All Chapters of The Heir's Secret Obsession: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

◇ KEL ◇Milan, Italy Today wouldn't be any different.

◇ KEL ◇ His phone wasn't on loudspeaker, but I could hear enough. His dad just had this deep and clear-cut, usually authoritative voice.  I grabbed my satchel and pretended not to listen in before I unbuckled my seat belt. Ignoring Miles and his glances took some acting skills; I just didn't want him to think I was eavesdropping.

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◆ MILES ◆Marriage talk?Again?The idea was appalling enough to make me want to stab myself with the butter knife conveniently laying beside my fist, but I kept up a poker face, ignoring the imperative tone my parents were using on me again.My mother, mostly. "We'll talk to her parents and invite them here. Or fetch them. Use the jet."I didn't reply. Mykaela's dad was critical in the hospital, so, her parents flying out all the way here just to meet mine? Definitely not happening."Or we can visit them in New York, and...talk about arrangements," Mamma went on. Her pale peach-colored lips tightened into a line when I didn't say jack."Sì," was all Pappa replied. He sounded interestingly lukewarm on the subject. At least he had an opinion.Since finding out his only child and son was fooling around with guys instead of focusing on graduating with a reputable Fine Arts degree, my father seldom talked to me in the last couple of years. Mainly because my Pappa thought I was just a disap

◇ KEL ◇The late dinner with Miles and his family had been fine and pleasant, but something in my chest just didn't feel right after overhearing his entire family talking to him about me.Every now and then I also thought of my father being stuck in Intensive Care again. Was he doing better? Unlikely, but I still hoped and prayed. Was there any chance he would recover from this long and depressing battle with cancer? Were the doctors doing the best they could to keep my dad alive?Although difficult, I forced myself to stop worrying. I sat on the unfamiliar wine

◆  MILES ◆ "Good run?" Ricchar glanced to the labyrinth. "Is Mykaela in her room? Cloe will be back tomorrow. She can keep them entertained until Sunday." Sunday? Oh. Right. It was my birthday this Sunday─actually the main reason I, Kel, and my parents were all here on this boring, weekend family vacation. "Since all you plan to do is sulk after every little thing your Mamma Eleana says." My cousin Ricchar chuckled when I didn't say squat. "I don't sulk." I poured myself a glass of wine. I'd already drunk two glasses during dinner, but my half-hour jog barely got rid of the muscle tension I was trying to alleviate. My back still ached as much as my legs, no thanks to the long drive. 

◇ KEL ◇ It took me a while, but I finally figured it out. I let out a sigh, white mists coming out of my nose and mouth. My partly exposed skin just hated the bitingly cold ambience. "Miles?" I wrapped my arms around myself and peered around the dark grass-covered space. To my utter confusion and horror, the paths diverged into more mazes. Darn. This thing didn't end! Moonlight was sparse in this side of the lot. Would I even find my way out of here by tonight? Shadowed hedges towered over me by at least four feet. How'd I even end up trapped in this creepy old maze at this hour of the night? Actually I was just trying to find him. Perhaps Miles and his older cousin were hanging out somewhere around here in this impressively maintained garden and backyard, which could be the size of an entire football field, if I wasn't overcalculating. "Miles?" I called out