The Downfall Of The Queen

Emerald's POV

BRAYNK!! BRAYNK!! BRAYNK!!

The irritating sound of the alarm clock woke me up at six a.m.

"ERGGGGH..." I groaned, covering my ears with my pillow, waiting for the alarm to stop and change to    Shawn Mendes song, There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back, to play.

The song played and when the beat turned faster, I was wide awake and out of bed. I was dancing and singing on my way to the shower. I just love singing. Music is life for me.

After I showered for thirty minutes, I stood inside my two-story closet, with my arms clasped together under my chest and my foot tapping on the floor. I was wearing a white robe and a towel wrapped around my wet hair.

I heaved a long impatient sigh. I was there for nearly fifteen minutes trying to pick a dress but could not decide which one. "Ugh! I should go shopping. I don't have a dress to wear in the office anymore." I rolled my eyes and picked the all white business suit, with a thin shiny gold belt.

If you think picking a dress was hard, picking shoes was harder. Because it should match the bag. I spent another fifteen minutes picking among the choices. I settled on my white five inch stiletto shoes and white Hermès Birkin bag.

Doing my hair and makeup took me another thirty minutes. I wanted my hair perfect and my face looking so fresh and flawless, like that of a cover magazine. I had a room full of    high end brands of makeups. Tons of foundations, concealers... eyeshadow palettes, contour kits, blushes, highlighters, lipsticks and others, to achieve the look I wanted everyday.

At exactly eight in the morning, I was already in the breakfast table with my parents and my fourteen year old sister, Crystal. The same time, I had with them almost every morning for the past twenty two years of my existence.

"Good morning!" My dad, Eros Petrakis greeted me. We went to the same office, at the Petrakis Building every morning and at the same time. We used to ride in the same car to the office, when I started working in our company six months ago. But after a month, I insisted to have my own car and driver. Why? Because he kept on asking about my private life! Who I was dating, if I have a boyfriend, who was that guy who commented on my Facebook post, the guy I had a picture with in my Instagram account and other things. He even played matchmaker between me and his business partner's son!

"Good morning." I anwered, kissing him, then mom and Crystal.

"Zion called early this morning. He said he has an important client for you this afternoon. Make sure that you're free." Dad said, after sipping his black coffee. From the look of his too dilated pupils, I guessed it was his third cup already. He just loved mom's coffee.

"He's back to work now?"

"Nope. They've just arrived. They're going to move Claire's stuff in his mansion today."

Zion was my older brother by five years. He just got married to his high school sweetheart, Claire. They've just came back from their three weeks honeymoon in Bali, Indonesia.

"Zion and Claire are having dinner with us tonight. Make sure to come home early, Emerald." My mom, Jade Petrakis reminded me. Therefore, I could not go to the mall after work. I was supposedly planning to go shopping for new business suits.

"Of course, mom." I smiled at her, and took a bite of kale.

"Emmie, why are you only eating grass?" Dad focused his attention on me again.

"Huh?"

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You need energy to survive in the office. Eat a proper meal, with protein and carbs. You're so thin."

"I'm drinking a smoothie, dad." I answered. "This has all the nutrients I need in a day. Cucumber, apple, pineapple, tumeric, ginger, chia seeds... "

"That's not enough. Here, eat this." Dad put a sausage, egg and waffle on my plate.

Ugh! I hated it when he was acting this way again. He was treating me like a kid. I'm twenty two going twenty three soon.

I wanted to have my own apartment but my parents would not allow me. They could not trust me to be independent and responsible. Even during university, I was not allowed to study outside New York. They had fears that someone would take advantage of me, I'd get pregnant, I'd get into wild vices and other things. They were overprotective of me, to the point that I did not have my freedom.

It was really unfair though. Because Zion was a guy, he was allowed to study at Harvard Cambridge Massachusetts and got his own apartment. I always wanted to go to Harvard, it was my dream. But dad suggested Columbia University. It was very near the Petrakis Building, located at the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

"Do you know that President Barack Obama was an alumni there?" Dad kept on asking me. His other way of    saying that I was lucky to be in the same school.

I have to admit. It did not take too long for me to love the school and the people in it. They amazingly gave the best education to their students.

___

I arrived in the office. As the car halted in front of the Petrakis building, I saw all eyes were directly looking at me. Watching my every move.

I entered the building and everyone became so quiet. Others greeted me good morning as I passed through the lobby, while the rest just stared at me. I went directly to the private elevator, heading to the twentieth floor, where my office was.

I have my own company. The Petrakis Gems. It started six months ago when I graduated university and earned my degree in business management. The business was my idea. I was always fascinated with gems. It gave me pleasure looking at beautiful sparkling lights dancing. Another contributing factor was, as a kid I dreamed of becoming    a princess. I loved wearing different kinds of crowns.   

In our jewelry manufacturing business, we used only the best gemstones and the finest metals in the world, crafted by masters of fashion jewelry making. All our collections were elegant and extravagant, mostly personalized. It exuded its own style and class.

I was very busy the whole morning. I did the things that I have to do in the afternoon so I could give the whole afternoon to the important client that Zion referred. I called Zion to ask him who it was, but he would not answer his phone. I called his mansion, it was Evita who answered. She said that the newly wed couple were sleeping. Ugh! It was eleven in the morning, and still sleeping?

I decided to go out for lunch, alone. I was hungry. Whenever I ate too much during breakfast, it made me wanna eat more. And now, I'm craving for lasagna. I want to eat in that new Italian restaurant.

My driver took me to the mall where the new restaurant was located. I was eating alone and enjoying my own company. After lunch, I dropped by at Starbucks to try the unicorn frappuccino. I was sipping it and leisurely walking out of the mall when suddenly a group of men pushed me aside.

I yelped when my drink spilled on my white blazer. "Hey! Watch it, will you?!"

"Sorry, miss." One of the men in dark suits apologized, looking at the ugly colorful stain on my suit.

"What's going on?" I asked him angrily. My hands went on my waist, facing him squarely.

"Move aside, miss. The prince is passing through."

Emerald's POV

Now, my dress is a mess and I have an important meeting this afternoon. Ugh! That prince... whoever he is... he ruined my afternoon!

I threw the unicorn frappe in the garbage bin. Yuck. My hands were so sticky and in color pink and blue. I groaned, looking at the same colors on my dress. I have to get out of this dress as soon as I can.

I went to the spot where my driver would pick me up. I was upset but I was controlling myself from exploding.

"Hey! Look who's here?" I heard a familiar voice behind me, followed by an annoying giggles of girls.

I turned around and saw Regina Stone with her two girl friends.

My rivalry with Regina Stone started since grade school. We were fighting to get the first rank in our class, the attention of our teachers, being casted in the school play lead roles and who would get the merits and awards. The worst thing, we also fought for a boy during senior high. Okay, she won. She got that fuck boy Johnny, but I got the Valedictorian academic award.

Regina pretended to be nice to people who were useful to her, like the teachers. But in reality, she was a certified bitch. She played victim to the circumstances she created and making her target of hate as the villain. Unfortunately, I was always her target.

"Oh! What happened to that dress? Poor little bitch girl." Regina loved to annoy people. It was her weapon. "What is that, another drama?"

I just smiled and said sweetly to her. "Regina, please move away from the sunlight. I hate the smell of burning plastic."

Her expression immediately clouded with anger. "Bitch!" She almost shouted and walked away.

Darn it. She got no class.

Regina Stone hated me more when she learned I opened my Petrakis Gems business. The Stone family had their jewelry manufacturing business not too long ago. But their products were limited only in classic designs. Ours was modern, fashionable and have personalized collections. We only used the finest gems in our creations.

I arrived at the Petrakis Building. I headed directly to my office, could not wait to change clothes and wash my hands. Thanks God, I have a spare dress in the office, my 'just in case' a special meeting would turn up.

My personal assistant, Cathy, dropped her jaw when she saw me. "What happened to your dress?"

"A bodyguard shove me aside, knocking my drink because some prince would pass by."

"A prince?" Cathy's eyes opened wide, getting so excited. "You mean Prince Philip? I heard he's in New York right now."

"Duh! I haven't seen the prince. His bodyguards were crowding him." I walked passed Cathy's table, hurrying to get inside my office. I felt so sticky already.

"Um... wait... wait... Miss Petrakis. I forgot..." Cathy shouted behind me.

I waved a hand to signal Cathy to stop. "Later, okay? I have to get this damn dress out of me first."

"But maàm..."

The moment I entered my office, I hurriedly took off my dress. I could not stand the sticky feeling of it on my body. I felt like dozens of ants were crawling on my skin.

I sighed with relief as I kicked the dress off, and leaned on my office door, closing my eyes. At last!

"Emerald?"

The sound of a deep male voice made my eyes open wide. Shocked and panicked, I turned immediately to the man in dark business suit sitting comfortably on the couch with his feet raised on the center table.

My mouth opened wide, could not believe I was seeing him. Shit! I grabbed my dress on the floor. Darn it, I wore it again!

"What the hell are you doing in here?!"

"Watching a strip show." Harry chuckled. "You should have continued. I was enjoying it."

"You wish!" Ugh! What a pervert! I really hate him.

I haven't talk to him since that day. I knew it was so shallow of me, but I was really hurt at that time. It was my first heartbreak. Though I was not holding any grudge on him now because it happened a long time ago, almost a century now, but I just did not like him anymore. I lost interest on him. Totally.

It started when he asked me to be his date in their Senior prom night and gave me a huge teddy bear. I was so excited. I began preparing my gown, my makeup, imagining our first dance, first kiss... even dreaming of us getting married and preparing the names of our kids. But after a week, he told me he was only joking and would take Betty Jones as his prom date. That hit me so hard. I felt like so devastated and heartbroken. I thought I was special to him. That night, I cried myself to sleep and swore that I would toughen my heart next time.

I saw Harry twice or three times since he transferred to UK. Lately was during Zion and Claire's wedding. But we haven't talk.

Okay, I admit. I was avoiding him. As I've said... I lost interest in him and I'm not even interested in knowing anything about him. I had no idea what he was doing with his life.

"What do you want?" I said, adjusting my dress. I cringed when I felt the wet sticky unicorn frappe on my skin again.

He stood up and went closer to me, until we were a yard apart.

"You."

My heart skipped a beat. Stupid traitor heart! He's a player. He's fooling me again.

"Ew. That's disgusting." I put my hands on my waist, facing him squarely. I hated that he thought he could wrap me around his fingers and fool me.

He laughed, shaking his head.

"You can't just barged in my office. I have an important appointment right now." I raised my hand, pointing at the door. "My client is waiting outside." I lied. I just wanted him out of my office.

"Really? How did that happen?" He was frowning at me now. He straightened his stance and put his hands inside his pockets.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"I'm your appointment."

Emerald's POV

So he's the very important client that Zion mentioned. Darn it. Zion doesn't exaggerate things, but right now, he did!

If only I knew that I'd be dealing with one of the three musketeers, I shouldn't have done my whole day's work in the morning. To think that I'd save the whole afternoon for him! Ray, my master jewelry designer could deal with him.

But he's here now. Harry Allen. Staring at me like I'm a piece of specimen.

"If you could wait for a moment, I'm going to change my dress."

"How many minutes would that be." He checked the time on his wrist watch briefly and looked at me again. "Thirty minutes? One hour? I don't have enough time, Barbie, let's get into business now."

"Excuse me? Don't call me Barbie. My name is Emerald and I hate pink!"

"Okay. I got it. Loud and clear." He shrugged his shoulders. "What happened to your dress?"

""I spilled my drink. A bodyguard shove me at the mall because the prince was passing my way." I said, emphasizing the word prince.

"Ahh- so you were not watching where you were going." He laughed quietly. "You haven't changed. Still imagining the mall as your runway."

Shit! This man is a jerk, a judgmental bastard. Ugh! I hate him.

He was showing his real personality now and provoking me to let out my inner bitch. But I got class and confidence, and business comes first. I wanted to hear what he came here for before I'd grill him alive.

I smiled brightly at him. A smile that did not reach my eyes. I hope he could see the FUCK YOU in my smile.

"Let's start business, then." I went to my desk and settled on my chair. "What can I do for you?"

He followed me and sat on a chair in front of my desk. "I'm here to ask you to make a crown."

"A crown?"

"Yup. A queen's crown."

A soft gasp escaped my lips. I stared at him, could not believe what I've just heard. "Wait... wait. I don't understand."

"I'm working as a new Crown Jeweller in the British Royal Household right now. The King ordered a new crown for the succeeding queen. It has to be finished in three months time."

"Oh my God! Really?"

"Yeah. The one we have in the palace will be displayed in a museum."

The disgusting feeling I had for him immediately died down. I pinched myself to check that I was not dreaming.

It was a dream come true to make the queen's crown. It would bring so much honor to my family and the Petrakis Gems company - considering that I just started it six months ago, and instantly, it would become a household name! My family would be so proud of me.

I planned to have our first Jewellery exhibition soon. To showcase our finest and exclusive jewelry designs. I had the portfolio with me, the best artworks of our jewelry collections. I kept it personally, so no one could steal or copy the designs.

And now, being offered to do the queen's crown would be amazing. Fantastic. The crown would be the highlight of our exhibit.

"Do you have the design?" I could not wait to see the design and check if we have the gems needed for it. It would take weeks, sometimes months to order the gems in different countries.

"Nope."

"Oh..." My excitement died a little. "Not even a picture in your phone?"

He shook his head. "The King will discuss with you personally the details of the crown, that's why he's inviting you to the Royal Palace for a week."

I could not contain the excitement that I was feeling at that moment. I was invited to the Royal Palace. I've never been inside the Palace before. It would be a great honor, a dream to meet the Royal Family... especially the King... and Prince Philip.

"That's why you have to start packing now. We have to leave at exactly eight in the morning tomorrow." Harry's demanding voice brought me back to the present.

"Oh nooo! I have an appointment tomorrow with the Kardashians... " My heart sank thinking of meeting them. I'd been looking forward working with them for months.

Harry's lips twisted, his eyebrows snapped together. "Okay, it's your choice. There's plenty of Jewellers who will grab the opportunity to make the crown."

Of course there would be, Regina Stone for one. I could already imagine her smiling proudly as she'd be honored by the King and Prince Philip for making the crown. She would make the headlines. No way!

"No... no. I mean, I'm going with you."

"Are you sure?" His eyebrows raised inquiringly.

"Absolutely." I answered firmly. I wanted this so badly.

"Good. I'll pick you up tomorrow at seven in the morning."

That is too early. I sighed heavily.