Chapter 1

Brielle’s Pov

“What is it?” I found myself asking no one in particular; with my heart racing a mile a minute as everyone in the hall suddenly fixed their gaze on me, their gazes which came with an indistinct murmur. For a second I thought I had done something wrong.

Behind me seemed to be another point of attraction. I was not sure whether or not it was safe to look back, but before I could even think, curiosity took the better part of me.

I turned almost immediately only to behold the figure of Albert Stone on one of his knees revealing the stunning diamond ring in the small box he was holding.

“Brielle Davis, be my wife and make me the happiest man on earth, and anything you’d ever dream of would be made available to you” the proud young man on his knees said.

A gasp left my lips as he said those words to me. There’s no way that’s going to happen. Albert Stone, on his knee, asking me, Brielle Davis to marry him? It had to be some kind of a sick joke that he was playing on me. My eyes searched through the faces of the people all over the place for any sign of contradiction but there was none. Everyone was shocked as I was.

However, two faces confirmed the horrifying fact, Diana and Rebecca’s. They looked at me with so much disgust.

I was confused and didn’t know what to say or do. I wasn’t expecting the disaster in front of me, I mean, he was supposed to be kneeling in front of Diana. Everyone knew that.

Albert couldn’t have just decided to embarrass me, and to think that he was doing it in front of all the influential men in town.

A migraine made its way to my head coupled with my too fitted gown that didn’t really help my condition. One would think I specially prepared for the engagement.  I tried to say a word but my body felt so overwhelmed by the heat of the moment.

“Brielle” Albert called me after waiting for an answer  but didn’t get any from me.

“Will you be my wife?” He asked the second time, this time with his baritone firmer than the first. His eyes looking into mine almost teary. I took it as a silent plea for me to give him a yes.  I looked around the place and then to him again nodding my head in agreement.

“Of course.  Sure. I will marry you” I stuttered. Questioning myself if I did the right thing or not.

I watched Albert slit the ring into my finger as everyone in the hall grew cold. He gave me a smile and hugged me. No one cheered, except for one woman who sat on one of the seats in the front row. She started to clap and just after that, others joined and the echoes of congratulations filled the whole place.

Rebecca turned heads while walking away from the scene. Her face contorted into a mask of anger and she left the hall without giving a damn about who was on her way. If only they knew that I only said yes to him to save the moment. Saying “No” to Albert Stone would definitely be the hardest thing for some ladies to do, but that wasn’t same for me. I already said “No in my heart before saying the “Yes”.

I was going to make myself clear to him when everyone might have been distracted by the disco playing in the background. It was so difficult to do because a lot of people who were shocked as I was kept studying us and watching every of our step and expression, so I had to put up a good act.

Finally, I got the chance I wanted. I stopped him on his way back from his car where he went to drop a parcel that he received from one of the invitees.

“Albert” I yelled. Rushing to him with furry and with every strength in me, took the ring off of my finger and handed it to him.

“Whatever that was, you have to tell everyone that it was all a joke, and let’s pretend that it never happened” I said making sure he understands how much I hated it back there.

He didn’t say a word to me. He kept quiet and watched me as if I was a case study. I was beginning to get pissed at the whole situation when I turned my back to leave.

“It wasn’t a joke Brielle” he said at an instant.

I turned and looked at him questionably, hoping to get more answers from him.

“Yeah, I know it was too sudden but I had to do something and you’re the only one I had on my mind”

“what do you mean by the only one on your mind?” I asked

He took a step forward and held me by my shoulders.

“I am not asking you to love me, all I need is someone who is going to act as my wife for a period of time and after that, I promise to let go. I’m not asking for your whole life” he lectured.

“You’re asking me to act as your wife? Why should I do that when you can easily have a real marriage?” I asked confused.

Albert Stone is a definition of power and influence. There’s nothing he wants that he cannot get. What I didn’t get was why he wanted a fake marriage, and with someone like me. We barely know each other.

“That’s the problem. I don’t want a real marriage with someone I don’t love. I want to experience love Brielle, and what we are about to do is going to buy me some time to meet people and fall in love with whoever I’m meant to marry. Please don’t say no” he begged, rubbing my shoulders.

I shrugged his hands off my shoulder and stepped an inch away from him trying to figure something out.

It wasn’t like it was easy on my side. My parents have been on my neck too; maybe this is a chance to get them off my neck.

As much as I wanted to accept Albert’s proposal, I had a doubt and fear in me concerning his status. To some extent I felt insecure. The look on his face kept coaxing me into accepting the offer before me and finally I did.

“Deal, but-“

“Whatever you say is okay by me” he interrupted, with excitement written all over his face. He hugged me and planted a kiss on my forehead.

“Can I go now?” he asked.”

“Yes” I reluctantly replied, praying and hoping that I would never regret that night.

“Nice dress by the way” he pointed to the beautifully fitted dress on me, making me smile.

“Thank you for the dress”

“My pleasure” he replied.

We looked at each other and smiled at each other as we parted.

As much as I wanted to be happy, I felt uncomfortable about the situation knowing the class of Albert, and of course the unpleasant odds in the nearest future.