Her True Colours

    Kayden stepped out of his seat and moved closer to Crystal, he had gone over the past five minutes explaining to her about how important this marriage is, to him and to his company. “Are you ready, Crystal?” he asked and she nodded wiping her tears with her hands, he brought out a handkerchief from his pockets and handed it to her.

“Now you have to fill in Cassandra’s place and address the press together with me,” she nods quietly, blowing into the handkerchief, he made a disgusted face which she chose to ignore.

“Everything we talked about depends on this, right?” she asked.

“Yeah” he declared gravely, and she doesn't have much of a choice.

“Just remember everything I have told you and be creative and we will play along nice. Remember, there can be no mistakes.” She nods at his instructions. “Oh, I forgot something.” He strolled around his desk once more and brought out a small ring box.

“Put that on, I forgot to take back my ring from Cassandra, but that should be good enough.” He muttered, and then she wondered why he had an extra ring in his office.

   They walked hand in hand to the conference hall, everyone was set and seated, fluttering of cameras and lights flashing everywhere. It was Crystal's first time, she wasn't used to the paparazzi, every flash was strong enough to make her stagger.

 But she was determined to make this work, her mother's life depends on this, Cassandra's freedom depends on it too.

Kayden stopped with a big smile as he held her close to himself, his arms wrapping around her waist. “I'm quite honored to formally introduce my fiancée to you,” Kayden said with a big hearty smile, it was as though he was a completely different person.

“Don't worry, I will entertain a few questions today because my sweetheart is the shy type.” Her heartbeat skipped another beat when the flashing continued, this is it, it’s now or never.

“Do you admit to being Mr. Smith’s fiancée and the so-called mystery woman?” One of them asked and the hall became silent.

 “Indeed, I am, but I’m no mystery woman. I'm Crystal Dante, his fiancée has he had said and we will be getting married.” She started nervously, her heart having a full-time riot in her chest, that sounded just dumb but she covered it with a smile.

 “You are very beautiful; how did you meet Mr. Smith?” she smiled ignoring the squeeze Kayden gave to her palms.

“Oh, I'm flushed, being called beautiful is a wonderful thing but could this be a coincidence?” she smiled. “That was the first thing he said to me when I met him for the first time, well I met him in a bakery, outside of town.”

Kayden glanced at her, she was doing this job too well, he had thought she was going to get it all fucked up, she looked so innocent and frail, like she couldn’t hurt a fly but the way she lies so sweetly he almost believed her.

 It was just the same way Cassandra had lied to him so many times and he fell for it, a sudden anger put sail in him, and then he determined he couldn't trust Crystal too ever!

 If possible, she could be much more dangerous than Cassandra, after all they are sisters and then he decided he had to put this one under his total control.

    The conference ended soon after some little questions, she was calm and relieved while Kayden was discussing to someone, she stood silently some inches away from them, waiting for Kayden.

“Miss Dante!” she swung around to see the two secretary ladies who were dragging her earlier.

 “We apologize for the way we treated you earlier.” Laurie said, both she and Dora were looking sorry. “No, it's okay. It’s actually my fault, I could have introduced myself to you.” she said with a tired smile, she remembers kicking one of them earlier, but the two ladies were not ready to listen to her.

 “We humiliated you, Miss Dante; we wouldn't want it to affect our relationship in the future.” Dora added abruptly.

“No, it won't, it's really okay. I would have done same, it's your job... I understand.” she smiled widely to reduce the tension, her eyes wandering to the features of the ladies in front of her.

“I'm Laurie and this is Dora.”

“I'm Crystal nice meeting both of you.” she smiled back at them, then she felt strong hands on her shoulder; she looked up to see icy silvered orbs that belongs to Kayden.

“Let's go into my office love, I want to have a word with you.”

“Okay sweetheart,” she returned his fake smile and then she turned back to the ladies. “I will see you later, Laurie, Dora...”

   “I must say you are exceptionally good at this.” He concluded as he eased himself into his leather chair, leaving Crystal on her feet. “To me it doesn’t sound like it was forced, everything sounded so natural even I began to wonder.”

Crystal felt a sudden thrill of anger in her chest, she did everything that he wanted yet he still wasn’t satisfied, why?

“I've done my part Mr. Kayden Smith, I demand my sister's release.” she stated, he was surprised at her new style of talking to him. The Dante’s are the same, get what they want and act like they own it already.

“Look here miss Dante, you are in no position to demand anything from me.” Crystal swallowed up the reply that was at her lips. “I gave you my word that as soon as we are done, I will let her go and I just did.” he paused before adding. 'I'm not a fraud like your sister.'

“Cassandra is not a fraud!” she denied foolishly.

“That is why she is in jail, she tried to swindle me, or you got another name for what that is called?” He asked.

I admit she was wrong, but this was her boyfriend, Dylan’s idea, Cassie would never do something like that.” He was amused by her purposed ignorance; he would also say anything to protect a sibling but not this stupid.

“Well, you should also put to consideration that Cassandra here isn't a child to let someone play with her mind.” He remarked and she didn't interject this time, she just stood still looking down at her shoes.

“You are just the same, pair of gold diggers!”

 “I'm not a gold digger!” she claimed, hurt was evident in her eyes.

“But you agreed to marry me because I’m rich, who knows if you are just like your sister and would just plan to kill me.” he pressed further with an evil smirk. “Or, are you much worse?”

   She started in a shaky voice; she has never been accused brutally in her life.

“I agreed to marry you because you blackmailed me, so what if I do it because you are rich? As long as you fund my mother's treatment and you dropped the charges against my sister, wasn't that your bait?” she paused grabbing her hoodie which was hanging on one of his chairs. “I'm not the only one getting satisfaction from this, you jerk!” she stormed out of his office, his brow knitted in frustration.

   Yet another lady who loves him for his money, well the only difference is that this one doesn't quite love him. But it's the same, she would marry him because he is influential and for the monetary benefits.

   Cassandra, the one woman whom he had truly loved, maybe yes, he still does, like crazy. but she just turned out to be one of those girls who loved him cause he’s rich, and its high time he starts forgetting what loving her was like.

   He brought out his phone and made a call. “Yes, there is a blonde lady in white coming out of the building, just keep your tail on her... never let her out of your sight, ever.”