Chapter Twenty-Eight
Laurence led her to the second floor where their kitchen, living room and dining room was. His family had their bedrooms on the third floor of the building except his which was on the fourth floor. Tim took the elevator up to his floor to keep their luggage.
Laurence's dad, Harry Lennard was a short man with silver hair. He was watching the television when they entered. Sandra, Laurence's housekeeper was serving him his drink. Laurence's mom, Penny Lennard was tall and delicate looking and resembled Lisa a lot. She sat beside her husband, impatiently fidgeting with her mobile phone. All three turned towards them as they entered. Laurence clutched onto Arianna's hand tightly as they walked up towards his parents.
"Finally, " muttered a furious Penny Lennard.
"Let me talk, Penny," said Laurence's dad.
"Mom and dad, this is Arianna Willis, now Arianna Lennard, my wife," introduced Laurence as his dad stood shocked to the roots of his hair.
"Arianna, this is my dad, Harry Lennard and that's my mom, Penny Lennard," he introduced. Sandra escaped from the room before Laurence could introduce her. Arianna nervously said,"Hello, " to them. However she couldn't take her eyes off Laurence's dad. She had seen him somewhere before but couldn't remember exactly where.
"Laurence, we didn't expect this of you," said his dad calmly, but his eyes were upon the young girl whom he thought looked familiar. But after hearing her name he was sure where he had seen her exactly.
"Dad everything happened so fast that I just didn't get time to plan this out," started Laurence.
"What happened so fast? She trapped you in a fake marriage and you fell into it? I didn't know you were this foolish, Laurence?" Said his mom, barely concealing the anger in her tone as she ignored Arianna completely. She just couldn't believe that her son could disrespect her so much. How could he ignore her wishes and get married without her knowledge? She had dreamt of a more luxurious life after getting him to marry Serenity. All her hopes were now dashed.
"Mom please don't start. No one trapped me into anything. Arianna and I love one another," he started again but his mom intervened like always.
"Love, my foot. How can you fall in love with a gold digger?" She yelled at Laurence.
"Mom, Arianna isn't a gold digger. She's my wife," said Laurence, trying to keep calm.
"Penny, that's enough. I said I'm talking," said his dad.
"So Arianna, how did you meet Laurence?" Suddenly his dad asked a shocked Arianna.
"I saved her from an accident and offered her a job at my office, " said Laurence saving her from replying.
"Son, I think she can speak for herself," said Harry Lennard sternly.
"So where do you live? And what does your dad do?" Asked Mr Lennard, shrewdly watching her.
"I live at Sycamore View street, sir," said Arianna, puzzled by his questions. Harry Lennard shook his head.
"Your parents too stay there?" He asked, rubbing his chin.
"No sir, my parents are no more," she told him.
"They too used to live there?" He kept repeating his question.
"No sir," she said with a sigh.
"Then where did they live?" He asked her.
"Dad, please how does it matter where her parents lived?" Asked Laurence tired of his dad's questioning.
"Quiet son. It matters. Answer me girl," stressed his dad glaring at Arianna.
"They used to live at our apartment on Cooper lane in suburban Las Vegas," said Arianna quietly. Did he know her family? Why was he asking so many questions?
"Then after that?" He asked her watching her closely.
"Then after my mom's death, we shifted to Marge lane off Wellington street, sir," she said softly.
"Why did you marry my son? Coming from slums how did you manage to make him fall for you?" Asked Penny Lennard, gritting her teeth.
Arianna felt hot tears stream down her face. Laurence gripped her hand. "Mom and dad, since you don't have any good words or blessings for us, I think it's best if we move out of here," said a tired Laurence.
"That won't be necessary son. Both of you are tired. Go and rest, we'll talk later," said his dad. Laurence didn't stay a second longer. He gripped Arianna's wrist and went towards the elevator, displeased by his mom's attitude.
They silently went up to his floor. The elevators opened to a wide lobby. There was a huge door where Laurence punched in a code. The door opened and they carried their luggage inside which Tim had kept in the lobby.
Arianna was very upset and she didn't want to talk. She was insulted by his parents especially his mom. She couldn't remember where she'd seen Harry Lennard but she knew she had seen him somewhere.
"Why did you let them go? I wanted to throw that filthy girl out of here," said Penny Lennard, angrily pacing the floor.
"It isn't so easy. Laurence would also leave with her. We have to plan this properly. This girl is here for revenge," said Harry Lennard, shaking his head.
"What revenge? I didn't get you," said his wife.
"She's Brad Willis's daughter," said Harry Lennard. His wife looked at him with confusion?
"Who Brad Willis?" She asked.
"The real owner of Axis Financial Corps. I forged his signature and confiscated his company, remember?" Asked Harry Lennard.
"That was before we took over the costume jewellery company from the Knightley family in New York, right?" Asked Penny Lennard. Harry Lennard had a crininal record during his initial years and had spend some years in prison because of it. But he still didn't leave his criminal ways. Throughout his life he befriended wealthy people he could rob later and shrewdly and illegally take over their businesses.
"Yes, Brad was drunk and had lost some money at a casino where we had gone together. He signed off a lot of shares of his company, Axis Financial Corps to repay the money he borrowed to play at the casino. Then I forged his signature and confiscated his company from him. We sold it off at a good profit. I heard that Brad was devastated after that and he died a broken man a few days ago. Maybe his daughter wants to get back at us now," informed Harry Lennard.
Penny Lennard stared at her husband with worry. "So, what do we do?I don't want her here. I want her out of my son's life forever, Harry, " she said with a grave face.
"We have to plan this in such a way that she's gone from his life forever. Let me think, " said her husband.
"Do you mean we should finish her off? Get her killed?" She whispered.
"Yes, I'll contact my hitman Jake Langley. Let me plan this in a foolproof manner," said Harry Lennard.
"You can't just shoot her dead. We have to frame her somehow and get her to leave. Then we could finish her off," said Penny Lennard.
"Yes, till then just lie low. Don't overdo it with the girl else Laurence would be suspicious. Let him think that we've forgiven him. Once he starts going to work, leaving the girl here, we can work on our plan, " said Harry Lennard.
Penny Lennard rubbed her hands already thinking of her next plan. She would slow poison the girl's food so that when they frame the girl and throw her out of their house, she would already be half dead. She didn't say it aloud to her husband.
"I need to go out Harry, to meet a friend," she said quickly picking up her keys and driving over to meet her boyfriend Kenneth Bailes. She ordered him to get her some poison which given everyday in certain doses would surely cripple a person for life. Her husband had no idea about her extramarital affair which had been going on for the last seven years. She and Kenneth had a mutual understanding with each other.
She returned home quite satisfied. Sandra knew something was cooking between Penny and Harry Lennard but she couldn't hear a word since they were talking in hushed tones. She had gone upstairs to meet Laurence's new bride. She liked her immensely as she was innocent and very young.
Arianna and Laurence cuddled and slept together, both quite upset with his parent's reaction. They were tired after a restless and sleepless night on the flight. Laurence called Troy and asked him to look for an apartment for them as soon as he could. Arianna liked the middle aged housekeeper, Sandra who was very motherly to her. Sandra informed them that Lisa hadn't returned from her best friend's house since the day she was blasted by their parents for supporting Laurence.
Laurence had to go to work but he just couldn't leave Arianna alone and go. He was very concerned about her. He knew his parents very well and knew that they would surely be upto something if not now, then later. Why he hoped that they would accept them, he wasn't sure. He shouldn't have brought her here at all.
