Buried Secrets, Burning Desires

CHAPTER 5

Enzo stood up quickly and scratched the back of his neck.

“Sorry,” he said.

“I forgot.”

He walked over to her side and pulled out the chair.

Ruby smiled and sat down slowly, crossing her legs in a smooth way.

“That’s better,”

“A man who knows how to treat a lady.”

Enzo walked back to his seat and sat down. He gave a small smile and cleared his throat.

“What would you like to take?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

Ruby looked at the menu for one second and dropped it.

“1959 Dom Pérignon Rosé,” she said, licking her lower lip slowly, looking deep into Enzo's grey eyeballs.

“It’s light, smooth, and sexy. Just how I like it.”

Enzo sat up “mmmm, that’s a rare choice.”

“I’m a rare woman,” she said, winking at him.

The waiter came and served them the wine in slim, classy glasses.

Ruby took hers and twirled it gently in her hand, watching the liquid move.

Enzo didn’t waste time. He placed both hands on the table.

“Let me go straight to the point,” he said.

“Your father, he made a proposal. He wants us to be married. It’s the only way he could give us time to work on the investment he made with Aerovitale.”

Ruby sipped her wine, her eyes never leaving his face.

“I know,” she said.

“And I must say I’m not surprised. Daddy always finds a way to get what he wants. And honestly that's a trait I took from him.”

Her voice was soft but full of heat.

“I’m not here to play,” Enzo said.

“This is business Ruby, and I have to do this for Aerovitale.”

Ruby leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms under her chest, her curves showing out more.

“See Ruby,” Enzo said, his voice low.

“I’m not asking you to love me. I’m asking you to help me.”

Ruby tilted her head.

“Help you? how?”

Enzo took a breath. His voice was calm, but firm.

“Marry me for 6 months. After that, you’ll file for divorce. Enough time for me to work on the investment, But in return, I’ll give you something you don’t have.”

Ruby raised a brow. “Haha! I have everything I want, Enzo. What else could you possibly give me?”

“You don’t have a legacy of your own,” Enzo said.

“A name that doesn’t belong to your father. A business that isn’t handed to you. I’ll give you that.”

She narrowed her eyes.

“You’ll give me what exactly?”

I’ll give you full ownership of Velucia, the luxury clothing brand we bought in France. It’s young, bold, and growing fast, gathering millions per month. You can run it however you like. Your own press team. Full freedom. It’ll be yours forever even after the divorce”.

Ruby froze for a second. Her eyes widened a bit, then she smiled slowly.

“Velucia?” she said. “You’d give me that?”

“I will,” Enzo said. “If you agree.”

She sat in silence for a few seconds, staring at her wine, then looking at him again.

“You know, I hoped you wouldn't be boring,but you’ve got a little game in you.”

“Mmmm” Enzo chuckled impatiently.

“Do we have a deal?” Enzo asked.

Ruby gave a long sigh, then leaned forward and gently touched his hand in circles.

“We have a deal, husband, if you don't fall head over heels by then, of course.”

She said softly, staring deep into his sharp gray eyes.

Enzo exhaled. His chest felt lighter. It was done. She agreed. Easier than he thought.

He nodded. “Thank you.”

But even as he sipped his wine, part of his heart turned cold.

Hazel.

How would he explain this to her?

He picked up his phone and called Mr. Costi.

“Hello Mr Costi, I’ve spoken with Ruby. Let me know a convenient time to meet and discuss everything?”

After ending the call, he placed the phone down.

He looked at Ruby. She looked at him.

They both raised their glasses and took a sip.

Neither of them blinked as they both stared deeply into each other's eyes.

Ruby kept swirling her wine glass with a flirty smile, knowing Enzo had fallen into her trap.

Same morning.

Hazel stood quietly in Dr. Graves' office as she watched him enter.

He looked serious.

“Please sit”, pointing at the chair across his table while he sat on his own chair.

He didn't waste time. He looked her in the eye, and he could feel she was already anxious.

"Hazel, I need to ask you some things."

Hazel nodded slowly. Her insides burning up with curiosity.

"Who made Mr. Edmond’s last tea the previous night before his death?"

Hazel hesitated. Her forehead furrowed in confusion. "My mom did?"

Dr. Graves nodded.

"Who served it to him?"

Hazel looked down. "She did?" She responded again, still waiting for his reasons for the questions.

"Who was the last person to go into Mr. Edmond’s room that night, before the morning of his passing?"

"It was my mum." Hazel said, shifting her posture towards the edge of her chair.

Dr. Graves sighed and leaned back for a few seconds.

"After his burial, your mom tried to get into his room,”

“Why? Why was she so focused on cleaning that room when everyone else was mourning?"

Hazel didn’t answer. She stared at the floor. Her fingers squeezed the edge of the chair.

He continued. "She also seemed very concerned about Mr. Edmond’s last tea cup.”

He said, bringing out Edmond's teacup, the remaining tea now drying up from the bottom of the cup.

Hazel's breath fastened.

He continued. “I saw how she tried so hard to take this teacup from me, as if that was the only thing she needed to clean from the room.”

“You were there hazel, and you saw that too.”

Hazel looked confused. But deep down, something started to feel strange.

“Doctor Ethan, I don't know why you're asking me these questions, but if you're suspecting my mum poisoned sir Edmond, then that's totally a big misunderstanding, mum would nev!...”

"We searched your room.” He said, cutting off Hazel's speech.

Dr. Graves reached into a drawer. He pulled out a small dark bottle with a tight lid and held it up.

Hazel’s heart jumped.

She knew that bottle.

Her mom had it hidden in a food flask under their bed.

She would take a little powder from it sometimes and mix it into Edmond’s tea.

Her mom had told her it was a delicate prescription for Edmond.

“We found this in that flask." Dr. Graves pointed at the flask on his office counter.

Hazel’s eyes widened as she stared at her mom's flask on the counter. She felt cold inside.

"You searched our room?"

Dr. Graves nodded. "Yes! I had to.”

“Hazel... this powder... we found the same thing in this last tea cup." He said, pushing the teacup towards Hazel.

Hazel shook her head. "No" she whispered.

"This powder is deadly for someone with kidney disease. It weakens the organs fast. Edmond had a strong chance of living.”

“Hazel, my medicine was working. But this? This made his health worse.”

Hazel couldn’t breathe for a moment. She felt like her whole body was frozen.

Dr. Graves stood up and walked toward the lab. "Come, let me show you something."

Hazel followed him like a ghost.

They entered the lab, and he showed her a report.

“I suspected something when I brought in Edmond the moment of his death, I carefully examined him, that's why I had to visit his room that day.”

“That substance was in Edmond’s system. Too much of it.”

Hazel stared at the paper. Then the bottle. Then the paper again.

Her mouth opened to speak, but no words came out. Her eyes got wet as she shook her head in disbelief.

She thought about all the things that now made sense.

How her mom suddenly stopped her from making Edmond’s tea when in fact, she used to force her to help her out with it.

How her mom suddenly started telling her to stay away from Enzo despite supporting their relationship before.

How that strange bottle was never in their house before, until about 3 weeks ago.

How her mom hid it in the flask under their bed instead of in Edmonds' room, where his prescriptions were always kept.

How she tried to get into Edmond’s room when no one had ever given her a key.

Hazel didn’t speak. She just stood there.

Dr. Graves watched her quietly for a while. Then he spoke again.

"Hazel, I need to tell the Vitale family about this."

Hazel turned to him fast.

"Please No, Not yet. Please wait for my mom to wake up. Please doctor Ethan, let her explain herself."

Dr. Graves sighed. "I won't do that!”

“The evidence is very strong. Your mom handled his food. And she was the only one using this powder. I must tell the family!"

Hazel walked close to him, eyes full of tears.

"Please! Just wait. Give her a chance to wake up. To talk. Please!”

He looked at her with a very serious face.

“You can't make me an accomplice of murder. Once the police find out about this, they will act! And they will act harshly because the evidence is clear as daylight!”

Hazel looked him in the eyes, shaking her head, tears rolling down her cheeks, and she grabbed his hand tightly.

“Please Doctor Ethan, she needs to talk, she needs to explain, please give her some time to recover. I'm begging you!” She said, grabbing his hands even tighter.

For a few seconds, Dr. Graves looked hazel deeply in the eyes while she held him. He let out a smile, a smile that gave hazel the most uncomfortable feeling.

"I’ll think about it. I’ll text you in the evening."

He said, placing his hands on her left shoulder while slowly sliding it down her breast.”

Hazel nodded quickly, moving his hands away from her and wiping her tears.

"Thank you. "I appreciate that." Her stomach growled in pure disgust.

She rushed out of the office and ran straight to the hospital where her mum had been admitted.

She ran to her mom’s room.

Evelyn lay there, still and silent.

Hazel dropped to her knees beside the bed as she grabbed her mom’s hand.

"Mom! Please wake up. Please!" she cried.

“Just open your eyes mom!” She shouted, dragging Evelyn’s body aggressively.

A nurse came in and pulled her gently.

"She needs rest. You can’t disturb her please!"

Hazel moved back but kept crying.

She sat beside the bed, tears running down her cheeks.

The nurse asked her what was wrong, but Hazel couldn’t speak.

She suddenly stood up and ran out of the hospital.

It's evening and Enzo stepped into the house, tired.

His day had been long.

Meeting with Ruby,

Sitting with Mr. Costi,

Making tons of plans as they discussed the huge expansion of Aerovitale.

At least now, they have a bit of breathing space.

Mr. Costi had agreed to give them time.

But still Enzo’s head was full. Thoughts about hazel still disturbed him.

His heart was even heavier.

She is still at the hospital taking care of everything alone.

He hadn’t seen her since that morning.

And Evelyn was still not waking up.

He picked up his car keys and drove off again.

When he got to the hospital, he walked straight to Evelyn’s room.

“Nurse?” he asked quietly, “how is she doing today?”

One of the nurses looked up from her notes.

“She’s stable,” she said gently.

“No change, but she’s doing okay for now.”

Enzo looked at Evelyn.

She lay still, eyes closed, machines beeping softly beside her.

He placed the food he had brought on the small table near the bed.

“Have you seen Hazel? "I intend to take her home today” he asked.

“She came in this morning,” the nurse said.

“She was really crying about something, I don…”

“Crying?” Enzo cut her off.

“She was crying,” the nurse said.

“And she kept begging her mum to wake up. She even tried to shake her.”

“What? Hazel did that?”

“Yes,” the nurse nodded.

“She wouldn’t say what was wrong. But something was clearly bothering her. Then she suddenly rushed out of here. We tried to ask where she was going, but she just left.”

Enzo’s heart dropped a little.

He tried to smile.

“She must have been really scared. Her mum hasn’t opened her eyes in days. It’s probably just too much for her. I believe she should be home now.”

He stood for a few more seconds, then turned to leave.

“Please, take good care of Ma Evelyn. Let me know if anything changes. And if there’s any bill, don’t wait, just call me directly.”

They nodded.

He left the hospital while dialing Hazel's line, but her line is off, something feels off.

As he walked into the mansion and headed to Hazel’s room, everywhere was silent.

He stood at Hazel’s door and knocked gently.

No answer.

He knocked again, firmer this time.

Still nothing.

But the door slowly opened.

That’s when he realized the door wasn’t locked.

There was no padlock outside either.

Enzo pushed it open fully, and stepped inside.

His heart thudded slowly in his chest.

The room was neat.

Too neat.

The bed was made.

The hanger was empty.

The small table by the window was clear.

And all their things, Hazel’s clothes, Evelyn’s clothes, their bags, even Hazel’s favorite beige scarf, were all gone.