Author's Note: When I first wrote this fanfic I was barely starting out. It was a couple of years ago and although it ended up winning a few awards in contests I entered it into, I believe when I read over it recently that it could be so much better. The plot line was actually, to my own surprise, very good, but in my present standards, poorly written. I'm mildly shocked I was able to come up with such an intriguing plot line in those days, but I'm not surprised it was written as it was.
So with that said, I want to ask everyone who's ever read this fanfic to tolerate my re-write. The plot line will remain the same, with some changes only, but I like to think of them as improvements. If you read the old version you'll see it's still the same, only somewhat different. Better, I hope, is what you readers will conclude.
Enjoy this re-write of A Perfect Arrangement, and I hope all of you will approve.
: SailorPerfect :
By: SailorPerfect
Chapter 1: The Heartache of Loss
Orange County, California
The beach was nearly deserted, with only a few people out for their daily morning jog, some roller blading, others cycling down the boardwalk. The sun was slowly cresting over the silent, black ocean, bringing the softness of morning with it and the promise of a brilliantly warm day with it.
She was among those jogging the beach, dressed in sweats, her long, streaming hair tied up. Her lungs were burning, her legs screaming for rest, but she felt nothing, heard nothing, not the gentle lapping of the ocean waves, not the quiet cry of the gulls circling overhead. She didn't stop to appreciate the slow sunrise coming across the ocean, she didn't halt nor acknowledge the whistles and hooting of the handsome lifeguards as they cruised along the sands in their jeep, heading toward their towers. She jogged past them, jogged until she came to the rocks that lined the far edge of the ocean, until she had to stop.
She walked to allieve her muscles, hands behind her head, her auburn eyes now turned to the waves that crashed against the sands. The wind was fierce, icy and as sharp as needles, stinging her cheeks. She had lived here her entire life, since childhood, since her parents had died in a car accident and she had been left in the care of her uncle, her father's brother, Andrew Carrington. She remembered her parents vaguely, in images and short moments. She remembered her mother had been an exotic beauty, enchanting men all over the world, a tall, slender woman with long silvery hair and eyes like smoke; she remembered her father had been a suavely handsome man, with dark hair and shrewd blue eyes. She remembered they had loved her, taking her to the park and for walks along the beach, as she sat over her father's broad, strong shoulders, her parents hands linked together. They had loved her, she knew, and had adored one another as well.
When they had died in the accident she had been too young to understand what had occurred. It wasn't until she had woken in the night, crying for her mother, that she had begun to understand they were never coming back. It had broken the childs heart she'd had, but when her Uncle Andrew had come racing into the room to comfort her, her heart had slowly began to mend. Over time he had come to mean everything to her and she had always loved him dearly. He had been young when he'd taken her in, a mere twenty five, a single young man who'd taken on the responsibility of a four year old child when most men his age had been out enjoying their youth and meeting young women.
Her father, Darien Carrington, had left everything he'd owned with Andrew, a smoothly run chain of antique shops that he'd had littered over most of Europe and the United States. Andrew had been studying business at the time and it had served as a guidance toward running his brother's company.
When Rene had turned eighteen Andrew had sent her to study abroad in Paris, where she'd begun studying art and taking lessons from tutors. She could admit she'd been wild then, enjoying the fast life of Europe and attending boat races where most of the prestigious gathered to place their bets.
She would never forget the day she had met him. She'd been twenty two at the time, young still, but not so impressionable. She'd seen much in her time in Europe and had adapted to the life well, learning the variety of languages at a speed that had astounded and pleased her tutors. She'd attended the boat race with her friends, dressed in a peach colored summer dress that left her shoulders and arms bare, with a straw hat perched atop her fiery head to help protect her smooth skin from the suns ultra violent rays. She'd grown into a gorgeous woman, the mirror image of her mother, a tall, willowy woman with cascades of fiery auburn hair and blazing auburn eyes. She'd always been aware of her looks, of the power they gave her, of the affect she had on men. She'd learned to use them to her advantage, but had never once lost her heart to any man.
Until him.
His name had been Peraru Montgomery Atheros and he'd been beautifully handsome. He hadn't been built as the boat racers were, with large, muscular bodies, but with a tall, lean build covered by a white button up shirt left open at the throat and black slacks; his hair a silvery white beneath the glaring sun, his eyes a gleaming emerald blue that had captivated her from the moment she'd gazed into them. He'd been so smooth, so sophisticated and debonair, and had promptly asked her to dinner.
They had fallen in love quite thrillingly, and six weeks later their engagement had been announced at a social gala in Milan, where friends and several of the upper class of Europe had cheered and toasted them.
It had all seemed so perfect, like a living, breathing fairy tale. Rene had always hoped to find love as her parents had and finding it with Peraru had been the most romantic thing in the world to her.
They had returned to Orange County only five months before, to visit with her uncle and introduce him to her betrothed. Andrew and Peraru had immediately formed a friendship, overshadowed only momentarily when Andrew had commented that Peraru seemed nothing like his older brother.
She still couldn't forget the nearly brutal rage that had overtaken Peraru's usually calm, smooth features.
But he had quickly shrugged it away, apologizing for his lapse in control, stating that he and his older brother were not on very good terms and had not been for several years. Andrew had frowned over that, but had chosen to instead remain silent.
Rene had never known until that moment that Peraru had an older brother.
Gently she'd enquired over him that night, asking why he had never mentioned him. Peraru had been silent a moment, standing at her balcony dressed in only his slacks, his chest bare, with Rene in her silk night robe next to him. He'd taken her hand and explained that he and his older brother had never agreed during childhood; the elder had excelled in school, in sports, in popularity and in women. Anyone who had met him had loved him, adored him, Peraru had sneered, and when they had met him they had wondered, how could one brother be so perfect and the other so puny, so pathetic? Peraru had grown in the shadow of an arrogant, yet brilliant man, always the lesser child, always the lesser man. His elder brother had been eight years his senior and their parents had always preferred him to Peraru.
When Peraru had been sixteen his mother had died of cancer; three years later their father had died of a heart attack. When the will and testament had been read only days after his death Peraru had been stunned to hear that their father had left the massive company the family owned, Atheros Shipping, almost completely to his older brother, with only a tiny portion to his younger son. It had been the last blow Peraru could take and after much arguing and shouting, he had sold his portion to his brother with a deal: Peraru could live his life as he pleased with the family's money at his will if he remained out of the companies dealings. His elder brother wanted Peraru to stay away from it, from him, and he would have whatever he desired whenever he desired it.
Peraru had agreed.
He'd admitted to Rene he'd taken advantage of the lifestyle his brother had left him too, spending money or betting it on boat races, living the life of luxury and fast cash. But when he'd met her, five years after his father's death, everything had changed and he'd wanted to live a better life, a life he could build with her.
She'd been unable to understand the odd relationship Peraru and his older brother had, but she had felt anger toward this unknown man for causing her beloved even a moment of heartache and grief. She'd disliked this older brother instantly, before even meeting him.
Her life had been perfect, until her uncle and Peraru had left on a mysterious business trip to Europe, not explaining to her where they were going. She remembered her uncle had been very disturbed in those days, always frowning and thoughtful. She had come upon he and Peraru in quiet conversation, which they'd promptly halted as soon as she'd appeared. Peraru had seemed fine, jovial and good natured, excited over their quickly approaching wedding.
Her life had fallen to pieces when the private jet they'd taken to Europe had disappeared in a brutal storm that had appeared from nowhere, her heart shattering when the body of her uncle had washed upon the shores two days later.
Peraru's body had never been found.
Teams had searched for it for weeks, but had found nothing. After three weeks they had given up and pronounced him dead as well.
She had buried the two men she had loved most in the world within three weeks of each other. When she had watched Peraru's casket lowered into the cold, desolate ground of Rome she had stood alone, refusing any comfort, her cheeks ice cold and pale as death, her hair swept back from her face, her eyes dry and as hard as the heart that lay inside her breast.
She remembered remaining even after the priest had finished his sermon, even after the guests had departed once they'd offered their condolences. She remembered standing alone in that cemetery and realizing this time she was really and truly alone.
She'd returned to California days after burying Peraru, unable to remain at their country estate in Rome. It had brought back too many painful memories, so she'd escaped, running home to California, where she'd been born and lived with her parents, then Andrew. She'd been back for three weeks now, six weeks having passed since the deaths of her uncle and Peraru. Time had passed, spring had come and new life with it.
And still her heart had remained ice cold, trapped in the casket that had buried her beloved.
Turning away from the rapidly ascending sun, she jogged back to her home, a three story beach house located on the off shores of Newport Beach. She lived alone here, with only a single woman coming twice a week to clean the house and do the laundry, cooking meals for Rene and packaging them away for her. She ate them because she didn't want to leave the house, she didn't want to enjoy life without her uncle or Peraru. She wanted to just be, and hope that someday her heart would simply stop and she would no longer be anymore.
But even she knew that would never happen.
She was just finishing her breakfast after having showered and dressed when there was a sharp knock at her front door. Annoyed already that somebody would be calling to intrude upon her solitude, she rose and went to answer it, mildly surprised to find her uncle's long time friend and lawyer before her, Allen Cummings.
Allen was in his late forties, as her uncle had been, but took great care of his health and fitness. Inclining his fair head to her, he extended his hand and took hers in his. "How are you Rene?"
She softened a bit. Allen had been with her since childhood as well and he'd always been well trusted by her uncle. "I'm doing better Allen. Come in, come in." She stepped back and allowed him entrance, closing the door behind him.
Allen didn't proceed into the home, instead remaining in the vast entry hall, rubbing his hands together and looking worried. "I don't have much time. Rene, there are a few things I was attempting to resolve for you over the past weeks and I thought it a better idea if I kept certain things from you until I could give you a better answer."
Confused, she shook her head. "What do you mean Allen?"
"Your uncle...Andrew...he wasn't doing too well in the past few years." His eyes finally met hers and she saw they were bleak, filled with guilt. "He'd made some bad business decisions over the years and your father's shops were going under. He sold several of them to someone, hoping to get back on his feet someday, but it didn't happen. By the time of the accident he had nearly nothing, only this house really, and he had just sold this one as well." Allen was twisting his hands together, glancing quickly at the windows nearby. "I'm sorry Rene. I did everything I could."
She felt as if the room were spinning, as if her feet were turning to liquid and the rest of her along with it. She felt as if her heart were struggling to match the rapid racing of her mind, as if everything that had happened to her in the past weeks was finally coming to a shocking slam on her senses and she could no longer bare it.
Perhaps this is it...the thought drifted through her hazy mind, perhaps I'm having a stroke and I will finally be able to join my love, my uncle, and my parents...
But even as the thought occurred to her she was rudely awakened back to reality by Allen, who had her by the arms and was shaking her sharply, his eyes riveted on hers as his voice rose in volume.
"Rene don't faint on me! Please, don't faint now!" When her stunning eyes cleared and focused once again on him he blew out a shaky breath, visibly relieved. "Thank God. I know what I've just told is the most terrible of news, but there's something else you need to know right now."
"What else could you possibly tell me?" She wrenched herself from his grasp, furious with him and herself, terrified by what he had just told her. "I have nothing! I have no fiance and no family! I have no home now as well and no money! I have nothing!" She screamed the words at him, overcome by a mad fury she could no longer suppress.
"Rene, stop it!" He lashed the words out at her, cutting off her screams and causing her to glare at him in silence. "I know your angry and you have a right to be, but there's something you need to know right now, before another word is spoken."
"I do believe he's referring to me." The voice was deep, pitched low, carrying a rich European accent Rene recognized to belong to a Greek. Turning with Allen toward the open doorway at the same time, she was stunned to see a tall, largely built man stepping through the doors, the sun shining brilliantly at his back and preventing her from seeing his face.
Recovering quickly from her stupor, she snapped, "Who the hell are you!"
He chuckled quietly and when he spoke his voice was filled with amusement. "I'm insulted that you do not know me. But it is no matter, I know who you are very well." He took two steps and she saw him then, the thick silvery hair slicked back from a superbly, yet dangerously gorgeous face, the glittering blue eyes meeting hers and causing her mind to recall another pair of blue eyes so like these. "The most exotic beauty in all of Europe: Rene Carrington, betrothed to marry my dear little brother. Did Peraru never mention his older brother to you, little one?"
Allen spoke from beside her, his voice heavy with fatigue. "Rene, meet Elios Montgomery Atheros, the new owner to Carrington's Antique's."
: Intrigued? Then stay tuned for chapter 2:
: SailorPerfect :