CHAPTER 1

ALLISON’S POV.

I walked into a house filled with noise and commotion. Despite being exhausted from a long day at work, I was curious about the source of the commotion.

“Probably about the wedding theme or the clothes she would wear,” I said out loud. Evelyn, My sister is getting married in 3 days but it seemed like she was getting married in a year. She hasn't settled on any of her wedding preparations, and this wedding just seemed like it would be a disaster.

I took off my shoes and hung my coat on the hanger. I walked to the kitchen to get water and probably a snack, something to help me relax. As I walked closer to the living room, I could hear my dad’s voice screaming at someone over the phone, he seemed very angry.

“Find her! She couldn't have gone far,” he said screaming. My mom sat on the chair crying as my dad paced back and forth in the room. “Oh no, what has happened now”. I thought.

“Dad, what's wrong, did someone die?” I said jokingly, trying to lighten up the mood in the room.

“Not everything is funny, Allison, why is everything a joke to you” he replied harshly.

“What? Well, I'm sorry for trying to lighten the mood before your daughter’s perfect day Dad!”, I said sarcastically angered by his words.

“You spoilt brat, if you must know, your sister ran off already, a few days before her wedding” he shouted.

“What!” I said shocked. “How could Evelyn run away,” I thought. “she is the golden child, the apple of my parent’s eyes. It didn't make sense to me. She is marrying a billionaire in a few days, her dream man, what was she thinking?” I wondered as I sat down with my hands in my palms.

“Where is she? What would happen now? maybe she ran away because she doesn't want to get married, did you pressure her?” I asked looking at my mom and dad, who were worried.

“Pressure her?, your sister was doing us a big favour by marrying to save this family” my father replied coldly“A wedding to the Russettes needs to happen in three days and it would happen!” he continued.

“Evelyn was getting married to save the company? Of course, that sounds like her” I thought.

“How can a wedding happen without the bride, dad? Or what is the groom going to marry himself” I asked sarcastically.

“There you go again smart mouth, a wedding was promised and a wedding will happen! You will get married to Adrian Russet in your sister’s place Allison” he replied, screaming.

I stood up in protest, pointing my finger at my dad in disagreement.“What!, you cannot do that Dad, you cannot tell me who to marry and I will certainly not marry a man meant to marry Evelyn, I won't…” I was brutally interrupted by a slap to my cheeks by my dad.

“You will not disrespect me, Allison, I will not stand you pointing your fingers at me young lady, and I can tell you what to do. You are my daughter” he said firmly.

“That was the first time my dad ever hit me,” I thought. I placed my hands on my sore cheeks and looked at my mum hoping she would say something. She looked away from me. My heart shattered, I know I had always been the rebellious one but it wouldn't hurt if my mum took my side just once.

“I love my dad’s company and I don't want it to go bankrupt but isn't my happiness a big sacrifice for the company.” I thought.

“My love, you need to calm down a bit,” my mother said, holding my dad’s hands.

“Look Allison, we need to save the company and the only way to do that is to marry Adrian Russette. He has promised to pay all our debts and even invest in the company. It is a big partnership that would open opportunities for us. We need this” he said calmly.

“Dad, I can't marry a man I don't love. I love Daniel and he is going…” I trailed off as I noticed my mum’s frown. My parents looked at each other wearily and I knew something was off.

“What? why are you looking like that?” I asked.

“You don't know? Of course, you didn't, he deceived everyone”, my dad said. I wondered what he was talking about. “What didn't I know,” I thought. “Your so-called boyfriend, Daniel, ran off with your sister, Allison. She wrote it in her letter” he continued.

My heart shattered, I couldn't believe my ears. “Daniel ran off with Evelyn, that's impossible”

“No, that's a lie. Daniel will never do that. He would never! I don't believe it” I said as tears rolled down my face.

“It has to be a lie. They are just saying this to get me to marry instead of Evelyn. Daniel would never do that to me.” I thought

“Wake up Allison, it's not a lie. It's no surprise your boyfriend is a nobody but the only thing I'm shocked about is that your sister ran off with that riff-raff” he said.

“No, it's a lie, it has to be,” I said in disbelief.

“Here's the letter, Allison” my father said handing me a handwritten letter with Evelyn’s writing on it as he walked out of the room.

My heart sank. I didn't want it to be true. I opened the letter slowly and read its contents.

“Dear Mom and Dad, I'm sorry it had to be this way. I wanted to save Dad’s company but couldn't stand the pressure. I'm truly sorry. I hope Allison can forgive me for this, by the time you read this letter, I won't be here anymore, I'm leaving with Daniel. Please forgive me, I'm sorry”

Love, Evelyn.

“What, no, no, why would she do this to me, why!” I cried out. My whole world had fallen apart. It was okay she didn't want to marry, but cheating with my boyfriend and running off with him was too much even for Evelyn.

“Evelyn was supposed to save the company she was okay with it. We’ve been preparing for this wedding for more than a year. Why would she run away? I have always felt like Evelyn has taken everything from me, and now even the one thing I thought I had for myself, she has taken away too. She had everything, She's my parents' dream child. I knew I could never measure up to Evelyn, but I thought I was free. This cannot be happening” I sat on the floor sobbing as these things went through my mind.

My mum stood up from her seat and walked towards me. She placed her hand on my shoulder trying to console me,

“Dear, I know that everything is confusing right now but…” I push her hands off my shoulders interrupting her.

“Dear? No Mother, you watched your husband slap me and insult me and now you're trying to say something to me? Where were you when he was talking, huh? you were seated there looking, so just continue the pretence Mother and leave me alone.” I shouted and walked out of the room.

I stepped into my room, locked the doors and fell on the floor crying. I had planned out my life since I was a kid, and this was not what it looked like. I grabbed my phone and quickly did a background search on Adrian Russet.I grabbed my phone and quickly did a background search on Adrian Russet.

"He is young and successful, but also known to be promiscuous. His family has a billion-dollar fortune, and he is the sole inheritor. He made a name for himself by building a tech company all by himself, and he also has a step-brother. This is what Evelyn would like," I read aloud.

“I'm not going to let them do this to me,” I said.

I grabbed some clothes and savings from the side drawer and snuck through the window. It was raining heavily but I ran as fast as I could down the road. Tears rolled down my eyes, I knew what I was doing was wrong but Evelyn also ran away.

“I don't have a choice,” I thought.

I stopped to catch my breath in the middle of the road and suddenly heard a car honk. I stood there frozen, and the last thing I heard was my mom's voice calling out my name.

“Allison, no!”