Dropping The Crown

Ricardo's

POV

My sleep was perturbed by her image. As I lay underneath my silk sheet, the pictures stained my mind. Those bruises were healing, but her face didn't deserve such a horrific act in the first place. "Why are you even thinking about your maid, Ricardo?" I questioned myself. Sighing deeply, I picked myself off the bed and walked to the bathroom sink where I splashed my face with water to feel refresh and to clear my mind.

I returned to my bed and fell asleep.

"Damn the dream!" I cussed as I looked at my extra hardness the very next morning. I climbed out of bed, completed my morning workouts and hygiene, then went downstairs to my private room where I'd rather eat my breakfast after I was dressed for work.

After settling in the chair behind the desk, a soft knock came to the door before it was pushed it. "Good morning, Sir," she greeted me with a smile and set the cup and plate down.

"Good morning, Miss Prime. How are you this morning?" I found myself asking. Usually, I wasn't the one to make small talk especially on mornings but Adani drew something warm out of me. Her presence was comfortable and different.

"I'm fine. Thanks for asking," she answered. I watched as her timorous hands tried to cover the front portion of her body with the tray as she looked at me. Then very quickly, she turned on her heels and walked out the door before I could utter another word.

I laughed to myself. It was cute.

"Care to share what is causing you to laugh by yourself like a madman?"

I looked up from my meal and saw my mother has entered the room.

"Good morning, Mother," I responded.

"Good morning, my son. I see you still prefer to eat breakfast in here by yourself."

"I do. It's a habit."

"An awful one that you should stop. Especially now that your mother is visiting and you have perfectly large tables available for eating. Why do you like this small room is beyond my understanding."

"Mom..."

"No excuses. Come have breakfast with me."

"Fine, mother," I obeyed. I took up my cup and plate.

"Leave it. Have one of the maids come to get it for you."

"I'm sure they have already started their chores and I am capable of picking up a plate and a teacup," I told her. She smiled her usual coy one and together we went to the breakfast table. Miss Prime served my mother her breakfast. As she was retreating from the table, my mother stopped her.

"Excuse me, I need a glass of water as well," my mother told her "Yes, ma'am," Miss Prime answered respectfully. She left and came back with a glass of water.

"I meant bottled water," my mother said.

"Apologies."

"Hurry up and get it right."

Again she left and returned with a bottle of water. My mother looked at it, shook it and sighed with a frown.

"Not still. I want sparkling," she said. Again, Miss. Prime left and returned with a bottle of sparkling water this time.

"I can't drink San Pellegrino, Adani, get me a bottle of Perrier instead."

"Of course." Adani said and disappeared into the kitchen.

"Mother, don't start this," I directed to her once Miss. Prime was out of the room.

"Start what, dearie?" she asked innocently.

"You and I both know you could have simply said to get you a bottle of Perrier sparkling water instead of having her walk back and forth like this."

"She's a maid."

"I'm aware, but she's also human."

"And I don't care. She should have asked me what water I'll like. It's all about manners and

lessons for these skylarking helpers you have running around here."

I exhaled. I didn't want to get into it with my mother. I just wanted to finish breakfast and get to

the office. And I couldn't wait for the weekend to arrive and over so she can take her leave from the mansion.

"What would you be doing today, Mother?" I asked as I picked my briefcase up and stood up to leave.

"Perhaps I'll go shopping."

"Be careful and stay with one of the guards."

"Please, I don't need someone following me around like a babysitter."

"You're to stay with a guard. I don't want a repeat of what happened several years ago." "Fine."

"I'll see you later."

"That reminds me, I'll be extending my stay."

'Father in heaven, it's your humble servant. What did I do to deserve this?'

"Why?" I asked without a tone that would sound offensive towards her.

"Your sister and stepfather would be joining me in a few days. They don't want to miss the

birthday party surprise I have in store for you."

"Oh, my birthday."

"Your big thirty."

"Well, I'll be looking forward to seeing them but I have to leave now. Enjoy your day." I gave her

a quick peck on the cheek and walked out of the door. I got into my BMW 7 Series and drove to my company.

"Good morning, Mr. Parriston, I have the files you requested," my assistant greeted as I arrived at her desk.

"Good morning. Thank you."

"The background information is in there as well."

"Wonderful. That would be all for now."

I went into my own office, sat down and skipped directly to the background information I had my private investigator look up.

"Twenty-nine. No children. Engaged. Clean police record. Only child of Mother. Father's identity unknown ...." I spoke to myself as I read on.

At the end, it was just as I suspected. She was telling the truth and it wasn't just an act. I took in a picture of her. Her signature smile. Face without swelling and bruises. Then a picture of a guy was also in the file. It captioned 'Fiancé'

"So you're the abuser." I looked at him and anger washed over me, "You'll never get access to hurting her again."

***

Wayan's POV..

"WHERE THE HELL COULD SHE BE... I SWEAR I'LL...!" I yelled as I threw the bottle of liquor against the wall.

"Wayan, calm down," Justin advised.

"That was a two hundred dollars bottle, bro," Collin said as he looked at the shattered pieces of glass.

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN. I WANT ADANI BACK!" I yelled again.

"And you will get her back but you have to give it some time. Give her some space let her calm down. She'll come back to you," Justin spoke up again.

"I think I've lost her," I said. I was hurting and the alcohol was causing me to act a fool in front of the guys.

"Wayan, sit down and relax. We got you. We've been looking and we will find out where she is. You'll ride in on a horse and sweep her off her feet and marry her right there and then. I think that's why she's upset. She has been engaged for a minute but no damn wedding." "She was bickering about the wedding," I recalled. I flopped down in the seat next to Justin. "What about Coral and the baby?" Collin asked.

"To hell with Coral and that little bastard she's carrying. That girl is just trying to trap me and break up my happy home."

"I bet she's not even pregnant. These females really be trying it. Bet if you get with her, she'll come up with a story about losing the kid," Collin said, "I fell for that once."

A knock came to the door and I sprung up from the seat. Justin went to open it instead. I was so drunk, I couldn't stand up straight.

In walked Coral.

"I've been calling you and texting you, Wayan. Why are you ignoring me?"

"Coral.. I'm really not in the mood to deal with you."

"But you are going to deal with this baby. I went to the doctor today. I'm four weeks pregnant

and I'm keeping it."

"That's going to come between him and his fiancée," Collin told her.

"I don't care! He wasn't thinking about protecting his relationship when he was between my

legs!"

"She has a point," Justin said. I eyed him and he put up his hands in surrender.

"All that matters to me right now is my future wedding to my future wife! You're nothing to me

and a baby isn't going to change that!" I told Coral, "Adani is the love of my life and I'm going to find her and make certain she doesn't leave me again."

"Good luck with that. You'll come crawling back to me like you always do when there's trouble in paradise."

Coral left, and Collin's phone started buzzing in his pocket. He picked it up.

"This is Collin. What, where, send the location right now!"

"What, what, what and who was that?!"

"Someone with lots of information. She found Adonna's address. Let's pay her a visit."