Chapter 227: She Is the Queen

The medical book seemed to open a new chapter in Olive's life. She closed her eyes, reminiscing about the treasure box her mother, Joyce, had left in the Ivory Council. She eagerly hoped to find its passcode.

A light knock sounded on the door. North entered.

"Olive, what's wrong? Don't dwell on the book. You'll understand everything in time," North advised, moving closer.

Olive nodded, putting the book away. Medicine, she knew, required patience. Feeling tired, she planned to rest.

"Olive, you're leaving in two days. Any plans? How about we go shopping?" North suggested with a smile.

Olive shook her head, taking North's hands. "A lot has happened, North. I just want to walk around LA alone these two days. It might be my last time in this city."

North respected Olive's decision. "Olive, I'll visit you in Imperial soon," she added.

"You're planning on coming to Imperial?" Olive asked, interested.

"Yes. I don't have any relatives here anymore, and nothing keeps me here. I might as well join you. Plus, I got a new endorsement. Fly Jewelries wants me as a brand ambassador," North explained.

"Fly Jewelries?" Olive's eyes widened.

"Yes. Haven't you heard of them? Founded over thirty years ago, they quickly dominated the jewelry industry and are now the biggest in America," North said enthusiastically.

"Wait, I was given their magazine!" North excused herself to fetch it.

Olive had heard of Fly Jewelries; it was founded by Elvis's mother.

North soon returned, pushing open the door. "Here. The founder, the 'godmother of jewelry,' is on the cover," she said, handing Olive the magazine.

Olive looked down. The cover featured Lily Midas, a strikingly beautiful woman in a red dress. Olive gasped, awestruck. The photograph was impeccably taken.

"Olive, Lily is gorgeous. That picture was from her fortieth birthday, but she looks like she's in her early twenties! She's definitely the most beautiful woman in Imperial," North commented.

Lily Midas was Elvis's stepmother and Marvin's mother. Unknown to North and Imperial, the Midas family had two daughters: Lily and Annabelle, who had switched places. Annabelle had lived as Lily, and after her death, even her name was largely forgotten. Few who knew of Annabelle, like Bounty, only hated her.

Olive felt an indescribable love for Annabelle, wishing she'd lived a life free from her sister's shadow. Besides Elvis, nothing remained of her legacy. Olive now understood Elvis's violent reaction to seeing Annabelle's coffin burned.

Looking again at Lily in the magazine, Olive saw a fierceness in her eyebrows that could make people uncomfortable. Elvis had said his mother and aunt looked like twins.

"Olive, Lily is not only the most beautiful woman in Imperial, but a fortune-teller predicted that a Midas daughter would be a queen," North paused for breath. "Back then, the Midas family wasn't wealthy. But after Lily's birth, everything changed. Once she gained some fame, Alpha Augustine, the eldest son of the Augustine family, fell in love with her," North added.

At the mention of Alpha, Olive's head lowered.

"Olive, do you know Alpha Augustine?" North pressed, eager to share what she knew.

Olive knew only that Alpha was Elvis's father, a subject Elvis never discussed. North handed her a second magazine.

"This is an exclusive interview with Alpha Augustine, the business lord. I wouldn't have access to this without the collaboration. Take a good look," North's voice was ecstatic.

Olive examined the cover photo of Alpha Augustine, Elvis's father. Turning the page, she saw him in a high-powered business office, impeccably dressed. She saw the resemblance to Elvis. Looking at Alpha, she saw Elvis's future self.

"Olive, Alpha's a business genius. He entered finance as a teenager, built his own empire, inherited Augustine Corporation, and merged them into the current powerhouse. He fell in love with Lily. It's rumored she's a queen of fate," North yawned, tutoring Olive.

Olive knew that all the praise heaped upon Lily by North and the world was truly meant for Annabelle. It was Annabelle's life North described. Lily had always been in the shadows. Annabelle was the most beautiful woman in Imperial, the founder of Fly Jewelries—Annabelle was the queen, not Lily!