LIES OF THE HEART

CHAPTER ONE " Good morning beautiful family." A loud voice bellowed from the top of the stairs. Lara looked up from the pancakes she was making to smile at her husband as he walked down the stairs with one hand holding his briefcase and the other hand trying miserably to knot his tie. It still surprised her that after over nineteen years of knotting his tie for him he still couldn't do it properly. A small part of her felt he just enjoyed her doing it for him, which was why he simply refused to learn. Men.... Typical, she thought. " Good morning babe." She said to him and she leaned up for him to kiss her. What was meant to be a light peck on the lips turned into a full blown make out session as he deepened the kiss. He bit her lower lip and she moaned lightly into the kiss. She dropped the spatula she was holding and slid her hands into his hair. He loved it when she did that. " Okay people. Keep it PG around here." Adrian, the eldest of their twin kids said with a light chuckle. " Awwwwwwwn come on, I think they are cute." Arianna said. She was the younger twin. With their black hair and piercing blue eyes, both kids were a splitting image of their father Valentino. Most times their mum Lara joked about the fact that they thought she was ugly and that's why none of them decided to look like her. The only thing they had in common with their mum was the cleft in their upper lip that made their lips look heart shaped and the cute dimples that appeared on their cheeks whenever they smiled. " Get your own wife Adrian. It's not my fault I can't keep my hands off mine." Valentino joked as he placed light kisses all over Lara's neck. " Awww... That's so sweet Dad." Arianna cooed at her Dad. " See?? This is why you're my favorite child." Valentino said to his daughter. " Dad???? I thought I was your favorite child??" Adrian said feigning hurt. " That was last week." Valentino retorted. "Don't be jealous, man." Arianna said to her brother who just shrugged her off with a laugh. " Hmmmm, pancakes. Yum." Valentino said as he sniffed the food. " Grab a seat... I'll bring yours over." Lara said to him. " Thanks honey." Valentino said with a peck on her cheek. " So Adrian, how was football tryouts??" Valentino asked. " Oh I made the team dad." Adrian said proudly. " Oh really?? I'm so proud of you son." Valentino said with big smiles. " I also make the cheerleading team Dad. Hopefully I'll be cheer captain too." Arianna said. " Wow guys. I'm so proud of both of you. " Lara said as she placed the food on the table. " Thanks mum." They chorused. " Okay everyone let's eat. We're running late." Valentino said and they all started to eat. In less than ten minutes they were done and heading out. Valentino and Lara took seperate cars while the twins rode together to school. " Bye Mum. Bye Dad." They shouted before they sped off. " Yunno Adrian.... We're really lucky to have such wonderful parents. I mean,after so many years of marriage they're still all over each other like teenagers. I want something like that someday." Arianna said to her brother as they drove to school. " Yeah you're right Ari. What they have is unique and special, but don't tell them I said that. " Adrian said and they both laughed. Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at school and headed towards their first class together. As they walked down the hallway, everyone seemed to stop and say hi to them. Being star quarterback and cheer captain was a big deal and so everyone wanted to associate with them. Coupled with the fact that they were extremely good looking and came from a wealthy family. " Hey Adrian... Hey Ari." " Good morning Adrian... You look beautiful today Arianna." " Nice jacket you two." Everyone seemed to have something to say to them and they twins responded to them all with smiles. " Well... If it isn't my most favorite twin in the whole world." A voice said from behind them. Arianna just shook her head and laughed. She'd recognize that voice anywhere. It was her best friend, Khloe. " Hey Khloe." " What's up baby girl? Hey Adrian." It was no news that Khloe liked Adrian. She always turned as red as a tomato whenever he was around... Not to mention the way she would glare at any girl who even tried to get close to him and Adrian didn't even notice it. Personally, Arianna thought he noticed it but he just chose to ignore it because Khloe wasn't his type. She was a blond with purple eyes whereas Adrian had a thing for brunettes which Khloe knew. One time she tried dying her hair brown to suit his preferences but that didn't turn out so well. " Hey guys, there's a rumor going around that we have some new exchange students." Khloe said as they walked down to class. " Exchange students?? In the middle of the school year??" Arianna asked with raised eyebrows. " That's weird..." Adrian said. " Isn't it?? I mean we're practically half way done already so why would the school accept an exchange student?? Much less two?" Khloe asked. " And that's not even the weird part..." She continued as they walked into the already half full classroom. " What do you mean?" Arianna asked. " They're saying that..... Ow!!!" Khloe couldn't finish as someone bumped into her roughly pushing her to the ground. " Khloe are you okay??" Arianna quickly knelt to help her friend up while Adrian turned to glare at the girl who had pushed Khloe. " Yeah I'm fine...." " Watch where you're go..." Adrian started to say but he froze as soon as he saw the girl's face. Staring back at him was his twin sister Arianna in a different body. The resemblance was so strong. " What the...." Arianna stood frozen as she stared at the girl too. She looked so much like her and her brother. " Hey, get away from my sister." Another voice said and they all turned to see a guy who was a splitting image of Adrian. It wasn't difficult to tell that he and the girl were twins. Adrian and Arianna stood there staring in shock at the girl and boy. How was it possible that strangers could look so much like them?? " I said get away from my sister." The other guy repeated and he shoved Adrian " Hey tell your sister to watch where she's going." Arianna said to the guy. " Adrian... Ari I'm fine. Let's just go take a seat." Khloe said and she pulled them away while the other guy and his sister just glared at them. ? Meanwhile at Valentino's office " You have nothing to worry about Mr Davis as everything is being arranged even as we speak. Your shipment will be delivered to you as arranged." He said to someone over the phone. " Yes of course. Rossi industries looks forward to doing more business with you. Have a nice day." He said and he hung up rubbing his forehead. It was barely afternoon and he was already exhausted. His desk was littered with documents that needed signing and he had a long line of meetings set up. Not to mention a conference call later. " Remind me again why I decided to be rich?" He asked himself with a chuckle. Suddenly his door was thrown open and in walked the last person he ever hoped to see again. His biggest mistake.... His darkest secret.... Nancy Jones. His secretary Emilia was hot on her heel. " Miss, I said you can't see him without an appointment. Please leave." She said to Nancy who just threw her a dirty look and made herself comfortable on his expensive sofa. " Sir, I'm so sorry. I tried to explain to her but she forced her way in. I'll call security right now." Emilia said frantically trying to explain. " That won't be necessary Emilia. Go to your office." Valentino said to her. " Okay Sir." She said before walking out of the office and shutting the door quietly. " Nancy...what are you doing here?" He asked immediately. " Come on now Val baby. That's no way to greet an old friend." Nancy said, feigning a pout with her bright red lipstick. She stood up from where she sat and walked over to his desk. " Don't tell me you didn't miss sweet Nancy." She asked as she pretended to pick her blood red nails. " What are you doing here Nancy?" Valentino asked again, still maintaining his serious expression. Nancy just smirked and walked around his desk to where he sat and slid her hands through his hair. " I missed you Val." She said softly. " Get your hands off me." Valentino growled at her as he grabbed her hand. " What. Are. You. Doing. Here." He snarled. " Release me immediately, Valentino Rossi." Nancy snarled angrily at him and he let her go. " Well if you must know, I'm here because I need to talk to you." Nancy said. " Well I don't want to talk to you. Not now. Not ever." Valentino replied. " Well sadly my love you don't have a choice. Or would you rather I go talk to my dear sweet friend Lara?" Nancy asked him with raised eyebrows. " You bitch...." Valentino growled. The veins on his neck popped out as he clenched his fists trying with all his strength not to strangle her where she sat. " Now Val, let's not go about throwing insults at each other. How's Lara by the way?? Still naive and innocent??" She asked with a small laugh. " Don't ever call her name out of your filthy mouth." Valentino snarled at her. " Yeah yeah whatever." Nancy replied with an eye roll. " What do you want, Nancy? Money? Name your price and it's yours." Valentino asked her. " Really??" Nancy asked. " Yes. Name any amount and I'll write you a cheque right now." Valentino replied. " 20 million dollars." Nancy said. " Done." Valentino replied. He opened his drawer and pulled out his cheque book, filling out everything he tore it out and handed it to Nancy. " Here.... Take it and get out. And this time don't come back." He said to her. Nancy collected the cheque from him and stared at it for a few seconds then she ripped it. Valentino stared at her as she tore the cheque up. " What the f**k Nancy?" Valentino bellowed at her. " Not everything is about money Valentino. I'm insulted that you would even think that I'm after your money. You know very well that's not what I'm after, Valentino." Nancy said angrily. " Then what the hell do you want Nancy?" He asked through clenched teeth. Rather than answering, Nancy opened her handbag and removed a small card which she extended to Valentino. " What the hell is this??" Valentino asked her. " You want to know what I want? Well I want to talk. 9pm. At Bella Rose. I'm pretty sure you remember it. Don't be late." Nancy said and she stood up to leave. " Hell's gonna freeze ten times over before I go anywhere to see you." Valentino growled. " Oh now Val, we both know you don't mean that. Don't be late baby. You know I hate to be kept waiting." Nancy said to him with a slutty wink before she sashayed out of his office. Dear Lord, why now?? Why now after all this time??