The Dangerous Family Secrets

Chapter 16: Snake'ish

Shadows form both day and night,

but only when there luminus light,

for in the dark no secrets seen, but with a flicker all is revealed

Lily-Ann's POV,

Ushering her daughter into her office at the CUB head quarters, for their break of the tribunal, she closed the door with a sigh. the sun was coming in from the window and the pale grey curtains weren't doing much to deter the rays.

Her office space was of a similar decor to her office at home but with a more calming feeling to it, there are scented candles on the table in the corner of the room and on her desk, a white colored love seat sat close to the small table in the corner and there are pictures of the whole De'luca family on the walls and a small frame one on her desk.

Waving her hand in a its ok kind of motion Lily-Ann told Soraya to sit down, to which she walked over to the love seat at the far corner of the room and perch her self.

" well that was a mess" said Soraya with a sigh

" more like a categories 6 hurrican" Lily-Ann replied taking a seat at her desk and kicking her feet up on her desk trying to keep calm

" I did shoot at Annabelle, but it was not in the way she made it seem, she was being undiplomatic after the no confidence vote so i put her in her place" said Soraya in a defeated voice

" i suspect has much, and i believe once you fully explain the narrative around that when you take the stand it will be clear to those who don't understand clandestine finality traditions"

" you really believe that, because am starting to get the feeling that a lot of the clandestine members or against us" said Raya

" yes I do, and you should have a bit more faith in the intuition of our fellow members" preached Lily-Ann

It seem Soraya wanted a change of topic, to a lighter mood because she sat up straight on her seat then said

" what does K.O.S mean?", she look at her mother who was beautiful even without trying, how she embrace the things that made her unique, and Soraya felt a bit under valued.

A smile with a slit chuckle escaped Lily-Ann lips, for she wondered why Soraya wanted to know that out of all that was said throughout the first half of the tribunal

" you heard that?,your father and i have many ways of alerting each other to eminent trouble, and K.O.S is just one of those ways, its just a short form for saying a killing is on site" she replied

With a sudden ghasp, Soraya grab her chest, trying to calm her beating heart from her mothers shocking reveal

" so there is an assassin on the CUB grounds right now, is that what your saying to me?" Soraya asked

" yes, but it's nothing to worry about, we have more pressing issues at hand" retort Lily

" fine then, so where do we go from here because, I think Liam made our family look traitorous on the stand" said Soraya

" we stick to the rules, you tell your truth or we hope that what ever Naomi and that Terrence has planed pulls us out of this"

" he's not as bad as you may think mom" cried Soraya trying her best to defend Terrence

" am not saying anything " said Lily-Ann to which she hold her hands up in surrender from hearing the defensiveness in Soraya's voice.

A few silent minutes passed before anyone spoke and Lily-Ann found her self puzzled as to why Soraya hasn't asked about Liam's revelation of Alandro and who he was and how he died. She took her feet off her desk and got up then walked over to the love seat and sat down beside Soraya.

" why haven't you asked about what Liam said about our family" she asked Soraya looking at her with a confused expression

" well to be honest i already know the story about uncle Alandro" reveal Soraya

Caught off guard from her daughter revelation Lily-Ann looked at her with a how did you know expression and it seem as if Soraya understood her unspoken question and said

" grandma told me the day after the assassination of Antonio because i asked about the red ribbon assassin"

" well i guess Catharine has reach the age of not caring" Lily-Ann said with a laugh

" So you are not mad she told me" asked Soraya

" no am not, i should be apologising to you and your brother for not telling you about him and the story surrounding him, I'm much more sorry that Sorenzo had to find out like this" she said

" by the way where is Renzo?" asked Soraya sounding concerned

" i supposed he is with dad" she replied

And with that there was a soft knock at the door.

" expecting someone are you?" asked Lily-Ann as she got up and walked to the door and pulled it open to reveal a curly hair young man with a try in his hand that seems to hold a wine bottle and two glass.

" good day Mrs. De'luca i am devon, server from the south west bar lounge I'm here to deliver a gift from Mr Terrence" he said

Hearing the name Soraya got up from the love seat with a swift motion and got to the door and said

" do please come in"

Lily-Ann stepped a side and allowed Devon to enter her office but she kept her eyes on him for she did not trust his story. Devon placed the tray on the empty table that was near the window then stood with his hands behind his back, then he said

" Mr Terrence said i should give you this as well" said Devon handing Lily-Ann a folded piece of parchment

" Well tell Terrence thank you" said Lily-Ann taking the paper from Devon with a sense of caution

Devon walked back to the door and Lily-Ann walked behind him eyeing him suspiciously and as he step back through the door she closed it with annoyance then rounded on Soraya

" What is all this about, are you two dating, did your father not forbid you from having any relations with him, Soraya we have enough problem, if this comes up in the trial the Vadeem's vote could be seen as bias in your favour?"

" mom, no we are not dating, its not like that, well we did kiss once but its not what you think and i don't know why he sent these" Soraya said

" you kissed, you had your first kissed and didn't tell me, Raya how could you not tell me" she said feeling distant from her daughter life, was she really that hard to talk to that Soraya had her first kiss and didn't feel the need to tell her about it. Feeling like a bad mother she walked back to her desk and sit down and released a sigh then said in a much calmer voice

" am i that much of a terrible mother"

" No your not a terrible mother, your a great mother, the best, and am sorry for not telling you it's just that with everything i forgot" said Soraya has she walked over to her and held both her hand which suddenly alerted her to the piece of paper she still held.

Pulling her hand from Soraya's grasp she opened the note and read,

Dishonor is your plight, it will lead to your flight but a victory is in sight

Lily-Ann read the paper about ten times in lest than a minute, she could hardly believe that see did not thought of this her self, with a sudden spring to her feet she hand the paper to Soraya and paced the room as the wheels in her head started to turn.

Lily-Ann could hear Soraya read the note aloud but she did not stop when she asked her what's this all about, for a plan was on her finger tips.

" mom, could you please stop pacing and explain what this is about?" Said Soraya

She came to a stop, then sat on the edge of her desk with both hands bracing her from both sides.

" it seem your not boyfriend might have shown us a c***k in the, Moassi, Pratt, duo and i think i understand the route he thinks we should take but i also have a short cut in mind a deadly short cut if i might add" she said as she kept eye contact with Soraya

"Mom i still don't follow, what c***k, route are you talking about"

" in due time Raya, in due time you will understand" she said feeling a little less skepticism towards Terrence. Looking at Soraya she could see the confusion on her face but she could not reveal her plan just yet so she walked over to the table at the window that had the forgotten wine bottle and glass, she took up the bottle and wave it at Raya then said " how about we take a drink then head back, i promise you are going to need it"

" i could really use it" said Soraya who still looked confused to Lily-Ann

Popping the cap she poured them both a glass, an handed Soraya the silver rimed glass wear with the deep red substance and said cheers, they clink their glasses together then poor the expensive poison down there throats.

Back to the tribunal, POV's from multiple persons......... .....

Lorenzo walked back into the Tribunal assemble hall once every member had file back into the room, Sorenzo his youngest had came to see him, when he step into his office he was not surprised to see him, he wondered what took him so long to get to him.

It was not easy getting him to agree to wait until later, he wanted answers about Alandro and he was sure Soraya was probable drilling Lily-Ann for answers but he hope she would do the same and wait until later he explain why to them.

" Tantum Facinus Vitae, the tribunal is now back in section, the accuser will put their first witness"

" i call Terrence Vadeem to the box" said Santos with pride in his voice

You could see the surprise on Terrence's face, did he not know he would be called to the questioning box, Terrence took his time he kept a straight face has he past both parties and took his seat, then placed his hand on the code and guides. He had though of them calling but he had hope they didn't.

" do you Terrence Vadeem swear to speak the truth, being lead by the code and guide that is set before you, so Tantum Facinus Vitae" said Lorenzo

" i do, so Tantum Facinus Vitae" replied Terrence

Santos got up and walk up to Terrence in the box but before he spoke he looked at Soraya and Lily-Ann, he wanted to sink them and how best to do that, than try and turn the vadeem words against them, for the whole clandestine knew how close Trimone was to Lorenzo. it took Lorenzo all his efforsts to keep himself composed as he watch Santos eye his wife and daughter from up on the dais but he had to keep himseld composed, Lily-Ann can handle her self he said to himself.

" did you call a no confidence vote at the last CUB meeting" asked Santos

" yes I did" answered Terrence

" and how did Antonio vote?"

" he voted against Miss De' Luca" said Terrence

" let the members stand aware that Miss De'luca is infact Soraya De' luca and not Lily-Ann Deluca" Santos said addressing the members

" Terrence, did Soraya De'luca and Antonio have any altercation within That meeting"

" yes they did" said Terrence

" please go on, tell us what transpired between them" said Santos

"She made note that Moassi, The Reveara and the Burretty did not turn over their OPF's and ask why that was directly to Annabelle and Antonio every one was quiet until Antonio said,

"the amount that the board raised it's fee to was ridiculous ans he believe no one wants to say anything about it so that why he decided not to pay but bring it up, at the meeting".

Soraya asked Annabelle if her reason mirrored Antonio's"to which Miss Moassi said yes. Then she asked if any other member feel the same way?".

"No one said anything for a good 2 minutes, so Soraya said to Antonio and Annabelle that no one else shares their grievances and that its democracy so they lost, and they should wire their funds within the hour!! or there would be hell to pay".

" so your saying Soraya did Threaten Antonio Reveara" Santos asked

" am saying in a scene she gave a command"

" a threat cam be a command Mr Terrence but did or didn't miss De'luca say, if they didn't turn over their funds within the next hour there will be hell to pay"

" yes she said that" Terrence said keeping a straight face

"Lorenzo i rest my case" Santos said and walked back to his seat

"The witness is now yours witness Lily-Ann" said Lorenzo to his wife

Lily-Ann got up and walked up to Terrence as if she owned the place and in a scene she did, she leaned on the rail of the box and look directly at Terrence and said

"I just have a few question, first one is was Antonio and Annabelle being disrespectful or rude"

" both their tones were dismissive and disrespectful" said Terrence

" how so, please explain" said lily-Ann

" when Soraya asked Annabelle if her views mirrored Antonio she replied with a Yes but it was in a defiant and condescending tone"

" and when Antonio made his concerns heared he did do it in a disrespectful tone" said Terrence

" i would like the members to note that with both parties being disrespectful, Soraya would have to make a strong command one that may even come off as a threat, any one in an authoritative position would understand this plight " said Lily-Ann to the members

" last question Terrence, you said that Soraya said that, If they didnt turn over their funds in the next hour, there will be hell to pay, so what i want to ask is, Did Antonio and Annabelle turn over their OPF's"

" yes" said Terrence

Standing to his feet with speed and furiousness, Santos shouted

" i proclaim that Terrence Vadeem could not know if Antonio or Annabelle had paid their OPF's"

He knew that if he allowed this to go on the De'luca's could win this round.

" on that you are wrong Santos" said Lily- Ann to him with a smile

Holding up the papers in her hand that Lorenzo was just noticing she waved it above her head and said

" this would prove that Antonio and Annabelle did turn over there fees at the right time and date, the agenda of the CUB meeting and this will prove that Terrence Vadeem would be aware that all funds were paid"

She handed the papers to Lorenzo, who was looking at them keenly, she began to walk with authority at the front of the dais in a pacing kind of form but much calmer, as she spoke.

" the CUB meeting was called to order at 1:00pm the first thing on the agenda was the CFP, the Charity Funding Program, every member got a copy of the agenda and knows that a percentage of their OPF's go to the CFP so Soraya would have brought it up at that time and the accounting sheet depicts that Antonio Reveara's funds were paid at 1:25pm, that is way before an hour. If Mr Santos Reveara wants to say that Soraya De'luca kept to her threat then wouldnt it be the same to say she would also keep to her word, she said if the funds aren't turn over in the next hour their will be hell to pay and the funds were turned over before the hour. Said Lily-Ann looking at Santos with fire in her eyes

Lorenzo looked, over the documents eyeing every statistics and he was proud of his wife, he knew she always had and ace but seeing her in action up close was mesmerizing and from Lily-Ann's reasoning points he then said,

" the three papers in my hand show proof to different aspect of Lily-Ann's words one of the paper is the thank you and evaluation email of the last CUB meeting that was sent to all members at the end of the meeting and from this document it states that all members stood by their quarters and contributed evenly to the CUB fund and the different programs, so yes Terrence would know if all members even Antonio had turned over is fees

" another paper shows the accounting of the CUB fund and this document shows the time when Antonio fee were paid and they were indeed turn over at 1:25pm"

" and the last paper is a copy of the agenda used at the last CUB which was called to order at 1:00pm and CFP was the first thing on the agenda.

" Santos you may approach to take a look at the documents" Lorenzo said in finality

Santos walked up to the dais, mentally kicking himself all the while trying to form some edge to come back to he reach for the papers then scanned them deeply for a while then handed them back to Lorenzo the n walked back to his seat without a word.

"Mr Vadeem, you may step down now and Lily-Ann you my present your first witness or proof" said Lorenzo, to which Terrence got up but before Terrence could move Santos walked up to the question box and said,

" i have one more question for you, Did Soraya De'luca shoot at Annabelle in the CUB meeting"

" yes she did" said Terrence then he step down and walked back to his seat. He was furious he thought he had escaped being asked that question but Santos just had to ask him, "he will pay for that" Terrence muttered under his breath from his seat beside his father who didn't look at him.

" i call liam to the stand" said Lily-Ann

Soraya was shock why would her mother called Liam of all people as a witness, didn't he just try to sink them. Her mother must have a plan because she couldn't see her reasons.