Excerpt of "The Heiress of Santorini" - Chapter One, Part One
The Heiress of Santorini
A novel ofThe Greek Isles Series
Angel Sefer
Chapter One
The haunting headline of the newspaper article stirred emotional turmoil that threatened to engulf Alexandra. Mixed feelings of anxiety and rage shot her pulse into overdrive. What if they find out about me? She shuddered at the thought. Clenching her teeth, she slammed her fist against the desk, making her mug bounce and spilling a few drops of coffee. “Why won’t they leave me alone?” she burst out. Drawing a deep breath, she exhaled slowly, struggling in vain to restrain her fury. She’d tried for so long to conceal her real identity, and now…Lifting her eyes, she gazed outside her office window as well-buried memories rushed to the surface. She thought of her father—Detective James Stewart—who had been fatally wounded during a raid. She remembered the heartache and devastation when John showed up at the campus of University of Georgia in Athens bearing the shattering news—her father and two other policemen were executed by the powerful people they were trying to expose. Ever since, she was painfully aware of a threat hovering over her head. However, Alexandra was a fighter; undeterred, she stood her ground and went on with her life, keeping the promise she’d made to her father. I didn’t need them then, and sure as hell, I don’t need them now.Turning her attention to her desk, she lifted the newspaper and held it in the light, staring at the man in the picture. The photographer had caught him stepping out of a black limo in front of a high rise in New York City. From his dark gray designer suit to his arrogance and untouchable demeanor, he appeared no older than sixty, though Alexandra knew he was seventy-five now.Peering at the photo, she could barely discern his eyes. However, her memory reminded her that they were green—not the emerald shade of her own, but a jade hue similar to her mother’s. In bold letters above the snapshot, Alexandra read aloud the title of the article one more time: ”Looking for the Heiress of Santorini”. Her eyes flickered as locked away memories of impressive lunar landscapes and breathtaking red and black sand beaches flooded to the surface. Stop that! she reprimanded herself. You’re entering dangerous territory.“Alexandra! Pick up the phone!” The snappy voice of her assistant, Holly, startled her back to reality.She shot a glance at Holly, who was standing at her office door. “What?” she queried, shaking her head and sliding a folder over the article to hide it.“I said, pick up the phone!” Holly urged her. “It’s the president!”Alexandra straightened her back and grabbed the phone anxiously. “Alex Stewart!” she managed to say before she was bombarded with questions and demands.Benjamin Hughes—a powerful and arrogant man in his early fifties—was the president of Guarantee Insurance, one of the largest Insurance Groups in the World.Alexandra had only talked to him once in the past and then only for a few minutes. What could be so important that Hughes would call me himself? she wondered and swallowed hard, feeling her mouth dry.Still a little disoriented, she made an effort to concentrate on what Hughes was saying on the phone.“Yes, sir, I’ll do that,” she said finally, and putting the phone down, she sat gazing at it. What was that all about?All of a sudden, she realized Holly was still standing at the door with a puzzled expression on her face.“I’m sorry. I didn’t hear the phone ringing,” Alexandra apologized and, noticing the spilled coffee, she wiped it with a tissue.“I know,” Holly replied. “I called a couple of times, and when you didn’t answer, I was worried. Sorry for barging in like this.”“It’s okay!” Alexandra reassured her. “I’ve no idea what I was thinking,” she lied and clenched her fists. That article had thrown her off balance.“So, what did he want?” Holly asked, curiously.“Who?” Alexandra inquired, lost in her thoughts.“Are you okay?” Holly queried, and the concern was obvious in her voice. “You’re acting kind of strange.”“I’m fine,” Alexandra replied, trying to sound reassuring. “I’m just not sleeping well lately.”“Maybe you should see a doctor.”“No,” Alexandra insisted. “I’ll be fine. All I need is a couple of days off.”Holly gave her a worried look and left the office without another word.I need to pull myself together, Alexandra decided and massaged her temples to relieve some pressure. I’ve worked too hard to accomplish my goals, and I’m not going to blow it now. I have nothing to do with those people,and I intend to go on with my life as if they never existed.
I’ll be posting a new section every Friday. The novel will be published soon by Booktrope.
A novel ofThe Greek Isles Series
Angel Sefer
Chapter One
The haunting headline of the newspaper article stirred emotional turmoil that threatened to engulf Alexandra. Mixed feelings of anxiety and rage shot her pulse into overdrive. What if they find out about me? She shuddered at the thought. Clenching her teeth, she slammed her fist against the desk, making her mug bounce and spilling a few drops of coffee. “Why won’t they leave me alone?” she burst out. Drawing a deep breath, she exhaled slowly, struggling in vain to restrain her fury. She’d tried for so long to conceal her real identity, and now…Lifting her eyes, she gazed outside her office window as well-buried memories rushed to the surface. She thought of her father—Detective James Stewart—who had been fatally wounded during a raid. She remembered the heartache and devastation when John showed up at the campus of University of Georgia in Athens bearing the shattering news—her father and two other policemen were executed by the powerful people they were trying to expose. Ever since, she was painfully aware of a threat hovering over her head. However, Alexandra was a fighter; undeterred, she stood her ground and went on with her life, keeping the promise she’d made to her father. I didn’t need them then, and sure as hell, I don’t need them now.Turning her attention to her desk, she lifted the newspaper and held it in the light, staring at the man in the picture. The photographer had caught him stepping out of a black limo in front of a high rise in New York City. From his dark gray designer suit to his arrogance and untouchable demeanor, he appeared no older than sixty, though Alexandra knew he was seventy-five now.Peering at the photo, she could barely discern his eyes. However, her memory reminded her that they were green—not the emerald shade of her own, but a jade hue similar to her mother’s. In bold letters above the snapshot, Alexandra read aloud the title of the article one more time: ”Looking for the Heiress of Santorini”. Her eyes flickered as locked away memories of impressive lunar landscapes and breathtaking red and black sand beaches flooded to the surface. Stop that! she reprimanded herself. You’re entering dangerous territory.“Alexandra! Pick up the phone!” The snappy voice of her assistant, Holly, startled her back to reality.She shot a glance at Holly, who was standing at her office door. “What?” she queried, shaking her head and sliding a folder over the article to hide it.“I said, pick up the phone!” Holly urged her. “It’s the president!”Alexandra straightened her back and grabbed the phone anxiously. “Alex Stewart!” she managed to say before she was bombarded with questions and demands.Benjamin Hughes—a powerful and arrogant man in his early fifties—was the president of Guarantee Insurance, one of the largest Insurance Groups in the World.Alexandra had only talked to him once in the past and then only for a few minutes. What could be so important that Hughes would call me himself? she wondered and swallowed hard, feeling her mouth dry.Still a little disoriented, she made an effort to concentrate on what Hughes was saying on the phone.“Yes, sir, I’ll do that,” she said finally, and putting the phone down, she sat gazing at it. What was that all about?All of a sudden, she realized Holly was still standing at the door with a puzzled expression on her face.“I’m sorry. I didn’t hear the phone ringing,” Alexandra apologized and, noticing the spilled coffee, she wiped it with a tissue.“I know,” Holly replied. “I called a couple of times, and when you didn’t answer, I was worried. Sorry for barging in like this.”“It’s okay!” Alexandra reassured her. “I’ve no idea what I was thinking,” she lied and clenched her fists. That article had thrown her off balance.“So, what did he want?” Holly asked, curiously.“Who?” Alexandra inquired, lost in her thoughts.“Are you okay?” Holly queried, and the concern was obvious in her voice. “You’re acting kind of strange.”“I’m fine,” Alexandra replied, trying to sound reassuring. “I’m just not sleeping well lately.”“Maybe you should see a doctor.”“No,” Alexandra insisted. “I’ll be fine. All I need is a couple of days off.”Holly gave her a worried look and left the office without another word.I need to pull myself together, Alexandra decided and massaged her temples to relieve some pressure. I’ve worked too hard to accomplish my goals, and I’m not going to blow it now. I have nothing to do with those people,and I intend to go on with my life as if they never existed.
I’ll be posting a new section every Friday. The novel will be published soon by Booktrope.
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