_Meghan The following day I felt worse than I had in the last few days. Ludovic had gone back to London, which was a great relief as well because I just wanted to be in bed all day. He was a nice man, and he seemed like a caring Uncle but his clone-like features to Neon made me uncomfortable most of the time. My mind knew that it was not Neon but all my other organs didn't seem to grasp this little concept. As a result, they responded strangely to his presence. Grief was a funny thing. I took a long bath and washed my hair. Now my sole responsibility was to Ethan, I tried to cheer myself up but I didn't know how things would go in st. Petersburg. but from dealing with the Dosters, I knew that rich people were a hard gang to please. After getting dressed, I remembered that I hadn't responded to Alicia's texts that she had been sending me since the story came out. I realized I had been selfish to shut her out again the second time. But I couldn't remember when last I saw my phone.
-Meghan The flight to Russia was long but I could not bring myself to fall asleep and miss anything. Miriam was sitting with Ethan, who had been restless the whole flight over here. I felt sticky and stiff, I wanted to shower and change. When the private landed at the airstrip, two cars were already waiting for us.A man in black came to welcome us and motioned for us to get in the waiting cars. Miriam and Ethan were ushered into the first car. And it quickly sped away, leaving me dump-funded at what just happened. He then opened the door of the second car and I climbed in at the back. “Welcome to Russia. I hope your flight was to your liking.” I turned to find Ludovic already in the car. Happy to find a familiar face, after a week on the Island, wondering if he had changed his mind about us coming over, I smiled at him. “I thought you were still in London.” He looked at me as if to force a smile but it did not reach his eyes. “I was, but I had to organize things this side.” He
The tension in the car turned into a living thing. I could see Ludovic's jaw clench as he looked at his sister-in-law. "What are you doing here, Adelita?" I was surprised by the giggles that wanted to bubble up at his question, only if he knew that was the same question I had been asked. It seemed everyone was curious to find out what everyone was here for, what did people think we came to a funeral to do, dance on top of the grave?"I just buried my husband, Ludovic. The least you could do is offer me your condolences."He let out a snorting sound. "For the real reason you are here, Adelita. The reading will be done first thing tomorrow morning. Be at the family home by eight sharp." He said ignoring her pretense of being hurt. Her eyebrow shot up to her hairline, Adelita was a beautiful woman but the longer you looked at her, one could easily see, that she had had a lot of work done on her. At least I still had youth on my side. "Excuse me." I got off from the car and stood outsid
I opened my eyes and looked at the vast room, signs of the early morning already streaming through the heavy curtains, panic set in and I patted the side of the bed, it was cold and empty. I threw my head in my pillow with a sigh. It had been a dream. god, it had felt so real. I touched my lips and savored what I thought had been a kiss from a ghost. Did I dream all of that? I touched the soft spot between my thighs and sighed again. This was not something I would ever admit to anyone. I probably had a wet dream. Glad I was alone, I moved the covers and swung my legs to the side of the bed. I needed to get ready for the reading of the will. The pills that Ludovic had given me last night had done a wonderful job plus I felt more relaxed than I had since Neon's death. I noticed also that I could recall Neon's accident without rolling into a heap of a mess on the floor. I hoped I was healing and not in denial about it as I had been with Ben attacking me. This time there would be no Ne
_Meghan"Are you satisfied with the way things went at the reading?" Ludovic asked as soon as we settled at the back of the waiting car. "I don't understand, satisfied how?" Did he mean I could have asked for more than the lot I have just received? It had been more than anything I could have asked for or dreamed of. My head was still reeling from the shock of it all, and I didn't even know how was I going to start processing it. "I mean, was everything clear? No burning questions you want to ask me?" He looked at me through lowered lashes trying to hide the grin that was slowly forming. "No questions, or just two," I said, taking the bait. "That sounds like questions to me." He openly grinned at me. "I was wondering…why he didn't leave anything for his parents, I mean, he practically left everything to Ethan.""It's simple, my brother and his wife have wealth, and they both getting old to start running an international business like Petrov Ltd. The world can be a cruel place when
_Ludovic. I sat on my chair behind my desk with a long sigh. At last, the circus was over. We had done it. Half of our problem was nearly solved. All that was left now was to take action and I knew that part Neon would take care of. I was waiting for a call from Neon to tell me when it was done. I hated to have lied to Meghan about having a lot of work to do but it was either that or I would be very unfocused and agitated at dinner. Thinking of Meghan. I hoped that when all was said and done, she would forgive us for the part we played in deceiving her and toying with her emotions, it had been cruel but necessary. The silver lining about this was that not all of it was false, the reading of the will had been genuine, the only problem being, Neon was still alive and well. But he was now a pauper, with all his assets gone, and would have to sweet talk his way back into her good graces again, what a gamble. If things didn't go according to plan, he was screwed. If this is what love d
_Meghan The car pulled into the parking lot of the station. The officer escorted me inside. As soon as we had sat down and a detective was introducing himself. The door burst open. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Detective."We both turned to see a tall, stern man standing in the doorway, he must be the family lawyer Ludovic was talking about. He held a document in his hands, a document that held my fate in its inked words. I could see the detective sink in his chair with a defeated chuckle. "What are the charges against my client?" He asked the detective in a relaxed manner."There are no charges yet, it was just routine questions." The detective answered without the enthusiasm he seemed to possess earlier. "You and I know how wrong this is, on so many levels. A Russian detective investigating a murder that happened in London, please tell me this is a joke." The lawyer said without much emotion in his words. The Detective shrank back into his chair, looking sheepish and s
_Ludovic The morning following the chess game, I walked into the kitchen to find Meghan already on what I thought was her second cup of coffee. "Please don't tell me you didn't sleep after the wonderful game we had last night," I asked her."I did, what makes you say that?" Her brows furrowed. "You having coffee and there is an empty cup already." I pointed to the already-used cup in front of her."No. it's nothing like that." She leaned back in her chair, I thought she was beginning to accept Neon's absence. The lines around her face were slowly fading away. "Miriam was here earlier. We were having coffee together." "The simple answer is always the correct one." I poured myself a cup and leaned against the Island."How is she, Miriam I mean?" "She's okay, she's very good with Ethan." She was either being vague or she didn't understand what I was asking her. Either way, I let it go. "Okay, what are your plans for today?" She tensed her shoulders and then answered nonchalantly