Dark secrets(forbidden love affair series)

CHLOE

August 1,2016.

I was running late.

I checked my dashboard again to make sure I was still driving under the approved 40 km/hr limit since this was a residential area. It wouldn't do to be pulled over and delay getting to Alicia.

That little menace had called me up a few minutes ago and demanded I come over. Immediately.

Apparently she was injured in the gazebo.

She had fallen down when climbing to the top of the gazebo. Why she would do something as dumb as that,I had no idea.

I found it strange though that she called me and not Kyle. I swear that girl had been following Kyle around since she could walk.

I rolled to a stop at the huge black gates,rolled my window down and waved at the guard on duty. I waited for him to identify me on camera before he pressed a button prompting the gates to open.

I drove up to the house,bypassing the garage beside it. I got out hurriedly and went around the Crane house to the gazebo located on the other side.

The gazebo was a whimsical wish of Mrs Crane. She saw it in a magazine and must have one. So she did.

I wasn't sure the gazebo went well with the ranch style of the house but to each his own.

The gazebo was a huge white structure located at the very edge of the house. Considering the fact that the Crane house spanned several acres,it took some time before I was able to see the shape of the structure that was my destination.

Everywhere was dark and no one was about.

There should have been guards walking the grounds. This night was getting weirder and weirder. Some meters ahead was a shape in the gazebo. I hurried towards Alicia,hoping she wasn't severely injured.

Alicia was not in the gazebo.

I was momentarily blinded by the sudden bright lights. When I could see again,the gazebo was decorated in a way I hadn't seen before.

There were flowers everywhere. Roses, wildflowers, impatiens, sunflowers. It was as if a flower shop had burst open here.The lights were all placed to highlight the beauty of the flowers.

It had a romantic feel to it.

I turned around and was greeted by the sight of my entire family all dressed up. Even Uncle Sylvester had been dragged from his office. I found that fact more odd than the fact that everyone was dressed in their finery.

They were not the only ones here though. The Crane family was here too,all dressed up. Including Alicia,the little imp that tricked me here.

"My love"I squeaked and turned to the voice behind me. James Crane was the shape I'd seen in the distance.

He was also dressed and looking handsome in a black tux. His blue eyes were piercing in their intensity.

The love in them stole the breath from my lungs.

I wondered why Alicia had lied to me. I wanted to ask why people were here,but I didn't ask any of those questions. I just watched James drop to his knee.

Oh my God. It was happening.

"You are the most important person in my life. I don't want to live another day without you. At the risk of being sappy,you complete me. Please marry me."

I scoffed at him,doing my best to hide my smile."I thought you were supposed to ask not beg"I couldn't resist needling him.

James was not particularly romantic but he knew how much I wanted a traditional proposal. It wasn't so much the proposal but I needed to know that I was worth the asking;I needed to see that I was the one he would risk his pride for.

James scowled at me indignantly,eyes unsure at my continued silence. It was a mean thing to do but I just wanted to make him doubt my answer.

"If he faints you're gonna carry him" My cousin,Kyle hollered, garnering laughter from our audience.

I mirrored James' position on the floor"Of course I'll marry you darling"James' sigh of relief was eclipsed only by the happy screams of our family.

Hoots trailed our kiss.

The proposal was magical in it's simplicity.

Our beloved town was more than eighty years old,but the friendship between the Black family and the Crane family had existed for longer than that.

It started with my great-grandfather Carl Black and his childhood friend Shane Crane roaming far away from home to become pioneers of the land soon to be known as Lyfette.

Their friendship continued on through their sons Lyle Black and Conner Crane. Lyle Black(my grandfather) gave birth to Philip and Sylvester Black. Mr Conner gave birth to Beaumont and James Crane.

Philip Black gave birth to yours truly and Tyler. His older brother Sylvester gave birth to Kyle.

Mr Beaumont gave birth to Miles and Alicia. Those three boys have been the bane of my existence. Alicia wasn't much better.

Three generations and there had never been a female child born into either the Crane or black family--until Alicia and I.

Given how close our families have been for generations,it was obvious that a union between the Crane and Black family was going to be the talk of the town. Inviting six hundred plus top echelon in the society was beyond even my own imagination.

"Good afternoon Miss Black"The butler, Mr Eric welcomed me amiably.

Kyle had an ongoing mission to make him call us by our given names. I had no doubt he was fighting a lost battle. I'll admit it was weird having him call us with honorifics given that he had watched us grow,but Mr Eric was a stickler for tradition.

"Hi Eric"I replied cheerfully,making my way into the house.

The last two months had been a flurry of planning and fitting appointments.

James had been absent from most of it while I was stuck with the wedding planner from hell. I was certain she was a drill sergeant in a previous life.

James was not going to duck out anymore though,I was here to make him attend my second fitting with the designer. After the fitting I could finally spend some quality time with my fiancé. My fiancé.

I was engaged to marry the man of my dreams. Most days it still felt like a dream.

It would soon be a reality though,I thought happily as I caressed the huge painting in the west wing.

Shane and Carl shared a lot of things,including the same idea on how to raise their families. The Black House was built with the same plan in mind as the Crane House.

Our House was slightly bigger than the Cranes' but they had more land,to cater for the horses the raced. Each house had an east and west wing. To be split in equal parts between the first two children and their families. In event there were more children,there were excess lands for more houses to be built. I was in the west wing,James' part of the house... well,soon to be my part of the house too.

"Jamie"I called,announcing my presence in his rooms.

I made directly for his private library slash office,ignoring the living room and bedroom. James had an actual home office but he preferred to use the library in his rooms as his office.

James' excuse for missing the fitting appointments was that he had a big project he was working on. I was here in part because of that. James worked too hard in my opinion.

He was going to take the rest of the day off even if I had to make him.

A door connected his living room to the library. I opened it expecting to find my fiancé, instead I was greeted by a disturbing sight.

At the far end of the library,Miles was going through a desk in a small room. A room that existed where the wall should have been.

MILES

"What are you doing here Miles?"A voice asked,nearly making me jump out of my skin.

I'd been so engrossed in going through James' secret desk that I forgot to listen for footsteps. A rookie mistake that I shouldn't have made.

I turned to face the new occupant of the room.

It was Chloe,arms folded,giving me the patented Chloe look. The look that said she was seconds away from blowing the whistle on me.

This was bad.

If I didn't shut this down before it got out of hand,she would go to James and ask him about this room. A room I was not supposed to know existed.

"I need an answer Miles or you can explain yourself to James"There it was. Chloe's only flaw.

She was a tattle tale.

I pushed out a bit of my essence,enveloping the flash drive I'd found in black.

"I will tell you later."A defiant look was my only reply.

"Not happening. Tell me right now."She walked into the room and settled her butt on the desk.

She was making herself comfortable in a space I was trying to get her out of. I could never decide who annoyed me more between Alicia and Chloe but I was certainly leaning towards Chloe right now.

"I'm calling in my marker"I proclaimed desperately. I needed her out of the room by whatever means necessary.

Chloe was brought up short by my announcement.

When Chloe was in middle school,she had tried to impress the new boy in her class. She had dressed up just for him,even wearing makeup....and her mum's favourite pair of diamond earrings,one of which she had lost during lunch.

I'd gone over to play videogames with Kyle and Ty that day. Mum dropped me off an hour early and I'd had the privilege of seeing Chloe's first foray into the world of makeup.

It wasn't pretty. Ty had been in stitches when he recapped her attempts to impress the new boy in her class.

When aunt Stella found her earrings missing,Chloe had used Ty and I as her alibi. Chloe made Ty and I keep her secret by inventing the marker. Ty and I got two each.

Each time we called one in,Chloe had to do whatever we wanted.

"Fine.You'll tell me at dinner tonight."Dinner?

"Yes,dinner. I'll text you the address."She announced regally,then flounced out of the room.

I made short work of putting everything in the room back into place before pulling the nose of the penguin statue on the shelf in the library, effectively putting the false wall back into place.

I was heading back to my wing of the house when I received a text from Chloe.

It was the address of the restaurant she wanted me to meet her.

* * *

I was at the restaurant at exactly eight pm that night.

The maître d' was beside herself trying to get me the best table and anything else I could have desired.

I cased the restaurant and chose a table tucked into the corner.

Chloe showed up a few minutes later,looking beautiful in black pants,a black top and a pink jacket,her wavy brown hair falling to her shoulder. Her small bright pink purse completed the outfit.

She waved me off when I tried to pull out her chair for her. She was probably still miffed that I called in my marker. She probably thought neither Ty or I would ever use it. I probably never would have if it weren't for the extenuating circumstances.

"I'm listening"She announced,getting straight to the point without preamble.

A waiter interrupted before I could say anything,for which I was grateful.

I still hadn't decided how to handle Chloe. An outright lie would not work with her. She was too perceptive for that. The truth wouldn't work either though.

I could just imagine the look she would give me if I told her that I was tasked with bringing evidence that would prove that her fiancé was going against The order and dallying with very dangerous forces.

"This must stay between us"I stated ominously,affecting a serious pose.

Chloe,being a sucker for juicy news,leaned towards me eagerly,ready to get the scoop before anyone else.

"I'm investigating James."A scandalized gasp and then narrowing of the eyes.

I threw my hands up before she could lay into me.

"He has been accused of embezzling the company,I'm trying to find prove of his innocence."I explained hastily. It was a fine line between the truth and a lie.

I was investigating James,just not for the reason she thought.

"James would never do that and you know it!"She whisper shouted,enraged on her fiancé's behalf.

"I know that but they don't. Which is why I need to find prove that he is innocent of the accusations."

"But who is accusing James of this heinous crime?The company is owned by James and your dad"She wondered aloud before making a shocked sound.

"No,it's not my dad."I didn't think Chloe would know much about the company.

She was always talking about parties and the latest celebrity gossip. Thinking on my feet I announced"It's a job James did for the government last year on behalf of the company. There are claims of fraud. I'm trying to find prove before the government does."She looked alarmed the more I spoke.

"James is in trouble?"This was getting out of hand. I was trying to curtail her curiosity,not give her a reason to run straight to James.

"No. Not yet. That's why I'm doing all this,to prevent any sort of trouble from the government."

"Shouldn't you be asking James for whatever prove you are looking for then?"

Too damn smart for her own good."I can't. James is too proud,you know that."I realized I had a known excuse for this."They view me as a child,you know. If I can help with this,then they would stop viewing me just as Beaumont's son. I will finally be contributing to the company."She bobbed her head, commiserating with me.

She was well aware of how much dad babied me.

"Ok. I won't tell anyone. On one condition."I was weary all of a sudden.

"What's that?"

"You gotta let me help."

"What?! Why?"

"I want to help prove James' innocence. That's the only way I will be able to keep quiet."

That defiant look I hated and loved was back on her face. She wouldn't budge and I knew it. I wondered how my life came to this.

How was she going to help investigate a crime that didn't exist?

I was still pondering how to dissuade her when the proverbial lightbulb went off in my head. This could be the dumbest or best idea I'd ever had,but I was going to find out.

"I have a way if you are willing."She bobbed her head,a dazzling smile appearing on her face."You can help me spy on him."Her smile froze in her face."Nothing major,just place a bug on him."I hastened to explain.

She still looked uncomfortable but whatever she wanted to say was thwarted by the chirping of her phone.

"Hey Kyle"she listened intently for a few minutes."why would she do that?"she cried into the phone,anger clouding her face."You know what, I'm on my way home."She hung up without another word,rising to her feet in the next instant.

"I've gotta go."

"You're not going to have dinner with me?Everyone here is going to think I'm a loser if I eat by myself you know"

"I'll make it up to you,I promise"she promised,her face softening. She pecked me on the cheek and was gone in the next instant.

I waited a few moments before canceling our order and leaving the restaurant,much to the disappointment of the maître d'.

A short drive later, I arrived at my destination.

The park was deserted,as it should be at this time of night.

My passenger door opened and I was joined by Blade. I was pretty sure that wasn't his real name but I had no inclination to confirm my suspicion.

Neither Chloe nor anyone else ever wondered why our families were referred to as the Crane House and Black house. They just assumed it was for the sake of convenience. It wasn't. I found out why on my twentieth birthday..........