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"Lights! Camera! Action! Pose. Kiss. Hug. That's it, we are done." "Now get your filthy hands off me!" He whispered to me. "Oh please! I would not touch dirt like you if not for the pictures." I whispered back, whilst giving a fake smile. _________ Ruby Coker understands what it means to be compared to her sister all her life. She has always been the neglected one and has always been used as a consolation price. She however didn't forsee getting married to her childhood bully just for a business alliance. Not ever would she have seen it coming and the worst part was that she had no choice. Toby Daniels is a man who's used to getting all he wants. Fame. Power. Wealth. He however didn't have a say in one thing, his bride. And that infuriates him so much. They both took their vows, acted like loving couples in the public while in the private, they hated eachother so much. Here is a Glimpse into what happens behind the spotlight and what it means to just fake it all for the camera.
TOBY.
"Hey dad! I was told you asked to see me and honestly, that's very surprising. Seeing that you're almost never home and never seem to care about your only child. I mean, when was the last time we saw each other this way, wasn't it when I was five or something?" I rambled off after walking into my dad's study.
Being the only heir to Daniels' conglomerates, a group that has a whole lot of other branches underneath, industries that manufacture numerous products and companies that provide various services has a lot of perks and some cons. One of the cons was that my dad was hardly ever around, he had too much on his plates to handle afterall since we also owned the best group of schools, Daniels Elementary school, Daniels College and even Daniels Private University. We even own a very popular fashion line that was under my mom's management and then lots of hotels, restaurants, modeling agencies and guest houses.
We were practically richer than the president of this country and paparazzi followed us everywhere. But despite having all of these, my dad was still very serious about me getting many degrees just like he did. He always wanted me to have all certificates, after my bachelors degree,, he threatened me with a lot of things so I could go get my masters degree too which is the one I'm at at the moment and I hated studying, it was just so irrelevant to me..
He would have probably wanted me to go even higher and have my doctorate too but no, I made him promise that Masters degree was the last bus stop. He cared so much about education and I couldn't understand why, most people go to school so as to make money after leaving school and we had that already so why the unnecessary stress for me. I didn't see the usefulness in any way.
My mom walked in at the same moment that I was about to speak again since I didn't get any response from dad. "Sweetheart, how was your night?" She asked while I pecked her cheeks.
My mom was one of the prettiest moms ever and I'm not even kidding, she is literally very beautiful. One of the reasons being the fact that she was a model in her youthful days and she still worked out to keep her body shape, she was so in love with herself that she admired herself in the mirror every ten minutes. She also loved and spoilt me a lot, I was her only child afterall.
"I don't know how it was mom, I was asleep!" I replied her with humour while she laughed.
"I don't know why I keep asking everyday despite knowing that your answer will always be the same, can't you just say it was fine like every other normal kid?" Mum asked, after taking a sip of her coffee, she was addicted to that liquid and she never allowed any of the maids to even brew it for her, she always did it herself.
I rolled my eyes, "You seem to forget that I am twenty five, I am a grown man."
"The grown man who still depends on his mum for a lot of things? Oh please, you will always be my cute baby." Mum cooed as she pinched my cheeks while I swatted her hands away.
"Ugh, can you tell your husband here to speak to me already? He's so engrossed in the darn papers!" I reported to mom who just smiled and proceeded to sit on one of the couches.
Mom and dad never really talked to each other that much, I was used to them acting that way. They were like fire and ice, they didn't like each other in any way, the only time you'll see them cuddling up to one another is when there's a camera or third party present. Other than that, they treated each other like they were invisible or something.
When Dad still didn't respond to my greetings nor say anything. I was almost loosing it, mom and I sat for over thirty minutes as we watched dad keep writing stuffs on papers in front of him. And soon enough, I lost all my patience.
"Dr Bankole Daniels!" I shouted and then he finally raised his head.
"Why do you have to scream my name like a woman?" He questioned.
"You refused to acknowledge us and we have been sitting here for over thirty minutes. Please, can we just get over with whatever it is you wanted to see me for? I have things to do."
"By things, you mean, go to parties, drink to stupor, sleep with strippers and models and then leave more scandals the next day for my PR to handle?" Dad asked with so much sarcasm lacing his voice.
"No dad, I have some classes." I defended, even though I knew that he was right.
"You must think I'm daft. You think I don't know that you don't even attend classes and even do your projects. Just because I don't say anything doesn't mean I don't know." He snapped.
"Bankole, he goes..." Mom wanted to defend but dad shunned her.
"I'm not talking to you, Clara! I'm talking to my son!" Dad snapped causing my mom to flinch while I just rolled my eyes. This was a common occurrence since I was young so I was used to it.
"Okay okay! I'm sorry! Is that what you wanted to see me for? Can I leave now?" I said and stood up to leave.
"Toby Daniels! Will you sit your ass back on that chair before I loose my temper?" Dad's voice thundered while I sat down quickly.
Dad's temper was as short as my pinky finger and wasn't one to tamper with. He got angry easily and was always so rude even to his family. He always wanted things to be done his way or you suffer consequences. I cannot count the numerous times he freezed my account, siezed my car keys and even threatened to disown me and remove my name from his empire. But I think I got his temper and rudeness though.
"So, I'm only going to tell you that you're getting married next month." Dad dropped nonchalantly.
Wait, what?
My ears must have been playing some sick games on me. "What did you say?"
"What exactly did you hear?"
"How can you just tell me that I'm getting married? Just like that? Who the fuck does that?!" I snapped.
"You heard me right and I'm not going to repeat myself. You're getting married." He said again. I knew this was bound to happen at some point in time but I never thought it'd be as early as this. Daniels' family always had arranged marriage. It had been like that from generation to generation. It wasn't going to change during my own time, that I know.
"But dad, you can't just drop such a bomb on me like that! I'm just twenty five, it's not yet time! You got married when you were thirty!" I shouted.
"Do not raise your voice at me, Toby! Don't! I got married at thirty because I was never reckless, spoilt and stupid like you. Your scandals have done more harm than good to my empire, I can't keep risking it. I think you have enjoyed your youth enough."
"But you can't do this to me! It's unfair! Okay okay! Can I choose my bride then? Can I get married to Yasmin?" I asked calmly.
"Who the hell is Yasmin? Who's her father?"
"Uhm, I don't think she has one, but she's a popular actress. You should know her, Yasmin Blake." I sugarcoated knowing that dad would never let me marry a nobody.
"An actress? You must be kidding me! And then she doesn't even have a father too? Why would I allow you to marry someone with no good background? Actresses are not people we can marry, they'll never forgo their career or endure anything. We have the right to do anything we want and get anything we like in Daniels family but the only thing we do not choose by ourselves is our brides. Or do you think I chose Clara by myself? If I had the chance to choose a wife, she wouldn't even be sitting here." Dad ridiculed.
"Oh! Sorry, Mr Daniels! You think if I wasn't chosen to marry you, you would even be able to touch my finger nails?" Mum replied.
Before they started to bicker even more, I stopped it before it could go further.
"Okay, so who am I getting married to then?" I asked.
"Your childhood friend, Coker..." Dad struggled to remember her name.
"Sapphire?" I suggested.
"What? Hell No, Sapphire is too young. It's uhm... yea Ruby Coker." He said.
"Ruby?" Mum and I questioned at the same time.
"The same Ruby Coker? How on earth do you even call Ruby my childhood friend? We only hanged out because you are friends with their dad. And I clicked with Sapphire and not Ruby. Ruby was so fat, ugly and dirty. She still is." I said.
Ruby Coker was such a clingy stupid girl back then, she followed me everywhere I went. She had such a disgusting crush on me and still does. I know that because she still looks at me stupidly whenever we visited them once in a while. However, I didn't like her at all, she was ugly and didn't look anything like her younger sister, Sapphire.
I couldn't just believe that dad was choosing such an ugly bride for me.
Hell No!
"I don't care! That's your bride." Dad said finally and went back to whatever he was doing as if he didn't just drop a bomb that could ruin my entire life.
Yes, my entire life! Getting married was even an issue on its own, and getting married to Ruby Coker, that was the worst thing that'll ever happen to me.
I'm Toby Daniels, I don't even do average ladies not to talk of uglies, I do top models, actresses and the most beautiful girls all over the world. My fine reputation was going to be ruined with Ruby. She didn't even do anything to me and I just didn't like her for her looks, now that I was told that I was getting married to her, I hated her already. Ruby Coker had better be against this nonsense.
I stormed out of the lounge in anger and rushed towards one of my luxurious cars.
P.S – My cars were one of the things I loved the most in this world, they were even more precious than Yasmin. Speaking of Yasmin, I brought out my iPhone and sent her a text, "I need you right now. Can we meet?"
She replied almost immediately, "Sure, we can hook up and then we can finish what we started yesterday. I'm having a movie shoot at De Best Hotel, meet me there."
I didn't bother to reply, as I started the engine. Typical Yasmin, the only thing she ever had to offer was sex, not that I was complaining though.
I needed to get the news I had just heard off my head and Sex was a good way to.
KIKI. I hate Monday mornings or people who like Monday mornings. It's not supposed to be so hard to avoid it, but it is, cos I'm broke! Oh, let me rephrase. I'm poor. Life throws so much hardship at me, not even once did it decide to give me lemons so I can make some freaking lemonades! Well, until the big boss. Until him. Until us. GIOVANNI. Call me crazy but when I was a little boy, all I wanted to be was one of mother's numerous brand bags. As stupid as that may sound, that was the only dream I had. I've always fought for my family's love and acceptance since I was an outcast in there and when I was put on yet another mission to prove to them that I deserve their love, I took it. And now, there's a problem. I'm falling for her. Her. The one they'll never accept.
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
Kaelyn devoted three years tending to her husband after a terrible accident. But once he was fully recovered, he cast her aside and brought his first love back from abroad. Devastated, Kaelyn decided on a divorce as people mocked her for being discarded. She went on to reinvent herself, becoming a highly sought-after doctor, a champion racer, and an internationally renowned architectural designer. Even then, the traitors sneered in disdain, believing Kaelyn would never find someone. But then the ex-husband’s uncle, a powerful warlord, returned with his army to ask for Kaelyn’s hand in marriage.
What happens when an all business Alpha planning his chosen's mating ceremony, smells the most wonderful fruity scent that belonged to his curvy mating ceremony planner. Confident plus size Ji'lahni, her two cousins, and friend owns a successful Wedding planning company along with a dance, and self defense workout studio, get hired by their new friend who is like a mother to them to plan her sons wedding I mean mating ceremony? What will happen when the sassy plus size women step into the world of werewolves? Read to find out.
Five years ago, Alessia La Rosa's life took a drastic turn when, suffering from memory loss, she wed to Dominic Carter under her grandfather's mysterious arrangement. But their marriage was a facade, bringing her only humiliation and heartache as Dominic showed no love, and she couldn't conceive. Upon discovering Dominic's infidelity, Alessia sought liberation through divorce. Yet, fate had more in store for her. Five years later, spurred by an anonymous email hinting at her lost child's whereabouts, she returns to the city with her twin babies in tow, determined to uncover the truth. As she navigates the tangled web of her past, a surprising twist awaits. Dominic, upon meeting her again, finds himself drawn to the woman she has become, unaware of her true identity as his former wife. Little does he know, the woman he's falling for is not only his ex-wife but also a powerful Doctor and Master Hacker.
"There will be no falling in love, we will only act as a loving couple when we are in public, we will share a room to make it believable, but no intimacy, touching is off-limits. We'll only have sex once a month, and that's solely to produce an heir. You won't interfere in my business, and I won't interfere in yours. You will be my wife in every sense and you will not be involved with any other man," he said, arrogance seeping from every word. I watch his mouth move, I'm not ready to fall in love with any man, especially not one as arrogant and egoistic as him. I can handle acting as a loving couple, and as for intimacy once a month. I can agree to that just to satisfy my sexual cravings with no strings attached. "Where can I sign?" I asked since I had nothing to lose. *** Nadine's wedding dreams turned to nightmares when she caught her sister and fiancé cheating! With a secret recording, she's ready for revenge. But then mysterious billionaire Logan West offers a deal: A Contract Marriage to take down her ex's empire. But what Nadine doesn't know is her life is getting complicated as she takes her chance to get revenge or risks everything for a chance at love?"