Prologue

            The plane flew speedily and steadily over land, having passed the Atlantic Ocean and several European countries. It was on its way to the famed, crowded Riviera, the popular vacationing spot for many wealthy persons in mid-July, on the coast of the Mediterranean.

            On board, flying first class, was the current heir and inheritor of the prestigious law firm entitled Sola-Kane & Co...and his fiancee. His father had already planned out his son’s entire life–probably from before he was born. Kenton Sola-Kane had led a rather isolated and lonely life as a child, packed off to high-class boarding schools in the top levels of his classes, with other snobby children from families among the richest in the U.S. Graduating two years early, at age sixteen, Kenton had sped through college, earning both law and business degrees–something previously unheard of.

            Having finished his schooling at age twenty-two, he had promptly been introduced by his stunning and very French mother (from whom he had inherited his talents for language, diplomacy, and flirting, along with his platinum-blond hair) to scores and scores of girls–none of which had caught his interest...until he met the one he was _not_ supposed to be attracted to. The daughter of his mother’s roommate in college, Alia Anderson was black-haired and exotically blue-eyed. She had not only caught but also captured his attention–effortlessly–at age nineteen, two years younger than he. At first, the match had been disapproved of by his father–Alia moved in the circles of the highest classes, but it was only because of her wealthy guardian. Both her parents had been of the middle class and were deceased. Due to her rearing, she had drastically different ideals about life and upper class society than Mr. Sola-Kane, who had been raised about the same way as he had raised his son. Eventually, though, he had come around for two reasons. First and foremost, Alia did have a razor-sharp mind for politics and business rivals, despite the fact that she was rather shy at times and planning to be a psychologist. Secondly, he had been gradually worn down by his wife–who, of course, supported her son’s interests and the daughter of her dearest (if not deceased) friend.

            Both Kenton and Alia were extremely professional, cool, and calm, and it had taken quite a while before the quiet, self-conscious girl had accepted his attentions as genuine. Two years later, they were engaged, planning to marry in a lovely fall wedding in October, and on their way to a summer vacation together on the Cote d’Azur. Along with them, not as chaperones but more like company, were three close friends: Serafina Aurore, Jedidiah Knight, and Beryllium Izaia-Talon. They were looking for peace, a vacation, and an escape from their lives. Too bad life keeps a grip on its players...