Stefan adjusted his tie in front of the dressing mirror and gave himself a fleeting once-over, his eye caught his grandfather's in the mirror, he sighed internaly before he turned to face the old man.
Gregory Diamond was a hard man to please and his words were carved in stone that no one dares to refuse him. He was a business man who knew what he wanted and how to get it. In a way Stefan inherited some of that hard veneer although he would not like to admit it. "You look handsome." His grandfather commented. "Your parents would be proud." Stefan scoffed. "I doubt it." "You will thank me later. I am only doing this for your own good." "No you're doing this to satisfy your own ego cause you want no one to be able to say no to you." Stefan countered. "Blackmailing me with the inheritance left to me by my parents isn't for my own good you simply want to control me." He argued. His grandfather smiled, the laugh lines at the corner of his eyes became prominent. He tapped his gold cane on the carpeted floor and curled his wrinkly fingers against the handle. "The board doesn't take seriously a man who is not married especially a young man such as yourself." "I doubt they care." "You'd be surprised at how much distrust comes with being an unwed CEO. A married man gives a more mature picture, a sense of responsibility and the ability to make important decisions." "I manage a chain of hotels, how many newlyweds or even married couples book a room? Exactly one in ten and guess how many affairs and one night stands happen, nine out of ten." His grandfather didn't give any smart quip after that and Stefan thought he won the argument. "Your argument will not make me change my mind. Miss Cortés is a lovely young lady and she would make a fine bride." " Right." Like he didn't just pick a frivolous party girl to be his bride. Cindy Cortés would be on the tabloids more than she'd be a wife to Stefan. Stefan shook his head and walked past the old man grabbing his white suit jacket draped on the couch. "You look really beautiful Rella." Her best friend Vanessa told her as she asdjusted the veil on Rella's head. "But I wish you didn't have to do this." Rella sighed, smoothing her hands over her tulle wedding dress. The woman staring back at her in the mirror was souless and sad, this wasn't how she pictured her wedding day to be. "Better me than Cindy than I guess." "So what, you don't think to you deserve to be happy? Why should you destroy your future for your twin? This isn't middle school any more where you have to cover her ass whenever she gets into trouble. Marriage isn't a joke." "Of course I know that, which is why when we find Cindy we can sought this all out." " Hmm, I just hope that you know what you're doing and don't end up regretting it." Rella had a feeling she would regret it but she didn't dare say it out loud so she wouldn't manifest it. "Ah! there you are you look like a princess!"Evie Cortés gushed at her daughter then kissing her on both cheeks she said, " you are my pride and joy, what will I do without you? Go make this family proud." She put a finger under Rella's chin to raise her head. "come on smile for me pumpkin, it's your wedding day not a funeral." Evie Cortés clicked her tongue at her daughter's seemingly bored face and Rella mustered the brightest smile she could even though it was far from what she was feeling at the moment. "The Manhattan high society would be there and I want to be able to hold my head high." She gushed. Rella and Van exchanged glances with Rella shaking her head at Van who looked like she was about to say something. "My daughter is marrying the one and only Stefan Diamond I know they must all be stewing with jealousy because none of the their daughters are this lucky." The honking of a car interrupted her little tirade and Rella let out a little sigh of relief. "The limo is here," her my mom announced. "I'll see you at the church." "Your mother is something else isn't she?" Said Van as soon as Evie left the room. Rella had never experienced anything as torturous as walking down the aisle towards a man she barely knew who would soon become a part of her life. She felt like she was dreaming the whole thing up and soon she'd wake up from the nightmare but each step she took towards the altar only solidified it as her reality. She never should've agreed to pretend to be Cindy at her engagement party. She never should've agreed to be Cindy at her wedding. Her legs felt like there was lead in them and each step was a daunting task. The whole time she marched by her dad Rella half expected Cindy to walk through those doors demanding her life back and she didn't know whether to feel disappointed or elated when nothing happened. A feeling of numbness washed over her, it had wrung her dry leaving her helpless. On another day in another time she would've been over the moon anticipating that moment when she get to the man of her dreams at the altar and he would hold her hand and give her one of his heart-stopping smiles and then they would take their vows before the pastor and an army of witnesses. Instead, she was walking towards a man who wasn't hers in the first place, in a dress that belonged to another and guests who didn't come for her. She was a fraud. Rella blinked back the tears that had begun to sting her eyes and she only had to remind herself that she was only doing this for her family and that everything would be over before she knew it.She felt her dad give her hand a reassuring squeeze telling her she was doing the right thing. They reached the altar and her dad handed her to Stefan who didn't spare her a second glance, he must be anxious to get the ceremony over and done with as well. She drowned out everything that ensued, only responding when necessary then froze when she heard you may now kiss the bride.They were both facing each other and Stefan slowly lifted her veil. Rella stopped moving. Or was it time that stopped moving? She stared up at him in apprehension as his head started to lower towards her, her heart pounded mercilessly across her chest. But instead of kissing her lips he kissed her forehead as the crowd cheered."Darling, are you alright do you feel ill?" Rella snapped out of her thoughts at the feel of Stefan's warm calloused hand on hers, she furrowed her brows in confusion as to why he would use such an endearment for her but one look around told her why; Mr. And Mrs Stephenson were staring at her with concern waiting for her response. Her palm was sweaty where he held her hand and Rella had no choice but to continue this charade. Stefan had a sacharin sweet smile on his face, almost like he was enjoying her mistery and Rella wanted to punch him so bad. She took in a deep breath and regretted because she almost felt sick to her stomach. Oh God he was now her husband, and now what? "I'm fine." She said finally mustering her own sweet smile. Mrs. Stephenson looked relieved. "It's not me is it? I didn't do anything to upset you did I?" Stefan asked and Rella wished he'd stop talking.She laughed uneasily. "No I'm just so overwhelmed with all of these." She repli
"Is he always so unbearable?"Rella turned to face the middle aged man named Henry but he didn't seem fazed by Stefan's attitude instead he smiled at her politely and said, "Hello Madam I am Henry the butler, I will be helping you with anything you need you just have to let me know what. For now let me help you settle in for the night." Rella smiled back at him grateful that someone was at least nice to her in her new home. "Nice to meet you Henry, I'm Rella and thank you so much." Stefan didn't even bother to show her to their bedroom. If they were going to be sharing a room the least he could do is be more accommodating but he was arrogant and condescending. "This way please." She followed the butler up the flight of stairs, her eyes roaming the spacious mansion in awe she couldn't savour the beauty of it because she needed to keep up with Henry. At the second floor just across the hall he opened brown oak door and ushered her in. Rella felt like she
"Look at you living the life of a queen." "Mom why are you here?" Rella didn't think she'd have to meet either of her parents so soon after the wedding but Evie Cortés couldn't take a hint and showed up at her doorstep two days after, much to Rella's displeasure. "You ought to thank me you know I came up with this brilliant plan." Her mom said with a sassy swirl of her hand feeling rather proud of herself for being responsible for her daughter's misery but making sure to drop her voice into a whisper so no one would hear her. They were sitting in the patio of Rella's new home where Henry the butler made sure they had snacks and the right wine to go with it. Rella inhaled deeply and exhaled trying to calm her temper. Evie Cortés, no matter how unbearable and insufferable was still her mother after all. "Did you find Cindy yet?" It was all she was eager to know. "Sadly no, it's like she fell off the face of the earth or something." "If yo
"Nothing is working out."Rella groaned in frustration sipping her wine. It was a bright afternoon and the sun was just the right amount of warm but nothing about Rella's mood was sunny. There were barely days left for the post wedding party and she was overwhelmed. There was the meal, it's hard to choose an appetizer and the main course, for dessert she decided on chocolate troufle. The guest list was incomplete as she had little to no clue on who to invite and Stefan had made it clear that he was having no part in it. "Relax I am here aren't I and I promise to help you." Van assured her. They were on the balcony overlooking the neatly trimmed garden. " I have done a little get together before so this shouldn't be hard." " No offense Van but a get-together in a little neighbourhood with friends is nothing compared to this. Guests from some of the most affluent families in the city will be attending and we can't just serve them barbecue and call it a day."
"You know something." "It is not my place to talk about it." "You never should've insinuated more in the first place."Rella insisted and he caved. Christian sighed." You're a bully you know that? "Rella simply smiled. "To cut the long story short, Stefan's grandfather forced him to get married to a woman of his choosing. It was either marry you or forfeit the inheritance his parents left him." "That's awful. Couldn't he have just said no? " " Couldn't you have just said no? " Fair point Rella thought. All this time she thought Stefan had been the one to blackmail her parents turns out it was his grandfather. But that was no excuse for him to treat her so cruelly considering how she also has no choice. "Why did you agree to the marriage though? Stefan was counting on the fact that since you were sort of frivolous and fiercely independent that you would refuse to marry him but like every other woman he's met you couldn't refuse his
They finally said goodbye to the last guest at midnight. Rella wouldn't let Chloe leave until she swore to never tell anyone her secret and she was certain the noise they heard outside the door was just the wind because there was no one there when she went to check.Stefan on the other hand was eager to get away from her. "Why don't you help us clean it would be fun?" Christian said to his friend. "That's what servants are for, it's what they are paid to do."If looks could kill… After he said that, Stefan put his hands in his pocket as he made his way up the stairs. Rella found herself watching him go, there was something about the way he carries himself that was fascinating. "I don't think he realises he only has one help." Christian interrupted her thoughts. "I don't think he realises anything that goes on around him." Rella said.Poor Lacy the maid there was so much to clean up and it would be too much for one person to handle Rella was going to hel
Vanessa Wilkins also known as 'Van' stood in front of the cheval-glass in her tiny bedroom, a blank expression on her face reflecting her state of mind at the moment. She didn't want to think, she was done thinking and any related action might just make her head throb. Right now the lump in her throat felt like it was choking the life out of her so she took a deep breath through her nostrils and exhaled through her mouth.She had minimal make-up on, just the occasional talcum powder and lip gloss― she didn't want to entice him any further and appear to be trying too hard for him― which she wasn't. Yes she liked him, but prostituting herself to him she didn't like.She was wearing a short black rubber-dress that clung to her body like a second skin with half the bodice made of lace. Her hair fell on one shoulder and she looked like she was attending a funeral–perhaps she's mourning her innocence that would soon be snatched before the night was over.Van let out a defeated puff of breat
When Van woke up the next morning, she was alone. Tears of disappointment burned her eyes but she blinked them back. What did she expect, that he'd stay and cuddle with her? Of course he'd gotten what he wanted, he'd made it pretty obvious since the very beginning that he wanted sex with her. When she refused the first time, he offered to pay for her father's heart transplant and just like that, he had her eating from the palm of his hand. There was a manila envelope on the night stand and a note was propped against it, she reached out and grabbed it. Your payment, just like I promised. You weren't that bad. J. This time, a tear did slip. He was treating her like she was a common slut, even rating her performance. She sniffed, angrily wiping her eyes and the morphed her expression to be cold and hard; she was doing this for her father. The familiar buzz sounded from her cell phone and she frantically dug into her purse for it. ''Karl, is something wrong?'' she a