"Leo, why did you change my bodyguards?" Alice asked, her voice laced with irritation as she sat cross-legged on her bed, laptop propped up on her knees. She had just returned from school and missed her brother, so she decided to FaceTime him.
Leo, sprawled on a couch in his Madrid apartment, shot her a bored look. "Why are you asking this in the middle of our beautiful conversation? You sure know how to ruin a vibe."
"Duhh, I don't give a damn. Just answer me." She rolled her eyes dramatically. Leo let out a soft, sinister chuckle. "My friend thinks your guards are incompetent, so I fired them. But in a nice way."
"Wooo, that's an evil smirk. Which friend is that?" Leo stood up lazily, stretched, and walked to the fridge. He grabbed a can of soda, opened it with a snap, and gulped it all down in under ten seconds.
"Leo, did you seriously just walk off to get soda? "Yes, I did. Why? Is it a crime?" He raised a brow.
"Wait—how did you even see that?"
"I've projected the video call onto the wall," Alice said smugly. "I can see your entire mess."
Leo chuckled darkly. "Look who's talking. You? Miss Clutter Queen? You being tidy doesn't suit you." Alice huffed. "I think it runs in the blood." Both of them burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"But seriously," Alice continued, wiping a tear from laughing too hard, "that friend of yours is so weird. "Yeah, that's just how he is."
"Uncle Mark, right?"
Leo nodded. "Yup. Mark Ryan Wilson. The second richest man in the world. "Wilson? Is he related to Uncle Jeffery?"
"No, he isn't."
"Aww, okay. He's handsome though. Is he married?" Leo's smile dropped as he narrowed his eyes. "Why? You wanna marry him?"
"Ew. No!" she scrunched her face in mock disgust. "He has a girlfriend. Raphaelina Davis. "Ooh, that's Mary Kay brand ambassador? And host of Miss U.S.A.?"
"I couldn't care less."
"Jeez, you're so rude." Alice rolled her eyes. "Anyway, let's end the call. I need to sleep early tonight. "Why? It's the weekend. We could talk all night."
"Sorry, but Alicia and I are going shopping tomorrow."I see…" Leo said slowly, a teasing edge to his voice. "You'll finally see what Alicia's done to your bedroom. It looks beautiful now."
"Oh my gosh, what did she do?!"
"Relax, I'm joking—"
You're so boring," she said and abruptly shut her laptop and turned off the projector.
Phone rings.
Of course, she already knew who it was. She glanced at the screen.
Leo. She ignored it.
The phone kept ringing for almost thirty minutes. Then silence. A moment later, a message tone buzzed. Alice picked up the phone and read it aloud.
"You'd better answer before I take the next flight to New York." She rolled her eyes again and switched the phone off. "Weird man."
****Madrid – 6:00 AM****
Leo rubbed his temple as he stepped into his walk-in closet. He regretted dismissing all the staff choosing a suit was already stressing him out. "Hrrgh. I swear I'm never doing this again."
He finally pulled out a sharp royal blue suit and buttoned it up. Standing before the mirror, he adjusted his collar. "You're good to go, Leo," he muttered to himself.
Today, he had a highly anticipated appointment at the Royal Palace of Madrid with the powerful Duke of Browston. Descending the stairs two at a time, he ignored the steaming breakfast laid out for him.
"Sir, your breakfast—" his bodyguard Code called after him. "I'll have it after the meeting. Just pack it up." Code obeyed swiftly, tailing behind Leo with the food flask.
Mara, his elegant secretary, stood by the car. "Good morning, Sir," she said with a respectful bow. "Morning, Mara. You've got all the documents?"
"Yes, Sir. Everything is in order."
"Good. Let's move. The Spanish don't play with time." The drive to the Royal Palace was smooth and quiet. Once there, the grandeur of the place took Leo's breath away.
The Royal Palace of Madrid.
"Leonard Dark Hart. We have an appointment with the Duke of Browston," Code said as they approached the entrance. Security was tight, but once cleared, they were escorted inside.
Leo's eyes roamed hungrily over the splendor. Massive, rusticated stone façades… a balustrade lined with statues of ancient Kings… beautifully trimmed hedges and gardens blooming in vibrant colors.
"Mara, take a video as we walk. Alice will love this." She pulled out her camera, but a guard swiftly blocked her. "Sorry, Miss. No pictures or videos allowed. Security protocol."
Leo clenched his jaw. "Of course it is…" he muttered under his breath, clearly annoyed.
A stunning brunette in a black office dress walked up to them gracefully. "Welcome to the Royal Palace of Madrid. I will lead you to the Duke," she said.
As they walked through regal halls and marbled corridors, Leo marveled at the artistry. Gigantic portraits, gold-draped curtains, and San Agustin marble floors. Every wall echoed history and power.
They passed a landing flanked by two majestic lion statues. A statue of a late King watched over the ground floor. Finally, they stopped in front of an enormous cypress wood door. But something stopped Leo cold in his tracks.
A portrait.
A very specific portrait.
"Uhmm… Miss, your name, sorry?" Leo asked, eyes still locked on the painting.
"Eleanor Frinks, Sir."
"Eleanor, that portrait over there," he pointed, "who are they?" She turned to look. "That's His Highness Prince Fredrick Serrano de Diaz and Princess Maita Serrano de Diaz."
Leo stepped closer, heart pounding.
The woman in the portrait she looked exactly like Alicia.
Same piercing blue eyes. Same shape of the jawline. Even her gentle, confident smile. But what chilled him most was the necklace she wore an elaborate pendant hanging from a thin silver chain.
Leo blinked. It was the exact same necklace Alicia always wore. The one she clutched protectively the day it accidentally got exposed. "Where are they now?" he asked quietly.
"Princess Maita passed during childbirth. The Prince has been missing for over twenty years." Leo's eyes narrowed. "That necklace on her neck is it… common?"
"No, Sir. It's a Royal heirloom. Legend says it's magical—"
"Oh, please," Leo rolled his eyes.
She smiled politely. "That's your perception, Sir. But only princesses married to the eldest Prince wear it." Leo's breath caught. "Can it be passed down to daughters?"
"Yes. Only if there's no son and the eldest child is a daughter. In that case, it goes to the daughter or the daughter-in-law." Leo stepped back, eyes still glued to the portrait. His entire mind was racing.
He turned to Eleanor, voice calmer now. "You seem very knowledgeable about this palace's history."Just a bit, Sir."
"Lead me to the Duke, please."
As they walked forward, Leo whispered to himself: I swear, I'm going to kill you, Peter Dark Hart…"