Under The Tartosan Sun
Table of contents: [ Spoiler ] Since this story has grown so much bigger than I ever imagined I feel like its time to borrow a page from some of my favorite SimLit writers and offer you a syn...
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Chapter Twenty Three
With her engagement to Matteo still fresh in her heart, Liberty was back at work. She had recently been given the task of tracking down information about a mysterious woman named Izabella Bernard. An agent at the Sims Bureau of Investigation had approached S.I.M.S Director Shantel Bridges asking if her agency could help with an investigation. Information had reached the SBI that indicated Izabella Bernard was actually the missing daughter of prominent mob boss, Angelo Gambini. Director Bridges’ assistant, Special Agent Bella Goth suggested the newly promoted Liberty Lee would be the ideal choice to go looking for information on Izabella.
This is what Liberty is best at. She is a talented investigator and she is also an expert with all sorts of technology. If there is a way to find a piece of security camera footage for instance, she’ll find it. She can hack through just about any firewall. Liberty is an expert in the use of facial recognition software. She even has some ideas on how to improve the agency’s current system. It didn’t take long for her to know for sure Izabella Bernard wasn’t the missing woman, Giulia Gambini. There was only the slightest similarity between the two women, if you squinted really, really, hard and tilted your head to the right.
https://i.imgur.com/jBGP7R8.png
My name is Izabella Bernard. I have worked as a model for a cosmetics company and I have done a handful of TV commercials. I’m sure none of that surprises you. This next part might though, I also have a degree in Business, and I am very close to my degree in Economics. All of these experiences are important to my life’s ambition. I want to own and run my own fashion design house and I would also love to start my own line of cosmetics. Clothes and makeup are life long passions of mine and I want to channel my love of those into a business empire.
https://i.imgur.com/SpLOlVk.png
Beyond my love of fashion, something else that drives me is not being taken seriously because I’m, A) a woman and B) a blonde. A woman can be pretty, blonde, and smart. The first two qualities are not mutually exclusive to the third. It makes me frustrated and sad when I see the look in someone’s eyes when I walk into a room. Once they see me a lot of people become patronizing and dismissive. They see me as nothing more than a pretty face. Some days when men patronize me, all I want to do is scream. When the patronizing attitude comes from another woman, it makes me really sad. On those days I usually come home, kick off my heels and just cry. As women we face the same obstacles and we should be working together. That’s what hurts the most. If we ever got together as a sisterhood, the patriarchy would be doomed. My mother, Erica, taught me so much about confidence, perseverance, and self-assurance and I draw on those lessons everyday. Growing up she always told me never let anybody else define you.
I have to admit I have followed in my mom’s footsteps with men, sort of. I’m not attracted to bad boys like she was, but I have had my share of losers. The man I’m currently seeing is a case in point. I wouldn’t call him my boyfriend, but he seems to have other ideas about that. I met him in Windenberg earlier this year. I was out with friends from Britechester for a reunion and to go site seeing. We were at Pan Europa when this charming man, and his friends, approached us. He seemed to fixate on me and I was flattered even if he wasn’t half as smooth as he thought he was. For that matter he was handsome, and I will give him this, he is genuinely hilarious. We drifted off by ourselves and had a nice conversation and some laughs.
https://i.imgur.com/vvU1Mtn.png
With her engagement to Matteo still fresh in her heart, Liberty was back at work. She had recently been given the task of tracking down information about a mysterious woman named Izabella Bernard. An agent at the Sims Bureau of Investigation had approached S.I.M.S Director Shantel Bridges asking if her agency could help with an investigation. Information had reached the SBI that indicated Izabella Bernard was actually the missing daughter of prominent mob boss, Angelo Gambini. Director Bridges’ assistant, Special Agent Bella Goth suggested the newly promoted Liberty Lee would be the ideal choice to go looking for information on Izabella.
This is what Liberty is best at. She is a talented investigator and she is also an expert with all sorts of technology. If there is a way to find a piece of security camera footage for instance, she’ll find it. She can hack through just about any firewall. Liberty is an expert in the use of facial recognition software. She even has some ideas on how to improve the agency’s current system. It didn’t take long for her to know for sure Izabella Bernard wasn’t the missing woman, Giulia Gambini. There was only the slightest similarity between the two women, if you squinted really, really, hard and tilted your head to the right.
https://i.imgur.com/jBGP7R8.png
Spoiler
Liberty was curious to see if there might be something else that drew the SBI’s interest in Izabella. Clearly there had to be some other reason. Liberty was having a hard time wrapping her head around why the SBI needed their help. If they were originally convinced this woman was Giulia Gambini it would have been a breeze to prove that she isn’t. The SBI’s facial recognition software really wasn’t that much different than what Liberty worked with. At this point in her investigation Liberty was beginning to believe there were some agents at the SBI that needed their eyes, or even their heads, examined. She knew it was probably best not to phrase it like that in her reports.
So what was it? The only potential lead she could find was how Izabella had acquired so much wealth at such a young age. Maybe this was why the SBI thought Izabella was Giulia. Maybe they thought that money would tie her back to the notorious mafia boss Angelo Gambini. That was a stretch in Liberty’s mind. She felt like the SBI had to know that even the best surgeons in the world can only do so much to change a person's facial structure, and that what they can do will not fool sophisticated systems like theirs. She did some more investigating and uncovered a large number of financial documents for Izabella Bernard.
https://i.imgur.com/vZsRJxJ.png
Liberty’s investigation revealed that Izabella had received a degree in Business and is nearing a degree in Economics. With that knowledge she had turned her earnings from the modeling and acting jobs into a whole lot of money through investments. Liberty isn’t an expert on financial matters but she has a colleague who is a Forensic Accountant. She took her files to him and he called her up a few days later to say there was nothing to see here. All of the information he was looking at was completely above board and that Izabella appeared to be very shrewd with her investments.
With all this information Liberty was confident in calling her superior, Special Agent Goth, to set up a meeting to go over her findings, with both Bella and Director Bridges.
“So Agent Lee, on a scale of one to ten, how confident are you that Izabella Bernard is not Giulia Gambini?” Ms. Bridges asked with a hint of a smile. Shantel Bridges’ turned out to be much nicer than her reputation, but she could still be intimidating.
https://i.imgur.com/lPF8vCe.png
“A ten. I have not uncovered any evidence to warrant our continued involvement. I don’t see any evidence that would support the SBI or any other agency investigating her any further” Liberty said while feeling a combination of pride and fear. In spite of that smile, that was still Shantel Bridges she was talking to. Bella had been very impressed and told Liberty as much in their one on one meeting before proceeding to Director Bridges’ office.
https://i.imgur.com/6AKkUNZ.png
“Agent Lee, I must say I am very impressed with the thoroughness of your work and the initiative you shown following leads you uncovered that no one else had. And you Agent Goth are likewise to be commended for discovering and recruiting a talent like Agent Lee.” Director Bridges said as a look of admiration flashed in her eyes and a smile spread across her usually stern face. “With that ladies this case is closed on our end and I will stress to my colleague at the SBI that they should view this the same way.”
“Let me add, Miss Lee…”
“It’s actually Mrs now, ma’am. My partner proposed to me Friday night.”
“Oh? Very good. Congratulations. Mrs?
“Rossi, ma’am”
https://i.imgur.com/WmlcCl4.png
“Very well, Agent Rossi. If this is an indication of the work I can expect from you in the future, may I say, you have a very bright future on my team. Do not let that praise go to your head. Now that you’ve shown me what you are capable of, I will expect nothing less.”
“I won’t let you down.”
https://i.imgur.com/5dxsc1Q.png
So what was it? The only potential lead she could find was how Izabella had acquired so much wealth at such a young age. Maybe this was why the SBI thought Izabella was Giulia. Maybe they thought that money would tie her back to the notorious mafia boss Angelo Gambini. That was a stretch in Liberty’s mind. She felt like the SBI had to know that even the best surgeons in the world can only do so much to change a person's facial structure, and that what they can do will not fool sophisticated systems like theirs. She did some more investigating and uncovered a large number of financial documents for Izabella Bernard.
https://i.imgur.com/vZsRJxJ.png
Liberty’s investigation revealed that Izabella had received a degree in Business and is nearing a degree in Economics. With that knowledge she had turned her earnings from the modeling and acting jobs into a whole lot of money through investments. Liberty isn’t an expert on financial matters but she has a colleague who is a Forensic Accountant. She took her files to him and he called her up a few days later to say there was nothing to see here. All of the information he was looking at was completely above board and that Izabella appeared to be very shrewd with her investments.
With all this information Liberty was confident in calling her superior, Special Agent Goth, to set up a meeting to go over her findings, with both Bella and Director Bridges.
“So Agent Lee, on a scale of one to ten, how confident are you that Izabella Bernard is not Giulia Gambini?” Ms. Bridges asked with a hint of a smile. Shantel Bridges’ turned out to be much nicer than her reputation, but she could still be intimidating.
https://i.imgur.com/lPF8vCe.png
“A ten. I have not uncovered any evidence to warrant our continued involvement. I don’t see any evidence that would support the SBI or any other agency investigating her any further” Liberty said while feeling a combination of pride and fear. In spite of that smile, that was still Shantel Bridges she was talking to. Bella had been very impressed and told Liberty as much in their one on one meeting before proceeding to Director Bridges’ office.
https://i.imgur.com/6AKkUNZ.png
“Agent Lee, I must say I am very impressed with the thoroughness of your work and the initiative you shown following leads you uncovered that no one else had. And you Agent Goth are likewise to be commended for discovering and recruiting a talent like Agent Lee.” Director Bridges said as a look of admiration flashed in her eyes and a smile spread across her usually stern face. “With that ladies this case is closed on our end and I will stress to my colleague at the SBI that they should view this the same way.”
“Let me add, Miss Lee…”
“It’s actually Mrs now, ma’am. My partner proposed to me Friday night.”
“Oh? Very good. Congratulations. Mrs?
“Rossi, ma’am”
https://i.imgur.com/WmlcCl4.png
“Very well, Agent Rossi. If this is an indication of the work I can expect from you in the future, may I say, you have a very bright future on my team. Do not let that praise go to your head. Now that you’ve shown me what you are capable of, I will expect nothing less.”
“I won’t let you down.”
https://i.imgur.com/5dxsc1Q.png
My name is Izabella Bernard. I have worked as a model for a cosmetics company and I have done a handful of TV commercials. I’m sure none of that surprises you. This next part might though, I also have a degree in Business, and I am very close to my degree in Economics. All of these experiences are important to my life’s ambition. I want to own and run my own fashion design house and I would also love to start my own line of cosmetics. Clothes and makeup are life long passions of mine and I want to channel my love of those into a business empire.
https://i.imgur.com/SpLOlVk.png
Beyond my love of fashion, something else that drives me is not being taken seriously because I’m, A) a woman and B) a blonde. A woman can be pretty, blonde, and smart. The first two qualities are not mutually exclusive to the third. It makes me frustrated and sad when I see the look in someone’s eyes when I walk into a room. Once they see me a lot of people become patronizing and dismissive. They see me as nothing more than a pretty face. Some days when men patronize me, all I want to do is scream. When the patronizing attitude comes from another woman, it makes me really sad. On those days I usually come home, kick off my heels and just cry. As women we face the same obstacles and we should be working together. That’s what hurts the most. If we ever got together as a sisterhood, the patriarchy would be doomed. My mother, Erica, taught me so much about confidence, perseverance, and self-assurance and I draw on those lessons everyday. Growing up she always told me never let anybody else define you.
Spoiler
My bond with my mom started with my love for all things girly. I was like most young girls, I was interested in my mom’s makeup and clothes. I wanted to be exactly like her as long as I can remember. Like most young girls I was drawn to her makeup and just couldn’t help myself. She tried to stop me but I wouldn’t take no for an answer. Finally she realized the only way to keep me out of her stuff was to get me my own. That’s where my dream was born. She made sacrifices where necessary to keep me supplied with makeup to play with. She quickly realized it wasn’t a phase, but a genuine fascination. She sat down and explained what everything was and how to use it properly. I was probably one of the few ten-year-olds who had her own makeup collection. When I say collection, I mean full collection, not just some lipstick and blush. There was only one rule, I was not to wear it out of the apartment yet.
https://i.imgur.com/Gz46tuZ.png
Those times we spent together talking and learning about makeup became our mother/daughter thing. It quickly came to include hair and clothes. I was obsessed. I love where it’s taken me and where it will take me in the future. Who could have known that first time I put on lipstick, a fashion and beauty mogul was born. By the time I was twelve I had become good enough with the makeup brushes my mom actually let me occasionally do her makeup for her. She never, ever, corrected any mistakes she may have felt I made in front of me. She would talk me through things if she felt I was close to making a mistake. Every time I did her makeup she walked out the door with it exactly as I had done it and she did it proudly. I’m sure there were times she pulled over a few blocks down the road, out of sight, and fixed things, but she always made sure to protect my feelings and nurture my gift.
https://i.imgur.com/TJ4Evyo.png
I love my mom so much, but she has the worst taste in men it has to be said. I don’t know my biological father and don’t care too. If you’re going to walk out on us before I was even born, what am I saying, he walked out on us when she broke the news to him that she was pregnant with me. He wasn’t the last loser my mom dated though. There may have been a man in the house most of the time, but we had to have each other’s backs because life wasn’t always fun with them around. I sometimes marvel that I still love men given the examples I grew up with. None of them were ever in any danger of needing to prepare an acceptance speech for the Father Of The Year award. I am sure however that two or three of them have experience standing up in a courtroom and speaking to a judge.
We never had those mother/daughter fights, not really bad ones anyway. We couldn’t afford to fight amongst ourselves. That was the atmosphere in the house because of the men that came along after my biological father. My mom always did love bad boys. I say did because she hasn’t dated in a decade at least. The last man in our lives was such a loser it was the last straw for her. Things were that bad for us because of him. I’m determined to gently and lovingly nudge her back into the dating pool. There is a genuinely nice, wonderful man out there somewhere that is perfect for her. For that matter if she decided she was done with men and wanted to try a relationship with another woman I’m all for it. I just want her to know what it’s like to have a relationship that isn’t a dumpster fire. She deserves so much better than the relationships she's had. I won’t pressure her though. She seems perfectly content with her life as it is now. If she’s happy, I’m happy…but I still want her to know what it’s like to have somebody truly love her.https://i.imgur.com/jGH1XaY.png
https://i.imgur.com/Gz46tuZ.png
Those times we spent together talking and learning about makeup became our mother/daughter thing. It quickly came to include hair and clothes. I was obsessed. I love where it’s taken me and where it will take me in the future. Who could have known that first time I put on lipstick, a fashion and beauty mogul was born. By the time I was twelve I had become good enough with the makeup brushes my mom actually let me occasionally do her makeup for her. She never, ever, corrected any mistakes she may have felt I made in front of me. She would talk me through things if she felt I was close to making a mistake. Every time I did her makeup she walked out the door with it exactly as I had done it and she did it proudly. I’m sure there were times she pulled over a few blocks down the road, out of sight, and fixed things, but she always made sure to protect my feelings and nurture my gift.
https://i.imgur.com/TJ4Evyo.png
I love my mom so much, but she has the worst taste in men it has to be said. I don’t know my biological father and don’t care too. If you’re going to walk out on us before I was even born, what am I saying, he walked out on us when she broke the news to him that she was pregnant with me. He wasn’t the last loser my mom dated though. There may have been a man in the house most of the time, but we had to have each other’s backs because life wasn’t always fun with them around. I sometimes marvel that I still love men given the examples I grew up with. None of them were ever in any danger of needing to prepare an acceptance speech for the Father Of The Year award. I am sure however that two or three of them have experience standing up in a courtroom and speaking to a judge.
We never had those mother/daughter fights, not really bad ones anyway. We couldn’t afford to fight amongst ourselves. That was the atmosphere in the house because of the men that came along after my biological father. My mom always did love bad boys. I say did because she hasn’t dated in a decade at least. The last man in our lives was such a loser it was the last straw for her. Things were that bad for us because of him. I’m determined to gently and lovingly nudge her back into the dating pool. There is a genuinely nice, wonderful man out there somewhere that is perfect for her. For that matter if she decided she was done with men and wanted to try a relationship with another woman I’m all for it. I just want her to know what it’s like to have a relationship that isn’t a dumpster fire. She deserves so much better than the relationships she's had. I won’t pressure her though. She seems perfectly content with her life as it is now. If she’s happy, I’m happy…but I still want her to know what it’s like to have somebody truly love her.https://i.imgur.com/jGH1XaY.png
I have to admit I have followed in my mom’s footsteps with men, sort of. I’m not attracted to bad boys like she was, but I have had my share of losers. The man I’m currently seeing is a case in point. I wouldn’t call him my boyfriend, but he seems to have other ideas about that. I met him in Windenberg earlier this year. I was out with friends from Britechester for a reunion and to go site seeing. We were at Pan Europa when this charming man, and his friends, approached us. He seemed to fixate on me and I was flattered even if he wasn’t half as smooth as he thought he was. For that matter he was handsome, and I will give him this, he is genuinely hilarious. We drifted off by ourselves and had a nice conversation and some laughs.
https://i.imgur.com/vvU1Mtn.png
Spoiler
We danced and talked and generally had a good time. He said his name was Leonardo and that he was from Tartosa. I have to admit there is something I find attractive about men from that part of the world. Tartosan men make me melt and my brain just short circuits. Most of them are very stylish and that accent, oh my, that accent. Even though we were in a cheap discotheque, the lovely ambiance of Windenberg had filled me with romantic thoughts ever since I arrived. I enjoyed my evening with him and accepted his phone number when he offered it and said he would like to meet again. We did see each other a few more times as my work took me to Tartosa for a couple of months. I was there for a photo shoot and to make connections in the fashion world. Some of the great fashion centers of the world are close by and I wanted to increase my profile.
When my time in Tartosa and Windenberg was done I said my goodbyes, including Leonardo. Or so I thought. Not long ago he turned up at my door in San Myshuno. He had a story about wanting to rekindle our romance. I suspect there was another reason all together. Well there probably was a desire on his part to get back together with me, but that wasn’t the whole story. He knows I have money, and that, I feel, is his real motive. Love me and leave me broke when he’s had his fun. Like I said, one of my weaknesses is Tartosan men. I can’t believe I let Leonardo Ricci talk his way back into my life, but things are going great romantically for the moment. He can be fun to be around at times, but I still need to keep my wits about me. In spite of all the attention he is showering me with, and the wonderful way he’s treating me, I know it’s an act.
https://i.imgur.com/7HEKUho.png
I could kick him out, and my every instinct says do it, but at the same time there is a part of me that wants to completely upend his little world. He’s planning to use me and I want to catch him at it, turn it around on him, and make him pay. I’m sure I’m not the first woman he’s played his little games with. I hope to put an end to it before he takes advantage of another woman who’s easily swayed by him. I’ll play along for now. I can read him and he’s one of those people who think I’m stupid. He feels like I’m an easy mark. He will find out otherwise. If he’s planning what I think he is, he’ll have plenty of time to think it over in jail. I have several layers of security on my electronic devices and my bank account. If he tries to make a little withdrawal, I'll know about it, and I will be taking my evidence to the authorities.
Back to my mom before I wrap up this little story of mine. We are both San Myshuno girls through and through. There is nowhere else we could ever call home. I may eventually have holiday homes, or places of my own to stay in other cities around the world while I’m there on business, but San Myshuno will always be home. With that in mind I bought my mom a loft in the Art District and had it renovated to her taste.*
https://i.imgur.com/nlpR4b0.png
That is the first of many gifts I have given her as my heartfelt thank you for making me the woman I am. I know how much she loves art. I remember growing up in the Spice District and my mom dreaming about living in the Art District, so that loft was the perfect fit. If I do nothing else with my life I will see to it that my mom is treated like a queen. There are others who have had a rougher time in life than we did. Then, as now, we had one thing the world couldn’t take away and the only thing we needed, each other. If you want to know what a sheroe is, look at my mom.
https://i.imgur.com/Eo0vRC4.png
Whatever I make of myself, whatever I may accomplish, my number one goal is to be as much like my mom as I can be. If I can be even half the woman and mother she is, I will consider my life a success. I know my mom loves me and she is extremely proud of me and I will never take either one of those things for granted, and I will not let her down.
*Erica's loft is courtesy of LJaneP6 and is available at TSR. I didn't show a lot of interior shots because I'm still in the middle of redecorating it.?*
When my time in Tartosa and Windenberg was done I said my goodbyes, including Leonardo. Or so I thought. Not long ago he turned up at my door in San Myshuno. He had a story about wanting to rekindle our romance. I suspect there was another reason all together. Well there probably was a desire on his part to get back together with me, but that wasn’t the whole story. He knows I have money, and that, I feel, is his real motive. Love me and leave me broke when he’s had his fun. Like I said, one of my weaknesses is Tartosan men. I can’t believe I let Leonardo Ricci talk his way back into my life, but things are going great romantically for the moment. He can be fun to be around at times, but I still need to keep my wits about me. In spite of all the attention he is showering me with, and the wonderful way he’s treating me, I know it’s an act.
https://i.imgur.com/7HEKUho.png
I could kick him out, and my every instinct says do it, but at the same time there is a part of me that wants to completely upend his little world. He’s planning to use me and I want to catch him at it, turn it around on him, and make him pay. I’m sure I’m not the first woman he’s played his little games with. I hope to put an end to it before he takes advantage of another woman who’s easily swayed by him. I’ll play along for now. I can read him and he’s one of those people who think I’m stupid. He feels like I’m an easy mark. He will find out otherwise. If he’s planning what I think he is, he’ll have plenty of time to think it over in jail. I have several layers of security on my electronic devices and my bank account. If he tries to make a little withdrawal, I'll know about it, and I will be taking my evidence to the authorities.
Back to my mom before I wrap up this little story of mine. We are both San Myshuno girls through and through. There is nowhere else we could ever call home. I may eventually have holiday homes, or places of my own to stay in other cities around the world while I’m there on business, but San Myshuno will always be home. With that in mind I bought my mom a loft in the Art District and had it renovated to her taste.*
https://i.imgur.com/nlpR4b0.png
That is the first of many gifts I have given her as my heartfelt thank you for making me the woman I am. I know how much she loves art. I remember growing up in the Spice District and my mom dreaming about living in the Art District, so that loft was the perfect fit. If I do nothing else with my life I will see to it that my mom is treated like a queen. There are others who have had a rougher time in life than we did. Then, as now, we had one thing the world couldn’t take away and the only thing we needed, each other. If you want to know what a sheroe is, look at my mom.
https://i.imgur.com/Eo0vRC4.png
Whatever I make of myself, whatever I may accomplish, my number one goal is to be as much like my mom as I can be. If I can be even half the woman and mother she is, I will consider my life a success. I know my mom loves me and she is extremely proud of me and I will never take either one of those things for granted, and I will not let her down.
*Erica's loft is courtesy of LJaneP6 and is available at TSR. I didn't show a lot of interior shots because I'm still in the middle of redecorating it.?*
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