“If I die, promise me that you will protect what is inside this envelop,” He said getting right to the point while handing me a black envelop. The envelop was flat as if it did not contain much and was around A5 in size.
“What’s inside?” I asked him the most natural question to ask at that time.
“If I die, you will open it and you will find out. If I don’t die, you must never open it and no one will ever find out what is inside. Simple. Can you promise me, Lucien?” he asked me once more with dead seriousness in his eyes. If I say no, our deal will breakdown right here and now. Protect whatever was in the envelop? How hard could that be…?
“I promise,” I replied sticking out my hand.
He shook my hand firmly without breaking eye contact. Then we parted ways and I have never seen him in person since.
Now he’s dead and as promised, I will open and protect whatever was placed in that black envelop.
I opened the safe and there was the black envelop just as I had left it in here 4 years ago. Once more, I now held the envelop in my hands; however, unlike before the envelop felt heavy like an inescapable burden, a debt and the cost of a person’s life.
I wasn’t sure what secret was inside the envelop that needed protection. But judging from the identity of the owner’s, it would probably be some innovative research information, some formulae or some code. To what purpose, I wasn’t sure.
I opened the envelop and slid out the content. Talk about a moment of suspense followed by pure confusion … Sliding out of the black envelop was a single piece of paper: A family photo.
There was no note and nothing written on the photo or its back. Nothing there to explain the content inside the envelop. That was all there was: a single photo of what I assume was a family featuring my friend as the father, a beautiful woman with an angelic smile as the mother and a girl who must be their daughter. I never knew he had a family. He never mentioned them, I never heard of them and I definitely never saw them.
Recalling the promise, I made with my friend: ‘If I die, promise me that you will protect what is inside this envelop’, he got me good.
In other words, the last request he made with those serious eyes of his was: “Please protect my wife and daughter…”
Fuck. I thought that guy was single all along. He didn’t just have a wife, he also has a daughter?!
Back to the present:::
I woke up in bed. I was in my nightgown and my body felt stiff. The maids probably changed me when I came back late last night. Too much went on yesterday with Zak and the shock of meeting his arranged-date, Annie, made me forget that I had something to tell Zak.
I grabbed my mobile phone and dialed Zak via my favorite speed dial. He picked up almost immediately as if he’d been waiting for my call. I just love Zak.
“Hey! How about going on a cruise with me this weekend?” I asked with over-the-top excitement, intentionally leaving out all the caveats.
” … with your old man and his new fiancé?” Zak answered back with a knowing laugh. Fuck, he caught on fast. There’s no way I’m going on a cruise as a third wheeler and no way I’m going to enjoy my time with big-boob Angela.
“Please … who knows? His fiancé might fall for your charms and back away from Lucien,” I teased.
“Hell no. I don’t like fucking bitches with fake boobs. I’ve had enough of that in the industry,” Zak replied. How did he know though?
“Why do you think she’s got fake boobs? You know her?” I asked curiously.
“I’ve met her around. No, I’ve never slept with her but words do travel fast when you’re rich and your father is trying hard to marry you off,” Zak explained. He is so full of gossip. The amount of intel he has on people in our high-society is amazing and he does have a lot of connections with people.
“Enough about her. Be a prince and come on a cruise with me. Please?” I pleaded in my cute voice. Zak has never been able to resist me pleading like this before.
“Ok. Condition: blindfold,” Zak agreed while stating his condition. Sex on the cruise with a blindfold on. Not a bad bargain considering he could have chosen something more daring.
“Deal. See you! Have I mentioned it lately? … I love you!” I said and hung up.
That settles it. At least I will have my “brother” on the cruise with me. Knowing Zak, he will probably help me deal with Angela as well. I will survive this cruise no matter what.
… Natalia hung up. She’s clearly happy that I’m going on the cruise with her. I would have volunteered anyways even if she didn’t ask. I found out about the cruise already through one of my maids who always loves to gossip with maids from Lucien’s mansion. The perks of living next door, indeed. Letting Natalia go on a cruise with Angela and an unsuspecting Lucien is a dangerous idea. Angela is anything but nice and innocent. She may seem like an angel on the outside but there are ugly rumors surrounding her and her father.
The fact that out of all the promising candidates, the elders chose her to marry Lucien is proof enough that she will hurt Natalia somehow. This arranged nuptial is not purely for simple business gains; it was designed to use Angela to hurt Natalia specifically as well. I’m going to have to dig up some dirt on Angela to use as my secret arsenal in the case she threatens Natalia. Welcome to our fucked-up lives.
… Finally, the day of the apocalypse, I mean the cruise, has arrived. I’m packed and well prepared mentally and physical for this battle, I mean cruise. Running a last-minute check on my mental checklist of my packing list: sunscreen, bikini, towel, camera … Seem like I’ve got everything on the list. I head down from my bedroom to the living room downstairs to meet up with Lucien and Zak.
The three of us will be driving together to the dock and Angela will be meeting us there to board the cruise. Zak has volunteered to drive like a good boy in the place of his uncle, who seems to be tired from a long week of stressful work. Peering over at Lucien, I could see dark circles under his eyes. Perhaps he’s been having trouble sleeping? I thought with concern before switching to think about what I could do to relieve him of his stress.