I am the Queen

Three days passed after Evangeline last saw Eric, and she found herself flying straight to BlackPine after her release from the hospital. The news of Marcos Cole's incident and that he was calling for his grandchildren couldn't be ignored anymore.

"I don't understand why you wouldn't punish those girls?" Asher grumbled beside her.

Evangeline rubbed her temple. She didn't know how many times she was asked that question by the same man over and over again.

"As I said before, I already ruined their life. No point in ruining it more. It's already enough that they paid their crimes in jail."

Asher snorted, "You've become merciful, Eva. Know that for just even laying their dirty gaze on you, it's already enough reason to gauge their eyes out."

Evangeline rolled her eyes.

"Girls like those. If you don't instill fear, they'll just do it again." Asher's eyes turned to slit, and his hands were clenched so tight above his legs. "And if they even think of doing it again, I swear, not even you could stop me from taking actions into my own hands."

Evangeline just shook her head. She was not merciful. It's just . . . if she could put her feelings into simple words then . . . guilt? Remorse? Even if they meant only to scare her by locking her in the storage, putting their family in bankruptcy was too much. She changed their future. Ruined it. She couldn't blame them if they wanted revenge.

"The doctor said that grandfather's legs were affected by his second heart attack, and therapy wouldn't do good with his age, so he'll be in a wheelchair for the remainder of his life."

"Is that so," Evangeline said, bored, phone in hand. Eric might call or text.

Asher looked at Evangeline at the side. "You seemed unconcerned."

"I grew up not knowing him," she answered and faced Asher with a slight smile on her face. "So why should I be concerned?"

". . ." Asher just sighed and looked ahead. He knew that Evangeline still blamed the Cole for not rescuing her mother. Not that he could blame her.

"Whelp. We're here," he said instead.

 ----

"Eva, how are you. We're glad you came," Alex Cole greeted the moment Evangeline and Asher entered the Cole's mansion.

"I'm fine, Mr. Cole," Evangeline replied without an inch of a smile.

Alex beamed. "Call me uncle."

"We're not that closed for me to call you uncle." Then Evangeline made her way inside, feeling at home.

Alex's smile dropped while Asher snickered at the side.

"It's alright, old man," Asher said as he tapped his father's shoulder. "If it makes you feel better, Eva is like that to all except for me, of course. Since she and I are very close."

Alex just brushed his son's hand and followed Evangeline around.

"By the way, Eva. Alvaro said that he wanted to talk to you first," Alex said. He wanted to create a conversation to get close but the aloof nephew of his made it impossible.

"Is that so? Lead the way then," Evangeline said and roamed her gaze. "Where's Alexis?"

"With your grandfather. Your grandfather is very ill, and Alexis is taking care of him at the moment."

A smile that she couldn't hide appeared on her face. "Is that so." Evangeline bet Alexis was enjoying his time with his grandfather.

"Aren't you going to ask how your grandfather is doing?" Alex said as they stopped in front of Marcos's Coles office that was now Álvaro's office ever since Marcos was sick.

"He is still alive, so I'm sure that's he's doing fine," Evangeline replied without care and knocked before entering Alvaro's office, shutting the door on Alex's face.

Inside, Evangeline expected to see Alvaro on the monarch's chair only to be confused when the chair was empty, and the desk was full of scattered papers.

Walking near the table, she peeked down even though she knew that Alvaro couldn't possibly play hide and seek under the table. And just as she thought, no one was there. Not even a speck of dust.

Shrugging her shoulders, she was about to sit and wait for him when something caught her eyes. On the scattered papers, she saw Eric's face. And what seemed to be harmless words were a bunch of information she refused to read. But she couldn't help herself. Her curiosity won against reason.

As she read, the fog that layered around Eric was slowly disappearing. All the puzzles were connected at last. It was only information about Eric's previous jobs and the CEO of each company he had work. There was also about the Frizkiel myth. But it was enough for her to know why Eric wouldn't come with her. It was because he couldn't.

"Eva."

Evangeline jolted from her thoughts, and the papers in her hands scattered on the floor.

Facing Alvaro, Evangeline's smile was forced. "There you are. Where have you been?"

Alvaro was leaning against the edge of a wall. There was a smile on his lips that broke the hard lines on his face. His eyes were a bit red, and the skin around them were wrinkled and black. There were stubbles on his chin, and he seemed exhausted, like he had no rest.

The smile on Alvaro's lips stretched as he pointed towards a room. "Toilet."

"Oh." Evangeline flipped her hair and pretended that she didn't just look over his files. "Anyway, what do you want to talk about?"

Alvaro chuckled and approached her. "Nothing really. I just wanted to see how you are. I heard you caught a cold."

"It was nothing. It's just a minor cold. You know summer is hot in Burberry, and heatstroke is no joke."

"Is that so." Alvaro's brows rose, and the edge of his lips kicked up a grin. "And I also guess that the cut in your lips that you tried so hard to hide with a lipstick is also due to the summer heat?"

". . ." Evangeline's lips smacked in one line. She had the feeling that Alvaro already knew what happened. She didn't know how he did it, but this eldest cousin of hers always knew what was happening. Nothing seemed to escape him.

Evangeline looked away as she said, "Yeah. You know how heat could chop the skin on your lips. But anyway, you're not looking good. I guess even if it's you, being the Cole's successor is still too much, huh?"

There was something the way Álvaro smiled that made the fine hairs on Evangeline's skin stood on edge.

"Yeah. It is too much."

Evangeline felt that there was more meaning to what he said, but she couldn't ask when a knock on the door disturbed them, followed by a voice.

"Excuse me, madam and Master Cole, your grandfather is calling for you now."

Evangeline and Alvaro looked at each other before Alvaro extended his hand.

"Shall we?"