CHAPTER 1

“Do you think he's going to propose?” my best friend, Sarah, asked as she dabbed the last of the powder on my skin, stepping back to look at me.

I rolled my eyes playfully even though my heartbeat picked up at the question.

“Don't be silly, it's just dinner.”

“At a five star restaurant downtown!” Sarah screeched. “And on your birthday too!”

I shrugged, picking my nails. “It could be a birthday dinner.”

I didn't want to be too enthusiastic but I couldn't help the little part of me that stirred up in excitement at the prospect. I graduated from uni last year where I met Luke, my boyfriend in my first year and we've been together ever since.

Unlike me, Luke was from a wealthy family. His family owned a successful law firm and he had his life set for him, he had a good job and for the last months, he’d been dropping subtle hints about marriage and the pressure from his family but I didn't think it would be this soon.

“Come now,” Sarah said, yanking me out of my thoughts. “Let’s get you into your dress.”

She grabbed a stunning, black silk dress from the bed and shoved it at me.

As I forced my hips into the dress, I had to remember it wasn't mine. I could never own anything this expensive.

The dress was one of many that Sarah had had to borrow me and wearing them was never an easy feat considering the stark difference in our physical appearance.

I stared back at my reflection in the mirror as Sarah let out a low whistle —the dress cascaded down my body, wrapping sensually around my figure, accentuating the fullness of my hips and my small upper body. Its cowl neck added a final classiness to the dress and I could only gape at how good I looked.

“If he wasn’t going to propose, Kathleen. I promise one look at you and he’ll run to the nearest store to get you that ring.” Sarah swore, finger-combing the end strands of my brown hair.

My stomach sank again.

This could be it; my escape from my family.

The city was parked as it usually was during nighttime. The driver maneuvered his way through the throng of cars before managing to find a parking spot. I tipped him and got down from the car.

My nerves cackled as I ran my sweaty hands through my dress before trying to call Luke again but like the last six times, I was redirected to his voicemail. I stared at my phone, my brows furrowing in confusion.

I noticed gazes linger on me as more people passed me and it made me slightly uncomfortable. I cleared my throat and decided to go in and wait for him, maybe he was cut up with family business; it wouldn’t be the first time.

“Hello, miss, how can I help you?” The Butler asked me as soon as I made my way in.

“Hi…” I cleared my throat again. “I have a dinner reservation here… uh my boyfriend and I actually… Luke, Luke Haverhill.”

The man nodded and glanced at the flatscreen device he was holding. “Sure, table six. Let me lead you to it.”

“Oh,” I barely held my surprise. “Thank you.”

I followed the man closely as he cornered into a more quiet section of the restaurant where soft music played in the background.

The man stopped. “Oh…”

I followed his gaze and I felt my heart stop.

I saw her first; a dark-haired woman smiling brightly as she ran a hand through his sleeves.

He saw me first.

I watched the look of horror that enveloped his features as his eyes met mine right before he shot up from his seat and hurriedly made his way towards me.

“What the hell are you doing here?” He whisper-yelled, grabbing me by the arm, his finger digging into my exposed flesh.

I struggled to not wince. “Luke…”

“Didn’t you receive my text?”

“No… no, Luke, what is…”

His date cut me short. “Luke, what is going on?” she asked, her eyes running through me.

“Nothing, babe.” Luke said, straightening. “She was just leaving.”

I opened my mouth to say something but the only thing that escaped was hot air.

“Who is she?” The lady asked.

An uncomfortable look flashed through his eyes.

She turned to him. “I asked you a question.”

“My ex,” he said, “she does this all the time.”

He grabbed me by the arm again but this time forcefully dragging me away. “I told you it’s over between us, Kathleen. You need to stop stalking me!”

His voice carried through the quietness of the restaurant and I felt multiple pairs of eyes pinned on me.

“What are you talking about?” Tears burned at the back of my eyes but I blinked them away. “You asked me to come here, you said we had to celebrate. It’s my birthday, Luke…”

His eyes flashed with irritation as he whispered. “And if you had checked your phone, you’d have seen my text. Now leave before you embarrass yourself any further.”

He shoved me out of the door and turned around, headed back inside.

“Luke!” I made to go back in but the Butler stood in front of me.

“You have to leave, Miss, you’re causing a scene.” He said sternly.

“No, no, wait, there must be a misunderstanding.”

“I’ll be forced to have you physically excused from our premises if you do not leave right now!”

I didn’t hold back my tears this time, they fell down my face ruining the perfect makeup Sarah had taken hours to get done.

I didn’t know how I managed to get home but soon enough, I found myself in the backseat of a taxi sobbing.

The pain was worse than anything I’d ever felt. I could still feel the hate in his eyes as he looked at me, the easy way he had yanked me out of the restaurant, the way he had spoken to me. That wasn’t the man I had been in love with for the last five years.

“Excuse me, Miss. We are here.” The driver said.

My hands shook violently so that I was finally able to open my purse on the third try. I handed him his money and made my way into the house.

“Did you not get my calls?” Someone yelled harshly as soon as I stepped inside the house.

I glanced at my stepmother and said nothing.

She grabbed me and pulled me along. “I don’t give a damn what happened to you but go wash your face, change into something else and come downstairs immediately!”

“Is that Kathleen?” my dad asked, coming into the hallway. He stopped, looking at me in disgust. “What happened to you?”

“I…” I stumbled over my words, more tears running down my face.

“Who cares?” My stepmother barked. “Do as I say and come downstairs now!”

“Ahhh finally, she’s here.” Someone else said, strolling into the hallway.

I stared at the stranger but I could as well be staring through him.

He seemed to be in his late sixties with grey hair that shone against the light. I noticed he walked with a stooped back and a limp that his cane tried to hide. His breath reeked of tobacco and a strong stench of alcohol as he inched closer to me, I was forced to take a step back.

“Look at you,” he said, his lustful eyes running through my body. “Better than I could’ve ever imagined.”

My father smiled shakily. “She will do, won’t she? To clear the debts?”

“Of course,” the man laughed, his whole form shaking, the crinkle under his creased eyes appearing more noticeable. “She is indeed a sight to behold.”

“What is going on here?” I asked but no one even bothered to glance my way.

“It is settled then.” My stepmother said. “You may go with her tonight and we can start the wedding proceedings tomorrow.”

“What?” I screeched.

My father shoved me into the arms of the stranger. “You are to be his wife, Kathleen. Don’t do anything to embarrass me.”

One glance at the man’s wide-smiling decaying teeth, his patched skin, and thinning grey hair and I felt my stomach go queasy, nausea slamming into me.

“You’d make such a good wife.” He said, his palm grabbing and squeezing my butt suggestively.

That was the last straw for me.

Disgust coursed through me and I didn't bother to stop myself again when my lunch rose to my throat. I threw up green liquid all over his expensive-looking suit.