Cracked Facades: Beyond the shells

A Walk Through Memory

Alexis POV

As we drove up to the mansion, the familiar gates creaked open, and I felt a pang of nostalgia mixed with sadness. The winding driveway led us to the grand entrance, where memories of laughter and happy times with my parents flooded my mind.

David turned to me, concern etched on his face. "Princess, are you sure you're ready for this?"

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. "Yes, David. I need to do this."

We stepped out of the car, and I led the way into the mansion, my heart heavy with the weight of what I was about to face.

Every step I took feels heavier than the last one.

Everything seemed normal just yesterday, but now it feels like a lifetime ago. I made my way to Dad's home office, the one with a secret study room he created for me when I was 10, so I could work without interruptions. As I approached the door, I felt a mix of emotions , dread and anticipation , about what I might find inside. David gave me a gentle pat on the back and said, 'You got this, Princess.' I asked him to wait in Dad's office, and he nodded, standing guard by the door.

I entered the room, taking in the familiar scent of books and ink. Contracts lay on the table, waiting for Dad's signature. I walked pass the table and opened the safe and found a flash drive. Plugging it into the computer, I was surprised by what I saw, childhood memories, videos of me playing with Jess, with my parents. The videos chronicled my life, showing each stage of my growth.

One video caught my attention, it was of I and a boy, who looked familiar. I remembered him; he was the son of Mr. Marshall, Dad's best friend. We spent one summer together when we were eight and I recalled our adventures, laughter, secrets and promises. I wonder where he is now.

The last video showed my parents sitting together, facing the camera. "Hi, cupcake," Dad said, his voice cracking my heart. I smiled replying, as if they could hear me "Hi, Dad."

Mum said, "Hey, baby," and I whispered, "Hi, Mum."

The video was a message for when they wouldn't be with me anymore. They apologized, saying they hoped it wouldn't come to this, but if it had, they were sorry. They wanted me to remember who I was, to not let grief or revenge consume me. They encouraged me to experience life, fall in love, and enjoy it. They warned me about the dangers of our life and promised David would be there to help me, along with someone else, who they didn't mention.

They reminded me that I was already in charge of the company, and since I already know the ropes with David as the face of the company, they believe it's in good hands and will continue to grow. They trust the council would work with the throne until I was ready to take the reins. They told me I didn't have to take the throne at 18; I had until 25 to officially ascend the throne, I was a little bit relieved to hear that and I wonder why the council didn't tell me. Mum said she has some things prepared for me and I will receive them at the right time, they told me how much they loved me. I touched the screen as if I was touching their faces, I smiled through my tears

"I'll live well, Mum and Dad. I'll bring those lurking in the shadows to light. I love you both so much.'"

The video ended, and as I sat there, staring at the blank screen, the weight of their words settled in. They knew something was coming, something that could take their lives. The thought sent a chill down my spine. I replayed the video, listening to their words, their voices, one last time.

The memories they shared were a mix of happy moments, birthdays, holidays, and significant milestones, like when I got my degrees and our one family graduations, my first horse ride, and my first business pitch. Each clip was a snapshot of a life well-lived, a life they wanted me to remember.

The little boy in the video, caught my attention again. I remembered him, his messy black hair, his mischievous grin and his caring attitude towards me that summer, he promised he would always protect me and we made a silly promise to get married to each other in the future, which was quite funny because we were only eight. I can remember asking my parents when his family will visit again, my dad keeps telling me they will come when the time is right but they never did and I stopped asking but I never forgot him, well except his name, I kept calling him prince that summer and totally forgot his real name.

As I reflected on those memories, that particular summer stood out, and yeah I didn't forgot the treehouse our parents built for us, our own little castle, we had a very interesting treasure hunt, and spent nights telling ghost stories around a campfire with our parents. The memories flooded my mind, and I smiled through tears.

But the smile quickly faded as I thought about the danger my parents warned me about. Who were these people lurking in the shadows? What did they want? I knew I had to be brave, for myself, for my parents, and for the people who depended on our family.

I took a deep breath, wiped away my tears, and stood up. It was time to face whatever lay ahead. David was waiting for me, and together, we'd uncover the truth along with whoever my parents said is coming to help.

As I turned to leave, I noticed something on the desk a small note, scribbled in my dad's handwriting: "Trust no one, trust the process." I folded the note, tucked it into my pocket, and walked out to meet David.

"Are you okay, Princess?" he asked, concern etched on his face.

I nodded, determination burning within me. "I'm ready, David. Let's do this."

I went to my room to pack my things. After finishing, I ended up with just two travel bags. David came into the room with two male servants and told them to take the bags to the car.

Then I went back to my dad’s office and took the family seal and important documents that needed my attention as soon as possible.

David told me Lydia had already prepared the guest room at her house for me. I felt a wave of relief, I was so glad to have them.

“I want the mansion emptied of everyone,” I told David. “Only a few maids can come in weekly for cleaning. I don’t want anything tampered with. Everything must stay exactly as it is.”

He nodded in understanding.

When I got to the car, Ruben was already waiting, ready to leave. I took one last look at the mansion before getting in. David sat in the passenger seat and Ruben started the drive to Lydia's house.

“So, what do you have for me?” I asked David.

He handed me a file. “Your new name is Katherine Morgan. You’ll be using the same last name as Jessica, since you’re now her cousin, from her father’s side. Her father had a sister who was sick for a while before dying last year. You’re her daughter, and you’ve been living in an orphanage until Lydia found out about you in one of her late husband’s diaries and decided to bring you home.”

I nodded. “Okay, that’s a good cover story. So who’s the father?”

“You never knew who your father was,” David replied.

“Good,” I said. “Fewer connections means fewer chances of getting caught. I’ll brief Lydia and Jessica once I get to their house. Thank you so much, David. You’ve done so much for me today.”

“You’re welcome, Princess,” he said with a small smile.

“You know, you can always just call me Alexis.”

He chuckled. “And you’ve told me that like a hundred times, Your Highness. I think I’ll stick to ‘Princess.’”

I shook my head. “As you please,” I said with a smile.

When we arrived at Lydia’s house, I got out and David and Ruben helped me with my luggage.

“Thank you so much, Ruben and David,” I said.

“We’ll take it from here,” Lydia said, coming out of the house with Jessica.

I turned back to the two men. “You can both go rest now. Work continues tomorrow. I have to rest too, I’ve got school tomorrow.” I smiled and hugged each of them.

“Have a good night, Princess,” they both said, bowing slightly before leaving.

“Let’s go inside. It’s cold out here,” Lydia said gently.

I took a deep breath. Today is over, I thought. Tomorrow is another day.