The Queen & I (WLW)

Chapter 50 : Baby, Come Back

A/N:
Giveaway is still open. Comment lang in any chapter for a chance to win! For details, refer to Chapter 49's end notes.

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"Amanda!"

"Miss Universe! Pose for me here! Look at the camera!"

The Thai managed to smile at the paparazzis that surprisingly swarmed her entourage when they arrived at the resort town of Eilat. Esther and some bodyguards had to block several people from reaching the reigning Miss Universe, and in Amanda's head, this was getting surreal.

She's no stranger to crowds that gather to see her in her home country, but Israel was a foreign land.

"Why are there so much people?", Amanda whispered in her road manager's ear.

"Have you checked the entertainment headlines on their magazines this week?" Esther replied as they hurriedly walked away from the crowd in the lobby of Isrotel's Yam Suf Hotel.

Amanda shook her head. "No, I haven't".

The MUO team, together with this year's delegates landed in Jerusalem first for a bit of cultural tour that will also be used in the live telecast in a few weeks. Amanda and Esther had to fly in a few days late since the Thai was finishing some prior commitments in New York. It was also a bittersweet moment for her to say goodbye to her flatmate and the apartment itself. For the past six-and-a-half months, it sheltered her — its corners witnessed some of the lowest points in her life.

It's a no brainer that Eilat would be her first stop before flying back home to Thailand as the town hosts the 70th Miss Universe pageant. After passing on the crown to her successor, she's free for the rest of the holidays and Amanda made sure her schedule's flexible — just in case she would need to do a bit of traveling here and there to execute the agenda that's been running in her head for weeks. God, she pleads for it to be successful or else, she wouldn't know how to face the cameras when she comes back to work in Bangkok.

"Anntonia's a really well-known socialite, like royalty here, so you coming to her territory stirs all the hype and excitement for these news outlets. None of you said anything to confirm nor deny anything after that video became viral, so people of course would assume that you are their princess' girl", Esther pulled a stroller and assisted the Thai woman towards a garden alley that led to their villas. "It's good publicity for the pageant. It's the talk of the town".

Amanda had to sigh and bite her lips. She couldn't do anything about it now.

"First order of agenda will be the press conference tomorrow morning".

Esther opened the door to the villa and a gush of air blew over Amanda's face. All curtains were opened, making the sunlight illuminate the entire suite. The long-time Miss Universe road manager threw the key cards on the round brown table behind a gray sofa.

"This room looks nice", the Thai roamed their villa for the rest of the week and admired the small modern asymmetrical details on the pillows, walls and even the carpets. She went inside the bedroom and smiled when her eyes landed on a terrace furnished with minimalist white chairs and a table overlooking a beautiful garden with Mediterranean palm trees—— but the real highlight? A view of a stunning pool.

She pushed the glass door open to the terrace and inhaled the winter wind of Israel. So far, the weather has been comfortable, but Esther said to ready her coats as it could get really chilly at night.

Amanda's lips curled up when she saw several families gather together by the pool. How she missed her own in Phuket. This time of the year, she's usually home and driving or walking around the beach with her brother.