Arranged Alliance

Robert???

Nicholas Bretons

What is going on? Is it my fault that I was born in a rich family or is it my fault that I was born in this family? Am I an agent or something that everyone is trying to kill me? I am just a business man who is married and has many family problems. Does it make sense that I have many enemies and I don't even know how many?

I have to call Adrian. No, I have to tell him face-to-face. This is a problem that can't be solved alone. I sighed again. Why am I so messed up? As the hotel view started to come in view, I glanced at Nora, she was sleeping. She was not as surprised by the attack as a normal girl is, but again, she is not even a normal girl. What happened in the park may have shocked her a little bit but she was, in a sense, really fast.

I stopped the car and climbed out of the car, exhaled the deep breadth and walk to other side of car and pick my wife in bridal style, making sure she does not wake up. I went into the hotel. I started to walk towards the elevator but someone called me. I turned around. The receptionist came to me. A confused look on my face as I saw her walking towards me.

"Yes?" I asked,

"Are you Nicholas Bretons?" she asked in a low voice. I nodded "Oh, someone left them for you." The receptionist sighed in relief and handed me an envelope. I glanced at Nora, who was snuggling more around my neck. I sighed and took it.

"Do you know who gave it?" I asked, unsure because there was no address or name.

"No, Sir, I am afraid I don't, but a man gave it to me." She spoke. Who could this be?

"What does he like?"

"Actually, he was wearing a black coat and cap so I couldn't see his face. Sorry sir, I just know that he said that. I have to give it to you. It's important." She apologized and glanced at us, "Sir, you're bleeding." She said and moved to call someone. I stopped her.

"No, you don't need them to, just send me an aid box, thank you." I said, nodded at her and went into the elevator. From where I am bleeding. I glanced at her but my eye went to my shirt. I was not, Nora was bleeding. We went into the room and I laid her on the bed. She was still sleeping, more like fainted, my subconscious said. The staff gave me an aid box and left before I could stop her. I sat beside her and treated her wound. I applied an antiseptic then covered it. She still didn't wake up. After treating her wound. I call room service for someone so they can change their Nora clothes. I pulled my phone out but the bell on the door rang and I put it back. I got up and opened the door. There was a girl. I smiled at her and invited her inside. I gave her Nora's clothes and went inside the bath to change myself. I took a long shower. I went outside, Nora was still sleeping, alone.

I pulled the comforter up and went to the balcony, I pulled out my phone and smirked when I saw 29 missed calls from Adrian. The stupid paparazzi.

"Hello, Nicholas? Are you alright? Is Nora alright? You both didn't get hurt, right? Was Nora scared? Who was that man? Did he hurt Nora or you? Wha-"

"Calm down, Adrian." I spoke. He was really worried. More for Nora than me. He was breathing heavily on the other line. "Hi. I am alright. Nora's alright. We both didn't get hurt. Yes, she was a little scared, but later she saved me from him. I don't know about that man and Nora got a little scratch on her forehead and now she is sleeping. Anything else?" I told him everything after he said 'what happened?'. I can tell he was really worried and stressed.

"You didn't even greet me and asked so many questions." I said, acting sad.

"After you missed my almost 50 missed calls and 100 messages, you expect me to greet you. I prefer beating you." He said in a pissed tone. But he was relaxed after hearing my voice. I smiled.

"Actually, it was 29 missed calls and 50 messages." I corrected him.

"Anyway, nothing serious happened, right? Do I have to come?" he asked, still worried. I shook my head, smiling.

"No, nothing happened and yeah you can come. You can bring your girlfriend so Nora doesn't get suspicious. There is something important we have to discuss." I said to him as a cool breeze kissed my face.

"Okay. But I don't have a girlfriend, Nico." He said like, I am stupid.

"No, no girlfriend, but bring Eve" I said, ignoring him.

"What? Why her? I can come alone." He said annoyingly.

"I don't care if you want to or not. She is a great distraction for Nora."

"Why is Nora bisexual? Nico, did you marry a bisexual?" I facepalmed myself.

"Shut up Adrian and do what I told you to do. And Eve is not bisexual." I said quickly and he groaned, but I cut the call. How did I get this kind of friend? Oh god! But he was worried about me, he only did that to cheer me up. He always does that, talking about absurd things to cheer me up. But it didn't look like he was talking absurd, it was something he was saying on purpose. I hope he does the same with Nora. I thought, looking at Nora.

I went into the room again, closing the balcony door. I was going to bed but my mind wandered to the latter. I changed my direction and went to the coffee table where I dropped the letter. I picked it up and kept staring at it. There was no name on it, no address, only my name written. To Nicholas. I put it back and went to bed. I lay beside her but sleep never came to me.

____________________________________

"I still can't understand why you called her?"

Adrian said, looking at Nora and Eve at a table who were laughing at something. Then he turned towards me, "You clearly know what happened between us still. What kind of friend are you?" He said in disbelief. I chuckled, "Don't laugh" he said annoyingly. His elbow leaning on the table and palm on his annoyed face.

"Come on, Adrian, that was a mistake." I said, taking a sip of my coffee.

"How can cheating be a mistake?" he scoffed. I rolled my eyes at him.

"What I want to discuss is-" I started, but he cut me off.

"Why, your mouth sealed in front of your wife." He said, eating his whipped cream waffle.

"No, she is already scared of what happened yesterday," I explained. He looked at me like I was crazy. He glances back at Nora.

"Scared? Nicholas, at least don't use that word in front of me for that girl." He said smiling, "What she did to that man was very unscaredy, like." He said, eating another bite and quoting the 'unscaredy'.

"Unscaredy?" I laughed. "Is that even a word?" I sipped my own coffee.

"For her, this word is in my dictionary." Adrian shrugged, pointing at Nora, he said. I sipped my coffee. He dusted his hands,

"Anyway, what is the im-"

"There was an attack on us", I cut him while sipping my coffee. He was looking at the girls. Adrian pulled the cup to his lips and sipped his coffee.

"I know that." He said calmly, "Anything important." He pushed.

"I got another letter." I told him, forcedly.

He was sitting in a daze and sipping the hot coffee while nodding, then after taking in what I said, he spit it out, then he took a glass of water which he choked. And now he is coughing. What the hell?

"Dude are you okay?" I asked to hand him a tissue and pat his back while trying not to laugh. He turned to me and stared like I growed another head. "What?"

"There i-is no s-shame in you." He said, coughing. When he stopped, I sat across from him again. I glanced at Nora. She was still talking. She isn't even looking at me.

"Another?" He asked, my head snapped at him and I nodded. "Do you read it?" He asked, wiping his mouth.

"No." I said, looking at Nora again.

"Why?" He asked, frowning. I sighed.

"Look. I can't open it." I handed him the letter like I was disgusted by it. He looked at it from all angles. He looked at me and leaned on the table. I mimicked him.

"There is not a name and address."

"That's a new thing you told me."

"Nicholas."

"Hmm."

"Focus." I pressed my lips in a tight line and nodded. "Should we open it?" I looked at him and he stared back at me with a raised

brow. I plopped on my seat.

"I don't know." He now gave me both brows raised and a confused look. "I am not ready for what is written in it. Who knows what truth would be in it." I spoke.

"How fun would that be if you both turned out to be siblings," Adrian said, laughing. I glared at him. He stopped laughing and gestured to zip his mouth. "Should I?" I was curious but I was afraid that Adrian's statement would be true. He is an i***t. I groaned.

"Okay, open it." I said, getting my seat close to the table.

"Okay, I am opening it", Adrian announced. I rolled my eyes at him. Her eyes scanned the whole letter. Many emotions crossed his face, but the most prominent were shock and anger. "What, The. Hell?" Adrian said. I never seen Adrian this angry. I spent my whole life with him and I've never seen him like this.

"What happened?" I asked, half curious, half worried. "Adrian, are you alright?" I got worried when I saw Adrian's eyes. Tears were threatening to come. Ok. I've seen him angry but never crying. He didn't answer, instead stretched the letter towards me, looking away. I grasped it slowly from his hand and turned the letter around.

Dear Nicholas,

First, I want to congratulate you on your marriage. I am happy that my Nora is going to marry you. I am not her father, but I am God father of both of you. I know the first to read this letter will be Adrian, so I am going to be to the point. I am God father of yours, Nora's and Adrian's. I was not going to tell you about this relationship like this but I was forced to say this. Adrian, it isn't my place to tell you this but Nora is your biological sister. She is your younger sister. When you were born, someone kidn*pped you and threw you and someone told David and Sophia that you were dead. For your whole life they thought you were dead, but I grabbed you and sent you to our uncle's house. He doesn't know about that, but when he saw Nora, he would understand everything. I am sorry Adrian, Nicholas and Nora. I don't know if I will be alive when you read this letter. Take care of Nora and I am sorry Adrian. I made a big mistake not sending you to your real parents. Please forgive me for this.

I looked at Adrian, who now had red eyes. I can't believe it. I threw the letter on the table, which now has no more value than a piece of paper. I ran a hand on my face. I can't believe it. I heard a sob; I looked ahead and then I noticed who was sitting across from me was not my best friend forever.

He was a boy. A boy who got to know about his family through a letter. Who gets to know that his parents thought he was dead and his sister, who is sitting in another session, doesn't even know that he even exists? He was a boy who had a father figure, an uncle and an annoying sister in a cousin. I was just sitting there looking at the boy. I can't pity him. I can't comfort him. I can't tell him that he had told your sister that you are his brother. I couldn't even call him my friend at that moment. Because he is a boy who has lost the meaning of his life but still finds life in such small things or gestures. But I can do one thing.

I got up and went to him. I put a hand on his shoulder, he looked up and didn't waste time embracing him. I hugged him back, tightly.

Never in my life had I thought I would see or feel Adrian crying. When we were little, I tried everything to make him cry. I mocked him, hurt him, pushed him, forcedly made him watch emotional - sad ending movies but he never cried. He ends up doing the same thing to me and I end up crying at everything. But now he is crying and I feel like something inside me is breaking. He pulled away and wiped his eyes.

"I am sorry." I spoke. He picks up the paper again and this time read loudly the last part.

"Shut up. There is more." He snapped at me, his voice heavy and raspy because of crying. "Yeah so, where was I? Okay got it." He cleared his throat and drank a glass of water. We both sat down again.

I clearly know that I wouldn't be alive when you got this letter. Nicholas, Adrian. I know that both of you went through a lot. Nicholas gets to know that his mother's death wasn't an accident but a murder and Adrian comes to know about his family. But Nora went through a lot more than both of you. Both of you got emotional torture and she got both.

Adrian looked up from the paper at me and I nodded my head. I saw anger flash in his eyes. He continued.

I don't know the truth about what happened to Sophia, David, James and Lily but something really bad happened and someone was taking revenge on them. I don't know who the person was but they were really dangerous. I am only telling what I know, it's clearly not made up. All three of you are not mistakes nor regrets. There is a secret, all three of you are born. Especially Nicholas and Nora. Both of you are true heirs and there are many people who are going to try to kill you. Some for your love and some for revenge. But you have to fight. For yourself, your mothers, for each other. I am really sorry to bomb you like that, but I don't have any bad intensions. Take care, goodbye.

Your God Father

Robert Duke

"Nico, what does this mean?" Adrian asked after reading the whole letter. I know he is feeling sore from inside, but from outside he is Adrian.

"It means you and Nora are not my present but also my past." I said, gulping the water glass.

"So, there is something she is not telling 'you' or I tell 'us'" he said, pointing between us. I looked at her, she was laughing at something Evelyn said. Poor girl doesn't even know what is going to bomb on her.

"I don't think she is hiding anything. She just... Nora just doesn't know who I am or you." I said, smiling while looking at her smile.

"Believe me, she really went through a lot." My smile faded as I remembered past nights. I turned towards Adrian; it was better to tell him. "She has nightmares, she sleeps and talks like someone going to kill her, she. She didn't even recognize me when I woke her up and kept pushing me. I think she was fighting these nightmares alone. Worst is that I saw some scars and cuts on her legs and arm and I am sure there are more on her body but they weren't treated."

"Really? Does she go through this alone?" I don't know if he asked me or himself. He was staring at Nora. But I still nodded.

"And after her nightmares are over, she doesn't remember them or remember them but acts normal. She is weird." And you are falling in love with a weird girl. I shrugged, ignoring my inner voice, glancing at Nora, then him. "Well, you both are weird." I remarked. He plopped on his seat and ran a hand through his hair.

"Dude, I thought your life was totally s**t, or mine f****d up, but her life is f****d up shit." He said the last part, looking at her. I nodded, also looking at her.

"Yeah, her life is totally f****d up."

______________________________________

"Is this delicious?" I asked Nora softly.

"Hmm, really good." she said, nodding her head. After reading the letter, we joined them. I fully turned towards her, my elbow rested on the table and my palm on my chin. I smiled at her reaction. I took a strand of her hair and tucked it behind her ear, then twirled it around my finger. I stared at her while playing with her hair. She kept eating her burger which Adrian bought for her forcefully.

What are you, Nora Duke? You are not what I thought you would be. I don't know what happened to you in your past, but I know that our fate is the same. Your nightmares, scars, cuts, fear, sadness, heartbreak. I am going to let you go far away from them. Your past, scars or whatever, is never going to be your nightmare or way for you to break. I promise you that I am going to protect you no matter what. You are mine, only mine.

"This is really amazing. You want to try it?" she asked now, getting a full spoon of chocolate cake near my mouth I ate it. And it was really delicious. Up until now, I didn't know I was hungry.

"Mmh it is delicious." I said and she smiled. I grabbed her chin and turned towards me; I wiped some chocolate from the corner of her mouth. She started eating again and murmured a 'thanks'. I smiled, looking at her.

I am always going to protect you, princess.