MURDER

"What are you going to do?" Sherry asks as they hike behind me.


"I will give them exactly what they are asking for!" I furiously retort as I kick the door to my room open.

I get to the walk-in closet and pull out the first dress that my hands land on.

"Okay. We will wait for Damian downstairs as you get ready."


"Okay." I don't even spare them a glance as they stride outside. They didn't have to run after me here, you know. They should have thought about waiting for Damian sooner. Sigh!

My mind is a mess. I need to calm down, though. I can't face those monsters with a messed-up mind. What they are planning will backfire on them, I swear!


I get to the shower, take the quickest shower I have ever taken, and rush back to my room. Dressing up doesn't take long either, and I have no time to dwell so much on styling my hair. I let it cascade over my shoulders. I grab my stilettos and put them on, and then I grab my laptop and the files from Ricca's Hotel Chain and stride out.

Getting downstairs, I'm greeted by the dazzling face of Damian waiting for me. "Hey!" I greet him when I get to where he is.

"Hey! What's happening?" He asks, grabbing my bag, and I let him.

Perhaps old habits are tickling him. "I will explain on the way, but we need to get going right now." I state, and he nods his head.

"Girls, I am sorry I have to leave you like this." I say to the girls.

"Don't worry, Ellie. We understand." Grace says.

"Mark will be at your service. See you." With that, I hold on to Damian's hand, and we stroll to his car and drive out.

He is quite a savage driver. He should have been a racer to add to his list of hobbies. He would hold the trophies of the award-winning racer. "Any idea what those women want?" He asks as he parks at Ricca's parking lot about thirty minutes later.

I shake my head. "Not so sure, but we are about to find that out," I state as we get out of the car.

"My father must be already here. I called him while in your house and informed him about the meeting," he explained, and I snapped an appreciative grin at him.

What a genius! His family seems to be slipping out of my mind every time there is an emergency. I hope they forgive me, and I hope to do better next time. "Thanks. I also told Greg to call our family lawyer, you know, for backup in case of anything. I know how skimming those witches can be," I explain as we enter the lift.

"Okay. Do you think this is the right time and way?" He asks.

Right time? Haven't I touched on this matter enough times? "The sooner the better, Damian. It's the only way to silence these greedy witches! I am sure the idea of claiming what they think they are entitled to is itching."

"Okay. But be ready for anything."

Huh?

"Why?" I query.

"I am sure the board doesn't expect anything like this. It would have been pretty understandable if it were you in this position, but me? I wasn't even part of the company to begin with, and that may be used against me by even Gracia. We can't expect the board to just accept me like that. I doubt they even know the face of Mr. Riccaforte's son!"

I see, and he makes sense.

"Well, we are supposed to be planning our wedding. You are supposedly my soon-to-be husband. That explains a thing or two, right?" I defend.

"But you and I have never appeared together anywhere in public. The day we were supposed to make our engagement public, none of us showed up, and our story remained a mystery. The story of us as betrotheds died that same day. It is difficult to convince people that we are set to get married. Unless we are ready to lay the entire truth."

Shit!

The elevator stops, and we stride out. The consequences of our actions are still following us. What now? Time is what we don't have. A little slumber, and these witches will screw us. We can't allow that.

"Then maybe we should come out clean to the public. You know, let people know our story. Nothing but the truth." I say as I lead him inside my office.

It's been a long time since I was here, but it looks like my office was well taken care of even in my absence. It seems like it was awaiting my return. And I have returned.

"That won't take a day, Ellie. And still, that doesn't guarantee us that the board will approve us just because I am your fiance. Our actions show bad behavior to begin with, and they might be seen as a form of being irresponsible. We need more than that."

Huh? Are we screwed? "Then what? What are we supposed to do, Damian?" I squeal.

Just then, the door flows open, and Greg walks in looking like a confused zombie.

"Greg? What is it?" I ask, springing to my feet as fear begins to creep into me.

"We have a huge problem!"

Another one? On top of the one we already have? What now?

"What?" Damian asks.

"Mr. Emilio Jones, your family lawyer, died in his office this morning!"

"What?" I query, my knees becoming weak. Damian can't believe that either. Died? And this morning only? Come, on! Things can't get this messy!

"This morning? How? What caused his death?" Damian queries me as he hugs my waist to support me. I am really losing it here. I am seeing a beckoning doom so neer, and I hope I am so wrong. Oh, God! I hope with everything I have left in this world that I am wrong.