The Sculptor Who Became Queen

For ten years, I was Lily, the devoted apprentice, the silent force behind Master Thomas, the legendary sculptor.

My hands, scarred and stained, shaped his clay, sharpened his tools, and managed his chaotic life, making his artistic legacy my own.

Our bond was a monument, forged in the dust and silence of his mountain studio, beyond simple love or romance, more enduring than any fleeting passion.

Then, one Tuesday, the monument cracked.

Master Thomas, beaming like a madman, introduced Serena: a gaudy, perfume-drenched city creature who declared herself his "new muse."