Evelyn's POV
“That's enough everyone, let's not forget the main reason we are here,” someone interrupted and everyone fell silent.
The servant ushered us to the corner of the room and I couldn't be more grateful. Being in the midst of attention was the last thing I wanted. Especially not when my mother and step-sister were involved.
I paused instinctively when Seth's phone rang in the hall, and he quickly reached for it in his pocket. “Yes, babe. I know, I already told you that I'll be coming early today. I'm still stuck with work but don't worry I'll be fast,” he strolled out of the hall to continue the conversation without turning to acknowledge my presence.
Seeing how unsettled he looked; it was already clear who he was on the phone with. Veronica's insecurities were so obvious that I wondered how long she intended to keep up with that.
Refocusing my attention on the beautiful hall, I ventured around the place.
The grand hall, dubbed estate, was a masterpiece of architectural innovation. Soaring ceilings, supported by slender, gilded columns, seemed to disappear into the heavens. Walls adorned with intricate, hand-painted murals depicted celestial scenes, while floors made of polished, silver-veined marble reflected the colors of the dawn.
A majestic chandelier, crafted from hundreds of delicate, crystal shards, hung suspended, casting a kaleidoscope of colors across the room. Delicately carved, rosewood panels lined the walls, adorned with quotations from ancient poets.
At the hall's center, a stunning, turquoise-tiled fountain bubbled softly, its gentle melody harmonizing with the whispers of conversation. Exquisite, stained-glass windows filtered the sunlight, casting rainbow hues across the floor.
“It's a nice place, right?” Someone asked, causing me to halt in my step.
The place was indeed beautiful. I averted my gaze to the unknown lady, who stared back at me with a smile. The group of ladies beside her seemed to be interested in the conversation as they turned to look at me.
“You're the girl who gave the Alpha king's mother that special oil right,” someone asked behind me and I almost jerked back in shock but quickly straightened myself.
I slowly turned to her with a smile. “That's correct,” I replied nonchalantly, taking in yet another appearance. She was dressed in a beautiful green gown and her hair was dressed elegantly.
“It was a nice gift, and I was curious to know who you managed to get the properties in the oil. Have been looking for something to help with my insomnia as well,” she started, looking fascinated by the idea of getting the idea from me.
“Are you the one who blended it?” The lady from earlier asked as she moved closer. I also realized that I was already surrounded by the group with a burning gaze.
“Yes, I blended them myself. The properties aren't difficult to find as long as you know where to get them and how to use them,” I explained, amused that they were so engrossed in the conversation.
Stella was somehow right. Among all the gifts presented today, mine was the least that could possibly stand out. I only made it with the idea of giving the Alpha King's mother an oil to boost her vitality.
“That's unique. I have to admit that among all the gifts, yours was truly exceptional. I wonder if you could help with the ingredients so you could prepare one for myself. I mean, that's if you don't mind,” a lady in the group inquired.
“I'd love one too,” another chimed.
“You know, I have been looking for a way to have a nice scented oil that can help with my mental health. I believe pleasing the Alpha King's mother night opens a door for anyone of us who's lucky. Who knows, one of us might become her daughter-in-law. Just imagine being the Luna of the Silver Universe Pack. The title alone is filled with power,” a lady pretended to shudder while others nodded in agreement.
“I know most of you won't believe this, but I had had an encounter with the Alpha King before. It was brief, but enough to leave an unforgettable Impression. I have to admit that the man is truly ethereal,” a lady, said her tone barely a whisper.
“That's correct. Although I have no personal encounter with him, my brother has and he never let me hear the end of it. The Alpha King really holds so much power that his presence cannot be easily forgotten,” they continued to share their experience while I watched with little interest.
“So you all believe him to be spellbinding?” I asked in disbelief. I couldn't believe ladies of high-society would gather around like high schoolers just because of a man. How many admirers did this Alpha King have?
A lady caught my expression and her eyes zeroed on me. “You don't seem impressed. Probably because you haven't met him in person but trust me, he is actually breathtaking. Without shame, I'd confidently say that he's the most handsome man in the entire world,” she added. “I'm sure when you see him, you'll fall in love with him immediately,” her crimson lips stretched with a smile.
Most handsome man with ethereal beauty. How strange that those words only brought a particular person to my mind. Sharp jawline and a dangerous beauty that I had never seen before. I quickly removed the thoughts of him from my mind. Our conversation last night was the last.
Suddenly, I felt a chill down my spine and the room became quiet, and it felt like the rook held its breath.
Turning slowly to see the reason for the silence, I noticed a tall imposing figure walking into the hall at the entrance.
He strode down the hall, his commanding presence echoing through the corridors. Chiseled features, carved from shadows and light, formed a dangerously handsome face. Piercing gunmetal eyes seemed to bore into the souls of those he passed.
“He's so handsome,” the whispers faded as my gaze locked on the stranger. My eyes widened in disbelief, wondering if I had been transported into another world or if I was hallucinating.
His confident stride devoured distance, each step exuding authority. Broad shoulders, encased in tailored perfection, stretched his bespoke suit to its limits. A crisp, white shirt accentuated his bronzed complexion.
A strong jawline, sharp enough to cut glass, clenched subtly, as if daring the world to challenge him. Raven-black hair, styled to perfection, framed his face. An aura of power, polished and refined, surrounded him like an invisible cloak.
Who, was this even possible? What was he doing here?
He looked just the same as the person I had been seeing for three years. However, at the same time he looked like nothing like him. His expression was colder, and dangerous. He looked so unapproachable, the opposite of the playful, pleading and kind man I had been with for three years.
“I think he's coming this way,” another voice resounded, but I was in a daze, finding it difficult to pull my gaze from the mysterious man who just walked in.
His footsteps ensued until he got closer, and my heart skipped a beat the moment he walked past me. I gulped painfully as I turned slightly to the lady beside me who appeared to be holding her breath as well.
“W-who is he?” I stuttered as I stared at him in terror as he made his way to the middle of the hall where the Alpha King's mother sat.
“He's the Alpha King,” she confirmed, admiration imprinted on her face, but my mind went blank and my eyes almost popped out of their sockets.
How was it impossible? No. There had to be a misunderstanding but merely looking around I knew I wasn't having a nightmare. This was real, and I badly wished the ground would open beneath me.
Evelyn's POV As I bid farewell to Francis, he turned to me with a mischievous glint in his eye. "I'll be texting you once you're back home, Evelyn. Don't forget to reply, I know you're very busy."I laughed, feeling a sense of gratitude towards him. "Thanks for helping me out, Francis. I owe you one."
Stella's POV I stood on the stage, my eyes fixed on the host, my mind reeling with shock and denial. "What...what are you talking about?" I stuttered, my voice trembling with rage.The host's expression was somber, his voice firm. "Stella, I'm afraid it's true. Your design has been found to be plagiarized. It's identical to one created six years ago by the world-renowned jewelry designer, Missy
Dylan's POV I stood in front of the hospital room, a bag of food in my hand, and a pang of regret in my heart. I had missed the chance to say goodbye to Evelyn, leaving her side to grab a bite to eat. When I returned, I found that she had already left, but not without leaving behind a small token of our encounter.On the bedside table, a rabbit-shaped hairpin lay waiting for me. I picked it up,
Dylan's POV I sat in my dimly lit room, my eyes glued to the computer screen as I watched Evelyn's design competition unfold online. The model wearing her stunning necklace, "Time", strutted confidently down the catwalk, and I couldn't help but notice something peculiar. The model's eyes seemed strikingly similar to those of my nephew, Lucy's son. I leaned in closer, my brow furrowed in concentration, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I didn't have any concrete evidence to confirm my suspicion, but the resemblance was uncanny.
Evelyn's pov I stood backstage, my heart racing with anticipation as the co-host announced the final two contestants of the jewelry design competition: Stella and me, Evelyn. The crowd erupted into applause as we made our way to the stage, where our models were waiting to showcase our designs.The competition had been grueling, with 100 designers from all over the world vying for the top spot.
Evelyn's POV I smiled as I answered the phone, hearing Francis's voice on the other end. "Hey, Evelyn. Just wanted to check in and make sure you got back to your hotel safely last night.""I'm okay, thanks for asking," I replied. "I reached my hotel without any issues."There was a moment of silence, and I wondered if Francis was busy. "Hey, are you busy?" I asked.But Francis quickly replied, "No, I'm free. I only have a show tonight, so I've got the day off."I thought for a moment, and then asked, "Want to grab lunch?"Francis agreed, and I sent him the location of a nearby restaurant. I quickly changed my clothes and headed out to meet him.As I arrived at the restaurant, I saw Francis already waiting for me outside. I felt a twinge of apology for keeping him waiting. "Sorry to keep you waiting," I said, smiling.But Francis just smiled back, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I was already close by, and besides, I was only a minute early," he said.I laughed, feeling a sense of
Evelyn's POV They ran without looking back but I could still see in the darkness. A thug with yellow-dyed hair was with my purse. Another thug with dreadlocks was with the gun but I could tell that it wasn't a real gun, judging by how his hand trembled when pointed the gun at me. Without hesitation, I removed my high heels and began to chase after them. I swiftly kicked down the thug with yellow-dyed hair, my foot connecting with his stomach. He doubled over, gasping for breath.Next, I turned my attention to the dreadlocked thug, striking him with my shoe. He stumbled backward, momentarily stunned.Just as I was about to deliver another kick, a young man dressed in white lunged at the dreadlocked thug, pushing him down. I was caught off guard, and my kick went wide, causing me to twist my ankle. I winced in pain, momentarily off balance.The white-clad young man was no match for the thug, and he was quickly pinned down. But I wasn't about to let the thug get the upper hand. I quick
Evelyn's POV The door creaked open even though I tried my best to make it soundless as possible. As I stepped into the villa, the sense of familiarity came crashing down on me but I pushed back the feelings that brought a dull ache to my heart. steeling myself, I made my way upstairs and into my room. I turned on the light and the room came to life and I went to the closet. I slowly took off the clothes in it and put them into the luggages. Thankfully there weren't that many clothes in the closet so I was done within an hour."Where are you going?" The voice made me halt and the familiarity sent chills down my spine. I didn't have to turn around to know who it was behind me. What was he doing here and was he here all along?"I asked a question, Evelyn. Where are you going?" He asked again when he didn't get a response from me.Still acting ignorant, I continued throwing the clothes in my luggage until the last article of cloth and then I zipped the back, turning around to walk past
Evelyn's POV I fell into steps as she led me to a small but modest looking house. The outside had a plain colour to match that of the neighbours. The colour was meant to make the house blend although the structure of the house was like any normal buildings around the premises. "I'm sorry, If I had known that I'd be having visitors, I would have arranged the house to be more presentable. Or at least left the house in a more comfortable way," she joined trying to cut the tension in the air. I knew it was as awkward for her as it was for me. However, her plan worked and I couldn't help but chuckle, trying to look at the bright side of things even though we both knew the reason she hadn't been around.It was clearly because she was in prison for a crime she was wrongly accused of. Everything was self defence but she had been in prison for far too long just because Stella didn't want to help her. "Please, make yourself comfortable," her voice broke my reverie and I turned to look at her