“By the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”
As soon as the pastor finished his sentences, Alfonso took Siena in his arms, caressed her cheeks blushing beautifully with the softest touch, and locked their lips in an affectionate kiss. All the guests were applauding and cheering for them.
Everything ran according to Siena’s wish on her very special day. She did not wish for a luxurious party, expensive gifts, or fancy wedding dress like a Disney princess. All she wanted was to exchange their wedding vows faithfully and to have the people she loved around her.
Once the wedding ceremony was over, Alfonso and Siena got hugs and kisses from Stefano, Carlo, as well as Irina who came all the way from Melbourne. Suddenly….
“Siena Chan! Congratulations!” Who
“What does it mean?” Siena’s brows knotted in confusion. “But today is not my birthday.”Ah, it had to be a code, Siena thought. Alfonso intentionally played a prank on her right on their wedding day!She searched for a pen and started to scribble on the paper. “My birthday is on September 17th. Probably it’s the key to shift the letters. Hmm, let me try.”She wrote down her answer on the paper.HVCPAQFKXDR17917917917ICLQHXGRGEY“That’s odd. It has no meaning!” Siena did a double take at the result. “Or… I should shift the letters to left, not to right!”She scribbled again on the paper.HVCPAQFKXDR17917917917GOTOTHEDOCK&n
“No one can ever take what belongs to me! Just wait and see, Siena Mori…! I’ll claim back every single thing you have taken from me!” Alfonso shouted in a harsh voice. “I’ve never taken anything belongs to you, Alfonso Garcia! Mister Adalfo himself left all his inheritances to me. If only you could be a devoted grandson when Mister Adalfo was still with us, this would never happen. Now that he has gone, you suddenly regret and make a big fuss over his inheritance! Shame on you!” Siena exclaimed loudly, unwilling to surrender to the man with Southern Europe look, who stood tall in front of her petite body. “How dare you call my Grandfather by his first name? Who do you think you are? You’re just the daughter of a nurse! Stop acting too familiar with him!” Fury was clear in his voice. “Oh, tell me, why can’t I? Mister Adalfo was a very humble man. He had never been arrogan
“I have checked it, Mister Garcia….” “Check it again! It’s your job! Do you want me to teach you how?” Alfonso yelled into his cellphone held in his right hand. He was calling his lawyer. “But the testament is undoubtedly legal. It had been registered by Mister Adalfo’s notary. Everything is in accordance with regulation, there is nothing else that we can sue –“ “Search for more! Anything that can be a flaw! If you can’t use the legal way, use other way!” “But, Mister Garcia, I can’t go against the law –“ “AAARGH!” Alfonso roared in such a wrath, and slammed his own cellphone onto the ceramic floor, leaving it shattered in pieces. The sturdy figure standing more than one point eight metres in height threw himself on a leather sofa behind him. T
The garden behind Adalfo Garcia’s luxurious house stretched wide, almost as a size of a football field. During his lifetime, Adalfo was very fond of gardening. There were different kind of trees and colorful flowers scattered symmetrically all across the garden. Adalfo hired a skilled gardener to take a special care of his garden. A greenhouse was built in the east side of the garden for plants needing specific care, especially Adalfo’s favorite flowers. Siena was watering the various plants in the greenhouse, when she came to realize that Damien Lambert had been suddenly standing behind her. When she turned around, the twenty nine year old lawyer was smiling at her. “It seems to me that you’ve made yourself at home, Siena…,” Damien greeted. Siena turned her gaze to the charming French descent man. His pleasant smile and his warm cho
Siena read the attachment of Adalfo’s testament for one more time. Every flower name written was found in Adalfo’s greenhouse, except for one. What was Drumbrazil? She creased her brows again. It was Saturday, one day after Damien handed over the testament, and Siena was in the greenhouse now. Determined to solve the riddle given by her adopted grandfather, she observed the flowerpot one by one according to its name written on the paper. She lifted the first stone flowerpot, it was Amaryllis. Was there a message on the bottom side of the pot? There was nothing. She turned the pot from side to side. It was clear, nothing written on it, except for the carving which was the part of the pot design. She exhaled sharply. Did she have to pull out the whole plant one by one, to see inside the pot? Was it possible that Adalfo h
“What are you thinking about?” Damien’s question took Siena back from her drifted mind. They were sitting in a limousine driving them to La Paradise Hotel. “Oh, nothing, I’m just –" “Are you nervous?” Siena bit her bottom lip. “Yes, a little bit nervous….” Damien stretched his right hand, took Siena’s hands and held them. “Don’t be nervous, you’re a brave girl. Besides, you look so wonderful tonight,” he praised Siena, who was wearing a cherry red midi dress with off-shoulder model. The dress clung to her body in all the right places, showing her beautiful figure, making Damien unable to turn his gaze away. Siena found it hard to respond. But something in Damien’s warm touch made her heart skip a beat. He was such a nice person, willing to acco
Alfonso and Gloria stepped into a white Audi car. Alfonso drove the car quickly, leaving La Paradise Hotel. After silence reigned for a moment, Gloria turned her face to Alfonso who suddenly became voiceless. “So that was Siena Mori? She looked so different tonight. Huh! She must have spent old Adalfo’s money to afford for expensive cosmetics and glamorous dress. But still, she looked so old-fashioned, not worthy to be a billionaire,” Gloria taunted. Alfonso remained silent. He rubbed his stubbly chin with his right hand, trying to take Siena’s image out of his mind. “Honey Bear…,” Gloria started whining again. Alfonso reluctantly turned his face to his woman. “I saw the way you looked at Siena. You’re not drunk, are you? Don’t tell me that you find her beautiful….” Alfonso chuckle
Siena zipped her suitcase closed. Everything she needed was already in the suitcase. Now it was time to prepare her sling bag. All she needed were her purse, passport, private stuffs, and the photograph of Adalfo and her mother which she always brought anywhere with her. In two more hours, Adalfo’s private jet would fly her and Damien to Dubai. Suddenly she heard the sound of footsteps approaching, as if someone was running to her bedroom. Knock! Knock! Siena opened the door. “Lucio? What is it?” The loyal butler was standing in front of her. His face somehow looked pale and sweaty. “Miss Siena…,” he stuttered. She creased her brows. “What happen, Lucio?” “Mister Alfonso Garcia is waiting for you in the living room.” &nbs