Loyalty and Secrecy

Synopsis: Loyalty and Secrecy by Nicholas G. L. Petryszak, 2020 A story of love, criminal intrigue and tragic drama. About Dr. Paul Moretti, a young, aspiring university professor, with limited career prospects and who is disillusioned with traditional academia. Lured by the attractive and mysterious Aurora Yu Yan, Paul accepts a position as dean of a private college. Dr. Frankie Lie Jie, is the owner of the college and Aurora’s boss who, as Paul is to find out, is also a kingpin of an international triad organization, “the circle”. Paul soon discovers that his position as dean is more than he expected. He is asked by Frankie to do things which are neither moral nor legal. Paul is blinded by Aurora’s seductive temptations and the excitement of a life style that he had never imagined. The money and the glamour buy his silence, loyalty and secrecy. At least for a while. Paul’s activities come to include fraudulent educational practices, immigration schemes, money laundering and suspicious real estate transactions. While his attraction for Aurora grows and his involvement in the circle deepens, Paul becomes romantically involved with another woman, Amelia, an instructor at the college. She leads Paul to think more about who he really is and wants to be. But Amelia has a secret and she warns Paul he is being watched by the authorities. Amelia becomes his compass, while Aurora remains his temptress. Paul’s involvement in the circle expands and he is asked by Frankie to visit China. In Shanghai, Paul’s chaperone is Lilac Mo Chou, a loyal member of the triad, as well as a police and military officer. Paul and Lilac soon become intimate. Under Lilac’s direction, Paul participates in a number of illicit business arrangements and he learns from the leader of the circle, Richard Jun Li, the unwavering rule of loyalty and secrecy. Paul returns home and with Aurora’s assistance, completes more special assignments for Frankie, which take him even further into the underworld of crime and triads. Amelia finally admits to Paul she is really an undercover federal agent. But she is torn between her duty and her feelings for him. She urges Paul to help the authorities investigate Frankie and promises he may be able to avoid any of the charges against him. Soon after, another federal agent comes to Paul with photographs, implicating him and others. Paul agrees to cooperate, only later, to find the agent dead. Paul tells Aurora what happened. In their love for one another and fearing retribution from the authorities and from the circle, they decide to run away together. Before they are able to carry out their plan, Aurora commits suicide; apparently out of her loyalty to the circle. Frankie and Paul are arrested and Paul ends up going to prison, where he writes a book; telling all. That book, is the book you are now reading. While Paul is there, Amelia visits him and their love for one another is rekindled. She convinces him to give evidence about the circle; promising an early release so they might be together. In his love for Amelia, Paul gives up the manuscript of the book as evidence. Upon his release from prison, Paul and Amelia are finally together. He teaches again at the university and the book is published. With this, the bonds of loyalty and secrecy to the circle which have kept Paul from himself for so long, are finally broken; setting him free.