Hi! This is my first story, but please REVIEW! We're gonna spend the first couple chapters introducing the main characters and their individual story-lines.

Enjoy!

Eliziveta Herdevar stretched her limbs as the sun's rays washed over her skin. With her curved body and less-than-modest bikini, the extremely wealthy woman thought she provided quite an eyeful for any men who might pass by. Well, at least, any men besides the one lying next to her.

As this concept passed her mind, she peered over her sunglasses at the man. She envied his naturally tanned skin and allowed her eyes to linger for just a moment on her neighbor's shirtless chest before shaking her head slightly. You're a married woman and he's your friend, she thought to herself. Still, that didn't mean she couldn't admire from a distance. He was reading, so he probably wouldn't notice anyways.

As though to prove her wrong, the attractive man closed his book and looked back at her with two piercing brown eyes.

"Is there something you need Eliziveta?" He asked in a quiet voice.

Slightly embarrassed at having been caught, she grinned. "Just enjoying the view, Gupta."

"In your own backyard?" Gupta motioned towards the pool and the well kept hedge beyond it, "There's not much to see."

"Don't act like you know don't what I mean, cutie." Eliziveta giggled girlishly.

Not amused, Gupta's face peeled into a frown. "Roderich won't approve of you flirting with me." he said seriously.

"Oh hush," she reached over and tousled Gupta's short curly hair, "We've been pals since we were in diapers and Roderich knows I'm just teasing you."

Far from reassured, Eliziveta's sunbathing partner frowned even more. "Still...." he muttered, "Wouldn't want to start any rumours within the community. Sadiq has reputation to keep up during the election and-ow!"

"Stop worrying!" Eliziveta chided as she pinched Gupta's cheek. "Who's gonna see us besides Antonio?"

"Antonio? Who's that?"

"I haven't introduced you two? He's my poolboy."

Gupta stopped frowing for a moment, suddenly curious. "Why would you introduce me to your poolboy?"

"Oh," Eliziveta smiled, showing a mouth full of pearly white teeth. "You'll see why...." She turned her head and took a deep breath.

Gupta, not liking Eliziveta's tone, put up his hand. "Wait....I don't think-"

"ANTONIO!"

Eliziveta's high voice rang out like a gunshot and Gupta wouldn't have been surprised if the glass windows in the house had shattered. They didn't, but even after she'd stopped Gupta heard a ringing in his ears.

Oblivious to the fact that she'd practically deafened him, Eliziveta turned back around, still beaming. "Oh, wait till you see him! He's absolutely gorgeous!"

Gupta arched an eyebrow, rubbing his ears. "So...why would I care?"

"Oh don't play dumb. You know how I love matchmaking! And this guy is perfect for you!"

Sighing, Gupta closed his eyes. "I'm already in a relationship."

The grin remained on her face. "So? Doesn't mean you can't have a little fun...besides, you haven't seen Sadiq in for weeks."

Gupta knew perfectly well that when Eliziveta spoke about having "A little fun" she usually meant having an affair. Something she'd done very frequently before marrying. No matter how long it'd been since Sadiq had been home (or how increasingly lonely he'd been feeling), Gupta had never even considered infidelity. That in mind, he had no intention of starting now.

"I am not going to cheat." he stated simply.

" It's not cheating. It's just a fun. Besides, you're gonna want to after you see this kid."

Kid? Gupta thought. "Liz.....how old is he?"

Before answering, Eliziveta took a sip from her cup of iced tea that had, until now, been completely ignored. Gupta was not going to like what he heard.

"Hmm? Oh, well, he's Twenty-three."

Gupta almost choked. "Twenty three? That's eight years younger than me! No. Absolutely not. No, no, no, no, no, NO."

"Calm down. He's mature."

"Oh yes," Gupta said sarcastically, "I'm sure he's very mature for someone who's barely out of high-school!"

"Here he is..."

Gupta was about to remark again on how he wasn't going to cheat, and how even if he was, it wouldn't be with a man eight years his junior, but when he turned his head, all protest died in his throat.

"Oh." was all he could say.

Walking towards them with an unmistakable air of confidence was a man who looked like something out of a GQ magazine.

His body, lightly coated in sweat from a hard day's work, seemed to glimmer in the sunlight and he wore a pair of dirt stained Khaki shorts that showed off his toned calves. His abs were so prominent, so perfect, they looked as though you could grate cheese on them. With a lopsided smile, he shook his head of soft looking brown hair and wiped his bangs out of his eyes. They were a breathtaking shade of green and framed by long, beautiful lashes.

Gupta felt a rush of heat in a very specific part his lower body. Eliziveta was right. He did feel like cheating.

"You wanted me Mrs.Herdevar?" Antonio's voice was bright and cheerful, like a flute.

"Yes, I did." replied Eliziveta, who had seen Gupta's reaction and allowed a slightly smug tone to creep into her voice because of it. "I'd like you to meet my friend Gupta."

Antonio looked over at Gupta and with no attempt at subtlety, allowed his eyes to roam the flustered man's body before cracking a smile. "Well, hello Mr.Hassan."

"H-hello." Gupta did his best not to look directly at the Adonis standing in front of him, and berated himself mentally for stuttering.

"I just wanted you two to meet." Eliziveta said, still shining with pride in herself "I have a feeling you'll be seeing alot more of eachother. What with Mr.Hassan being a close friend of mine and all..."

"I certainly hope so." whispered Antonio, still looking at Gupta who began to feel very nervous.

"You're all dirty and sweaty, what were you doing?" Eliziveta was obviously baiting Gupta, but he still couldn't bring himself to say anything. He was too busy gaping.

"Re-potting 's petunias for him. He asked me to do it before I left. I'm finished now though."

"Oh, that's nice of you...would you like to take a shower at the bathhouse before you go? You could use it."

"Thank you ma'am. A shower sounds great." Turning on his heel in a single, elegant motion, Antonio positioned himself so that the sunlight hit him just right so that it bounded of of him and made it look as though he was sparkling. It was so fluid, so effortless, Gupta couldn't determine whether it had been intentional or not.

For some strange reason he couldn't place his finger on, the word "Vampire" came to Gupta's mind.

"Goodbye Mrs.Herdevar." Antonio remarked cheerfully as he began to walk off. With a sly grin, he added quietly, "And I hope to see you sometime as well, Mr.Hassan."

Without another word, Antonio left.

It was quiet for a moment but then Eliziveta spoke.

"Was I right or was I right? He's beautiful isn't he? If I was 10 years younger.... hey! Where are you going?"

Gupta looked up at her as he picked up his things. "Home." he replied.

"Why? You just got here!"

"You planned that. The two of you. I know you did. Didn't you?" Gupta's voice was full of accusation, but Eliziveta waved her hand carelessly.

"Well....Antonio might have overheard me talking to Roderich about how obviously unhappy you were," She smirked. "....and how you needed to get laid. Really Bad."

"I can't believe you!" hissed Gupta.

"What?" Eliziveta said, "You do. You've been so grouchy. Maybe getting broken off by a young stud will help you."

"And the fact that I'm happily married doesn't mean anything?"

"Happily? Is that your word for it?"

Gupta's eyes narrowed. "What?"

Eliziveta took her glasses off, a look of seriousness that mixed with boredom was plastered onto her face. "When was the last time you saw your husband?"

Gupta opened his mouth to retort that it was none of her business when and where he saw his husband, but decided to hear her out. "Last month. So what? He's been campaigning and we have an understanding th-"

"Last month." Eliziveta said simply, "You saw your "husband", the man who "loves" you, last month."

"I just said that."

"Last month." She repeated, "Tell me Gupta. Has Sadiq been out of town?"

Gupta rolled his eyes. "Of course. He's running for governor. He can't win if he stays in Ailateh city the entire election."

"And...with whom has he been traveling?"

"Only the core members of his campaign team. Everyone else is here."

"Who are his "core members", that is, how many of them are there and what are their names? Do you even know their names?"

Gupta felt slightly affronted. "Of course I do! I've met all three of them! Alfred, his Campaign Manager. Ivan, his publicist. And Heracles, his assistant. What's the point of all this questioning?"

"He's cheating on you. I'm sure of it."

"What the hell?" Gupta's mouth dropped.

"Gupta, listen, I'm only looking out for you. He's done it before and he's doing it now. If you're dead set on staying with that ass, you may as well have somebody to keep you warm at night while he's out sleeping around!"

Gupta had heard enough. This was stupid and he refused to listen. Without speaking, he furiously headed for the pool gates.

"Gupta! Come now! Don't be mad!"

"Don't be mad?" Who the hell do she think she is?!?

"How can I not be?!? You come at me with this ridiculous proposition that I sleep with your pool boy, then ask me a string of ridiculous questions before somehow coming to the conclusion that my husbands cheating on me?!?"

"He's done it before!" she protested.

"So what?!?" Gupta shouted, "Just because he cheated once doesn't mean he'll sleep around every chance he gets! Last time I checked, he's not you!"

That last statement was below the belt, and when Gupta heard Eliziveta gasp in surprise, he knew he'd hurt her feelings. But he just didn't care right now, he just wanted to go home! It was her fault! He rushed out of the pool yard and back to his car, a yellow Mercedes that Sadiq had bought him in apology for the one and only time he'd ever been unfaithful. As he got in and started the engine, he felt a rush of guilt for what he'd said. He should go back...he should apologize. But he couldn't. He was too upset himself.

As he was about to pull out, someone walking across the lawn caught his eye. It was Antonio.

Still shirtless, but now toting a white towel with him, the tan young man was gazing directly at Gupta, a curious expression filtering through his handsome features. He gave a little wave and smiled a little.

"Go to hell." Gupta muttered under his breath.

He stuck the car in reverse and sped away.

PLEASE REVIEW! PLEASE REVIEW!

Next chapter, like i said, we're going to focus on a different character and a different storyline, but don't worry! Thay all come together at a certain point!

In the next Gupta centered chapter, I'll expand on the time that Sadiq cheated.