Lies and Weddings(134)
“I’m still trying to process it all, but it has been very healing for me.”
“Good, good. You know what, let me take you to tea the next time I’m in London. We can go wherever you want, my treat. Claridge’s, the Connaught, the Goring, the Savoy. Although the Muffin Man off High Street Ken has just as yummy scones at a fraction of the price. I have so much more to tell you about your mother.”
“I would love nothing more than that,” Eden said, beaming.
“Perfect! We’ll make a date for the Muffin Man, then. I’ll have my assistant Kit arrange it with your assistant. Here, are you on WhatsApp? Let me scan your QR code,” Rosina said as she whipped out her phone.
Just when Eden thought she’d never be able to get away from Rosina, a knight in shining armor appeared at her side in the form of a Persian prince from Beverly Hills. “Eden Tong, may I have this dance?” Freddy Farman-Farmihian asked with a courtly bow as his beautiful sister stood alongside him in a gold-sequined and black-feathered Elie Saab dress and a showstopping pair of High Radiant diamond earrings from Fernando Jorge.
“Freddy! Daniela! I didn’t know you were coming!” Eden squealed in delight as she rushed to hug them both.
“Of course! Bea invited me,” Freddy said.
“And I’m just crashing,” Daniela said with a wink.
“Well, why don’t we move to the dance floor?” Rufus said, gallantly offering Daniela his hand. The four of them descended the steps onto the dance floor, taking in the full spectacle of the ornate frescoed ceiling, three breathtakingly immense Murano chandeliers, and matching wall sconces lit up with thousands of flickering candles that made the glorious space glimmer like gold.
“This palazzo is insane! I’ll take this over an ice palace any day,” Freddy marveled as he glided across the dance floor with Eden.
“Me too. Speaking of insane, wanna buy a house in Bel Air? I’ll let you have it at a bargain price and I’ll even throw in all the cars in the Bat Cave.”
“It’s a deal!” Freddy said excitedly before frowning. “But does that mean you’re not going to live in LA? Are we not going to be neighbors and meet up at Beverly Glen Deli for breakfast every Sunday?”
“Rufus and I want to try out the Big Island for a while. Rufus was so inspired by Raqib Shaw’s art that he wants to start a new series of big paintings. And I’d like to do volunteer medicine around the islands. Since we’ll be in Hawaii, I’m sure we’ll be passing through LA quite a bit.”
“You better! Now, tell me, why does Augie look so sad?”
Eden looked to where he was staring. “Maxxie ran off with some rich cougar. She’s nursing a broken heart at the moment.”
“Maybe I can help her heal it.”
“You’ll have to learn yoga.”
“For her, I’d learn to put my legs behind my neck.”
“Well then, let’s not waste a moment,” Eden said, waltzing Freddy right over to Augie. No sooner had she connected the two of them than she felt a tap on her shoulder. It was Peter Leung, Lady Arabella’s brother.
“Eden Tong. I must congratulate you on your windfall.”
“Thank you, sir,” Eden replied as it occurred to her that the imperious tycoon had in all these years never acknowledged her existence until this very moment.
“Call me Peter. Tell me, what do you intend to do with your fortune? If this splendid city could serve as a parable, it’s that all fortunes, no matter how immense, require a great deal of care to last generations. Venice used to be the richest city known to humankind; now it is nothing but a sinking theme park run by dissolute aristocrats living off their dusty titles.”
“I’m not interested in perpetuating a fortune that lasts for generations. I’ve seen firsthand how having too much money isn’t good for anyone, and I think wealth inequality is one of our planet’s greatest problems.”
“Very true. You should set up a family foundation like I have that will support your philanthropic goals in perpetuity.”
“Oh, I don’t think I need all that. I think I’d rather roll up my sleeves and help fund medical research and relief programs where I see fit and give every last cent away in my lifetime. I feel that’s what my mother and uncle would have wanted me to do.”
Peter grimaced slightly. “Look, it must be overwhelming to suddenly be burdened with such a complex conglomerate, since you’re just a doctor. If I can ever be of help, just say the word. You’ll find that there will be many fortuitous opportunities for us to partner up, especially since we’re going to be family now.”
“Oh. But are we?”
“Aren’t you going to marry my nephew?”
“Hmm. Why does everyone keep assuming that?”
Peter appeared stunned. “Aren’t you two secretly engaged? Hasn’t Rufus proposed to you?”
“Once, when he was fourteen. And I said no.”
“Well, I shall put in a word with the damned fool. I hear that you and Martha Dung are devising a new concept for Bella Resorts. I hope you know you can count me in for the Series A round.”
Eden couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “Let me get this straight—your own sister came to you begging for your help when she was about to lose everything, and you said no, but now you want to invest in her resorts?”