The Adeliede Affairs [ON HOLD]

Chapter One

8th April, 2012

Natalia Theirmen was late again; the London traffic was chock-blocked with cars and early morning commuters, their horns and sighs audible through the distance. She rested her head on the steering wheel, groaning. Not again. At least not today....Liz is going to have my head on a platter now. Why me? Why NOW??? 

She was a PA to Elizabeth Cook, owner and editor of Cook Publishing House, and a PR manager to her younger brother Albert Burtnam. He was in his 20's; smart, handsome and good-looking. He was also a millionaire; owner of the multi-million dollar Burtnam&Co. But unlike the playboy millionaires splashed across the tabloids, he was considered 'eccentric'. Where the other millionaires blew their cash on poker in Las Vegas casinos, he'd probably be buying a an old family mansion in Nice. He was and still is a child at heart; spending money on what caught his fancy. He was way too immature to handle a big company like Burtnam&Co., but he had a knack for making the best decisions, that probably summed up for all the stupid things he did most of the time. And it paid off well enough for him to be respected by the older counter-parts of business moguls.

His sister Liz, on the other hand was a slave driver. Widowed at the age of 39 with a 16-year old son, she was tough. Her husband's publishing house was not only a company; it was his dream. And that dream she still strove to keep, to nourish and to grow it into something big and famous. And she did. Every day, about 6,000 manuscripts in all genres would end up on her desk. And it was Natalia's job to judge whether those manuscripts were worth a read or did they belong to the trash pile.

As a PR manager, it was also Natalia's job to make sure that Albert's appointments were not to clash with his meetings, or that the media he received was always positive and in favour of the company. She was also in charge of his bank account; as set by Liz. So basically she would just portray him as a good gem in the business industry, all the while baby sitting him too.

Natalia turned her thoughts back to the upending traffic ahead. The line seemed to be moving sluggishly, but luckily she could manage that. Finally, a good omen...or maybe not....She stole a glance at her Titan wristwatch; it read 8:00. She groaned loudly. She blew it for herself again!

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At the Cook Publishing House, Elizabeth was fuming. She clutched her espresso cup tight, almost to the point of spilling its hot contents over her newly paid beige Armani pumps, as she looked at the horde of cars coming in from the M11 highway. She's late again..Liz turned away from the window and sat on her desk, sifting through the manuscripts on her mahogany work-table. She picked up a manuscript titled 'The Embers are Dying' and started to read through the blurb.

In a world full of corrupt businessmen and lying politicians, will the true love of two youngsters survive? Set in the era of change, this story will definitely keep you hooked to your seat from the beginning to the end.

Liz laughed; it was a normal, amused lady laugh. The idea was preposterous to her; a world of politicians and businessmen? More like trolls and witches. She sighed, throwing the rest of the sheaf into the paper shredder, and was about to pick up the next one, when she caught sight of a photo on her desk. It was of her son and husband, their last fishing trip together. She gazed at it intently, recalling their final moment together...

"Peter, pass me the bait!" Peter just laughed confidently, and their son Chad, joined in. She just shook her head.

"Not funny guys!" she retorted.