Chapter 1

Two weeks ago

There's a soft knock on the door. "May I come in?" Cassandra stared at the figure. Of course she knew who it was. She heard the soft sound of her mother's favourite flip flop on the floor as she walked across the hallway. Jane is a tall, petite, beautiful woman. Cassandra was often told she looked exactly like her. Her mother smiled at her and reached out to touch her chin but she pulled away before she could reach her.

"What does he say?" Cassandra asked coldly. She is almost correct that her mother will never come into her room just to check up on her. They aren't that close enough. Not after what happened– after the news.

"He wants me to see if you're getting ready" Jane paused and moved across her daughter's bed, stared at the dress lying on it then back at her daughter. "They'll be here any moment"

Cassandra didn't reply.

"Do you need any help?"

"No. Tell him I'll be down soon" She replied in the same cold voice not meeting her mother's gaze.

She heaved a sigh as the door closed behind her mother.The problem had started before she was born. No. Before her father was even born. Her grandfather had wanted her father to marry into the Spencer family, but somehow her father managed to elope and marry Jane, her mother.

In order to get back at her father, he had to give all of his fortune to him on the condition that his only daughter, Cassandra, get married into the same Spencer  family her father neglected, else all of her grandfather's fortune will be willed to his brother. Everyone was in shock after hearing the will but her father never wasted any moment before he started arrangements. That is what led to what is happening tonight. She is meeting with the stranger she will be getting married to in a week.

You would wonder what the Spencer family gets in return if her family planned all of this.

An heir.

That is all that was required of her. A loveless marriage to produce an heir. The two families, Spenser and Hastings had sworn long ago to strengthen the alliance between them.

Cassandra tried to keep her mind off the reading of the will, just two weeks ago, everything was perfect. Her life was normal and all other things were going on well. Two weeks ago, her boyfriend, Mark…

At the thought of his name Cassandra broke down fighting back tears. He must have seen the news. She is sure it's everywhere already. The only granddaughter of Black Hastings will be getting married to Sebastian Spenser. Will he resent her? Will he think she knew about this and plan all along?

Though She and Mark had not exchanged the 'I love you' yet she is sure they're getting there. With one year of being with him, what she felt is similar to love. She must find a way to contact him. Her phone was taken away as soon as the wedding processes started.

She wanted to scream, fight, run away but she could not. Why did all of this have to happen to her? Her parents never care about anything but money. More money even. She heard a few times that her mother cried when she realised she was carrying a female. Her.

They both wanted a male who would grow up and take over her Grandfather's Company. Seeing Cassandra is the only available ticket now to get what they had both longed after, they care not if she'll be marrying a man she didn't love. Haven't met. But all that changed tonight.

Who meets the man they are marrying a week before? She picked up the dress on the bed, a green lace with a pathing that runs across the thigh. She stared at her figure in the mirror. Her eyes were cold. Her grandparent's house had been her favourite place.

She spends her summer holidays with them every year. Her grandmother passed away when she was six so she has little memories of her but her grandfather— the one she never thought would put her in this present predicament she is, was there all year round.

Every birthday, every picture, every gift all reminded her of him. Had he written that will and he still acted fine? Can't he just find a way to punish her father without it involving her future. She just turned twenty and has a well planned future structured ahead of her. She wanted to be a doctor but she didn't see herself practicing it now.

All of her classes henceforth have been moved to online all thanks to her father's connection. The only good thing about her confinement since the news was that she had time to think. Think of how to get out of this mess. She came to a conclusion that….

Her gaze shifted when she noticed a figure moving in the darkness through the open blinds of her window. She moves surreptitiously towards it. It can only mean one thing, whoever her father was expecting is here. The Spenser— her heart missed a beat at the thought of that name and she felt an unusual fury building inside of her.

She stared down the window until she could make out the figure in the darkness. It is a man in a suit. She has been right all along; it is one of the Spenser's, this she is sure of. She was about to leave and shut the window but waited. Something is intriguing about this man. The way he paces around the small garden underneath her window with his phone pressed against his ear.

She is sure he is mad at whoever he's on the phone with judging from how loud his voice is. She strained her ear to make out what he's arguing about but it's of no use as her room is three flights of stairs above.

"Cassandra"

"Cassandra"

She heard her name for what felt like the upteenth time that night only that the voice calling it this time is different. Her father's.