The Royal Contract

“What?” She looked at Imelda with wide eyes, surprised by her revelation. She did not know that Gerald was this filthy rich. “Wait, Gerald owned this place.” She clarified, still unable to comprehend the possibility.

She was practically living with the man but had no idea who she had been sleeping with for months. She knew he had a successful career and was wealthy enough to live luxuriously. But not this.

They might be out of the city limits, but a place like this would be worth millions. And she was not looking at a small piece of land. She would know its value since she had worked with top real estate agents for years.

“Si.” The woman suddenly answered her in Spanish, which was her native language. “Well, I know Mr. Joaquin owned it before until Mr. Gerald inherited it from him when the old man died.” She continued to explain.

Her curiosity had just gone on the roof as she realized that she had been living under Gerald’s roof after all this time, and she never knew about it. Why did Mike keep that from her?

She guessed that would go up to the top of her list of questions that needed answers once she saw him.

“I did not know that Gerald owned this house.” She mumbled, still baffled by her discovery. It would seem she barely knew the man that she loved. What else was he hiding from her?

She could only guess that there might be more. Remembering her father, she had been living with him her entire life, yet she had no clue what he did under her nose.

.....

Then, what did she know about Gerald’s parents? Nothing. All he said was that they were dead. His mother died while he was still young, while his father not so long ago. But he never supplied the rest of the story.

“I believe he owned many, not just this place. He has another bigger house on the other side of this estate.” Imelda added, proudly telling her how Gerald’s father acquired massive wealth when he was alive.

At least what she heard since she barely knew the father of Gerald. But Imelda insisted that Gerald was a hard-working man. She had served him for years since she started working in this place.

But now, she had to serve Mike, who took over Gerald’s property. “Since Gerald died, Mr. Mike took care of the estate. He also took care of our salaries.” She continued with her story.

She wanted to know more. She had several more questions running through her mind. She was glad that Imelda was forthcoming with answers.

“And where is that other house?” She persisted as she felt the desperation to know more. It seemed that everyone had left her in the dark, learning that people around her had kept secrets this big from her.

“It is just right over that side.” She pointed to the north perimeter of the estate, just beyond the massive fence.

She followed the direction of the woman’s fingers. But she could barely see the perimeter fence since massive trees and other structures covered most of that other side.

“Imelda...” They heard a voice that made them look at the backdoor. “Can I speak with you for a minute?” Mario, her husband, asked her to come outside. “Excuse us, Ms. Haley.” The gardener who managed the lawn and garden said as he opened the door for his wife to follow.

She could hear a partial argument that was going on outside. She guessed Mario did not like that Imelda was sharing too much information with her.

“Just shut your loud mouth before Sir Mike hears you blabbering stories.” Haley heard Imelda’s husband chastise her.

She could not blame Mario. They were not from around here. They might not even be green card holders, for all she knew. The last thing they needed was to get into a difficult situation.

She guessed if she wanted to know more. She had to do it herself. She did not wish Imelda to get in trouble. She already helped her. That should be more than enough detail for now.

But what would she find out if she kept digging? Would she like what she would learn from her snooping around? Probably not. She told herself, mentally preparing herself for the worse.

“But it is better to know than to live a lie.” She thought to herself. She had to know what Mike was keeping from her. Why had he not mentioned that this was Gerald’s property?

“I will probably take my breakfast upstairs.” She told Imelda, who was coming back inside.

“I am sorry about what my husband said, but he was right. I think I am talking too much.” Imelda excused herself and returned to her work.

“That is ok, Imelda. Don’t worry. I will never say that I heard any of this from you.” Haley promised.

She grabbed the fresh juice the older woman had prepared and the rest of her breakfast. She did not want to disturb Imelda anymore from her task. And she also had given up on Mike joining her. He was probably busy doing something else.

She quickly transferred to her room. But instead of eating, she looked outside her window and even went out of the balcony, hoping to get a glimpse of the property on the north side.

Unfortunately, her room was on the south, meaning she couldn’t see the other side unless she went on the roof. Giving up, she returned to her room and sat on the table.

“Something is not adding up.” She mentally tried to piece the information she gathered. Still, she was coming short.

She grabbed a bite of her remaining food, determined to finish it before deciding what to do next. She knew she could not wait and sit in her room. She had to do something.

After breakfast, she took a quick shower and wore some comfortable clothes. It was sunny outside, so she opted for a pair of denim pants and a plain shirt, tying her hair in a tight ponytail so it would not get blown by the wind.

“Now, what?” She asked herself as she moved toward the door. Looking at the time, she knew Imelda might have left by now.

So, the only person remaining in the mansion was her. Usually, at this time, she would go around the house and find something to preoccupy her mind. But honestly, it was driving her crazy.

On the other hand, outside, she knew two guards had always guarded the gates, but she had not seen any patrolling the perimeter. The only people she saw circling the area were Mario and his assistant.

That left her with an opportunity to explore the rest of the property. She believed it would kill two birds with one stone. She could see what the rest of this place had to offer. At the same time, it would kill her boredom.

Besides, she always wanted to test her detective skills.