CHAPTER THREE
Rella's world hadn't stopped spinning for a second since her mom broke the news about Cindy. She stood rigid in the living room with her parents unable to process what just happened. Evie Cortés was hysterical and Robert Cortés was irreparably trying to calm her down. "What was she thinking? What about Stefan, and the society? She just threw away a good life! What would happen to us now?"Rella was stewing away in her guilt and confusion. How could she have overlooked something so crucial? "How can you not know anything Rella she tells you everything?" "Mom I swear I don't know anything." The only thing she knew was that Cindy had lied to her because Rose was never in labour. So where could she be? "Instead of passing the blame on each other what we should be doing is finding a solution to this mess." Her dad put in. The silence that ensued after that was a deafening one and every angle Rella seemed to have delved in from her memory proved to be futile, not once did Cindy give her the impression that she wasn't happy with Stefan but her letter said other wise and Rella had been shocked that moment as she was now. Cindy should've told her about it, Rella thought, how could her twin have hidden something so important didn't she trust her enough to tell her what was going on?The signs were there, but Rella hadn't seen it. In a way it's better this way, she thought, Stefan Diamond was so not the man she would want her sister to end up with. Good riddance! The silence dragged on and was starting to wear on Rella's nerves. It didn't help that her mom was pacing back and forth wringing her hands in agitation and her six inch stiletto kept making such annoying clacking sounds it made Rella want to go crazy. Only Evie Cortés would still be wearing party attire hours after the party. "If anyone finds out we'd be the talk of town and on the front page of every gossip rag in the city." "Stop it Evie this isn't about you okay." "Of course it's not it's about this family and the reputation we've painstakingly built in the past decade and all of that will be going down the drain because of that rebellious daughter of ours." Rella realised it was true to some extent, Gourmet Cortés was a well-known restaurant in the city and of course their family name was one of the most prominent thanks to the forefathers Rella’s never met, then throw in Stefan Diamond of the prominent Diamond houses scattered all over Europe and America; this would be big news for sure and she could understand her mom's worries but at the same time she wanted her sister to be happy who cares about some gossip rags? Give it a day or two and the heat will die down and they'll all move on to another juicy gossip. Her mom suddenly stopped pacing the room and snapped her fingers. "I have found a solution to this problem and I can assure you that I have thought carefully about it." Rella blinked up at her mom and Robert was in rapt attention to what she had to say and out of all the most absurd things, Rella would never have expected her to say, "Rella has to marry Stefan." "What!" "This is absurd Evie!" Rella and Robert both said simultaneously. "Just think about it," she continued unfazed. "The both of you are identical no one would be able to tell the difference, even I can't seem to tell you two apart on many occasions." "Mom this is ridiculous," Rella said. "It'll only be for a while darling at least until we're able to track down your sister." "Are you going to track my sister down in other to force her to marry someone she doesn't love? You're too much mother." " But… " " Cindy doesn't love Mr. Diamond and neither does she want to marry him, I don't like him either so I say good riddance and if you're afraid of hurting his feelings then let me be the one to tell him." "Oh hell no! Do you have any idea of how precarious this situation is? "Her mom was on the verge of tears and her dad looked uncomfortable. " Okay will someone tell me what is going on here?"Her parents both exchanged weird looks. "A while back We drew a loan from Mr Diamond and there was a sort of agreement. We could potentially lose everything we worked so hard for." " Are you being blackmailed right now?"Her mom nodded solemnly. "Why didn't you tell me?" "We didn't tell you about it because you were away and Cindy agreed to everything she was starstruck by Stefan and we thought that was a good thing."clearly her twin wasn't starstruck with him enough Rella's jaw clenched in anger as she balled her fists at her side in frustration. Anger at the fact that the jerk had the nerve to smile at her the entire evening, even going to the length of acting sweet like he didn't have her and her family in the palm of his hand, frustration at the fact she couldn't do anything if she wanted to and there was no way she'd let her sister suffer. "Robert please help me out here." Her mom made sure to put on her best puppy dog expression. Rella watched the flickering emotions on her dad's face and she could only imagine the internal riot going on inside his mind, then just a touch on his hand was enough to make him give in to her mom. Rella always wondered how she was able to do that. ‘It's the power every woman has, darling you just need to know how and when to use it unfortunately only a number of us can.’ She would tell Rella. "Honey, please help us out here our dignity and reputation is on the line. I think we should just go with your mother's idea, Stefan doesn't have to know you're not Cindy." Rella put a hand to her forehead, her head was spinning, overwhelmed with everything that's happening. She'd always thought that if and when she gets married it was going to be to someone she loves and who loves her back equally and not to some egotistical ice man who wouldn't know who she was. Rella couldn't believe that she'd have to live her life as Cindy.Fate had to be playing some kind of cruel joke on herStefan 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.
"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