Chapter One: A Shock

"Hey, honey. Apparently my boss is in the mood to have long hours of a meeting, so, I won't be able to leave until 9 pm, or so." Taya talked on a phone in the kitchen of a mansion. She tried so hard not to giggle. "Is it okay if we cancel the dinner?"

"It's okay baby. Don't worry. You take care of your work." The voice on the other end of the phone sounded calm.

"Yeah, I can't even breathe." She grinned, soundlessly.

"Don't work too hard!" The affection was audible to Taya's ear and it made Taya heart throb.

"I know what I am doing, baby." She covered her mouth, stifling a laugh.

"Take care, okay! Give me a call when you got home!" His masculine voice held Taya's heart through the phone. He was just that perfect to Taya.

"Okay, baby, untill tomorrow." Taya hung up. She couldn't help but laugh slightly, turning to look at Gina, the maid in the mansion. "He believed me." She chuckled. She put her phone back in her purse while smiling wide at Gina.

"Good luck, Miss Cage." Gina smiled not because she wanted to but Taya's smile was contagious.

"Thanks, Gina." Taya walked away from the kitchen, still with a smile on her face until she reached the stairs. When she was about to walk on the first step, a familiar voice held her back.

"Taya."

"Mrs. Darken." She half whispered, seeing her soon to be mother in law smile before her. "How are you?" She politely greeted Mrs. Darken.

"Good, thanks. You look good in that dress." Mrs. Darken had the look of a Goddess, despite how wealthy her family was, she was just classy naturally, and her compliment towards Taya was indeed sincere. She loved Taya beyond social status.

Taya glanced down at her dark blue cape sleeve crepe sheath dress which held her body just perfectly. "Thank you Mrs. Darken. You are flattering me." Taya's cheeks flushed but she tried to hide so bad. "I am going to have a dinner out with Lucas."

"That's good." A smile grew on Mrs. Darken's features. "By the way, don't call me Mrs. Darken anymore, okay! You're soon to be my daughter. Call me Mom!" She nodded, clearly assuring.

It touched Taya's heart in a way she couldn't describe. She spontaneously hugged Mrs. Darken. "That makes me so happy, thank you."

Mrs. Darken welcomed Taya in a warm hug before letting her go.

"Excuse me to give Lucas a surprise." She just realized that she needed to go upstairs immediately, otherwise she might ruin her own plan.

"Indeed he would be surprised, you look gorgeous." Mrs. Darken had no idea what kinda surprise Taya planned to give her son.

"It's not..." Taya hesitated to tell.

"Go see him then. I'll be in the kitchen." Mrs. Darken left Taya who felt beyond lucky to be a part of this family, or soon to be. It didn't matter. Mrs. Darken was so humble like always. Everybody in the family was. Taya and Lucas had been in a relationship since they were in college so she knew his family a little too well.

A scene replayed in her mind when she was asked out by Lucas on a date back in the day. A sweet younger Lucas was indeed a prince charming Taya had dreamed of. The news was spread like a contagious disease throughout the campus that Lucas, the son of Jeremy Darken, the wealthiest CEO in New York dated Taya Cage, the daughter of a manager in one of the companies Jeremy led.

She shook her head, realizing that she already stepped on the top step of the stairs. Shifting on her heels to walk towards Lucas' room. She was nervous thinking about how Lucas would react to her presence.

Lucas' room was in the corner and her eyes easily captured the door which slightly opened while walking along the corridor. She thought that she got busted already because Lucas might hear her talk with Mrs. Darken from the upstairs since the door was opened. Who knew?

Deciding to just show up, she inched closer to the door but suddenly stopped. Not peeking through, she merely stopped in front of a wall, just near the door. Her heart raced as if it would jump out of her chest. She took a deep breath, her eyes narrowed and she tried her best to sharpen her hearing as the voice passed through the air.

"She is no one to me, I have no feelings for her anymore, why don't you believe me?"

Taya's heart skipped a beat.

"Because it is not as easy as flipping hand! Everyone in my family accepts her, the wedding day is within three weeks and if I just suddenly end this engagement she will win and she can draw attentions, my mother's gonna investigate I mean... I have to find a valid reason to break up with her. I'll make it like it is her fault and I am the victim. Just give me more time. I won't disappoint you!"

Could she believe her own ears?

"I told you I don't love her. I love you! I love you! It's not only about me. No no that's not the case. Yeah, I will pick you up and we can talk, I'll be right there." The voice was getting closer. "See you, baby." Now the door was pulled in and a man with hair as bright as gold and eyes as blue as sky showed up with phone still being held on his ear.

Taya stood right before Lucas who was shocked to death upon seeing her.

"You said...?" Lucas sentence was stuck behind his throat as his hand lowered the phone.

On the other hand, Taya showed an innocent, dimpled smile as if she heard nothing. As if the thunder in her hearth didn't exist. She tilted her head to one side, "Surprised! I am here, baby!"

"Taya! Baby, are you pranking me?" Lucas was trying to survive the shock.

"Are we going, now?" Instead, Taya asked. There was no hint that Taya might hear what he had talked about on the phone.

Still, Lucas regretted not shutting the door. Now he was worried that she might hear his conversation. Lucas eyes scanned Taya's expression but Taya showed nothing but smile and excitement.

"Of course!" Finally, Lucas nodded as he closed the door behind him.

"What's wrong, baby? You look a bit tensed. Are you nervous?" Taya wiggled her brows at Lucas teasingly.

"Nah, no. Uh, yeah!" Lucas awkwardly denied. He tried to gain his confidence back and whispered to Taya, throwing a flirt towards her. "You got me nervous, you look beautiful!"

It took a few seconds before Taya smiled. "So, let's relax now and empty your mind. I bet it's been a rough day right?"

"Yeah. Let's go!" Lucas held Taya's hand as they walked down the stairs.

Mrs. Darken showed up, seemingly happy to see his son and Taya. "I can't wait to see you in your wedding dress, Taya!"

"I can't wait to see him on the altar." Laugh escaped Taya's mouth and somehow it was like a mocking in Lucas ear.

"Have fun, you two!" Mrs. Darken waved at both of them as Lucas and Taya walked through the hallway of the mansion towards the front door. Taya clung her arms around Lucas' arm, her chin was up and bright smile painted her face.

"Baby?" Lucas hesitated.

"Yes?" Taya instantly looked up, impatiently waiting for Lucas to utter more.

"How long have you been waiting for me in front of the door?" Finally, he kind of interrogated Taya.

"Since you pulled the door open." She lied. Of course she didn't want to ruin her wicked plan. She just had to be super smart by hiding away her feelings. Her heart was like shattering into million pieces. The longer she looked into Lucas' eyes the more she wanted to slap him across the face and walk away.

Could she still be in love with someone who stepped on her dignity, really? No, big fat no. She didn't believe that this happened to her but she wouldn't let him win. She had heard everything, the evidence was real within her hands now but how could she prove him guilty?

All Taya wanted to do now was vanish, but first she had to find out who was the girl he talked to on the phone and silently she promised herself to make Lucas regret everything. She would find a way, to make him suffer.

"Let me drive!" Taya insisted as they hit the carport.

Lucas shot a look to Taya, seeing it strange as she had never asked such thing when they went out.

As if she could read mind, Taya joked, "Don't worry I won't crash. Just buckle up!"