CHAPTER TWO

BENEATH THE FACADE

Behind the façade of wealth and power, a web of secret awaits.

CHAPTER 2

Emily's POV

My phone rang. I checked the caller ID. It was my best friend, Nyla Moreno

“Hey bestie,” I said, yawning on the phone. I was just waking up.

“My Emily,” Nyla replied as she fondly called me.

“I'm sorry I was busy the whole week. We couldn't talk.” she added.

“It's no problem dear. I totally understand.” I replied, reaching for the remote control. I was a fan of Telemundo movies and one of my favorite series was showing.

“So let's catch up, what's life been like lately?” Nyla asked, her voice filled with worry.

“Nyla, I'm getting married I guess. Billionaire Kingston didn't change his mind. He wants me in return” I said, keeping a long face, as my jaw dropped with sadness.

We went on and on, and talked for long. It was soon time to end the call as Nyla's baby needed her attention. We finally ended the call, and I set to prepare for the meeting- the one my father talked about

***

As I stood before the mirror, my face radiated like that of the morning sun.

My red matte lips glittered, and my sleeveless red dress dazzled alongside my silver heels. The dress was a gift from Nyla, she had given it to me on my last birthday.

I was meeting with Ethan Kingston, my soon-to-be husband for the first time. I wasn't sure of how to feel. But I knew I needed to be at my best.

I enhanced my dress with a silver pearl necklace and straightened my hair with the manual straightener.

As I straightened my hair, I admired myself in the mirror. I looked gorgeous.

I had been told by my father that I was my mum’s carbon copy. And from the few pictures of mum I had seen, I couldn't agree less. My mother was pretty.

“Emily, we're running out of time. We’ll be late.” I heard my father call.

“Yesss, father I'll be with you in a minute”, My voice echoed over my room walls as I replied. I had been lost in admiration of myself. I hurried off to meet my dad.

Dad wasn't looking bad himself, as he wore a well-tailored emerald blazer on a black suit.

***

“I'm at the restaurant.” my father spoke from his own end of the call.

“Come in, the third table on your left on the third floor”, the person at the other end of the call replied. I heard, I knew it was Billionaire Kingston.

As I stepped into the restaurant, I was enveloped in a cozy atmosphere, soft golden lighting cast a warm glow over the space, illuminating the immaculate ivory tablecloths, rustic oak beams and plush velvet armchairs. The atmosphere was warm and inviting and soft instrumental melodies filled the air.

The restaurant had not changed one bit, I thought to myself as I looked around. I felt nostalgic as the restaurant brought back good old memories.

I was well known by the workers there.

It had been our favorite spot right from my childhood days, until the company's crash.

“Emily, you take the lead”, my father said as he held the door open for me to walk in.

“Take the road to your left.” He said.

We got to the elevator and the door opened, I pressed three and in less than a minute we got to the third floor. We were soon walking to the third table when I looked up. I was taken aback when I saw the figure on the third table. No it couldn't be him. By now, I could hear my heart racing loudly as I got closer to him.

The man in the tailored charcoal gray suit was Billionaire Ethan Kingston, the man my father would sell me too. He had on a tailored charcoal gray suit which complemented his skin tone.

Billionaire Ethan Kingston was the CEO of Kingston corporation. The company was willed to him and his only brother by his father.

Kingston corporation was a multi-billionaire company whose product was always found in every household in California. It moved from hotels and restaurants, to canned products and presently just launched their spare parts products.

Kingston corporation was listed among the most influential businesses in California. Ethan Kingston was the fifth wealthiest in California.

He was not the most handsome man I had ever laid eyes on, but there was something about him that made me glued to him. I couldn't stop staring at him, I couldn't resist it.

Now as my eyes bore into his eyes, I was no longer nervous, instead I was resentful, the look was one filled with hatred. He was my ex-boyfriend who eloped on the day of our introduction. Yes he was the one, I wasn't mistaken. It was Ethan.

***

I met Ethan on the night of the 2005 gala event. The event was a monumental occasion, it was nothing but spectacular. It was an event for CEO's and their representatives. It was a meet and greet event.

Ethan had walked up to me where I was sitted all by myself. I had attended the event with my best friend Ethan but she had left with a random guy she had met. They were dancing together as music boomed from the loud speakers.

I was not much of a party person. I only represented dad, because he was away on a business meeting. I was getting tired of the event and wanted to go home when Ethan approached me.

“Hey pretty, he said. “Do you mind if I join you?” He asked.

I knew where this would lead to and I was not in the mood for any of those. I wasn't interested in men any longer. I suffered domestic violence from my ex husband so I had given up on men. I had concluded all men were the same. But on a second thought, I shrugged off and asked him to sit, after all it was an harmless request and within a few hours, I'd be gone. Let me just use him to while away time, I had concluded.

We went on and did an introduction. Of course I introduced myself as the only child to Billionaire Caleb Wilson- the CEO of Oceanus Oil and gas companies.

And he introduced himself as a friend to the host. He didn't go into details, he didn't say much. He did most of the asking, but within few minutes I was already attracted to him. I don't know but there was just something about him. The way he smiled, he looked at me and omg his voice! I was all over him.

And then he asked if we could we drink champagne, and dance to the soft music together. I was not a dancer, and not even the party type but I had jumped up at the idea.

We danced together into the night and the night became more intimate. He held my waist, and I whined for him and everything was happening so fast. Sooner than I thought, we were alone on the same bed. I lay bare in front of him and we had sex. We melted into each other with the electric passion of new lovers but exploring our bodies with the familiarity of old paramours. I remember vividly how I felt, it was like I had known him all my life.

I had been with a few men at least, but had never been with anyone that attentive to my needs, that had focused on my pleasure. It was the most intense, most explosive sexual encounter I'd ever had. By the time we lay spent, it was almost dawn, and we were sure of a lifetime together.

Few hours later, I went home with Nyla. Starting from that day, he would call and we'd talk late into the night. Most of the times he visited me, and if he wasn't visiting, we were out on a date. Then one day, he asked me to be his girlfriend, exactly three weeks after the gala night. I accepted immediately, in fact I had been waiting for that day. I was madly in love with him.

Few months later, he proposed to me and we started preparing for the wedding but introduction first. The introduction was scheduled for dinner time. He was to come to my house with his parents to see my father.

The long awaited introduction day finally came. I was super excited. I couldn't wait to introduce Ethan to my father. My father on the other hand was so happy to see me. It had been really long, he had seen me this happy. It’s about five years ago since I left my abusive marriage. I divorced my ex husband, after he had beaten me and I lost the pregnancy I was carrying at that time. I had given up on love. The only thing I would do at that time was to wail and wail. I refused food too.

So you can imagine my father's joy seeing me in this state of happiness. My father was eager to see the man who had put smiles on his daughter's face.

Dinner time came, my father and I waited anxiously for Ethan and his family to come. Everything was set for them. The chef had set the table with desserts and main course, the orchestras were also ready to fill the air with music.

But seconds turned into minutes and minutes turned to hours and Ethan was not coming forth. He didn't deem it fit to call or return his one hundred missed calls from me. The night ended on a sad note as Ethan eventually didn't come. It was a sorrowful night. I remember I had cried my eyes out. I told my father maybe love wasn't made for me. I told him maybe Ethan didn't like the idea of me being his wife.

It took months but eventually I healed, maybe not totally but I managed to overcome the tears. Till date, I'm terribly angry at him. I've always believed he'd still reach out to me, but to be sincere, a part of me still longs for him.

But meeting him like that was what I never imagined. And to think he isn't remorseful about what happened, he is even non-chalant about it.

Ethan's POV

Why does she stare at me that way, like she knows me from somewhere?

Maybe she actually does but I'm not so good with faces.

But even if she does, she should have asked rather than staring that way. It's rude to stare. But anyways I really don't care, I'm even doing her father a favour by investing in his company. The company lacks potential.

But this babe is very pretty. Look at her deep blue eyes, her pointed nose and oblong face. She doesn't deserve what she's going through or better still what her father's company is going through.

I was jolted out of reverie when her father spoke.