Aurora Heroux

14 | Gamble of Life

MAYA'S POV

"I thought you said we're going home? Why are we here at the hospital?" I don't know what's going on and they haven't been talking since the car move. When it stopped in front of the hospital entrance, the door was opened by Ariel.

Wait, even Ariel is here?

"I hope you've done everything that I requested," Braylin asked when I walked out of the car. "Yes, your highness." I face my grande soeur. "Can somebody please tell me what's going on? You're scaring me." I didn't budge without my answers.

"Your parents called the school and inform us that Simon was involved in an accident. He's being treated here." Thea explained. I was shocked and beginning to panic. "Relax. Ariel said that he's stable. Lead the way, Ariel." She nodded and lead us towards my brother's whereabouts.

I ran towards my mother when I saw her sitting in the waiting area.

Momma." She was surprised to see me. "I thought I said you don't have to come." She turned her attention to Aurora and the others. "Honestly." She shaking her head. "Never mind that. How's Simon?" Her expression tells me something bad.

"Well, the accident... may cause him ... " momma sighed. "What is it? Tell me." I insist. "He might not be able to walk again." Somebody else said. I turned my attention to my brother's girlfriend. "He wants to see you." She referring to my mom. Momma nodded and patted my shoulder.

I took a seat and can't believe what I just heard. "He might?" Braylin asked. "That's what the doctor said. He might. There's respond but it's not enough to determine his capability to walk again. He's devastated by the news. He's not himself right now .... your highness."

Oh, Simon.

"What kind of doctor saying he MIGHT not be able to walk again? What's the proof of his claim? Jesus!" Braylin and Ariel marched down to the nurse's station.

"Does anyone know what happened?" Aurora asked. The girlfriend shakes her head. "He doesn't want to tell us the cause of this. He just went crazy when the police did the questioning." Aurora and Thea looked at each other.

"At least tell me if this accident happened at the factory he's working at." Aurora stayed. Simon's girlfriend shakes her head. He was found lying face down in the middle of the busy street with blood all over him." Oh, Simon... what happened to you?

"Get the covert squad on this matter. I want solid information." Aurora said before Thea leaned in and whispered to her ear. "I'll handle that matter on my own. Now your mission to find what happened to Simon Clementine. Do you understand me?" Thea sighed heavily before nodding her head.

Thea smiled at me before went to her way.

Aurora took a seat opposite of mine and just thinking away. She seems out of place. "Maya?" Leon walked up to me. "I went home to pick dad up. He's at the wardroom now with mom." He took a seat next to mine. "I can't believe what just happened sis. It all happened so fast. I was at work and before I knew it dad called me about Simon."

"What? Aren't you guys going to work together?" Leon shakes his head. "He said he needs to do some errand before going to work. I left him. If I didn't, he wouldn't be in this situation right now." Leon blaming himself.

"Hey. Don't blame yourself. Accident happens." I tried to consult him. I noticed momma walking towards us.

"Lady Harmony, I know it's not the right time but can you please follow me to somewhere private. I need to discuss something." Aurora stood up from her seat.

Momma seems taken aback by Aurora's seriousness. "Sure. If you please lead the way, Lady Aurora." She nodded and lead momma to a secluded area of the hospital.

Part of me wanted to know but another part of me wants me to stay put. "Screw this." I finally decided to find my mom and Aurora at the very end of the hallways, talking to each other.

"What kind of question is this? What are you implying, Lady Aurora?" Momma sound mad.

"I'm sorry for being rude but Lady Harmony, please tell me the truth, is Maya Clementine actually Charlotte Primus, daughter of Lord Abel and Lady Anastasia Primus?" Aurora sound determines.

What? Lord Abel and Lady Anastasia? And who's Charlotte?

"What? No! Are you mental? The Primus Family was killed in cold-blooded years ago. This is absurd." Aurora grabbed on momma's wrist when she tries to walk away.

"Lady Harmony. I'm sorry for doing things behind your back but the DNA test came back positive. Maya's blood matched the umbilical cord I found that was believed to be Charlotte's. If this so, Charlotte is the remaining survivor and she has for the Primus Family fortune." Momma yanked her wrist away from Aurora.

"Do you realize what you had done? You jeopardized her safety all over again. Yes. She is Charlotte Primus. Yes, she's the last remaining member of the Primus Family but the fortune is gone. Do you know why I was banished from my own family? It's because I protected the child of my best friend from harm. From my own father's scheme to fulfill his selfish desire."

What?! So it's not because she marrying dad? It's because of me?

"But I never once feel that she's a burden and the cause for my state of life right now. I never blame her for anything because I know it's not her fault. She was just a baby when it all happened. Do you know how shocking it is when you walked in the mansion of your own best friend and found that every single one of her kids was killed?" Momma's voice cracks.

"I go all out to save her. To save my Maya. When my father found out what I had done, he was about to kill me, his own flesh and blood as well. But something made him stop that night and let me go. I never told him about Maya. My husband and I swore to each other that no one shall know about Maya."

By now I know she's crying.

"But my father. He took everything from us. Our fortune, our status. Even my husband's family were stripped off their status and became who we are today. But he and the rest of the family never blame Maya for what happened. Not even once. We all love her."

"So your father was the one who killed the Primus Family?" Aurora asked.

"He's the mastermind," Momma replied.

"Why didn't you tell my parents about this? Why wait? Why?" Aurora was determined.

"Because if my father knows that she's alive and well, he will go all out to kill her. Even if I did no one would believe me. I have no proof. Abel was smart. The rest of his fortune is gone with him when he died. My father gets nothing in return. But, if he knew about Maya, he might do anything to get his hands on her."

I heard enough. I went back to where Leon was and Braylin was there together with Ariel.

"Where were you?" She asked. Does she know about this? "Toilet. Any news about Simon?" I took a seat. "I was talking to the doctor and he said Simon need to undergo a lot of tests. Paralyse was possible but he'll do anything to prevent that from happening. It's not too late."

That's one good news for today.

"Hey what's the matter? You don't seem like yourself." She's right, who am I?

"Who is Charlotte Primus?" Her expression told me she knows.

***

"Charlotte was the youngest daughter of Abel and Anastasia Primus. You may don't know them but they were at the top of the list richest family in the Esnaria Kingdom. They're the riches elite ever and there on top of the Heroux and Blyton Family."

Braylin seems to have some trouble telling me all this. "What happened to them?" I asked. "They were killed. By whom, I'm not sure myself. How did you know about Charlotte?" She asked. "I heard mother and Aurora's conversation. For some reason, they thought I am Charlotte." She was surprised.

"I have a feeling you were." She said. "What?" She smiled. "When I first met you, it's like I met my old childhood friend. I have a feeling you're the same person I fell for years ago. I know we're just kids back then but I can't lie to my own heart when I said I fell for you." Is this a confession?

"You have all the right to wear that ring." She took my hand.

"Do you have any idea how happy I was when I met you again Charlotte." That name still foreign in my ears. "I'm Maya now." She smiled. "Yes of course. God knows how many people would want to kill you out there." Great. Now I have to worry about someone killing me.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to sound so negative." She apologized. Too late!

"Where's Aurora?" Thea suddenly appeared beside us. "She went to the toilet. You look like your out of breath. Did you run here?" I asked when Aurora walked up to us. "You came back. That was fast." Thea took a couple of deep breaths before facing us. "Turns out Simon has a huge debt. There are people after him." He what?!

"The others are tracking the people who chase him down. Don't worry." All three of them turned to me. "What do you want me to do about them?" Thea asked. She's asking me?!

"I'm not sure. What should I do?" I asked them back. "If you let me handle it I could finish them off easily. If that's your plan there will be the less bad group of people in this country." Thea sound wise for a moment there.

"Is it okay for me to use the covert squad like that?" I asked my grande soeur. "You're my soeur. You have the right to command them." Aurora smiled. "I should ask my parents about this. I can't just decide without them knowing." Thea nodded as she immediately went to meet my parents without waiting for me.

"She's eager," I stated.

"She's like that And also she hasn't had some decent fight for months now. She yearns for some action." So that's the type of person she is huh. "And still you choose that barbarian than me a princess." Aurora scoffed. "Your worst when it comes to being barbarian. You drove around in your tank."

"Hey! It's an authorized vehicle if you want to know. I have a permit to drive that tank on the road." It's fun to hear them argue like this.

Should I ask her the truth about Charlotte?

Am I really Charlotte?

I need to know the truth so bad.

"Aurora. It seems like Maya here has something to ask." Braylin said before she went to Ariel and the rest of her bodyguard. "What is it?" My grande soeur asked.

"I need to know the truth. That's it. Am I Charlotte Primus?" She was speechless.

"You were listening to our conversation earlier, did you?" I slowly nodded. "I know it's not my place to do that but my curiosity gets to me." She sighed. "Well, sooner or later you will know."

She beginning to explain what she has been doing behind my back and the truth was shown after today's blood test.

"What should I do for now?" I asked.

"Lay low. That's all you need to do while the rest of us doing what we can to conceal the truth. Don't tell anyone what you know or who you really are."

"Why are you helping me?" I asked.

"You may not remember me but I used to play in the old Primus Family mansion. Our parents were best friends. You, me and Braylin, we're childhood friends." I look down on my thigh.

"If those people who killed my real family know about my existence, they will finish the job, right?" There was a long pause.

"Braylin and I will never let that happened. Even Thea and the rest of the president will never let that happen. We promise you that. We were unable to protect you the last time but this time, we will. You can count on us." I don't know why but I feel so ... assure and safe.

But, even after all those explanations, I have the desire to know.

Why does my real family be the target in the first place?

***

After meeting Simon, we decided to go home while his girlfriend took the first-night taking care of him. Aurora called a few of her guards to stay and protect Simon while we all go home.

"You may injure or kill anyone who decided to attack Simon and his girlfriend. You have my permission." Aurora told her guards.

"Yes, ma'am." They all said in unison.

"Shall we go home?" Aurora asked my parents and me. Braylin and Ariel went back ahead of us because she has an important dinner to attend to at the palace. Aurora called for an extra car for my parents and Leon while we took the other one.

"I'm feeling like I've been burdened you," I said when we both inside the car.

"Hush. Don't say that. It's my pleasure to help someone who in need." The drive was in silence as Aurora was busy on her phone. I was just enjoying the ride when I have the urges to look out at the window.

Suddenly there's two black SUV on each side of the car we're in. Aurora looks up from her phone and asked the driver about the situation. Suddenly a car overtakes us and blocked our front while another car blocked our rear.

"Looks like we're trap, trap-like rats." Aurora was calm and even joke about this while I was about to have a heart attack.

"They blocked our phone signal as well." That little information is not something I wanna hear. I was screaming when a man aiming its gun at us. They started shooting at the windows and to my surprise it's bulletproof.

"Please tell me the other car is okay." Oh no! My parents! "They're okay. What should we do ma'am?" The driver asked while trying not to collide with the others. They still shooting at us. I'm legit shaking to my bones!

"Keep the car steady," Aurora said before she went to the seat in front of us and removed the cushion by pushing a button. I was shocked to see some collection of firearms and grenade inside the hidden compartment.

"Maya, meet Benelli M4." She smiled when she loaded the gun in front of me.

"Lady Aurora. It's too risky. I've called for lady Thea via SOS button. We should try to stay still until she came." The driver said. Thank God he called for Thea.

Wait, WHY DIDN'T HE CALL FOR THE POLICE!!

"That SOS button the only purpose is a call for my family special force." Did I shout it out loud? She was chuckling. "Ruben, open the top roof please." Aurora was smirking. "But Lady Aurora ..." Ruben didn't get to say anything when Aurora glared at him. "Do it now Ruben!" He was having a second thought.

"RUBEN! DO IT OR WE'RE GONNA DIE!" Aurora yelled at him. "Yes, ma'am!" He did as told and Aurora was ready to shoot them.

"Close your ears. It's gonna be loud as hell." I nodded and did as told. She was standing and aiming her gun when she abruptly went into the car and nearly got shot at.

"LADY AURORA!" Ruben yelled. Aurora was laughing.

"I'm fine. I will take care of the car on the left and in front of us. When I say now, hit the car on the right and pushed down the brake pedal. Understand?" Ruben obliged. "Here goes nothing. NOW RUBEN!"

The car sway to the right and the hit we received from the car behind us was enough to make me jump from my seat. Aurora took this chance to stood up again and began to shoot the car on the left.

I froze when I saw the car exploded in front of my eyes and Ruben overtake it.

Aurora took the second shot and the car that's originally in front of us exploded as well.

"NOW LOSE THE OTHERS!" Aurora yelled when she came back inside. She was out of breath but laughing at the situation she's in.

"What you say if I suggest we gamble our life for this!" She said between laugh. What kind of person suggested that?!

I still can't believe she made two cars exploded right in front of our eyes! I screamed when a car hit our rear again. "WHO THE f**k IS THIS PERSON!" I finally lost it.

I was grabbing the seatbelt like my life depends on it.

"They helping each other huh." Aurora took out another gun that looks like the one she was holding and loading it.

"Try to avoid roads with the civilian car." She told Ruben. "What are you going to do Lady Aurora?" He asked. "I'm going to kill them all at once." She was smirking. "Drive as fast as you can. I've can't wait for Thea. If we do we will die."

Aurora sound confident. Hold on, she confident she can shoot them or confident we will die?

She smiled at me before going out again.

I took a glance at what happened at the rear and my eyes widen when the enemy was aiming its own gun at us. "AURORA GET DOWN!" I yelled at her but I was too late when I heard series of gun shooting and both cars exploded behind us.

Aurora slumped down from the roof and I was worried she might get shot at.

Luckily she didn't hurt herself at all. She began to laugh and let go of the guns. "That was such a gamble! I love the adrenaline rush! I love it!" She laughed again. Ruben was relieved and I am too.

Aurora saves us. She literally did! My hands are shaking and I can't stop them. "This reminds me of the trip to Vegas! I was at gunpoint and there's only the matter of life and death. I was dying but I survive. Still, the adrenaline was fantastic!"

Why does she laugh at this situation?!

"This is such a gamble of life!" She shouted. Seriously, did she just treat everything as if she's gambling money and not her life?!