Love, Lies & Legacy 2- chapter 8

Chapter 8

On a very calm stunning night, the very debonair looking Alex Crusellas entered the lavish halls of the prestigious Dorchester Hotel at Mayfair, London. He just got off his private jet and was only thinking of one person. He breathed in the musky aroma of the hotel as he took the elevator up to the presidential suite.

As the doors of the elevator opened, he was greeted with a bodyguard standing next to the doors leading to the suite. Alex eyed the tall man and with a swift head nod, he was instantly let in.

Alex boldly entered the massive room without a sound. He past the sophisticatedly designed living room at the same time he caught the scent of a memorable yet seductive perfume that never failed to make his heart burn with lust.

On the balcony overlooking High Park, stood a very elegant figure. Her soft dark curls were dancing in the breeze and her La Perla lace lingerie was hugging and accentuating every inch of her dazzling figure. There stood proudly was Alex’s hidden secret.

“Ola Ara,” whispered Alex alluringly from behind. Slowly she lifted her lissome hand and traced Alex’s defined jaw line, steadily caressing down his chin and finally tracing his kissable lips. Alex then naughtily kissed each of her fingers slowly.

“Slow down Alex,” Ara said teasingly.

“Not until you tell me what is bothering you,” he said as he slowly turned her around to face him. Ara looked into his enthralling eyes with confusion as she placed her hands around his neck.

“What are you talking about, Alex?” she asked back as their foreheads touched. Alex knew that Ara would need more convincing and he was willing to go far to get what he want. So Alex leaned in and kissed Ara passionately.

“Kissing me back will not take away the guilt,” he said as he gradually kissed down to the nape of her neck. Ara was stunned by Alex’s words and could not form any sort of reply.

“What are you trying to say?” asked Ara consciously. Alex smiled mischievously as he took her inside and leaned her against the wall.

“I did not know you actually have the fortitude to betray a loved one. I never knew you had it in you,” he said as he kissed her again. Instantly Ara knew what he was talking about yet she could not stop kissing him. Her anger for his sudden accusation made her want Alex even more.

“You had a choice. You could have chosen not to do it and you would not need my help to distract you from the guilt you are feeling now,” Alex continued with another kiss. With those words said, Ara stopped kissing back and pushed him away.

“What do you want me to do? It already happened,” she said as she took a seat on her bed and crossed her arms with frustration.

“You could help me. It will be a little way for you to make up for what you did,’ said Alex as he took a seat next to her.

“Help you with what?” she asked in a livid tone.

“Help me rescue Darius from Martin,” Alex said instantly.

“What? You want me to save a Cuza?” asked Ara, who was fully taken back by Alex’s request. Ara never liked Darius. It was in her blood. Her family was never in peace with the Cuzas.

“You must probably know where Martin Crenshaw is and you have the resources. You can save him and it will someway lessen your guilt. You know that Darius’s abduction was brought forth due to your betrayal,” replied Alex.

“It will only lessen the guilt. It won’t make it go away, Alex,” shot Ara back.

“I’m offering a way to diminish the guilt. I will be happy to distract the remaining guilt,” he said lasciviously. Ara starred once again into Alex’s emerald eyes and saw that Alex would kill 2 birds with 1 stone if she accepted his offer. He slowly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and gently kissed her shoulder.

“Remember Ara, you owe me,” he whispered as he traced Ara's trembling lips. She did, so with that Ara wrapped her arms around Alex’s waist and kissed him again, this time more urgently. Alex’s hands moved down Ara’s neck, down to her shoulders and tenderly took off her robe. Their lips and tongue moved in harmony, each craving for more. Ara playfully toyed and grabbed Alex's hair as Alex filled her body with kisses so deep.

Without hesitation Ara hastily unbuttoned Alex’s shirt. Now Ara’s lacy cami and knickers felt soft on Alex’s bare chest. They kissed ardently, both ravenous for each other. Ara held on to Alex tightly as she never wanted to let go. She missed him too much and desired him so bad.

Alex dreadfully missed her too. He missed her innocence that could only be seen from his eyes. As Alex lips moved down her neck, he breathed in the sensual scent of Ara. No one could compare to Ara. She was too beautiful, too powerful, too irresistible and at the same time too dangerous.

They both entwined their fingers together as they kissed each other that night. Behind the lust, Alex and Ara just want the satisfaction of each others company. They both want to be with someone who they can be themselves. Not the person they have become in front of the world. It is more than just making love; it is the feeling of being wanted, the feeling of being loved. Even thought there is no commitment, no promises, no strings attached, they still have that one night and each other.

Love, Lies & Legacy 2- chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

It has been 5 agonizing days since Darius’s disappearance but the sun was shining brightly, that warm afternoon at the Parisian countryside. Annaliese's chateau on the other hand was filled with worries and sadness but at the same time there was determination and hope.

.Just past noon, without expecting any visitors, the doorbell rang. Annaliese took the liberty to answer the door herself. Outside, standing on the cobblestone pavement was a dashing 17 year old with hope in his eyes.

"I may be able to help you with Darius," he said instantly to Annaliese at the door. He was swiftly escorted into the chateau. Before he could start to elucidate, Sienna entered the room.

"Hello Sienna, I am Alejandro Crusellas," he said while holding out a hand. Sienna took his hand and tried her best to smile at him. But Alejandro knew that her smile was full of sadness.

Sienna took a good look at Alejandro and tried to remember where she had heard his name. Then she remembered Charlisse mentioning about him during the Eternal Ball. The girls referred him as Alex who was Spanish which explained the accent that Sienna noticed when he introduced himself. His father is a powerful and opulent shipping magnet from Valencia, Spain. Sienna also remembered seeing Darius talking to him during the ball which meant that he knew Darius.

Annaliese gestured Alex to sit down and explain how he could help. Sienna did not feel like sitting down and just stood in front of the arched window facing the lake.

"It is Martin who took him, am I right?" he asked boldly. Annaliese was a little surprised by Alex's knowing.

"Yes but how did you get this information? Is the society talking about it?" asked Annaliese who knew so well that gossip in the society travels rapidly.

"The society is only talking about Darius's departure. They all think that Darius is off hiding somewhere like what he did 2 years ago. Nothing whatsoever about Martin," he said with assurance.

"Then how do you about Martin?" Annaliese asked.

"Did you know that Darius was the last person to see the Espoir besides West Halloway before it disappeared?" asked Alex while looking at Sienna. Sienna finally turned around and looked at Annaliese.

"I thought you told me that Darius had nothing to do with the Espoir," Sienna said to Annaliese a little too harshly.

"Darius has absolutely nothing to do with the Espoir. He was just the last person to see it. He told me about Martin wanting the Espoir a year ago and what I heard from my sources, Darius is with Martin. I guess Martin thinks that Darius has the Espoir or knows about the whereabouts of it," said Alex while looking both at Sienna and Annaliese.

"You are right but we cannot seem to find Martin," replied Annaliese.

"I know somebody who might know where he is," he said with a raised eyebrow.

"If we know where he is, how are we going to get Darius out? Martin is not your average criminal. He is more influential and cunning than you think," said Sienna back. She was feeling a little uncomfortable by the way Alex looked at her.

"Let me handle that. I need 3 days Annaliese and I do not want any interruptions from your people who are searching for Darius too," ordered Alex.

"All right then. You have 3 days Theo," said Annaliese. Suddenly, Annaliese's cell phone rang and she excused herself from the room. When Annaliese left, Sienna immediately went to the veranda outside. Moments later Alex came out and stood behind her.

"You have to learn to trust me Sienna," he whispered from behind. Sienna was startled for a moment and turned around to face Alex.

"I do not even know you, why should I trust you?" shot Sienna.

"Because I am the closest person you have to saving Darius and because I am his best friend. You are not the only person who cares about him," he said while looking straight into her eyes. Those words soften Sienna a little maybe she should give Alex a chance.

"I'm sorry," she said softly.

"You and Darius must be really close," he said while leaning on the sand colored railing of the veranda.

"What do you mean?" asked Sienna, bewildered.

"You 2 must be really into each other. I have never heard Darius talk about a girl the way he talked about you," he said while shaking his head gently from side to side, his dark brown hair swaying playfully from side to side.

"When did you guys have this talk?" asked Sienna curiously.

"Many times but it does not matter; he is obviously smitten over you ever since the ball. Then again, every boy at the ball found you alluring," he said with a smirk. Sienna gazed into those deep eyes and saw a hint of mischief.

To her Darius was mysterious but Alex seemed so sinister in a seductive kind of way. Now she believed when Charlisse said he was a ladies man. He could have any girl he wanted with his Hispanic features accentuating his already handsome face. Sienna wondered why Darius never mentioned about Alex before.

“I hope you find him,” said Sienna with a hand on Alex’s shoulder.

“I always do,” he said while looking at her from underneath his eyelashes.

Love, Lies & Legacy 2- chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Transported to Oradea, Romania by plane, Darius Cuza was locked inside a stone room. Instead of a window, there was a big grill that stared out into the hill side. In the middle of the room, was a wooden table and 2 wooden chairs.

The thick wooden door of the room opened and walked in a pale skinned man named Martin Crenshaw. Wearing a sharp navy suit and his gray hair swept back, he looked more like an English gentleman than a dastardly cruel person.

“I apologize for the lack of hospitality and space. I know people of your importance are not use to places like this. Unless you tell me what I need to know. Cooperation may save your life, Darius,” said Martin politely while adjusting his cufflinks.

“Firstly, do sit down. This table was put here for a reason,” gestured Martin to Darius who was standing next to the grilled window.

“Your politeness is not needed in this situation,” said Darius flatly.

“You do not like the fact that I am trying to compromise with you?” asked Martin.

“No, I find your politeness very exasperating and nothing you do will compromise me,” said Darius with a hint if anger in his tone of voice.

“Again I apologize. I thought important people like you, especially coming from your powerful bloodline would appreciate my courtesy. Anyway, the reason I am here is to ask you the location of the Espoir. I assume you know where it is,” asked Martin seriously.

“You sound confident that I know the location,” Darius said, trying to challenge Martin.

“Do you?” asked Martin.

“I have no idea where the Espoir is. Ever since it was discovered, all it has brought was danger. Why would I want anything to do with something like that?” said Darius while leaning against the table side.

“Are you not curious at all about the secrets of your society? Not curious about the access to the hidden fortune of the society? You do not want to know the last words of your great great grandparents that could possibly change the way Eternelle Situation De Trio is ruled?” asked Martin temptingly.

“No, there is more to life than power and money. I am certainly not a person that strives for it,” replied Darius with a raised tone.

“Do I sense humbleness from a member of the Cuza family? A family whose been hiding their deviousness so well after all this time. Do not try to be modest with me young Darius,” Martin said in a dastardly tone.

“You know nothing about my family! Are we done here?” said Darius coldly, who could not tolerate Martin’s phony tactics anymore.

“Not until you tell me what I want to know,” shouted Martin as he slammed both his hands on the table.

“I have no idea about the whereabouts of the Espoir,” said Darius as he crossed his arms. From there you could feel the rage of Martin circulating the room. His impatience almost mad him snap. Before Martin left the room, he made a hand gesture to one of the guards outside and took out his cell phone.

The big bodied guard entered the room and effortlessly hit Darius on the stomach numerous times. Darius shouted and winced in pain as he took each blow. He tried to fight back but the guard was too big and too strong even for the well built Darius.

Sitting in the corner of the stone room, trying to stand the pain of his stomach, Darius tried to make sense of everything that has happen. All this time Martin Crenshaw was after him to get to the Espoir which he does not know anything about. All Darius hoped for was that Martin would never lay a hand on Sienna.

The following day, Darius was leaning against the thick wooden door when he heard Martin speaking from the small grill attached to the door. Than was when he realized that his worst fear was about to come alive.

“We have nothing on Darius. He is useless to us. Now we proceed to the next plan. I want you to bring Sienna Masenfer to me and I will have a little fun with her,” said Martin on his cell phone, outside the door.

“I know where the Espoir is, Martin,” were the first words that came out of Darius’s mouth when Martin entered the room.

“Are you positive?” questioned Martin, surprised by Darius’s sudden cooperation.

“You were right, I was the last person to see West Halloway with the Espoir and I am the only one who knows where it is. I did not tell anyone else not even my mother,” said Darius, trying his best to sound convincing.

“Why the sudden change of heart?” asked Martin.

“I am curious about the contents of the Espoir. I never thought that the contents could be very important,” answered Darius.

“I believe you. So where is it?” asked Martin eagerly.

“If I told you, you would use the benefit of the Espoir to yourself being the greedy person that you are. Martin, you are not worthy of even touching the Espoir. Why should I tell where it is?” said Darius with a smirk. Martin stared at Darius with his cold eyes and was tired of Darius’s mulish attitude.

“I will come back tomorrow and we will talk again. That is if you can withstand the torture of my guards,” he said flatly and left the room. Again the guard came in did his job of inflicting pain on Darius. But with each blow to Darius’s body, he knew that it is better him that got suffering than his beloved Sienna.

Love, Lies & Legacy 2- chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

“Sienna! Wake up!” cried Aurora to her daughter who could not stabilize herself. Marguerite rushed to her sister’s side to help place Sienna on the sofa. Aurora kneeled next to her daughter and softly stroked her hair. It has been a year since she saw her daughter and she did not expect her first meeting with her to be like this.

Aurora also never expected a smooth reunion with Sienna. How could you tell your daughter that after all this time she was alive and hiding in the Canary Islands for the safety of her family?

Aurora looked up at her little sister’s face and saw there was a mixture of confusion and fury. She has never seen Marguerite look like that before. She knew that all Marguerite wanted was an explanation.

“How is this possible?” asked Marguerite in disbelief. So with a heavy heart, Aurora told Marguerite about the letter, hiding away on an island and lies she had to tell in order for her family to be safe. Surprisingly, Marguerite took the explanation without judgments.

“You did it for Sienna, right?” asked Marguerite.

“I did it solely for her. I love her too much to see her in danger. You understand my situation?” asked Aurora while looking at her daughter.

“Of course I do. When I first met her, she reminded me exactly of you. She is a precious gem in our family, that needs to be protected,” said Marguerite while sitting down.

“Thank you for taking care of her. You and Anna did it wonderfully,” Aurora said with a smile.

“The person you should thank the most is Darius. He has risked his life numerous times to save Sienna but now he is missing. Frankly, you absence made everything stable for a while. Ever since the Eternal Ball, things have been out of control. I do not know what Anna and I could have done without Darius,” Marguerite said sadly.

“We need to find him before anything terrible happens. Could you tell me the relationship between my daughter and Darius? For her to collapse like this there must be something deep between them.”

“Would you ever think that a member of our family would fall in love with a Cuza? You really need to keep track of your daughter’s love life especially when she is with you best friend’s son,” said Marguerite.

“My Sienna with Darius. All this time I have never thought of introducing them and now they are really close,” Aurora said with a smile.

“That is why we need to find him. I will call Annaliese,” said Marguerite while leaving the room. Aurora held her daughter’s hand and kissed her forehead gently. Then Sienna slowly started to gain consciousness and finally opened her eyes.

“Sienna, are you all right?” cried Aurora motherly. Sienna rubbed both her temples and looked directly at he mother.

“I am dreaming. My mum can’t possibly be here with me,” said Sienna while rubbing her eyes furiously.

“It’s me, Sienna. I am really here, you are not dreaming,” said Aurora lovingly. Sienna eyed her mother for a few seconds before finally putting her arms around her. Sienna hugged her mother closely.

“Where have you been all this time?” asked Sienna. For the second time, Aurora explained her absence and hoped Sienna would understand why she had done it like Marguerite. After finishing her story, Sienna just sat there, staring at her mother.

“Do not do it again. Next time tell me, I am old enough to understand. Don’t just run away,” said Sienna with an angry tone.

“I am deeply sorry. I am so happy to see you. I have missed you so much,” said Aurora while hugging her daughter again.

“Mum, where is Darius?” asked Sienna as tears started to well in her eyes.

“I do not know but Marguerite, Annaliese and I will do everything in our power to find him,” Aurora said confidently. She wiped the tear that was trickling down her daughter’s cheek.

“You have to find him, mum. You just have to,” begged Sienna as her tears poured down her face.

“We will try to find him. Do not worry,” said Aurora while holding Sienna’s hands.

“You can’t try, you must find him! You don’t understand mum, I love Darius!” Sienna said while standing up and raising her voice.

“I love him, mum,” Sienna said softly as she fell to the floor on her knees. Aurora looked into her daughter’s eyes and saw that her words were sincerely truly. Aurora realized then that her daughter has fallen in love with Darius Cuza.

Love, Lies & Legacy 2- chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Marguerite Masenfer bit the tip of her Fendi sunglasses as she entered her black Bentley car. Her car was coincidently parked exactly next to a blue C3 Citroen car. She sat in her car and held up the metal casing that has made her sister a most wanted person. Then the car window on her other side came down. She slid her lithe body across the leather seats to the other side of the car.

The car window of the blue Citroen was also down and Marguerite swiftly handed the casing to the hands of West Halloway from the other car. The car window of the Citroen went up and the car drove off instantly.

Marguerite slid back to her original place pressed a button to let down her window. There she saw the furious and disappointed face of Lexy Pierce, coming down from the cruise with Victor. With a satisfied smile, Marguerite slid on her sunglasses and drove off.

West Halloway’s car stopped at the end of a dirt road just 20 miles from the port. He made a final call to Annaliese saying that he will be using the back way to go to her house. He thanked the driver and got out of the car. On the way there, one of Lexy’s men suspected them. So as a precaution, West will have to walk 6 miles through the forest that will lead to Annaliese’s castle.

There was a small trail that goes through the forest and will end at Annaliese’s back yard. West was prepared for the hike. He has been through that road once and he could easily go through it again.

He got out of his black suit and changed into his hiking attire of Capri pants and white t-shirt that he packed in his backpack. As he walked under trees, made his way through bushes, West reminisced about his hiking trips at Brazil and Africa.

Those jungles were more dangerous than the thin forest of France. After 5 hours of hiking, West stopped for a while and sat under a tree. As he was resting, he heard gunshots being fired followed by a noise of something breaking. He walked to the loud sound and stopped at a wide open field.

Aiming the shot gun high in the air was Darius Cuza, shooting flying clay pots in the air. Another clay pot flew in high speed to the air and within seconds it broke into pieces with the good aim of Darius.

“Good shot, Darius!” bellowed West as he walked towards him. From the voice, Darius cautiously aimed the shot gun towards West but immediately let it down in the sight if his friend.

“Hello West. It’s been a while since we met,” said Darius while putting his shot gun down.

“Indeed, I have been very busy. Letting off some steam?” asked West while looking at Darius’s shot gun.

“Something like that but I am mostly here to practice,” said Darius with a smile. Darius is the only son of Annaliese Cuza. He was born heterochromatic which meant his right eye is a different color from his left eye. Nobody thought his condition was bizarre, it actually made him more attractive than he already is.

He has his mother’s rich mahogany hair and his father’s chiseled face. As dashing as he is, he is a very mystifying soul to decipher. Darius hides a lot of secrets of himself and his family from the outside world. But behind those green and blue eyes, lies a very deep person with a heart so pure.

“Well I do not think you need much practice, you are already a great shooter. I am heading to you mother’s castle to give the Espoir,” said West while holding the metal casing.

“The Espoir has been causing trouble ever since it was discovered. I hope nothing dreadful will happen to you with that piece in your possession,” Darius said seriously.

“I hope so too. Well I better be heading off now. I do not want to be late. How are you going to go back?”

“The helicopter will pick me up in half an hour. Have a safe journey West,” said Darius while picking up his shot gun. With a nod, West headed back in the forest to continue his passage.

Love, Lies & Legacy 2- chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Aurora shivered drastically as her whole body was slowly turning frigid. She was a good 100 meters away from the cruise ship. Moments later, a barely visible luxury cruiser arrived and rescued her from the freezing waters.

“Were you long in the water?” I deeply apologize for the lateness,” said Carmen Ferrer to her close friend.

“It was not that long. I have been in worst conditions before,” said Aurora while drying her hair with a towel. She then sat down on one of the off white plush sofas at the living room of the cruiser.

“You must be in deep waters Aurora for asking my help,” said Carmen while drinking a glass of champagne.

“Nothing I cannot handle Carmen,” she said with a half smile. Carmen giggled at her friend’s remark as she took another sip. Aurora knew that behind the beautiful smile of Carmen is a sense of wariness for her.

Behind Carmen’s fairytale life, minus the trouble hungry friend, lies a very feared past. Carmen had always been terrified of Aurora’s way of life ever since the met in university. Carmen could not bare to face another lost of a loved one. Aurora was there during the dreadful time when Carmen’s brother died. He led a dangerous life, always getting into trouble and thinking that he was smart enough to get out of it.

After some time, Aurora convinced Carmen that she is good at what she does and is very cautious in any event. Even though Carmen does not approve of it, she does help whenever she can so that her close friend does not drown in the deep waters she’s struggling in.

“I am doing this for your daughter, Aurora. I have never met her but I do not want her to be without a mother. Whenever are you going to stop?” she asked directly.

“Believe me when I say that after this I am done. I love the rush, adrenaline and excitement of this life but I think Anna is right, I am getting old,” Aurora said with a look of disbelief of what she just said.

“Anna is very right. You have been doing this for more than 20 years. It’s time to settle down like Anna. It is for your own good and your family’s.”

“Anna settled down but I think that my godson, Darius is starting to follow in her footsteps. I do not want Sienna to take my place,” Aurora said worriedly.

“Then stop before you drag her in. You know, faking your death will hurt your daughter. Have you not thought of that?” said Carmen as she leaned forward a little.

“I have been thinking of that throughout the whole cruise. It hurts me too to leave her and everyone else. But the Espoir is a very important piece that holds important information about the society,” said Aurora seriously.

“I understand. Did you tell Sienna about the Eternal Ball? My daughter Lisette cannot get enough of it,” Carmen said with a smile.

“No I did not. But I did tell Anna that if the situation gets complicated and I have to go away, she would tell her everything about the society with the help of Marguerite,” said Aurora. She hoped that Sienna would eventually attend the ball that she wished she could go to when she was young.

“So is the Espoir in good hands? It will be transported by the ship’s security right?” asked Carmen.

“No it will not be handled by the crew of the ship,” said Aurora with a cunning smile.

“What do you mean no? The only person who could leave the ship with the Espoir is you. Since you are now hypothetically dead, how is going to be transported? Not unless you know someone that looks exactly like… Wait a minute; Marguerite is on the ship is she?” asked Carmen.

“You are smarter than you think, Carmen. As much as I trust the ship’s great security, I trust my little sister even more. Besides, Marguerite has all my documents and both of us look so much a like. After she safely gets the Espoir off the ship, she will hand it to West,” explained Aurora with a smile.

“Does Marguerite know you’re dead?”

“No. I have not the heart to tell her. Only Anna, West and you know about it,” she said gravely.

“Are you going to keep in contact with them when you are away?” asked Carmen sadly.

“No Carmen. I want it to be as discreet as possible. Anna does not even know that you are helping me right now. I do no want to risk hurting anyone.”

“Well that is enough said. I hope you are making the right decision, Anna and I will miss you. Go get some sleep. We will arrive at the Canary Islands in the morning,” Carmen said while standing up to leave.

“I think that is a good idea. Thank you again Carmen for everything. You are truly a great friend,” Aurora said while standing up to hug Carmen. Carmen hugged back and it reminded her of the time when her brother died and Aurora was there to comfort her. She owed so much to Aurora and she will solemnly miss her.

Love, Lies & Legacy 2- chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

“Hey mum, it’s good to see you back,” Sienna said to her mother as she walked threw the door. Aurora smiled at her daughter and gave her a hug. Sienna is the only child of Aurora and Jeff Carlson. She was almost an exact replica of her mother. They both have the same shade of rich brown hair, grey eyes, bow shaped lips, combined together to form an alluring visage of French aristocracy.

“It’s good to see you sweetie. What are you doing up so late? Don’t you have school tomorrow?” she asked while helping herself to a bottle of Evian from the refrigerator.

“I do. I am just doing some last minute studying for my history test tomorrow,” she said while holding up her thick history book.

“All right, but don’t stay up too late. I do not want you to fall asleep during your test,” Aurora said in a motherly tone. Aurora had been so busy after the discovery of the Espoir that she completely forgot that Sienna was taking her exams.

“Don’t worry, I was just on my way up to bed,” she said while closing her text book.

“Good. Sienna one of these days when both our schedules are free, I would really want to have a mother daughter talk with you. I am so sorry we have not been spending time with each other lately due to work,” Aurora apologized sincerely.

“No, it’s all right. I know you are busy. We’ll plan something together after my exams, ok?” Sienna asked. Aurora felt relieved of her daughter’s understanding. She always knew that Sienna’s mind was beyond her years.

“Thank you for understanding, sweetie. Now go to bed,” she said with a smile and a kiss. Sienna hugged her mother tenderly and that moment, Aurora realized just how much she missed her daughter.

~*~

2 days later, Aurora received an anonymous distressing letter. It contained threats saying that if she does not surrender the Espoir, her family, especially her beloved daughter would pay the consequences.

This was not the first time Aurora had gotten a threat letter such as this but this was one was very disturbing to her because it involved the safety of her family. Before this there was only her and Annaliese. They both are more than capable of taking care of themselves in complicated and dangerous situation such as this. Aurora was a risk taker and a very cunning woman but that time, she backed off from doing anything for the sake of her family.

But that does not mean that Aurora was about to give up the very mystifying Espoir. All she needed to do was call Annaliese and think of ways to sort the condition out. In the end, there was not much both of them could do if they did not want to give up the Espoir. There plan was to safely bring the Espoir to France, away from the Masenfer family.

The following day, Aurora said goodbye to her husband and more importantly her daughter before setting sail to France on a cruise. After what happened at the airport, West thought it would be better to go by sea.

Aurora and West set sail on the prestigious Neptune Cruise from New York to Port Vendres, Perpignan, France. It was a 5 day journey threw the sea but instead of feeling calm, Aurora felt anxious. These people that were after the Espoir is lead by a man named Martin Crenshaw who is an avid collector of historical pieces of art and a greedy treasure hunter.

After much researching, Aurora discovered that the Espoir she found was a coveted piece that was lost in the past 80 years. It is said that inside the exquisitely carved box lies important documents from Eternelle Situation De Trio and also direction to a location where it is believed to be the lost portion of fortune from the three families that ruled Eternelle Situation De Trio.

The people that made and wrote the Espoir were the wives of the rulers of the society for the future members of their families. Now after a more than a half of century, the Espoir is found and is in the hands of one of the most powerful families in the society. Even thought the Masenfer family has not sent a representative to the society in the past 100 years, they are considered one of the most influential and powerful families to date.

On the north side of the cruise, lies a wide open balcony with no one there except two of Lexy Pierce’s men. On that cold shivery night, as the moon shined with pride, Aurora Masenfer was brought there with much force by Lexy’s men.

“Now boys, she is Aurora Masenfer. Be gentle on her,” said Lexy with a mischievous smirk. Only a tender age of 17, Lexy’s mind frame exceeded her years. The moonlight shined on her luscious gold hair and illuminated her smooth ivory skin. She looked like a fallen angel that night but with a dastardly heart and a sly mind.

“You seemed surprised to see me,” said Lexy as one of her men handed her a gun. She eyed the dangerous machine with a grin of a child in a candy store. Aurora stood on the edge of the ship, only the railing behind her. There was no way to run.

“Are you sure of what you are doing Lexy? You seem too young to get yourself into all of this,” said Aurora cunningly. She gripped the cold metal bars behind her as she starred into Lexy’s striking eyes.

“Do not underestimate me, Aurora. I already came this far and it seems now that I have the advantage over you right now,” Lexy said viciously as she pointed the gun to Aurora.

“Do you think killing me will give you what you want?” Aurora asked daringly.

“Not really but it will get me closer to what I want,” she said with a dastard grin.

“The key to the casing, Aurora,” commanded Lexy. Aurora slowly reached into her left pocket of her coat and brought out a 2 inch metal rod the size of her palm. On the rod were small holes, arranged in a cluttered matter. She threw the rod to Lexy and as the metal key landed on her hand, Lexy pulled the trigger of the gun.

Aurora’s body fell back over the railing and splashed into the depths of the cold ocean moments later. Lexy happily watched Aurora fell off the boat with a satisfied smile.

“It is so sad to watch her die like that but at the same time I find it very entertaining,” she said to her right hand guard, Victor who had just arrived.

“Unfortunately Lexy, the metal box containing the Espoir was nowhere to be found in the storage compartment of the ship,” said Victor.

“Is she that stupid to actually keep it in her room?” asked Lexy incredulously to Victor. Lexy and her men immediately went to Aurora’s suite on the ship. On there arrival, they were all surprise to see that the lock of the door had been broken and the whole suite was a mess.

Everything was broken or torn. To Lexy it seemed like a very sloppy and desperate robbery. As a precaution, she made her men search the suite again. They searched the suite in vain but did not find the Espoir. For the first time, Lexy admitted to herself that she did fail her task. But that does not mean she gave up instantly.

“There is some news Lexy. When we port, the Espoir will be transferred by the ship’s security if the owner does not want to take it with them. The only person who can personally leave this ship with the Espoir is Aurora. They will have to check her legal documents and her identification which is already in the security system. You would have to look exactly like Aurora in order to leave this ship with the Espoir,” said Victor.

“Since Aurora is dead, the Espoir will definitely be transferred by the ship’s security. We will be in Port Vendres tomorrow. I want everything to be in place,” ordered Lexy.

Love, Lies & Legacy 2- chapter 1

Covert Lies

CHAPTER 1

Celestina was the light of happiness and soul mate to Theodore Masenfer. Theodore always made sure that his wife got everything she wanted and he would go to far lengths to fulfill her needs. But during the start of the feud between the Masenfers and the Cuzas, Celestina only craved for one thing, her loving husband back.

Theodore would always be out, trying to settle the fighting of power in Eternelle Situation De Trio. Instead of peace, the battle became more complicated and competitive. This affected Celestina in a big way. Her husband was seldom home and was not himself most of the time. She wanted the feud to end and life to be as it was before. But Celestina did not have the power to do that.

When Celestina gave up on life, she became terminally ill. Before her last breath, she custom made a long wooden box. The inside of the box was made of steel. With the help of Alexander Cuza’s wife, they both uniquely sealed the box. Inside it, written with Celestina’s own hands before her death were writings of hope.

~*~

Aurora Masenfer was a striking woman with high cheekbones, luscious brown hair and eyes the color of the ocean. Her best friend since childhood, Annaliese Cuza has been through the ups and downs of her life with kindness and patience.

They both went to each other’s wedding, been there during the birth of their children and most importantly during the discovery of an old oblong box called Espoir.

Aurora was an antique dealer. She would go to the ends of the world to find the most precious and historical pieces of antiques. She stumbled upon the Espoir when she was is Spain and immediately brought it to France to show Annaliese. Little did Aurora know that the discovery of the Espoir would be the start of a thorny life for the Masenfer family.

“The engraving on this is definitely French. Espoir itself is a French word. How did you find it?” said Annaliese while carefully examining the Espoir.

“One of my clients works in real estate. He found this beautiful mansion at Valencia and found this inside the house before he was about to put it on the market,” said Aurora while sitting down on the white sofa next to Annaliese.

“You are an expert when it comes to old historical pieces. Do you know the Espoir’s origin?” asked Annaliese as she meticulously put the important piece on the coffee table in front of her.

“I do not know anything about this piece except for the fact that it is about 100 years old. The design and engravings are purely French yet it was discovered in Spain. It does not make any sense, Anna” she said, aggravated by the minor facts she had.

“You left out another thing, even thought we do not know its origin, previous owner, its contents or even how to open it, we do know that it is very important,” Annaliese said while sipping her tea.

“I want to thank you for helping me during my arrival here. Being chased by dangerous unknown men is not as fun as it use to be,” Aurora said with a smile. Annaliese giggled at her best friend’s remark.

“You are not getting any younger, Aurora. Being chased after was pleasurable when we were young and unmarried. Now we have so much responsibility in our hands. But I do want you to be careful; those men will not stop until the Espoir is in their hands.”

“The way you’re saying things is like I have never been through this before,” Aurora said with a surprised tone. Annaliese gave Aurora a serious look.

“Fine, I’ll keep my eyes open. So since you are concerned about my safety, could I borrow your jet to go back to New York?” asked Aurora.

“Of course you can. I do not use it much anyway,” she said with a smile.

2 days later, Aurora flew back to New York to reunite with her family. It was 11.00 at night when the private jet landed at JFK airport.

Aurora was gathering her things on the jet, almost ready to step foot on land and ride back home. Her personal bodyguard and long time friend, West Halloway was waiting for her when they heard screeching tires.

West looked out the round windows of the jet and saw that an anonymous car had stopped in front of Aurora’s Mercedes. 4 men came out from the car with guns. In seconds, a thunderous battle of bullets began.

“Use the back exit Aurora. It’s pretty ugly down there,” he said while slinging the Espoir over him. Aurora swiftly moved to the back and exited there where one of her emergency cars parked.

Aurora and West both entered the car just as the 4 men entered the jet threw the main cockpit. They drove off in full speed, heading towards the big city.

“Just to be safe, we are doing a transfer. I don’t think those men just now give up easily,” West said to Aurora.

“I think so too,” she said with a smile, actually enjoying her little chasing adventure. Aurora Masenfer had a thrill for being a wanted person. She loved the excitement and ecstasy of being hunted. The satisfying part of it was that she had never been caught before.

Her dangerous life started when she first became an antique dealer and collector. Her findings of very important pieces were always rare and coveted. She discovered that in her profession, people would kill for very priceless things.

The very treacherous life she lived in with West Halloway subsided when she got married and started a family. Aurora did now want her family to be in any harm whatsoever. But unfortunately, hazardous events have occurred since the Espoir was in her possession.

The car stopped by a junction and both Aurora and West got out of the car and entered a typical New York taxi next to it.

“To Aurora’s house, Jimmy. By the way, thanks for the help. Sorry it was last minute,” said West to the scruffy looking taxi driver.

“It’s no big deal. I’m happy to help,” he said while looking threw the rearview mirror to look straight into the piercing eyes of Aurora.

“ I thought you gave up all of this, Aurora,” Jimmy asked.

“I thought I did too,” she said back. Jimmy stopped in front of Aurora’s 2-storey penthouse on the upper side of New York.

“Thank you so much Jimmy. I’ll see you tomorrow West,” she said as she entered her home in peace, the Espoir safely in her hands.