The sky was dark as the rain began to wet the earth. Candlelight showed through the stained glass of La Flor Manor. The castle seemed to float in the clouds rising over the mountains. Movement was visible inside the old castle, and Lizette hoped that someone would be willing to let her rest inside until the rain passed. She had left her hotel for a mountain ride, unaware of the coming rain, and now found herself lost, wet, and a bit scared. She approached the grand doors, raised the knocker and let it go. It hit with a thunderous boom that shook her to her core. Then she waited………….

                                                      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 1

 

       Lizette Montclaire, a thirty-four-year-old attorney, had left her home in Colorado, to escape her job, cheating boyfriend, and hectic life. She traveled to a small town in Mexico in hopes of hiding away for a month or two, to figure out her life. She had the world, or so she thought, and in one day she lost it all. She was a very successful attorney working at her dream job, she was on the verge of making partner, and engaged to her college sweetheart.

She began working at Carmichael’s Law Firm as a bright-eyed intern while she was still in law school. After ten years with the firm, her hard work was finally paying off. The firm had announced a few days earlier, that they were adding a partner and given the impression that Lizette was top in line for the position. She had the clientele, experience, and success rate with the firm. The announcement came, and in a matter of minutes, Lizette’s dreams turned into nightmares. Her dream position had been given to her fiancé, Bradley. Bradley and Lizette had dated through college, and both interned at Carmichael’s. Bradley, however, had gone to work with another firm after law school, saying he could not work at the same firm as his girlfriend, because it would just cause problems. Four years ago, he had finally proposed and then decided to go to work at Carmichael’s, to have more time with Lizette. He used the hectic hours of work as an excuse for why he needed to work closer to her. He really was a great attorney, but Lizette could not understand why he got the partnership she rightly deserved. After demanding answers from Mr. Carmichael, himself, she found the final shards of her life shattered into sand. She wished now, she could forget the conversation she had that day. The one that destroyed her dreams and changed her life forever.

       “But Mr. Carmichael, I do not understand how you could overlook me like this. I will admit Bradley is a wonderful asset to the company and a very competent attorney, but I have a longer history, with more clients, and have been successful and loyal to the firm for the last ten years. I deserve to be a partner. I at least deserve an answer as to why with all that you chose Bradley.”

       “Lizette, this is nothing personal. You are one of our top attorneys and greatest assets. We are very impressed with your work and abilities. You have proved yourself capable of taking on whatever we throw at you. We just decided we wanted to keep the firm in the family.”

       She stared at him in a confused daze. “Then why, Bradley? He is not a Carmichael.”

       “Not yet my, but very soon. He has finally made it official with a proposal.”

       Again, confused Lizette stumbled through her next question. “A proposal…what do you mean?”

       “I am sorry Liz, I thought everyone knew. Bradley and my granddaughter, Christine, have been dating for about three years now, and last week he finally asked the question. Of course, we had no problem accepting him, he is a great man and has shown a lot of ambition, and we know he will go far. Who better could we ask for? So, when we started talking partner, we decided that he would be the perfect person to carry on the family business. My granddaughter has no interest in law, so naturally, we turned it to him. As the husband of my dear Christy, he can carry on the family business, and she won’t have to be bothered.”

       Lizette stared at him as if he were a ghost that just appeared. Horror and disbelief filling her face. Her knees went weak, and she found it hard to stay standing and even harder to move. Then the room went black.

       “Lizette….Liz are you okay? No, don’t try to get up. The doctor is on his way.” Mr. Carmichael was looking down on her from the side of what she found to be his office chaise. Her head ached terribly, and her vision was a little blurry. She fought hard to wipe away the daze she was in and get up, with no success. “Don’t get up dear. You hit your head pretty hard when you fainted....Continue Reading