I am the Queen

Driving home towards their hotel with the prize in the back of his car, completely wrapped and sealed, Alvaro was in an excellent mood. He even forgot his irritation at Maxine when she forced him to accompany her.

While Maxine contained her happiness, tapping her fingers together, she spoke with an excited tone, "Alvaro . . ."

"Hmm?"

"About that sculpted rose . . ."

"What about it?"

Fidgeting on her seat and roving her eyes left and right, Maxine continued, "What are you going to do about it?"

Alvaro smiled as his eyes never left the road. "I\'m going to gift it to someone."

"Oh."

Biting her lip, Maxine restrained a squeal and rearranged herself on her seat. It was nearing her birthday, and she was happy that Alvaro remembered. She didn\'t inquire anymore since she didn\'t want to spoil the surprise.

When they reached their hotel, Maxine didn\'t enter her room. Instead, she peered at Alvaro, who was standing in the door beside hers.

"Alvaro."

Alvaro stopped opening his door and turned to face her. "Yeah?"

"Uhmm . . ." She turned her head away from Alvaro\'s gaze as she said, blushing, ". . . Why don\'t we explore Frizkiel some more before we return to BlackPine since we are already here?"

The smile on Alvaro\'s face disappeared though his look stayed gentle as ever. "About that, I have something to do here in the following days. So I have to ask you to return to BlackPine without me. Or if you like, you can explore the country on your own. Or, if not, I\'ll hire someone to take care of you."

". . ."

Flabbergasted, Maxine couldn\'t react at all. Her eye wide and jaw slacked while she watched Alvaro smiled at her and bid her goodnight and went inside his room.

W-Wha . . . what?!

A bit lost at the sudden proclamation, Maxine could only turn towards the confinement of her room and weep her heart out.

Alvaro was still angry at her!

Else, he wouldn\'t say such unkind words to her. He was shooing her away!

Crying still, she picked her phone and dialed a number.

"I want you to investigate something."

----

The moment Alvaro was inside his unit, he went to his bedroom. Not one bit guilty at what he said towards Maxine. The woman was clearly getting out of hand. If he didn\'t teach her a lesson, he was afraid her actions would cause him unnecessary troubles in the future.

He had always indulged her. But now, he didn\'t want to spoil her any longer.

He removed his clothes and hit the shower. After, he dried himself before going to his walk-in closet with nothing on but a piece of a towel wrapped around his waist. He chose a very casual back v neck long sleeve shirt and black pants and oxford shoes before he wrapped a trench coat around him and casually got out from his room.

He was thankful that Maxine wasn\'t in front of his door. He was relieved since he didn\'t want to formulate excuses to enjoy himself.

He arrived in the basement and hopped inside his car, where the sculpted rose was in the backseat, protected and sealed. And not long after, he drove towards the private residential area exclusive only for the rich and the famous. He couldn\'t pass in the gate, though. He was blocked by securities asking for his identification and the person he was going to visit so late in the night.

Smiling, he fished out his identification card while saying, "I\'m here to visit Miss Rozienheim."

The guard didn\'t budge even after knowing who he was. They just nodded before picking up their phones.

After seconds, the guards stared at him and nodded. Their facial features were loosening a bit. "Mr. Cole, I\'m sorry for holding you. Miss Rozienheim is expecting you now."

Restraining his smile to blow in a full wide grin, Alvaro gave his thanks and drove to Rozienheim Mansion.

As Alvaro neared Rozarria\'s home, deferent trees, plants, bushes, flowers decorated each side of the road, and an image of the dense landscape appeared in his mind when winter is over. It would be a jungle, in an organized way.

Even before he neared the towering gates made of real diamonds and gold, it opened, welcoming him. He didn\'t saw any guards, but there were a lot of cameras. Not a soul was seen, but he got this feeling that many eyes were observing him, lurking in the dark. And not before long, he saw the imposing mansion –– or more like a palace made of precious stones.

It was a combination of baroque and rococo and other styles mixed in harmonious form. Eggshell matte colored white walls and real gold embellishments. French window bigger than a man, elaborate moldings, cornices, and sculptures carved by artisans in all kinds of stones.

At first glance, the structure was simple –– unbefitting of the CEO of Rozienheim Corp. But Alvaro knew the materials alone were quite alien and rare.

The leaves from the embellishment alone were carved in emerald sprinkled in gold dust. The frames of the window were made of real gold. The fountain at the center of the well preserve manicured lawn was carved in crystals and diamonds. Sculptures sculpted from bronze and gold, their eyes embellish with sapphires, peridot, ruby, opals and all other stones.

The mansion itself was a treasure trove!

After circling the enormous crystal fountain, Alvaro parked his car outside a gigantic crystal door where an older man in butler\'s suit stood and greeted him.

"Good evening, Mr. Cole. My name is Haier. My lady instructed me to led you inside. If you will follow me."

After returning the greetings, Alvaro followed the old man inside the manor. Along the way, he marveled at Rozarria\'s estate. Almost everything inside was translucent!

She must be fond of crystals and diamonds and the color white and gold. It was apparent from the crystal floors, ivory-colored walls, and golden ceilings where gigantic chandeliers hanged above. Thousands of glittering crystal as chains and diamonds pendalogoue lined its chandelier arms.

The mansion was quiet. Too quiet that Alvaro heard his own thumping heart. The place was big, and yet the only person he saw was the old man. He thought maybe the maids were sleeping.

If only they could hide their murderous intent, he would probably think that way. I guess everyone here is trained, including this old man.

He puffed a dry laugh as they continue to traverse the maze-like corridors until they stopped in front of a large door made of bronze.

The butler bowed before he left in silence. So silent that not even his footstep was heard until he disappeared in the darkness.

Hiding a light smile, Alvaro knocked on the door before he opened it. To his surprise, contrary to the door\'s sturdy and heavy appearance, it was light, and it moved from just the slightest push.

Alvaro entered the dimly lit room and found the object of why he was here. In the middle of the night, holding the glass cage where the ice sculpted rose glowed inside, gently illuminating the room in a chilly blue, he sauntered in her direction.

He didn\'t even care that the door closed behind him. His eyes stayed on one spot, zeroing on the icy face of the woman who was sitting at the edge of a Queen size bed. Her posture was straight, slender legs crossing while two palms resting against the mattress. Her face was stony as ever while her eyes shone in the brightest of emerald, causing the background and even herself to dim in comparison.

But that didn\'t bother him. What did bother him was, she was not wearing anything other than a lacy white lingerie underneath a silky robe hang loosely around her shoulders.

His pair of eyes lingered at those two plump flesh, soft and proud. Under the blurry lights, her pinkish buds fought the constraint of her lingerie. Her cleavage in full view, almost slipping from her nightwear.

"Mr. Cole."

Her soft, forlorn voice snapped his eyes towards her face. Not one bit ashamed he was caught staring, he smiled. "Just Alvaro, miss Rozienheim."

Rearranging her position, she parted her legs before she crossed it on the other side, allowing him a peek of what was hidden beneath the lingerie. If before he wasn\'t sure, now he was one hundred percent sure, she wasn\'t wearing any underwear. His cock throbbed, growing by the seconds.

Rozarria tilted her head at the side, slurring as she said, "Then, Alvaro, you can call me Roz."

The woman was good. Alvaro mused to himself.

It caused him, a man who had many experiences, to lose control and reverted to a hormonal boy with just one move.

The smile on his face stretched into a grin while the kind eyes he harbored turned into slits.

"Regarding why I\'m here," he extended his hand, holding the ice sculpted rose, "I want to deepen our friendship and give you this as a sign of my goodwill."

Staring at the glowing rose, Rozarria\'s expression didn\'t change. With grace and poise, she stood and walked towards Alvaro without a word.

The sweet, milky, after shower aroma, wafted through Alvaro\'s nose at the nearness of the woman causing the lopsided grin on his face to froze for a second.

"Thank you," she said, brushing her fingers against his with the lightest of action which he knew was intentional.

Placing the ice sculpted rose in the bedside table, her expression remained passive as she said, "Though I\'m honored to receive such an expensive gift," she then turned and faced Alvaro, "I too should return the gesture as my sign of goodwill, no?"

Placing both hands inside his pockets, he chuckled. "It\'s not necessary."

"Surely, you jest." She crossed the distance between them and stopped inches from him.

"You came so late at night just to give me this?" Her brow rose, skepticism written all over her face. "I think that\'s not all why you came here, right?" Her voice turned low at the end.

Alvaro didn\'t say anything. The smile on his lips didn\'t lessen. He was just standing there, staring at her.

"I have nothing of equal value to give you at the moment since you came in short notice," she said as she removed her robe, and it cascaded against her skin into the floor. "But I know a very sure way to deepen our friendship. I hope this will suffice."