I Am The Queen

Blue River City"s Medical Hospital

Under the warm rays of sunshine shining through the window of a clean well organized private room of the hospital laid a skinny woman. Her face was sunken and pale. Fine lines decorated beneath her eyes sprinkled with hues of purple. Her skin appeared dry while her lips were peeling. Nonetheless, she still acted full of life.

"Satele, you don"t have to visit me here every day. I"m fine. This is nothing but a minor check-up. You don"t have to worry about me. In a few days I"ll be discharged from here."

Satele momentarily paused from peeling apples and beamed at her mother. "Mom, it"s fine. The hospital is near my school anyway."

Selene looked at her daughter and her eyes instantly moistened while she fumbled her fingers. "I"m sorry, Satele. It"s because I"m like this that you and Seth are suffering. You even borrowed money from your friends for my operation. It"s because I have a weak heart that your father left us—"

"Mom!"

Satele abruptly stopped her mother from talking. She didn"t want to remember about her father nor anything that would remind her of that man.

Sighing heavily, she dispersed the gloom welling beneath her eyes while she forced a smile and held her mother"s hand.

"That"s not true. And besides, you no longer have a weak heart, remember? The operation is successful. It"s just… The doctor advises that you don"t work until he says so. So wait until then, alright? I"m sure that you will be in top shape and can take care of us by then."

She slowly stood up and brushed her mother"s hair after she handed over the peeled apples for her mother to eat. "In the meantime, allow us, your children, to take care of you…"

Selene"s shoulders slightly shook while her lips formed a grateful smile, yet desolate tears ran from her downcast eyes and dripped steadily into her hospital gown.

----

After Satele visited her mother and talked with her mother"s doctor, making sure that there was nothing wrong with her, she went home.

On the way, many thoughts ran through her mind like always.

Seth needed a laptop for his presentations and projects. Though he said that he didn"t need one, but he can"t always borrow his friend"s laptop or go to computer shops until in the middle of the night to do his projects. And the groceries are running out. I also have to pay this month"s bills and resupply my mother"s medications. Not to mention my mother"s monthly check up and the costly stay in that private hospital.

*sigh

Satele could only sigh at her current predicament. She was already doing night shift jobs after cla.s.s to supplement what little remained of her savings while her brother focused on his studies.

Meanwhile, during weekends, it was her little brother Seth who was doing part times jobs while she was busy doing house ch.o.r.es and catch up to her studies.

The only consolation she had was knowing that they have their own house now and didn"t have to waste money paying rent and didn"t have to endure being stuffed inside a small box. Though seventy percent of her so called borrowed money went to the house, and she had to lie about the fact that the house belong to them from her mother and little brother, she didn"t regret it one bit.

I guess I have to look for a part-time job during weekends as well.

In truth, she still had enough money for them to live freely for a couple of years, but those were reserved for her mother"s hospital bills and medicines and for emergency purpose only. All other reasons besides that, she had to take it from the money by doing part time jobs.

Satele continued walking down the path of that familiar route. She didn"t want to take the bus going back home since she was also saving that money. Even though from the hospital to their house would take almost an hour to walk, she didn"t mind. If possible, she wouldn"t even eat three times a day so she could save for food expenses.

*sigh

Another heavy sigh escaped from her lips. However, she abruptly paused while her legs retraced her steps and stopped in front of an advertis.e.m.e.nt board on the side of the cobbled pathway.

She stared on that specific spot without blinking while her lips gradually curved in a smile. Her hands immediately s.n.a.t.c.hed that piece of add, afraid that if she waited a moment longer, someone would steal it away.

Her jolly mood was short lived however as from the corners of her eye she saw some thugs ganging up on a poor abandoned dog in the sidewalk.

She was not particularly fond of animals. If ever, she was slightly allergic to furry pets if she stayed ten minutes by their side.

Her eyes unblinkingly followed every action of those two boys while her hand, holding her phone, snapped pictures after pictures of the scene.

She belonged to the newspaper club since it was always her dream of becoming a journalist. At first, it was merely because she wanted to write good stories about the man she loves, supporting him from the side. But now, she sincerely liked the prospect of becoming one.

Those two boys ganging up on a defenseless dog would be a ma.s.sive scoop for tomorrow"s news even more so that those boys wore Fate Academy"s uniform.

It was known throughout Burberry that Unmei and Fate were rival schools and any dirt she uncovered of the enemy"s school would instantly award her a nice pat on the back.

Not only would she unmask the heinous crimes of the two boys of her rival school, but in the process, she would also be able to contribute awareness about this issue — hitting two birds with one stone.

"What should we do?" One of the boys said. He was tall and lanky with piercings and spiky golden hair that gradually changes color to pink towards the end.

"It"s very weak. It won"t be able to attack us. Let"s just take it and…" The other boy answered back. He was short and fat with razor semi-bald hair.

Both the men"s exposed skin was covered in tattoos while their ears, nose and side of their lips were decorated with piercings.

Typical thugs in the alley and bullies at school.

This type of men doesn"t deserve any sympathy.

Satele mused to herself while she followed the two when they took the dog with them. She was slightly surprised when the two men hailed a cab and got in without a second thought.

Her mind instantly formulated absurd thoughts as to why.

Oh no! Are they going to take that weak dog in their hideout and roast it to be a snack during their drinking sessions?

Or are they going to this *** and **** and then they"re going to *** and finally ***!!

Various cruel and grotesque thoughts flew inside her mind, feeling excited for the unknown reason.

The more her story appear cruel, inhumane and s.a.d.i.s.tic, the more impact it would be towards the ma.s.ses.

Without a second thought, she hailed a cab and followed those two.

----

Inside a fancy, expensive, one of a kind Lykan Hypersport seated two men of extreme quality with a different demeanor. One with muscular physique leaning near the car"s window, his head propped against the back of his palm, legs apart, looking like the King of mercenary. While the other was tall and lean, sitting straight, legs crossing while fingers were interlocking on top of his limbs, looking like an amiable Prince in a prosperous kingdom.

"And… what are you doing here?" Asher asked, not really interested in the answer.

The other man just smiled yet his eyes were sharp while his aura turned icy and deadly amidst that gentle façade.

"Is that how you should speak to your older brother?"

Asher"s lips pursed in one line, beads of sweat formed on his face while his eyes kept avoiding the demon cloaked in angel"s halo.

Alvaro slightly chuckled as he spoke again. "I"m here to see Evangeline of course. It just so happens that we ran into each other at the airport. Such a coincidence, don"t you think? We really are loving bothers that even the heavens wanted us to be together on this journey towards our family."

Then Álvaro smiled with closed eyes and flashing teeth causing the air around him to sparkle in his radiance.

Asher only felt chills while chicken skin erupted from his body from the tip of his toes to the top of his hair.

Loving brother my a.s.s! You just wanted something from me!!

Asher just came back from Apricot country after he reported from his family. He was such in a good mood in returning to Burberry to finally be together with his beloved Evangeline, planning to surprise her.

However, it was all destroyed when he saw his two-face older brother waiting for him inside Burberry international airport.