Beautiful Release

Cassandra laughed at that last statement. "You won't be shipped. If you are indeed the heir, you'll be taking your private jet."

"This is exactly what I'm talking about. How do I know this isn't some elaborate ruse for a reality TV show, where I'm being pranked?"

Cassandra frowned, opening and closing her mouth a couple times as she thought about what she was going to say. "James, I'm sorry. I really am, but I can't give you any identifying information. You'll understand when you find out."

With her spiel over, I shrugged my shoulders. "Righto, let me know when you find out."

Without a second thought, I walked through the front door and made my way to the elevator. Being the penthouse, the moment it had a private elevator, so the moment I hit the button, the doors opened. Stepping inside, I hit the button for the ground floor, and watched Cassandra's shocked expression through the closing doors.

The moment the doors opened, I started walking. I ignored everyone on my way out, including the concierge, who I don't think recognised me as I walked past.

It took me most of the day to make my way back home. It took over an hour to find a familiar road and had to follow it for another hour before I recognised a landmark. By the time I passed the soup kitchen, the doors were open for dinner. Stepping inside, I got a few weird looks from some of the familiars, but I just shrugged and said, "don't ask."

An hour later, I was walking up the stairs to my apartment. The familiar smell of faded urine, reminding me of the multiple worlds I currently occupied. But it was at the top of the stairs, when they came together again.

"You must be, Greg," I said, offering my hand to the familiar man.

"Sir," he said, taking my hand in a firm grip.

"Don't tell me she's inside?"

"No sir," Greg grinned. "She's organising flights. We're leaving in an hour."

"Oh?" I grumbled, "is that all you were sent to tell me?"

"No, sir," Greg said seriously. "I was sent to bring you to the hangar. Miss Lays thought you'd return here eventually.

"Oh..." I said softly. "So... I'm him, am I?"

"Officially, not until you speak with Cassandra, sir. But otherwise yes. We got confirmation an hour ago. You are Boris Charmichael's heir."

"Great, so where are we headed?" I asked, unlocking my front door. Stepping inside, I started grabbing the few items I owned that still had some value. Greg followed me in so I handed him my bag. Helpfully, he held it open while I placed my few belongings inside. My laptop, a photograph of my parents and my divorce certificate. Taking the bag from Greg, I threw it over my shoulder and looked him in the eye.

"We're headed north. Your estate has a private airfield at the foot of a small mountain range. We'll be home by morning," Greg said firmly.

I just nodded and headed out the door. This time I didn't bother locking up, but Greg pulled it closed behind him. When I got to the bottom of the stairs, the limousine was pulling up. I could see Ben driving. He nodded politely to me, as Greg walked past and opened the door for me. Climbing into the back, I was momentarily shocked as a loud 'POP' went off.

"Congratulations, Mr Matthews. Or is it Charmichael?" Cassandra chirped.

I just blinked, staring at her. She was holding a pair of glasses in one hand, the bottle of champagne in the other. But what drew my eye the most, was the dress she was wearing. It looked like something my ex-wife used to wear in her clubbing days. It was short, only coming down mid-thigh. The neck plunged down between her breasts and exposed her belly-button and left her arms completely free to move. It was painfully obvious she wasn't wearing a bra, and if I had my guess, she probably wasn't wearing panties either. The entire thing was skin tight and covered in sequins that glinted in the light.

Reaching out, I took the glasses from her hand and allowed her to pour them both. When one overflowed, she quickly leaned forward and licked the side of the glass while maintaining eye contact. As she straightened up, she deftly plucked the glass from my hand and took a sip. I smiled, before taking a small mouthful myself.

"Ahhh, I had a case of these imported from France. Over four thousand dollars a bottle, there's nothing better," she practically purred.

I decided to keep to myself, that I preferred a brand I could buy right here for twenty dollars. But, booze was booze, and I was fucking nervous. So a few sips later, I leaned back into my seat.

"So, are you going to tell me more about this whole thing now?" I asked, still feeling a bit grumpy about the whole situation.

Cassandra just sighed, "really, James. You need to learn how to lighten up. You're him, there's a form to sign on the plane to accept your titles and everything is yours. After that is all training and getting you up to speed, so in the meantime, I suggest you have a little fun."

With her words, I just nursed my champagne until we arrived at the airport. A moment after we pulled up, the door opened. Cassandra immediately climbed out, still clutching the bottle. I followed shortly after, ignoring the questioning look Ben was directing towards me. But I couldn't help the gasp that escaped my lips. The silver gulfstream before me was beautiful. I realised that the silver gleam matched Cassandra's dress. Following slowly behind her, I watched as she stumbled slightly going up the stairs. My entry was much smoother. I was also just in time to watch her upend the rest of the bottle in a single pull.

Lowering the bottle, she turned to me and gave a very obvious wink. I watched as she slipped the shoulder straps of her dress down her arms. A few more steps, and I confirmed that she was indeed, not wearing any form of underwear. The sultry smile she gave me as she passed through a door at the rear, was filled with lust and promise... Such a shame, my ex-wife really nailed into me how dangerous that kind of thing was... So it was a welcome relief when I heard Ben and Greg board behind me.

"Ben, can I ask a quick favour?"

"Sure thing, James," he said quickly.

"Just stand there, and watch me a minute," I said.

Walking towards the doorway, Cassandra passed through, I peeked inside. Sure enough, there was a bed... Sure enough, there was a very naked, spread eagle Cassandra occupying it... And sure enough she was passed out, snoring away with the bottle tucked under one arm.

"Ben, come here, I need a witness," I called softly.

I waited for Ben to arrive before entering the room. Quickly as I could, I grabbed the bottle and dropped it on the floor. Then, taking the blanket, I pulled it over her naked form and tucked her in as best I could. I didn't want her to fall out of bed during takeoff. Quietly leaving the room, I nodded my thanks to Ben and took a seat near the front of the cabin. Less than twenty minutes later we were airborne. Ben, Greg and myself had a quiet beer, before I settled into my seat for a sleep.

It felt like the moment I closed my eyes, I was being shaken awake. Snapping my eyes open, it was Ben.

"We've landed, Sir," he said softly.

I groaned and stretched my arms. Satisfied I climbed to my feet. Pulling out my phone, it was just after 3 am. Satisfied that I hadn't been smuggled to another country or something, I followed Ben outside. It was still very dark. The stars were the brightest I'd seen since my childhood camping trips. The sound of someone throwing up, really set the mood. A few dozen meters away, I could see the silhouette of Cassandra. She was being helped into a car by another figure I didn't recognise.

Ben however, was leading me to a second vehicle. Before I could ask, he cleared his throat. "Miss Mary requested a second vehicle. She didn't wish to impose herself on you while Miss Lays is... Unwell."

I shrugged my shoulders and climbed into the front seat of the black four wheel drive, Ben led me towards. I just had my seatbelt on, when Ben climbed into the driver's seat beside me. I had a slight inkling that I'd just passed some sort of test in Ben's eyes.

"So, what can you tell me about this place?" I asked as we started driving.

The road we set off on was hard packed gravel. It made the drive slow, but it was still rather comfortable.

"We're heading towards the second gate. Your new home is rather secluded. There's three fences, followed by a stone wall around the home itself. It's as much to keep people out, as it is to protect livestock."

"Livestock?"

"One of Boris' hobbies was horse breeding. You're now the proud owner of a small herd of Clydesdales." I just chuckled, wondering what kind of man Boris was. "But the property is basically split up into various sections. Some for leisure, some for more academic purposes and some for enterprise."

"Anything you can tell me about them?" I asked.

Ben slowly shook his head, "sorry, James. I'm just a bodyguard. I know there's a radar station for weather events. I also know there's a building where Boris was developing something for the military. But I know most of his business ventures were in banks and pharmaceuticals."

My mind was whirling when I heard that. Whatever man Boris was, I was about to fill some mighty big shoes... I only hoped I could wrap my head around it, or hire someone who could.

... Chapter Two...

Two guard posts and an electronic gate later, I got my first look at my new home. Cassandra wasn't going to be of any help. We'd passed them twenty minutes ago when she got out to puke again. So it was just Ben and I as we pulled up.

It seemed less a home, and more a mansion. Three stories tall, gargoyles on the roof, decorative hedges everywhere. The driveway was a large paved roundabout that looked like it catered to large trucks. Considering the size of this place, it probably did at one stage. The lights were all still on, and someone was standing in the light coming through the open front door.

"That's the butler," Ben said as we pulled up. "He's a bit of a grouch till you get to know him. But he's good people. Boris hired him a decade ago, even left him company stock in the will."

"Right," I said, filing away that information. "What's his name?"

Ben just shook his head, "sorry, I'm not sure Miss Lays knows his name. You're not quite what we expected. Call him Frank."

I nodded my thanks as we walked towards what I could now see, was a man enjoying his golden years. Enjoying may have been a strong word, however. The look on his face reminded me of the last time I got in trouble at school. But I smiled and offered my hand regardless.

"Hi, you must be Frank. I'm James," I said.

Frank almost jumped as I extended my hand towards him, but a moment later he reached out and took it. "A pleasure, sir. Please, if you will follow me, I'll take you to your room."

"I'll leave you here, see you in a few hours," Ben said, walking in another direction.

I nodded, before turning to face Frank, who was eyeing me as if I was an interesting art piece. But he stopped almost immediately and gestured for me to follow. The main foyer was huge. Everywhere I looked was artwork and carved wooden pillars. The entire building looked like one big artwork. It even had a grand staircase, that Frank was leading me up. The stairs split into two on the second level, heading up to the third. But Frank led me off to the left.

"The rooms are arranged in groups. The first floor is the kitchens and staff quarters. The second is split, either side, by family and guest rooms on one side, and business rooms on the other side of the stairs. The upper level is the observatory and library. The observatory overlooks the pool and training yard. Beyond that is the barn."

I just nodded along as he spoke. This place was amazing. Along the way, was a series of portraits. Some of them were very old and I could see differences from generation to generation. The last picture was of a balding, slightly overweight man with a grim expression.

"Frank..."

"Yes, Sir, that is Boris Charmichael. If I may speak freely. His looks did not reflect his actions in life. The man simply would not tolerate inadequacy."

I nodded, before turning away from the grim figure on the wall. Hopefully my picture would be more pleasant to look at. Passing down a hall, Frank stopped me before a large door. Delicately pulling it open, he gestured for me to enter, with a small bow. Stepping into the room was like stepping into the Victorian era. Vast landscapes painted across the walls. Heavy drapes across what I could only assume was the largest window I've ever seen. The massive four poster bed in the middle of the room was larger than king size. There was even a small dining table for two, complete with chairs.

"Sir, through that door," Frank gestured to a door on the far side of the room. "You will find bathing facilities. The thermostat is by the door, along with the light switch. Additionally, these same controls are mounted on either side of the master bed posts."

"Thank you, Frank," I said offering to shake his hand again.

Frank smiled and took my hand with a nod. "It is my pleasure, Sir. If you will excuse me, I intend to get some more sleep. There's a call button on the nightstand if you need anything."

With that, the old man turned and left, closing the door behind him. I'd barely taken a stroll around the room, when I heard a knock. Moving to the door, I quickly opened it, to find Ben standing in front of me.

"Sorry, James. Got you a change of clothes here," he said, handing me a large bag. "And I need you to just sign this form."

I placed the bag of clothes on the floor beside me and took the form. Scanning through it quickly, it was basically just a declaration that I am who I said I was. On the back was stapled the DNA results, which didn't interest me all that much. So without a reason not too, I looked up at Ben, to see him holding a pen. A moment later I handed the signed form back to him.

"Thanks, Miss Lays, would have been upset if she didn't have this tomorrow... Well... More upset than usual anyway," Ben sighed.

"Is she always like this?" I asked.

Ben shook his head, "no, not usually. I've seen her drink, but not like that before. She can be a bit... Prudish, though."

I just nodded, "thanks, Ben. I'll see you in a few hours."

Ben nodded and walked away. I closed the door and decided I needed a shower. That was another surprise. The bathroom was the size of my apartment. In the centre of the room, was a large sculpted bath. It looked large enough for a small army to fit inside. Beside it, there was a huge, open face shower. It had multiple heads on all sides except the entry. It also had a retractable bench that was currently slid into the far wall. Immediately outside the shower was a basin with a mirror and basic, but expensive looking toiletries.

The other item in the room eluded me a little. It looked like an open ended phone booth with lots of holes in the walls. Inside was a simple red button. Y'know what they say about curiosity... Stepping into the room, I hit the button. A low whirring sound started and a few seconds later I was being buffeted from all angles by warm jets of air. That was the reason there were no towels in here. Which made perfect sense when I thought about it. Turning around, I spotted a small alcove behind the bath. Like the rest of the room, it was very over the top, but it was most definitely a toilet... And a bidet... So there was no toilet paper... That was going to take some getting used to...

Stripping off my clothes I walked into the shower. That was also when I realised it was digital. Assuming it was set for human use, because realistically, I've never bothered finding out how hot my showers were, I hit the button. Immediately I was showered in hot water. It was perfect for that initial blast, so it didn't shock me from the sudden temperature change. About the time I was thinking I'd like it warmer, the temperature did just that. A soft beep caught my attention and I glanced at the flashing control panel. Reaching over, I tapped the up button twice and the temperature adjusted.

The next issue was soap, but I found some inbuilt nozzles in the wall. The first contained a lemon scented body wash. The second, shampoo and the third I identified as conditioner. A few minutes later I was thoroughly scrubbed and feeling better about myself. Hitting the button on the shower, the water stopped immediately. With a childish grin, I walked out of the shower and straight into the drying room. This time I closed my eyes and ignored the ticklish sensation of the air blasting me from every direction. Thirty seconds later, I stepped out of the room, perfectly dry. Heading over to the sink, I found a toothbrush and some toothpaste. With a quick job on my oral hygiene, I left the bathroom.

The bag of clothing was still where I left it, by the door to my room. It was an odd sensation walking such a distance without any clothes. Picking up the bag, I extracted it's contents. It was a smart-casual suit. Some dark grey slacks, a belt and a white shirt, along with more socks, underwear and a pair of leather shoes to match.

A quick check of my phone told me it was almost 6 am, so I figured it wasn't worth trying to get any more sleep today. Dressing quickly, I left my room and started exploring. I first did a lap of the second level. I didn't know if any rooms were occupied, so I didn't open any doors, but there were dozens of paintings of various people. It occurred to me that I didn't even know my relation to Boris, as I passed by a painting of a beautiful young woman.

When I finally made it back to the stairs, I decided to head down to the ground floor. Frank had mentioned kitchens and I was keen for breakfast. What I wasn't expecting, however, was the beautiful voice that filled the hallways. For whatever reason, I couldn't help but want to know where it was coming from. The song she sang, because it was obviously a woman, wasn't in english. But the only word I could use to describe it was beautiful.

So it was a stroke of luck, as it was coming from a door labeled, 'kitchen.' Pushing the door open, there were a couple people inside. A young man, stirring a pot on a large stove. And a young woman, cutting vegetables for whatever turned out to be breakfast. Neither of them realised they were no longer alone, so I stood quietly and listened to the young woman's voice. That was, right up until the young man spotted me.

"Oh, good morning, Sir," he said quickly, straightening his posture.

The young woman flinched and immediately stopped singing before turning and facing me with a small curtsey. She was beautiful. A little shorter than Cassandra, a little rounder in the body, but if anything that just added to her sheer, unaltered beauty. Her short brown hair was up in a net, and her blue eyes darted towards the floor the moment they met my own.

"I'm very sorry to have disturbed you," I said quickly. "I was just looking for breakfast, and I heard you singing..." I trailed off.

The young woman began to blush furiously, before managing to squeak out, "I'm sorry, Sir, I'll try to keep it down," she had an accent similar to Cassandra's.

My face dropped when she said that and her expression turned from embarrassment, to worry. "No no, please. Your singing was beautiful. I'm just glad to put a face to the music."

The young woman began to blush furiously again, before the young man cleared his throat, "I'll need those veggies in a moment."

The young woman squeaked, "sorry, Sir, I need to get back to work." She spun around and started furiously chopping. The rate she went through the vegetables was almost as impressive as her voice.

"Breakfast will be brought up to your room, Sir," the young man said. "Is this your usual time to rise?"