Greg introduced Eva to Ronaldo – their attendant.
Ronaldo then asked, “So, what would you like to do first? Surfing, jet skiing or stand-up paddle-boarding?”
While Greg always had a thirst for the adrenaline rush, Eva was not really in the mood. So, they both opted for the stand-up paddle-boarding.
Ronaldo went to fetch the boards and the paddles. Greg yearned for the very first activity to be a success.
After some minutes, Ronaldo was back with the equipment. “Time for some fun!” Ronaldo exclaimed laughingly.
In contrast with Greg, Eva was clearly a neophyte – she was used to modelling for famous magazines instead of indulging in water activities.
The boards were finally on the water. Ronaldo, who was an expert in paddle-boarding proposed to help Eva, despite Greg insisted on assisting his fiancée himself. In fact, the charming Ronaldo had more expertise. So, it was better for Eva to learn from an adept. The session of paddle-boarding was going on very well. Even the splashing of the angered waves was nothing compared to their loud laughter – which was conceiving the memories which they would reminisce later.
After several water activities, Greg was not short of surprises. As Eva got out of her shower, she saw a bag on the bed, again with a letter alongside. Wondering what Greg might be up to once again, Eva opened it. It was a red dress – the one she was wearing during their engagement. The letter was vanilla perfumed. Eva read it while smirking.
“Forget about the dress' perfection, you're the ultimate effigy of perfection.
Love,
Greg.”
Eva blushed, she let out a close-lipped smile. She rushed in front of the mirror and dressed. “Shit! I got no make-up with me,” she said to herself. Eva thought that going to the Maldives was a ‘no make-up trip’ since days were supposed to be spent at the beach only. No one swims with make-up – okay, excluding Hollywood actresses. She felt just like a mess. Eva pulled her beach waves hair into a ponytail but thought that it was not the right hairstyle. After more than ten minutes of trying different hairstyles, she finally decided to just side-swept her natural beach waves to the left.
Eva nearly forgot about the emerald necklace when suddenly she realised that it was no more around her neck. She panicked, but she tried to remain calm. "It's better if this curse stays away from me," she said to herself. Eva thought that she had lost it during during the accident.
Greg was waiting for the beautiful damsel in front of a classic car – a dark blue 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra. Here was the honoured damsel, Miss Eva Gallagher, always as gorgeous as a divine goddess. Her hair was in harmony with the gentle blowing of the wind. Greg was amazed by her beauty. Eva's scent of jasmine enthralled Greg as the latter gently kissed her left hand.
“Dear gentleman, where are we going?” she asked teasingly.
“It’s a surprise…” he said with a wink of an eye.
“Tell me,” she innocently insisted.
“My dear, can you please tell me what the logic is in calling a surprise a surprise if it is no more a surprise?”
Eva laughed and hugged Greg.
“Beach? So, we are going to swim?” Eva asked as Greg took the beach’s direction.
Greg smiled without saying a word.
He finally stopped the car abruptly and asked Eva to close her eyes.
"Why should I close my eyes," Eva asked.
"Surprise."
He then blindfolded her eyes before restarting the vehicle.
Finally, after some minutes, Greg stopped the car. Eva witnessed a charming romantic spot as Greg removed the band from her eyes. Roses all along the way till the candlelit dinner table.
∞∞∞
Chapter 6
Brotherhood feud
The clock of the church which was a few yards away struck three. The Salingers' lodge was the synonym of sophistication. Stephen Salinger – a man with plausible notoriety due to his extravagant lucrative businesses, is Greg's older brother.
Their mother took her last breath some seconds after giving birth to Greg, and twelve years later their father died after falling off a balcony of five meters high.
"Congratulation for your engagement!"
"Thank you," Greg said.
"Wine or beer?"
"Wine."
Stephen took a bottle of ‘Screaming Eagle’ from the wine rack and poured it into the glasses which have been meticulously chosen. In fact, it is said that each type of wine has its own glass. As they indulged in their refined wine, both brothers started to talk about politics and the mastering of the art of lies.
"A globe which has turned upside down – where the lies triumph over the truth," Stephen commented.
"Yet, y' all know about the lies, but the fear of being decapitated by the centralised power of the liars seals the mouths of many," Greg added.
"Right."
"So, how is my precious future sister-in-law doing? I have still not met her until now. That's sad," Stephen asked alongside a witty remark.
"You know very well that she does not want to meet you at all," Greg replied.
"Does she know that you are here?"
"No," Greg answered boldly.
Stephen replied with a subtle sarcastic laugh, "Oh brother of my own blood – how dare you to sin? You're not yet married, and you already got secrets. That's not good bro."
Greg remained silent. He then asked, "By the way, the wind of rumours is boasting about your imminent parenthood ability. What's your say?"
"Rumours have the talent to disguise lies into something more interesting to talk about," Stephen replied.
"What do you mean?"
"Yeah, Elsa is pregnant, but the baby's not mine," Stephen answered while taking a generous sip of his wine.
"Stephen, you've been dating her for five years... I don't think Elsa has cheated on you. You cannot be so sure of your statement," Greg added.
"I'm infertile."
"What? You've never told me about that."
"I did."
"When?"
"It's been some seconds since," Stephen replied before laughing.
"Not funny. However, I'm sorry for you," Greg said while feeling pity for his sibling.
"You don't have to. At least I can carelessly enjoy myself," Stephen replied with a wink of his right eye.
After some minutes, Greta served a lavish menu. The brothers thanked the maid before Stephen ordered her to leave the room.
"And then, what brings you here after more than two years?"
"I was wondering how my brother is doing," Greg replied.
"It's good to know that you haven't forgotten me."
"We don't forget those who marked our lives. Memories can fade, but the footprint remains," Greg said firmly.
"Oh, are you still talking about that incident that had happened years ago?"
"Maybe."
"Come on Greg, I've apologised to you," Stephen replied.
"Apology without unfeigned repentance, is like a romantic poem written by a cold-hearted monster."
"So, I guess it was not a courtesy visit," Stephen commented.
"The meaning of courtesy depends on one's perception," Greg answered.
"Stop being enigmatic Greg and say exactly what you want to say."
"I said exactly what I wanted to say," Greg replied.
Stephen got up from the couch and served himself a generous mug of beer, which he gulped at once – before smashing it against the wall. He then looked at Greg and yelled, "I said I was sorry! Why don't you just shake it off?"
"Calm down, please. Anger destroys you and if you let it overtake you, you will be guilty of your own destruction," Greg retorted.
"Go away from here and never come back!"
"You deceived me by taking part of my inheritance and yet you're trying to act as if it was an incident," Greg retaliated.
"I told you that there were some faulty documents and that it's been mistakenly drafted that I would inherit this lodge alone."
/> "Up to now, you know that our parents wanted us to receive an equal share of this lodge, still you've signed the document – consciously. I'm not here to fight other this property – I just want to know the reason for which you've inflicted such a deception on me."
"Okay, you're right. I did sign the document despite knowing that there was a mistake in the will, but it is totally justified," Stephen replied.
Greg took a sip of his wine and asked, "What do you mean?"
"I had been with our parents for more years than you. You disappeared for several years and all this time it was me who was beside our parents. So, I'm much more worthy of this patrimony than you."
In fact, when Greg was four years old, he had been kidnapped. It was only when Greg was seventeen that he was finally back to the matrimonial home.
After some seconds, Greg finally replied, "Justice in its real nature has nothing to do with your egocentric perception. However, I don't want to bicker over this. I will take your leave."
∞∞∞
Chapter 7
Rosie
That was what Eva feared the most: having to confront reality. Her adventure in paradise was ephemeral, but momentous. Finally, after three days spent at The Maldives with her betrothed, Eva was back to the enormous mansion.
“Dad!?” Eva was surprised when she saw her father.
Mr Robert got up from the comfy armchair, “Hello my dear!!”
“I was not expecting to see you back home…”
“Oh, actually when I was informed about your accident… I was a bit worried, but I think Greg was able to take care of my princess!”
“Yes, no doubt! However, I was not really injured,” Eva tried to assure her father. She then added, “I am happy that you are back home, at least we will be able to spend some time between father and daughter.”
“What about dinner at your favourite restaurant tonight?”
“Oh yes! Great idea!”
Mr Robert kissed her daughter’s forehead lovingly before going out.
Eva rushed into her bedroom, threw her luggage in the corner and jumped onto her bed in exasperation. She just wanted to lay there till the end of times. Eva replayed all the scenes of the past days in her head and suddenly thought about the necklace. She had no idea where the chain was. Maybe I lost it during the accident, she thought. Eva finally mustered her courage and got up. She sat in front of the dressing table and looked at her miserable fate though her reflection. Groping for her comb all around, the emerald necklace suddenly fell from nowhere. Eva recoiled, wondering how the chain ended there. She reluctantly picked it up and threw it on the bed, thinking that the necklace was a curse for her. As the necklace hit against the bed’s headboard, Eva felt an acute sting in her bosom. Eva was frightened on realising that there was a sort of relatedness between her and the necklace.
Quivering, she approached the emerald jewellery and took it. She put the chain around her neck and gazed at the mirror – there was that same unusual lustre. However, Eva had to admit that wearing the necklace granted her an indescribable inner peace. She sat on her bed, trying to look for an escape from this unbelievable episode of her life. "Unfathomable," she said to herself.
Eva wanted to free her mind from the truths that were haunting her. She rushed out of the mansion and headed to her favourite cafe.
Deep inside, Eva hoped that she would come across Christian once again. She just wanted to explode him with questions. Seated next to the window, Eva scrutinised the crowd, trying to find the shadow of Christian. She was so focused that she did not realise that a woman had taken a seat in front of her. To her surprise, it was Rosie, Athena's maid. Eva thought that she was not going to hear anything about Athena again, but she was wrong. Eva greeted her with an unseen smile.
“Hi, Eva. I have to talk to you,” Rosie said boldly.
“Oh, I see. Athena is now using her maid as a messenger,” Eva said.
“I am her mother.”
“What nonsense is that?”
“The truth,” Rosie said, looking boldly into Eva’s eyes.
“Athena said that her mother died in an accident when she was still a little child."
“That’s the truth that she wants to believe in although she knows that it is just a lie,” Rosie said in a low voice. She then added, “I was homeless and did not have a single penny… I had no other options, I was barely able to pay the rent, and I knew that soon I would be ousted from my house." Rosie paused and took a deep breath before adding, "My neighbours, the Smiths, were very kind and proposed to adopt Athena. They have even given me a room to stay in their house. So, I agreed because I thought her future would be secured there, but I was wrong,” Rosie said while lowering her eyes.
Eva could feel that Rosie’s aura expressed regrets and deep sorrow. She then asked, “What happened next?”
“The first few months were going on very well, but then Mrs Smith died… leaving behind her two biological daughters and Athena with Mr Smith. The latter was really hurt, and it became challenging for him to take care of the kids. So, he employed me as a maid. It was somewhat to my advantage as I was able to be closer to my child. However, when she turned six years old, everything has changed. I could hear her screaming loudly out of pain and agony… every night, but I was helpless,” Rosie said while breaking down into tears.
Eva took out a tissue paper from her purse and handed it to Rosie. The later wiped her tears and added, “ Mr Smith was molesting her, night after night…without pity. Athena came to me and complained about it, but I was too selfish… I knew that if I tried to reproach Mr Smith, he would have ousted me from the house, and I would have been completely separated from my one and only child. So, I kept my silence. Athena started hating me for keeping silence without helping her. That hate was nothing compared to the day when she found out that I was her biological mother...Athena hated me more than anything, even more than Mr Smith. So, one day she ran away from home after killing Mr Smith using poison. I was the one charged with murder and was kept behind bars for long years,” Rosie explained.
Eva was totally shocked upon this confession.
Rosie then added, “I had not seen Athena since the day she ran away from home. It is only a few weeks earlier from now that I saw her in a fashion magazine and recognised her. I managed to get closer to her. I underwent some surgeries for her not to recognise me, and I have even changed my name. Today I am finally her maid… and she does not even know that I am her mother.”
“Oh! I see, I am sorry for you,” Eva said in a low voice while looking through the window. Eva was now split between disgust and pity for Athena.
“Nevertheless, I am not here to complain about this.”
“Tell me…”
"I want you to give me some information about the father of Athena's baby!”
Eva looked shocked that Rosie was bringing such a matter up. However, she remained silent.
“He came to Athena's apartment one day, and I overheard their conversation. They were arguing because the guy had broken up with Athena that day… as he had found another girl. Athena pleaded him to leave the other girl as she is really in love with him, but that crap left. So, I am here because I thought that I could have some information on him from you,” Rosie explained.
Eva’s intuition was confirmed. It was not a rape, Athena and Dave really had an amour. Eva then boldly replied, “Dave Scott. His name is Dave Scott.” She then added, “ Excuse me, but I have to leave.” She grabbed her bag and left in a hurry.
∞∞∞
Chapter 8
The irreprochable fiancé
“Coffee?” asked Lucinda, Greg’s housemaid.
“Yes, please!” Eva answered while her impatient heart was racing to see Greg.
After Eva's verdict about Dave and Athena was reinforced by Rosie, she has hastened to Greg’s house to tell him about it.
“Hey, Eva! You have not told me that you were coming, else I would have asked Lucinda to prepare a sumptu
ous meal for you,” Greg said while coming down the stairs.
"Hi, Greg!" Eva then noticed that Greg seemed worried. So, she asked, "Are you feeling well? Seems like you've seen a monster coming out from a movie."
"Real monsters roam around us, not in movies. The monsters in movies are the creativity of the movie producer, the real monsters are the fruit of real people' mentality," Greg answered.
"What happened?"
"I went to the lodge today... To meet Stephen," he answered.
"Why? I've asked you to just forget about him."
"I just wanted him to apologise. I needed him to prove that our brotherhood means something to him," Greg explained.
"Don't you know that a narcissist wants his ego to be caressed instead of being assailed? How could you suppose that he would put aside his ego?"
"Anyway, I don't want to talk about this right now," Greg said.
Greg then asked, "What brings you here?"
“Yes! I wanted to tell you that I was right! Now, I'm sure that it was the truth which was hitting me – not madness,” Eva exclaimed.
“Right about what?”
“Athena and Dave!! These two craps betrayed me… I have to admit that I had started to think that maybe I was really becoming insane, but no. I was right, Greg!” Eva said firmly, with disgust in her heart.
Greg's face startled and he recoiled. He then asked, “You mean Dave is the real father of Athena’s baby!?”
“Yes, it has always been Dave, but the baby is not the result of a rape,’’ Eva said, lowering her eyes as she felt pity for herself for not having foreseen such treason.
“Oh, I see… anyway… You have to move on now...” Greg said.
As Eva took a seat on the couch, Greg sat next to her and put his arm around her neck as a token of comfort and support.
He then stated, "You know...In life, there are certain deceptions-"
Eva cut in before Greg could finish his phrase, “Wait, why have you asked if Dave was the real father? I mean, we have always known that is was him the father.”
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