I am the Queen

Days passed, and the relationship of Alvaro and Rozarria improve each passing day that even the people around them started to notice. Not that they were hiding it in the first place.

They finally reached the last camping site, and in the earliest hour of the morning, they would set out to climb the peak. Judging by the time, they might reach the summit by Christmas.

Opening his eyes, Alvaro saw Rozarria sleeping so soundly against his chest, snuggled to perfection in his arms.

She's so adorable!

His hand drifted to her hip and pulled her closer. This action, however, had woken Rozarria. Lifting her head, she made eye contact with him.

"Good morning," Alvaro greeted, all smiles.

Rozarria felt the surge of warmth at seeing him, but she masked it in the form of a pout. "It's too early . . . ," she complained, irritated he had woke her from a peaceful slumber.

Looking at her, Alvaro's eyes softened. Behind that paralyzed face was a smile waiting to be tempted out. And when their eyes met once more, he didn't have to try, a genuine smile naturally formed on his lips. She blushed, and there it was again, an image of her gently rubbing her bulging belly while smiling at him.

He wanted her. More than before. More than he knew possible.

His hand around his hip tightened, pulling her closer, wanting to merge their bodies.

She spread her little fingers against his chest, intending to push him away, but instead, she was caught in his heated gaze, and her limbs turned to jelly. Must he be so handsome?

Her breathing quickened as did his. A low constrained moan escaped her lips when he caressed her neck with light, delicate kisses.

She forced herself to push him away but couldn't. Her strength gradually left her, and what was left was her trembling body.

He angled his head and saw him drawing in closer and closer. She was surprised to find she welcomed the approaching kiss with her own parted lips.

Their hot breaths mingled, and they could hear each other's low erotic breathing mixed with anticipation. Their lips connected, firm against each other, but yet remained soft, gentle, and slow before they move in perfect sync.

Their entire body was quickly consumed with overwhelming euphoria of lust. He moved his hand from her hip to the back of her head. His fingers tangled in her long white hair. He pulled it, adding pressure to their intertwined lips, deepening the kiss.

No one knew how long the kiss lasted nor who had ended it, but they found their selves cuddled to each other.

Rozarria was curled against Alvaro's chest while the latter was lying on his back, an arm supporting his head while his other hand gently caressed her hair, eyes staring at the ceiling.

"You should go and get ready," Rozarria said after a while.

"Mmm . . . ," Alvaro responded, didn't hide the unwillingness in his tone.

He took in an audible breath and sighed before he kissed Rozarria on the forehead. Pushing himself up, he got to his feet, but before he unzipped the tent, he turned back and grinned.

"I'll see you later." He then went out after zipping the tent.

It was still dark with the sun nowhere to be seen, and the only light was coming from inside the tents sprawling around the campsite, preparing to climb the peak.

Whistling, he sauntered back to his tent in a good mood until his mood plummeted when he saw Maxine inside his tent the moment he got in. He didn't know how long she was standing there with an arm clasping her elbow.

She gazed up at him. Her smile was tense, and he knew she was about to say something he wouldn't like.

He returned her smile. His usual smile when he was masking his diabolical side.

"Maxine, what are you doing here?"

". . . Alvaro . . . ," she started. Her shoulders rolled forward, which made her chest cave, and her neck shrunk in a timid pose.

"Can we . . . talk?" she said after a short paused.

"Can it wait? I have to get ready for the climb, and you should too." He walked past her and began to pack his things.

The moment she didn't question him about his whereabouts was enough indication that she knew where he was.

"I-I don't mind that you're . . . having sex with other women . . . really, I don't . . . B-because . . . you're only playing around, right?"

Alvaro stopped what he was doing. Since she already knew, and since he was not hiding it, he might as well tell her now.

He rubbed the space between his brows as if to ward off the incoming headache. He sighed and faced her, carefully controlling his tone.

"Maxine, I wanted to tell you this after the climb since this is not a conducive place to talk about it. But I guess prolonging it further will do you no good."

Seeing how serious he was, Maxine's blood pressure rose, and a sinking feeling hit her stomach.

"I'm going to marry, Roz," Alvaro said, voice slow and low but with no room for argument.

"W-what?"

Maxine's head pounded, causing the world around her to spin while her fingers gripped her elbow.

"Y-you're joking, right?" she asked with a faltering smile, tone shaky in disbelief.

". . ."

When Alvaro didn't answer, Maxine's unsettled eyes turned dimmer, and tears pooled beneath her eyelids, washing a path on her cheeks. She slowly slid, knees giving out, and she collapsed on the ground. The hollowness in her chest was heavy, and a roiling heat erupted in her belly at the realization that was sinking in.

"That's not fair!" she snapped.

Her face twisted in anger she never knew she could portray. "I have loved you since we were kids. I was always by your side. I was the one who stayed with you throughout the years. I waited for you. Waited for you until this day . . . and now . . . you tell me that you're going to marry some slut you just met?!"

Couldn't control her boiling anger, she pushed herself up and stormed towards Alvaro. Her fingers then sprawled against his chest as she asked in hysteric voice, "Why don't you like me? What does she have that I don't? I have been by your side the longest and yet . . . Why? Why her and not me?"

Watching her like this, Alvaro admitted that he was a bit sad and guilty. After all, she was like a little sister to him even though she was annoying.

But what could he do? His heart had already made up its mind, all thanks because his brain had slipped up. He planned to get close to the Frizkiel through Rozarria. But after they had sex, his body yearned for her again and again until his heart grew fond of her, which he didn't know was possible. And now, he could no longer stop it. His mission changed from getting close to the Frizkiel to getting her heart. For that reason –– he would do anything.

Even he had to disobey his grandfather and break the relationship between two families. Even he had to sacrifice this woman.

Chuckling with an edge, his eyes narrowed. "Maxine . . . do you know what is not fair?"

Maxine quieted down when she saw Alvaro's eyes, which contained absolutely nothing, and all her fine hairs stood in alarm.

"What's unfair is you forcing your love on me and ask for my affection in turn. How many times have I told you that I don't like you that way? How many times had I told you not to wait for me and find someone else? Did you listen? No. And now you're accusing me of being unfair for not reciprocating your feelings?"

"I . . ." Maxine didn't know what to say. The words got stuck in her throat.

"And you're asking why her and not you? It's simple. Because I fell in love with her."

". . ."

Those simple words were like a bomb in Maxine's ears.

"T-that's not true . . . ," she whispered. Anything but that. She would accept any reason but that. If Alvaro loves her then . . . she had no chance at all.

"You lie!" she screamed before her face turned pleading. "Y-you're only saying that because you're angry at me, right? You don't love her, right? Right?!"

". . ."

Alvaro stared at her without any fluctuations on his face before he shut his eyes and sighed.

"Maxine . . . give up. I will never reciprocate your love. Especially now that I have found Roz."

". . ."

Maxine bit her lips. Sobs racked her body as she turned and trudged away.

Watching her go, Alvaro couldn't say he was truly happy. But he couldn't let it continue. At first, he thought it was okay just to marry her than suffer a shitload of stress and pressure from his family until Roz came into his life.

He wouldn't claim he was not at fault. After all, deny as he might, he still let it progress to this point.

Now, he could only wish she too find her happiness.