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Brittany Anderson is a young lady who has done nothing but made her father's company remain in the top three list of companies in the whole of America. The time to make a bigger sacrifice came, and that was to marry Ace Miller, a young CEO in America. What happens when Brittany is arranged to marry him, to make her claim what was rightfully hers? He was once the reason behind her smiles each day, but all of a sudden, became her nightmare. What possibly went wrong? She has agreed to marry him even when they both had a sour past together, but that wasn't enough to get what she wanted. She still needed to make more sacrifices and, this time, something greater than getting married to him. Would she come out successful? Or would she allow her anger ruin all that she has worked for? Would she still let her hatred from the past lead her? Or would she let go of the past and let the present lead? What happens when secrets, lies, betrayals began to reveal itself, leaving everyone guilty, including Brittany? Let's find out......
~Brittany's POV
My eyes were glued to the gigantic mirror in front of me as I stared at my reflection in a daze.
"My lady, could you please move your head a little to the left?"
"My lady?" The makeup artist called out again, pausing for a moment when I didn't bulge, and I glanced at her through the mirror.
"Leave." I uttered instead.
My gaze was hostile towards her, but I cared less at the moment.
"My lady, we don't have much time........"
"Leave this instant, I want to be left alone." I shut her up immediately, also referring to the workers she came along with.
I heard her sigh beside me. She bowed slightly to me before walking out of the room with her co-workers.
A tiring sigh escaped my lips as I heard the door close behind me. I glanced at myself again in the mirror and a lady looking down in the dumps was staring back at me.
She was dressed in an elegant white sleeveless wedding dress, her face beautified with makeup, but it didn't hide the pain.
Her face lacked emotions even if the makeup was perfectly made, but there were hints of pain in her eyes.
Staring back at the lady in the mirror, I was convinced that she wasn't happy about what today was.
Today being my wedding day gave me all the creeps and I couldn't help but to think of the reason I was not happy when I was supposed to be over the moon.
I heard a knock on the door and I spared a glance to see my mom coming in.
"Oh my goodness!" She shrieked as she halt for a while.
"Your hair is still undone?!" She added in horror.
"Why the hell did you send out the makeup artist when she wasn't finished?" She asked again and walked to where I was.
I didn't answer, and I wasn't ready to give an answer to that.
"Mom?" My voice came out softly as I called her attention.
"Am I really doing this?"
She heaved a low sigh and placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Yes, you have to get married and today is the day, so braze up yourself." She let out in another deep sigh and took her hand from my shoulder.
And that was it!
Tears gathered in my eyes that it made it hard to even see my reflection in the mirror.
It seemed like Mom noticed this because in the next second, she turned away from me.
"I will get the makeup artist back into the room. This time, don't send her out. We don't have much time left." With this said, she walked out of the room, leaving me to my tortuous fate.
A drop of tears rolled down my left cheek, then another rolled down my right cheek, and I let the rest fall.
I wasn't concerned about the makeup in the first place, neither was I going to care now.
Maybe, if I cried, all the pain and anger that I felt within would reduce, if not vanish.
The door opened again and this time, it was the makeup artist and her colleagues.
"I'll like to continue from where I stopped, my lady." She uttered and signalled the other girls to probably continue.
I didn't hinder any of them, instead I let them do their job. They probably had their job doubled by now because I could have ruined the makeup on my face with the tears.
Thank goodness none of them complained, else I would have as well lashed out on them this instant.
AT THE ALTAR*
"Do you, Ace Miller, take Brittany Anderson to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love and to cherish, till death do you part?" The priest read out the marital vow, and the hall became dead silence that if a pin were to fall, it would be heard.
"Yes." He replied and I glanced at him.
He was staring directly at me with a smirk that was almost invisible. If not that I've known this man for long, then I would have also been ignorant.
I let out a small scoff.
Such guts! He still had the nerve to smirk to my face?
What the hell am I even putting myself into?
Would I really be happy if I got married to this butt face standing in front of me?
Well, that name wasn't entirely true, but he deserved it after everything he did to me in the past.
"Everything you thought happened between us were all just your imagination and being that you were a fool, you didn't realize that." Those words resounded in my head, almost bringing me to tears, but I held it all in.
There were all still fresh in my head and even the scene, just as if it were yesterday, but unfortunately, it'd been years already.
I couldn't break down again, not in front of him or in a public like this.
I glanced at him again, and he was raising a brow at me.
I wish I could spit on his face right now and see a frown instead of the bright look on his damn face.
He brought his face closer to mine and I took my head back a little, but that didn't stop him.
"Why don't you answer to the vow before you begin to zone off on the altar?" He scoffed out in a smile that I knew was fake.
Wait a minute! It seemed like the priest had read the vow to me already, but I was yet to reply.
I glanced at the congregation to see their gaze fixed on me. The hall was as quiet as a burial ground, with everyone's attention on me and maybe the man in front of me.
I turned to the priest, and he wasn't left out either.
He noticed I was now staring at him and attempted to read out the vow again.
"I heard you the first time." I lied and gulped down nothing.
What was the point of repeating when every words was filled with lies?
Yes, none of the love promised in the vow were true. So, why bother letting him waste his time in the first place?
Without hesitating any further and my face holding a very straight look, I uttered loudly, "No, I don't."
I heard a few murmurs from the congregation, but I couldn't help but feel less concerned.
"I am not ready to accept him as my husband..." I went further to say boldly, staring at the man in front of me.
He was staring back at me with mouth wide agape and I could feel his surging shock within our distance.
That shouldn't be the case already because I was about to give him the shockest news he'd heard today.
"So, I hereby cancel this wedding." I continued in between gritted teeth.
There was an uproar in the congregation.
I saw my parents sprang up from their seats, and I guess there was definitely a shocked look on their faces too.
~~~~~~
I watched my dad pace round the living room. Anger was written all over him, and I made sure to give a lot of space between us.
We were at home already after the huge commotion I had caused in the church. My father was the first to stomp out, followed by mom, and they left even before I got outside.
I didn't know what happened to the other people around, especially the man who was the reason I created this mess in the first place.
No matter how I try to think back to what I did in the church and I wanted to badly regret, a part of me couldn't help but feel proud of myself.
My gaze fell to an empty couch when I could no longer hold mom's harsh gaze. She was sitting on one of the couches while staring at me directly.
I flinched back instantly when I saw a vase flying in my direction. Luckily, it crashed before it got to where I stood, not far from me.
I turned to where the vase was thrown from, and I saw my dad breathing heavily, his dark squinted eyes staring daggers at me.
Goodness! Was dad trying to kill me?
"What was that stupid act you played at the altar?" He roared with his nostrils flaring up.
"I'm sorry, dad, but I had to."
My voice came out quiet and bold.
"You had to?" He repeated and chuckled.
"Yes dad, I did what I felt was right at the moment."
I was standing my ground on this and wouldn't allow his expression or actions intimidate me anymore.
My happiness was all that mattered, even if they didn't matter to him.
"What you felt?" He yelled and tried to march towards me, but mom was quick to hold him back, thankfully.
"How dare you bring in feelings into this?" His voice was louder than earlier.
I had definitely triggered more anger in him.
"Because what I feel matters a lot, dad. I can't live with a man whom I don't even see my happiness within many years to come."
"Do you even know what this marriage is about? This was meant to strengthen our relationship with the Millers, but you ruined it all." The tone behind each of the words was filled with anger and spite which were obviously for me.
But I expected it. I knew he was going to throw tantrums but I wished it would all end soon as I least thought he'd also want to kill me like he attempted earlier.
"I'm sorry." My head fell in a bow immediately.
Even though I was already burning inside with rage, I still apologized, not because I wronged him but to maybe put an end to all this drama.
"Sorry? Well, you would be when I am done with you."
"Dear, please take it easy on her. She will handle this mess, I will make sure of that." My mom butted in.
I lifted my gaze up immediately and mom was staring at me fiercely.
What did she mean?
"Really? Then she better acts fast else she should be ready to pay back every penny I spent on her because I would disown her." He spat out in between gritted teeth then stomped out of the house.
My mom shot me a glare, and she also left to her room upstairs without saying a word to me.
I heard a chuckle and I glanced at the bar to see Lora, my half-sister sitting on one of the stood chairs with a smile, more like a smirk on her face.
She was the least of my problems right now.
But wait, did dad really mean what he just said?
“I won't get married to him, and none of you will make me!” She blurted out in anger and despise. “I won't let you and father do the same thing you did years back.” She said, trying not to break down in tears as she clenched her knuckles into a fist. ~ What would you do when after so many years of being away from your family and friends, and then you come back home only to be forced into a marriage? This was the case of Lillian Blake, a young and beautiful lady whose world got shattered when her father forced her to marry a man she knows nothing about. What will happen now that Lillian finally get married to him against her will? Married to a man who knows nothing about love, how would she cope? Will she be able to fit into the Mafia's house, where nothing like love exists apart from the one the family as a whole have for one another? What happens when feelings that weren't supposed to be, arise? Will she be able to tame him? When forces arise and danger lurks around, would she be able to shield herself?
The dream of everyone with regards to marriage is to be able to find that special someone and settle down with them. Even arranged marriages grant you an opportunity to meet your partner briefly before the wedding. How will you feel about waking up in the morning with someone sleeping next to you who is not just anyone but your legally married partner yet with no memory of how that had happened in just a few hours of going out the previous day? This is the story of Jason Haward and Julia Harrison, two strangers trapped in a marriage they never planned. The quest to find out why led to the unfolding of a mystery which made them realize they are both living a lie. To find out more, read this amazing story of love, betrayal, revenge and murder.
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?"
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
"You're mine, little puppy," Kylan growled against my neck. A soft gasp escaped my lips as his lips brushed my skin. My mind screamed at me to push him away-the Lycan Prince who had humiliated me again and again, but my body betrayed me, leaning into him before I could stop myself. He pressed his lips against mine, and his kiss grew more aggressive, more possessive as I felt my legs weaken. What was I doing? In a split-second, I pulled away and slapped him hard across the face. Kylan's eyes darkened, but the smirk on his lips exposed his amusement. "You and I both know we can't fight this, Violet," he said, gripping my wrist. "You're my mate." "And yet you don't want me," I replied. "You told me you were ashamed of me, that l'd never be your queen, that you'd never love me. So please, accept my rejection and let me go." "Never," he whispered, his grip tightening as he pulled me closer. "Soon enough, you'll be begging for me. and when you do-I'll use you as I see fit and then I'll reject you."
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"