Chapter One
Laurence drove through the gigantic gates of the huge palatial Parker mansion and parked on the tiled courtyard in front of a sprawling white stone building. A sparkling fountain with a marble statue of Apollo adorned the entrance. The main building and adjacent buildings were nicely interconnected around a large swimming pool. Everything looked grand like some fairytale palace. The place was adorned with exotic floral decorations and rich textured fabrics. Penny Lennard stared at everything with awe. It had been her dream to live in such a palace.
The attendants received them warmly and led them to the luxuriously decorated main building, where a small banquet hall was decorated with flowers and balloons. A wall was chosen to serve as the altar with sheer drapes and lavender floral decorations. The white decorations of the altar table against the lavender flowers made it stand out in contrast. Chairs were placed in front of the altar for the guests. Laurence stopped to take a phone call and Lisa stood by his side. She didn't want to sit with her parents.
Her parents walked ahead towards the venue. Mrs Eugene Parker, Eric Parker's wife came forward to receive them warmly. She embraced Penny Lennard and led them to a lounger to be seated while awaiting the wedding ceremony to begin. They were served with drinks.
"We'll start the ceremony in ten minutes. I'm so glad that you connected with Eric. He'll be with you in a moment, " said Eugene Parker who looked like a queen with her high chignon and exquisite minutely embellished gown. "Where are your children?" Asked Eugene Parker, looking around.
Penny Lennard indicated Laurence standing on the patio. "That's my son, Laurence," she said. Then she pointed at Lisa. "That's Elizabeth, my daughter but she prefers being called Lisa," she said with a laugh.
"So wonderful to see them. I'd seen Laurence when he was four years old," said Eugene.
"Oh, you remember?" Asked Harry Lennard with disbelief.
"Of course. You used to come home to show Lucas to him. He would be so happy to see baby Lucas, " said Eugene Parker.
Then she turned to look at Lisa come into the room with Laurence. Lisa was already bored. She didn't want to be here even for a minute but now that Mrs Parker had seen her, she couldn't make any excuse and leave. She had seen photographs of her before so she could easily recognise her.
"Your Lisa's so beautiful, how old is she? " asked Eugene Parker, smiling at Lisa. Lisa liked her immensely. Although she was a billionaire's wife, there was no malice or sarcasm in her tone. She looked and had a motherly feel to her.
"She's seventeen," said Penny Lennard. Lisa gaped at her mom. She would turn seventeen in another six months. Why lie?
"That's great. She'll be an adult in a year," said Eugene Parker.
"Yes, Lisa, come here and greet aunt Eugene, " said her mom, happily beaming at her.
Lisa went towards Eugene Parker. "Hello, Mrs Parker, thank you for inviting us," she said in a dull tone.
"Oh, don't be so formal dear, call me aunt Eugene. Come on, give me a hug," she said, pulling her into a hug. Lisa hugged her back with a smile on her lips. She liked aunt Eugene, she was so different from her own mom.
"Welcome to our house Laurence. Why don't you come with me and I'll introduce you to Liam and Lucas? You must have forgotten Lucas. You used to come with your dad to see him when your were four years of age," She said.
"I can't remember. It's so long ago," said Laurence. He didn't want to disturb the groom and his groomsman. "I think Lucas and Liam are busy getting ready."
"Yes, Eugene, there's no hurry. Don't get so worked up dear. He can meet them when they come down. By the way, you have made awesome arrangements at such short notice," said Penny Lennard, looking around.
"Thanks, it really was too short a notice. He just announced today in the morning at the breakfast table, " laughed Eugene Parker. They all joined in too. Who does that?
Eric Parker came in to give them company while aunt Eugene patted Lisa's cheek lovingly and left to go to see the bride. Eric Parker hugged their dad and they greeted each other like old, childhood pals. Eric hugged their mom too, having met her long back when they used to live in Las Vegas, before shifting to New York.
"Eric, this is my son Laurence and that's my daughter, Lisa," introduced Harry Lennard to his friend.
"Oh, I remember Laurence. He's grown into a handsome gentleman," said Eric Parker, hugging Laurence.
"Thank you uncle Eric. You haven't changed one bit," said Laurence with a laugh.
"Oh I've grown old," laughed Eric Parker.
"Hello, Lisa, I'm glad that you came, " he greeted her and gave her a side hug too.
"Hello uncle Eric, " she mumbled. She liked the Parkers. They were so simple and warm just like parents should be.
After sometime, Eric Parker's older brother Ethan Parker and his son, Tyler joined them. They sipped a drink together while Eric Parker went to fetch the bride. Lucas came down with his best man, Alexander and Ethan Parker introduced them to the Lennards.
Lisa was bored out of her mind. She hated weddings especially ones where she didn't know anyone.
"I'll go to the washroom. Which way is it?" she said to Laurence who asked Tyler.
He indicated towards the other side of the banquet hall. Lisa thanked him and walked away. She saw the beautiful paintings on the walls and the grand chandeliers that hung from the ceilings at regular intervals. If one of them fell upon her, she'd be dead. She bumped into a wall.
"Did you fall from heaven?" Asked the wall and Lisa tried to focus on the wall properly, only to find none other than a droolworthy Liam Parker clad in a tuxedo, standing in front of her with a smirk on his face. Lisa rolled her eyes at him. Of all the people in the world, she had to run into Liam Parker, the man she was actually running away from?
"Why should I fall from heaven?" She asked impatiently.
"Because you're looking heavenwards to find a way back," he said with a deeper smirk. He didn't know who the girl was but he liked her spirit.
"Please, cut your crap. It doesn't work on me," she said trying to avoid him and go to the washroom.
"Really? You aren't a simple, fresh, innocent schoolgirl like you look," said Liam, his interest piqued.
"Not at all. I'm a horrid, hot tempered, ugly, far-from innocent, rebellious, angry, difficult, bored schoolgirl," she said trying to rush off.
"You're hot alright, " he said with a deeper smirk.
Lisa rolled her eyes. He heard only that out of her lengthy description? "Okay, nice meeting you Mr Boring Tux. I gotta go," she said trying to walk off.
"Believe me, I'm not boring at all. Wait till you find out," he promised.
"I don't need to," she shot back and disappeared into the washroom. Liam smiled at her attitude. He liked challenges and he liked her. He would now have to show her that he was more than boring and not at all just a tuxedo clad character. It was a challenge and he willingly accepted it. He walked towards the altar with a determined smile on his face. He would first have to find out who she was. He knew all the guests who had arrived for the wedding. This girl was so young and yet how could she be oblivious to his charms? Being the youngest son of a billionaire hotelier along with his gorgeous good looks, he was immensely popular amongst girls.
His dad Eric Parker and his uncle, Ethan Parker co-owned the Staywell group of hotels who owned the Parker Suites all over the world. Currently, Lucas who was six years older than him managed it along with his uncle Ethan's son, Tyler who was older than Lucas and already married to River. His sister Serenity, looked after the interior designing aspect of the Parker Suites. Liam, at twenty, on the other hand was in his third year studying hotel management while working as an intern at one of the Parker Suites in Las Vegas.
His uncle led him to the Lennard family who he had heard were his dad's childhood friends. "This is our Liam, the youngest yet the most intelligent amongst them all," said uncle Ethan.
"Liam, this is Harry Lennard, your dad's school friend and this is his wife, Penny Lennard. This is their son, Laurence, " introduced Ethan Parker.
"Hello uncle Harry, aunt Penny," said Liam, stretching his hand for a shake but Harry Lennard pulled him for a hug and do did his wife. They had future plans with him after all, unknown to the Parkers. "Hi, Laurence, " said Liam, shaking Laurence's hand.
"Where's Lisa?" Asked an impatient Penny Lennard. Where did the girl disappear when she was needed the most? "She's our daughter, Liam. You must meet her," she said with a fake smile.
"Oh there she is, " said Harry Lennard, relieved. "Lisa come here," he called her impatiently.
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Note:
Eugene can be either a male, or female name. The difference is in the pronunciation.
When it’s a masculine Eugene, it is pronounced, “You-Jean”.
The feminine Eugene is pronounced, “You-Shun-Ay” with the accent on the last
syllable.
