Heiress by Juliejane Fernandez (the speed reading book TXT) 📕

“I’m coming! Give me 20 minutes.” I groaned on the phone clutching it in one hand and grab my sports Nike shoes on the other whilst running downstairs towards our underground parking lot.

“Jao! Can you hurry your fat ass or I will just let the driver to take you instead!” I yelled to my younger brother whose always late all the time. Seriously, he wakes up everyday around 10-ish in the morning and go to school almost lunchtime and he never gets in trouble. But whenever I wake up around 9 o’clock in the morning, I always get a long spiritual and academically lecture from our butler Mr Joseph.

“Okay, okay! I’m in.” My younger brother muttered as he enters my latest Jaguar F-Type colour purple car.

I rolled my eyes at him and turned on the engine of my car. I look around the parking lot and waved goodbye to other vehicles of mine.

Since I turned 16 and got my Learner’s licence, my parents bought me my first car as a gift, a Chevrolet Corvette. I loved it so much that I keep using it while my personal driving instructor taught me how to drive. When I turned 17 and get my Red P’s – a permit licence to drive by myself – my parents bought me another car, a Red Ford Mustang. It was so cool driving it I feel such a badass. Then I turned 18 and celebrated my debutant ball in Paris, France my brother bought me another car, a black Porsche 718 Cayman and a black Ferrari 488 GTB. I burst out in tears and gave him a bear hug. When I got into an accident on my 19th, my best friend bought me this Jaguar and on my 20th birthday I bought myself a Britten V1000 motorbike. I always love fast vehicles. My mates sometimes thought I’m a tomboy because I like what guys like; you know fast vehicles, martial arts, sparring, hiking – I think all of the sports apart from swimming. I can’t swim. I mean maybe I can, I just never tried.

The security guards open the main gate on a little remote control and I speed off to the road making my brother whack his head on the dashboard. I let out a short laugh and he just snarl at me like an animal that he is.

“So… why of a sudden beat up your body to gym?” the little booger asked and out of a sudden, he just snapped his fingers and did not even give me a chance to reply and said, “Ah! Of course! You’re knight and shining armour is coming next week.” He smirked, “that must’ve been super exciting for you.”

I shoot him a killer look and hit him in the head. I heard a grunt, he glare back at me and look back outside the window.

I never really talk to my brother about my feelings or boys. I get uncomfortable and it’s weird to talk mature stuff to him. I’m 20-years-old for fuck sake and he’s only 13. God only knows what he know about love life.

We keep driving in silence, until I stoped and drop him off at his best friend’s house – Jonathan. My brother and I wanted to live a normal life. You know, have a lot of friends, invite them in the mansion and have a sleep over for a weekend, go out and watch movies without 10 buffy guys following our tracks and will be able to walk anywhere without people staring and talks about us. But unfortunately, living a simple life is not on our side. You see, our family is very well known around the world. If you asked people on the streets if do they know the Belmoor they’d always gave you the same answer ‘the richest family around the world’.

My grandparents on my mother side owned the most famous and most luxurious hotel in France. Since my mum is an only child, she inherited it and met my dad in one of her business meeting. Dad is also an only child and a future King of England. My grand father was broken hearted when my father declined the throne and the responsibility to be a King and decided to become a successful businessman instead. When mum and dad got married they both run 6 businesses in Europe and another 10 other businesses around the world.

I finally arrived on my own mansion but I rather call it a fun house. My mum bought it for me after I graduated in High School. Buying material stuff is the only way she knows how to show that she loves me or at least that’s what I thought.

I liked it here, it’s like my second house and I sleep her often than our main mansion. It’s not that far from our main one anyway, only half an hour drive if I followed the speed limit, which I never do. It’s an enormous mansion with 12 bedrooms, 2 living rooms, 5 game rooms, 2 gym rooms, a big dancing stadium, 2 kitchens, 15 bathrooms, 2 swimming pools – inside and outdoor, a big movie theatre, 2 connecting library room, and a music room with a bar. My mates and I always hang out in this place everyday and it’s the only place where I can go without bodyguards following around. Of course the mansion is fully equipped with surveillance – like cameras, security guards, and even a laser beam attached to each wall of the mansion.

I ran out of my car while the engine is on. I know one of the guards will turn it off anyway so I did not bother and run as fast as I can to the 2nd gym room – my training room.

I looked down at my watch, strap around my wrist and groan in frustration. I’m late for the first time in my life of my training session. It’s all thanks to my annoying brother. Now, I have to think of an excuse.

Oh fuck it!

I opened the door slowly and close my eyes fake crying. “I know, I know… I have wounded your heart. I am so sorry.” Still closed eyes while clutching my heart faking as if I’m in pain. “Will you accept my apology from the rock-bottom of my heart?”

I slowly opened my eyes and bugged out when I found my best friends sitting on the corner of the room wearing gym clothes.

“What are you guys doing in here?” I asked taken aback from the sight in front of me.

“It’s our first day of University tomorrow, so we thought to come by here and do some work out to freshen up,” Teo stated. A smile stretched on his thin lips walking towards me and gave me a hug.

I hugged him back and gave him a peck on his soft cheeks. “I have missed you. How’s your holiday in Canada?” I asked taking a seat next to Roxy – my other best friend.

“It went good. Spent most time running the business while dad was gone for a business trip in Singapore.” Teo replied and took a seat next to Beatrice – another one of our best friend.

“What about us Thea? Don’t you miss us too?” Andrei playfully pouted and stretched out his beefy arms.

“Aw, group hug!” Ruthy cheerfully yelp and we all laugh in response and cuddle together like sardines.

Oh how much I love my best friends. Roxy, Beatrice and Andrei are triplets and their family are one of my family’s best friends. Teo’s father is also my father’s good mate since high school and they both went on the same school as well in University, while Ruthy is a grand daughter of the Prime Minister in Australia. The 6 of us have been friends since kindergarten and since then we never get separated from each other.

I heard someone snicker and we all turned our heads to Dave. “I hate to cut this lovely moment with you guys, but don’t you think we all should go back to our session?” He turned his head towards me and I just smile sheepishly at him.

He shook his head and smile at me, “You young lady since you’re late, you will be sparring with me today.” He pats my head like a puppy and I groaned in response.

“Not the hair, Dave!”

The room erupted with laughter and I untangled my now messy bun and undo it again. I put my Nike shoes tightly and do some stretching before Dave and I will start my training.

I’ve known Dave since I was 10-years-old and his like an uncle I never had. He’s also my personal trainer when it comes to martial arts, kickboxing, and health advisor. He also became my best friend’s personal trainer as well since they all mostly like lived here.

“Put this on,” Dave throws a piece of cloth at me and I just stared at him blankly.

He sighed. “Use it to cover your eyes.”

I tilt my head on the side and look at him like he just loose his right mind. He glared back at me and sighed again.

“Come on! Put it on pequeña princesa.” He begged, “You just have to trust me.”

I look at him unsure if should I or should I not do it but I groaned in defeat and I heard Andrei said, “This should be interesting.”

I put the piece of material on and took a deep breath in assurance. I have always been good when it comes to sparring. I always win against my 5 best friends. Even the guys complimented my skills and the girls complained at how unladylike I move and fight. I took it as a very good compliment. I love to spar. I don’t know but I find calmness inside me whenever I fight, work out or train. But I haven’t grasped this type of sparring before. This will be my first time going to fight with blindfolds on.

Interesting indeed!

I heard bell rings, indicate to start the training. I stand firm on the ground trying to figure out what to do first. Looks like Dave heard my thoughts and answered my question with a smack at the back of my head. I snarl in response.

“You have to focus and listen to your surrounding very carefully.”

I feel a slight push at my back and I turned around punching the air hoping to hit Dave’s face. But instead I get another smack on my arm.

“Hey! That hurt!” I winged and rubbed my arm.

“You have to imagine that you are alone and the room is dark, then focus on the little bit of noise you hear that’s how you find where your opponent is hiding,” Dave suggested.

“Tio, the room turned dark as soon as I put this blindfold on.” I cheekily retort in response and get another smack in my back.

“Focus.”

I groaned in response and heard my mates laughing on the background. Dave told them to shut up and I smiled a little when I hear Roxy puff in annoyance.

I decided to follow Dave’s order and focus on the surroundings. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. The quietness of the room makes my body shiver slightly and I feel goose bumps on my skin.

Then I heard a faint noise coming towards my left and I quickly moved to my right. I heard everyone clap and Dave cackle beside me.

“Good job. Let’s do it again but this time I will be fast and will attack you couple of times.” I nodded in response.

The room gone super quite again and I sense something is moving on my right and I shift quickly on my left. I was about to smile but I heard another noise came from my left and I step on my right. Another