Uncrowned Princess

33

Isabella stopped her car at the beach, stepping out to breathe in the salty air. As she sat watching the horizon, her gaze drifted to a nearby coffee shop. There, she spotted a familiar face - the servant she had once humiliated, the incident that led to her father sending her to the hotel.

Taking a deep breath, Isabella approached the coffee shop. As she neared the servant, the woman nearly dropped her tray in surprise. Isabella offered a kind smile and greeted her, asking for a place to sit. The servant, momentarily stunned, quickly ushered her to a table before rushing off to take her order.

When the servant returned, Isabella stopped her. "I... I wanted to apologize for my past behavior. I shouldn't have treated you that way."

The servant froze, then gave a small nod.

"It wasn't right," Isabella continued, taking the woman's hand. "I'm truly sorry."

Just then, a familiar voice cut through the air. "Look who finally decided to show up!" Claudia approached, arms outstretched. She rudely pushed past the servant, giving her a dirty look.

"Isabella, darling!" Claudia exclaimed, air-kissing Isabella's cheeks. "We've missed you! You simply must tell us where you've been hiding."

Isabella shifted uncomfortably. "I've been... away. Working, actually."

Claudia laughed dismissively. "Oh, you and your little jokes. Now, about that awful ex of mine - I only went out with him to get revenge for you, you know."

"It doesn't matter," Isabella said flatly. "I have a new boyfriend now."

The girls leaned in, intrigued. Stephanie piped up, "Is it the one from that photo you posted?"

Claudia let out a derisive laugh. "That's impossible. He was just some bartender. Isabella would never stoop so low."

Isabella felt a surge of anger at their dismissal of Ethan, but before she could respond, Bea asked softly, "Is everything okay, Isabella?"

Isabella forced a smile, suddenly acutely aware of how uncomfortable she felt among her childhood friends. She longed for Jenny's genuine warmth and friendship.

Stephanie's voice cut through her thoughts. "What are you ordering, Isabella?"

Claudia barked an order at the servant, then laughed at her slow response. "You can't be kind to these people," she sneered. "We pay them for a reason."

Isabella frowned. "She has many customers. We should be more understanding."

Claudia rolled her eyes. "Oh please, Isabella. Don't tell me that little 'job' of yours has made you soft."

As Claudia and Stephanie launched into gossip, Isabella found herself massaging her neck, trying to ease the tension building there. She felt out of place, longing for the genuine connections she'd left behind at the hotel. These girls, once her closest friends, now felt like strangers - their casual cruelty and superficiality grating against the person she'd become.

Isabella's phone rang, offering a welcome escape from the uncomfortable conversation. She quickly excused herself and answered, her face lighting up at the sound of Jenny's voice.

"Jenny! You have no idea how happy I am to hear from you," Isabella said, relief evident in her tone.

Jenny laughed. "Missing us already, princess? I bet you're lounging by your Olympic-sized pool right now, sipping champagne."

Isabella glanced back at her so-called friends and snorted. "Oh, if only. I'm actually sitting with some old friends, feeling like I've time-traveled to the Cretaceous period."