Vera was panicking.

'The noble can't get interested in me! He's supposed to be interested with Sonia, not plain, old me!'

She twisted and turned on her bed as she recalled what transpired between the both of them during their brief staring contest.

'How could I turn this around?'

---

Vera tried avoiding him to the best of her abilities, yet no matter how she avoided him, she couldn't avoid him forever, because of her responsibilities. Furthermore, the noble always found her, no matter how she tried to hide.

"Hey, Eve! What are you doing?"

She almost dropped the vase she was holding when she heard that grating voice. She schooled an irritated expression, and slowly turned around, eyes locking with Nathaniel's black ones. "Preparing for the princess' debut, obviously."

"Wow," said Nathaniel. "Don't you ever rest?"

"That is none of your concern." She began walking away.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Nathaniel put his hand on her shoulders. "Please do tell, why are you avoiding me?"

Vera paused for a moment, thinking of an appropriate response. "Let me ask you first...Why are you chasing me?"

Nathaniel let go of her shoulders, and cast his gaze down. "Uhh..."

"If you couldn't answer that, please leave me alone. I still have other duties to do."

Nathaniel did not bug her for the rest of the day.

---

Vera was on her chambers, preparing to rest. She got her own luxurious one for the duration of the event, as cover for her. She was grateful, but that did not mean she was happy, as it put her a corridor away from Sonia's chambers compared to a room apart previously. She missed having Sonia so near, just a room away. She closed her eyes, preparing to doze off, when she heard a knock.

"Who is it?"

"Eve," a muffled sound came from outside. "It's me, Sonia. Can I come in?"

"Of course!" Vera hastily stood up and unlocked the door. Outside stood Sonia, who had a downtrodden expression. She felt a squeeze in her heart as she gazed upon Sonia. "Come in..."

Vera grabbed Sonia's delicate hands and made her sit on her bed. "It's not as big as yours, nor as extravagant, but we can talk here, or do you prefer having it on your room?"

"No, it's alright if we do it here... it's just..." Sonia crushed her with a hug. "I missed you so much! We saw each other less and less since the preparation for the debut began, and now, you have other tasks so we rarely see each other at all!"

"I missed you too." Vera returned her embrace. She let her go after a few moments of reassurance. "Now, I'm sure that you've come here because of something more important. Your sullen face screams it already." Sonia flushed, indicating that Vera was right. 'Now, spill it already."

"Alright, alright!" Sonia pouted. "I wonder how you always do that..."

Vera looked aghast. "I'm your fairy godmother and your best friend! Of course I can do that!"

"Yeah, yeah. So here it is..." Sonia became silent for a few minutes. "I..."

"You...?"

"I like Nathaniel!" Sonia's face burned with embarrassment. However, Vera was busy thinking and internally screaming that she did not notice it.

'Crap, my hunches are true!' Vera started sweating, but she tried playing it cool.

"So..." continued Sonia. "I know that you spend your time with each other more... Can you help me to let him notice me more?"

"You know I couldn't tamper with love, Sonia."

"No, no! That's not what I meant! I just want you to help me set a few meetings with him, then I'll do the rest."

Vera gulped. Knowing that Nathaniel was interested in herself made her feel guilty. The guilt burned and scorched at her throat, yet she managed to let out a soft, "Yes, I will."

"Really!?" Sonia embraced her in glee. "Thank you, Eve! I knew I could trust you!"

'If you only knew...'

---

Vera subtly tried tricking Nathaniel into interacting with Nathaniel, to no avail. He masterfully subverted and dodged every attempt Vera did. Nathaniel even saw through her plans, which made him act colder towards Sonia during their dance. Sonia was noticeably getting more frustrated. Vera was frustrated, too, as well, as the noble tried flirting with her more and more. She desperately prayed that Sonia didn't notice.

One day, however, on her way to her chambers, she heard Sonia's sobs. It hurt her, a lot, so she decided that she will take it with her own hands and confront Nathaniel.

---

"Nathaniel."

"Yes, Eve?" His eyes shone brightly with joy.

"Can I talk with you for a while?"

"Yes, why?" He grinned. "You realized that you've missed me?"

"No."

Nathaniel's face became crestfallen. "Aw, Eve! You've broke my heart!"

"I don't have time for your shenanigans, Nathaniel." Vera steeled her glare, and despite her nervousness and doubts about this, she continued. "This is about Sonia."

"What about Sonia?" Nathaniel looked confused.

"You know that she's in love with you, right?"

Nathaniel's eyes widened in surprise. "Huh?!"

'He did not know? I'm in deeper trouble than I thought.'

"Is this true?"

"As much as it pains me, Nathaniel, yes. It is true. I've heard her cry about you." Vera took a sharp breath. "Now, as her best friend, and her servant, I beg you. Please," she stared at his surprised eyes, showing him how much she wanted this. "Please go out with her."

"What? Do you expect me to---"

Desperation and sorrow leaked through her voice. "Please..."

Nathaniel was silenced. No sounds were heard for a few tense moments.

"I..." Nathaniel turned his back towards her. "I'll think about it..."

---

Vera sighed in relief when she saw Nathaniel holding Sonia's hands as they casually strolled along the palace gardens.

'At least she's happy once more.'

However, guilt still consumed her heart, for forcing this into Nathaniel, who did nothing wrong, and for lying at Sonia, who was clueless about what she did.

'I just hope it won't backfire at me.'

---

Three weeks later, just a day before the debut, the castle was buzzing with anxiety and excitement on the upcoming event. Vera took a short break from the multitude of tasks assigned upon her, and went towards the kitchen. On her way there, she heard a commotion coming from the dance room.

"I don't like you!"

"What?"

Vera's heart dropped as she realized who they were. 'Nathaniel and Sonia... No...' She desperately prayed that her hunches were wrong. As soon as she got sufficiently near them, she hid and listened to their conversation.

"I said that I've lied about my feelings for you. I hold no affection towards you. All of these? All of these are lies."

"W-what? T-that c-can't be true..." Sonia's voice cracked.

"It is. And I cannot do this anymore. I'm tired of pretending to like you. I'm sorry." His footsteps rang through the room, as if walking away from the devastated Sonia. Softer footsteps from Sonia followed his.

"No! That can't be! What have I done wrong? Tell me and I'll fix it!"

"There's nothing wrong with you. I just did it for Eve."

"F-for Eve?" Sonia's baffled tone pierced through Vera's anguished heart.

'It's all my fault. Everything... It's breaking down...'

"Yes. For Eve. I loved her, you know? But one night, she asked me to do this... I refused... but she pleaded. That's the truth."

Vera's tears stated falling down from her face as Sonia wailed in despair. She tried to cry as softly as possible, afraid that they would discover her, but a wrong step alerted the two from her presence.

"Who's there!? Show yourself!" shouted Nathaniel.

Vera hoped that they would come near her location, but as she heard their footsteps coming, she knew she was caught.

"E-Eve?" said Nathaniel. "H-how l-long were you li-listening?"

Sonia had other ideas. "YOU! YOU TWO-FACED LIAR!"

"W-what?" asked Vera. "I-I'm sorry... I d-did not---"

"You did not what?! Intend to hurt me? Lie to me? Deceive me? I trusted you, Eve! Since I was a child, I trusted you, and yet... and yet..."

Vera's knees gave out. She groveled at the foot of Sonia, and held the hem of her dress. "Please... Forgive me, Sonia! I did not know it will come to this!"

"Eve!" gasped Nathaniel. He grasped her shoulders, and tried to pull her up. "Stand up Eve! You don't have to do this!" However, she stubbornly clung at Sonia's feet.

"Forgive me, Sonia... Please!"

"How can I forgive you..." Sonia took a deep breath to calm herself. "I've kept your secret... that you're a fairy godmother... I've told no one about it... even my father..."

Nathaniel's eyes darted back and forth between them. "What are you talking about?"

Sonia just ignored him. "I've saved you when you were enslaved... I've pulled you out of that mirror... And this is how you're going to repay me?"

"No, Sonia! Please! Listen to me! I did not mean this to happen!"

Sonia was still blinded by her rage. She furiously wiped her tears from her eyes, and closed them. She spat with fury, "You're a fairy godmother, right? And I've still got one wish left. You'll get your wish now."

"No, Sonia! Wait!"

"I wish that you are gone from my life and never return!"

---

Her sister's furious gaze scorched her soul. Vera pleaded for her forgiveness, even if she was currently tied in a chair, powerless against anything that her sister could do.

"I'm sorry! I just got into an accident---"

"Accident? Excuses, excuses!" Her sister's sharp tone cut through her heart. "It's always you! You that gets their attention! You promised that you will come, but what? You forgot about me and focused on their dear Vera." Her sister spat her name with poison.

"I---"

"No more excuses! I'm tired of your lies! I wish that you are gone from my life!"

"Is that what you really want?"

"Yes. And I'll do it with my own hands."

"Huh?" Vera was confused by her sister's words. 'What does it---' Her sister pushed her off the ledge.

The cold water stung her skin like needles. She tried gasping for air, but only water came rushing in. She floated, enough for her head to go above the water and gasp for the much needed air. "Help..."

Her sister gripped her head with tremendous force. Her sister made her face her furious face. "You really are stubborn, huh? It can't be helped. Just remember this Vera."

Vera shivered with the malice and hate exuding from her sister. "I hate you."

And she dunked her head down into the water.

---

"Wh---"

"I said my wish, didn't I?" spat Sonia. "Now, fulfill it! I meant it with my heart!"

"What are you saying? Sonia? Eve?"

"Is that what you really want, Sonia?" Vera steeled herself to look at Sonia's eyes, hoping that she was lying... nut what she saw was malice, much like her sisters...

"Yes."

Vera tried to talk, to convince her to change her mind, but her magic acted on it's own. Slowly, but surely, she was fading from the scene. Tears fell from her eyes, regretting what transpired, wondering what she did to make these things happen.

"I'm sorry. I hope you can forgive me." She gave Sonia a shaky smile. "I'm sorry, too, Nathaniel."

"Wait!" Nathaniel tried to reach for her hand, but she was gone.