for perfection –– it was hard for him not to admire her.

Like now, Angel's personal assistant and manager were trying to convince her to change her mind about going out towards the frozen lake with nothing but a nightgown and an oversized cashmere fur coat –– barefooted!

Since it was nearing winter and they were currently shooting in the northern mountain parts of Burberry, the place was covered in snow, and the lake was already frozen solid. The temperature dropping to terrifying negative degrees while any heat coming from their mouths turned to fog.

Angel was insisting––no, already decided that she would shoot at a natural background rather than leave everything to CGI, which was rare for any celebrity to do, especially considering it was raining a bit of snow outside, which was the intended climate for the pictorial.

While the production crew loves it because, besides cutting the cost, the natural background was the best setting they could wish for. And it would be good publicity if they announced everything on the pictures was shot in an actual natural scenery.

Thus, the current predicament.

Even with all the nagging from her manager, Angel remained smiling and steadfast in her decision, which her manager sighed in surrender while her personal assistant, Fey, hurried towards Eric.

"Get the cold medicine and ginger tea ready at all times as well as some heat packs, like a lot of them. And ready warm water and some towels and comforters."

Eric nodded before he hurried and did everything that was instructed to him.

Fey watched the nerdy man's back, a little distracted in thought. Not much could be said about his face or that nerdy, weak countenance, but his work ethic was undeniably first class.

She was in a daze. She didn't know why, but she couldn't help but look at the nerdy man every time he was in her line of sight.

He appeared to be unnoticeable, but once noticed, she found her eyes kept following him. And oddly enough, she found the nerdy man pleasing to the eyes the more she stared at him. His wide shoulders, broad chest, tapered waist, and those long slender legs. And this was coming from her! A person who saw every celebrity there was up close!

In fact, if no one saw his face, everyone would think that he was a model or an actor or someone important from his posture alone.

Fey shook her head and scolded herself. What am I thinking? He's just an ugly, poor nerd.

She then quickly walked towards Angel while the latter got ready for the shoot.