She is back!
"Long time no see, Aurelia Prescott!"
Evangeline Kensington tilted her head slightly, her red lips curling into a charming smile.
Her voice was sweet, yet sharp, and her gaze held a wary edge.
She had known the woman standing before her for over a decade.
Everything she had now—her fame, her fortune, was tied to this woman.
Aurelia had once been the benefactor who elevated her, but Evangeline never expected their paths to cross again like this.
And yet, even now, when Aurelia was supposedly at her lowest, she still exuded elegance.
The Chanel spring dress she wore, fresh off the runway, gleamed like a sunbeam, its soft fabric shimmering in the light.
It burned Evangeline's eyes, a cruel reminder of how this woman always seemed to outshine her, even in defeat.
Aurelia, meanwhile, had been caught off guard.
Her mind buzzed, replaying fragmented memories of the past, but her instincts pulled her back to the present.
The sight of Evangeline here, now of all times, wasn't entirely surprising.
She had known this day would come eventually, but not so soon.
Of course, it made sense.
Evangeline had always been the woman Alexandrez Kings held closest to his heart.
Even now, with Aurelia's family in ruins and her life in shambles, it was no surprise that he hadn't hesitated to bring Evangeline back into his orbit.
But no matter how defeated Aurelia felt, her fighting spirit ignited the moment she stood face-to-face with Evangeline.
Love rivals had a way of sharpening a woman's resolve, and Aurelia was no exception.
Straightening her back, Aurelia stepped out of the elevator, her heels clicking against the polished floor.
She stood tall, naturally so, and the extra height from her elegant eight-centimeter stilettos only amplified her commanding presence.
She was half a head taller than Evangeline, and it showed.
Her lips curled into a slow, deliberate smile, her voice laced with a feigned warmth that sent chills down the spine.
"Yes, it has been a long time. I didn't expect to see you back in Everstone Hill so soon, Miss Kensington. Or should I say… the famous star, Evangeline Kensington. Congratulations are in order, aren't they? In just a few short years, you've risen to the top. Quite the talent, if I do say so myself."
The words dripped with mockery.
"You..."
Evangeline's face flushed green with anger, her polished facade momentarily cracking.
A wave of embarrassment crept over her, and it showed.
The recent rumors of her having a questionable relationship with a Hollywood director were still fresh.
Tabloid headlines claimed she had a mysterious sponsor backing her meteoric rise, and while Evangeline publicly denied the allegations, the whispers hadn't stopped.
Today, she had come to Kingcrest International for two reasons.
One: to confirm Aurelia's return.
And two: to beg Alexandrez for help in quashing the damaging headlines.
But before Evangeline could form a retort, her manager leaned in and whispered urgently, "Evangeline, Mr. Kings is waiting upstairs. Let's not delay any further."
The reminder snapped Evangeline back into composure. Forcing a smile, she quickly regained her air of superiority.
With a smug tone, she turned back to Aurelia. "Apologies, Miss Prescott. I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm afraid I can't. Alexandrez and I have dinner plans tonight, and I wouldn't want to keep him waiting."