CHAPTER 1

SELENE

 

“The son of the CEO of Kensington group of companies was involved in a fatal–”

 

I looked up from my phone at the sound of the TV switching off. All day every single news outlet carried the story of Jakob Kensington who had managed to get into a fatal accident. 

 

It was beginning to get annoying how much it was repeated but he seemed like a big deal so it was understandable. 

 

“I'm so tired of hearing about that accident. I mean, who the fuck strays into the path of a truck? I bet he was drunk.” Julia said from her seat, as she flipped through channels, looking for something that would suit her taste. 

 

“You can't judge until you know what happened, Jules,” I said, returning my attention to my phone. She just grunted in response and I left her to it. 

 

She was right though, every news outlet carried the story of the accident. It was a field day or in this case, days for them. The accident happened three days prior and there had been no news of him ever since. 

 

“Selene?” Julia called after a few minutes and I looked up once more. She must have given up on finding anything so she decided on bugging me instead. 

 

“Yes?” I asked, quizzically. I knew the expression on her face and I wasn't about to indulge in a conversation about her silly crushes at the moment. 

 

“He's hot, though, right?” I cocked my head, confused. It took me a while to understand who she was referring to. 

 

“Yeah, no. Not to me.” I answered and went back to my phone. Jakob was handsome, truly, but I wasn't one who likes people only for their looks and I knew he was an irresponsible person. At least, that's what the media portrays. 

 

“Come on, you're no fun.” Julia pouted and I was about to respond with something sarcastic when my phone rang. I frowned. No one called me except my parents and even then they made sure it was only for emergencies. 

 

I glanced at the screen. It was my mother. 

 

“Hello, Mom,” I said as I picked up, wondering what she needed from me this time. My parents only ever called if they needed me to do something important for them. 

 

“Hi, honey. How are you?” Her voice sounded too chipper which was really unlike her. That sent alarm bells into my head but I shook it off. 

 

“I'm doing great. Is there anything I can do for you?” I asked, wincing as I said it since she would take me up on it.

 

“Nothing much.” She said and then paused. I waited because I knew what would come after the pause was the request. “Your father and I were wondering if you could come home for dinner tonight?” 

 

Dinner? That was it? She called because she wanted to invite me for dinner. I knew her “wondering” was merely a suggestion and they wanted me to come, unfailingly. 

 

I glanced at the time at the top of my phone. It was a two-hour drive from my apartment that I shared with Julia to my parents’ home and I could make it in time for dinner if I left within the hour. 

 

“Oh, alright. Sure. I'll be there. Do you need me to bring anything?” I asked out of politeness. I was already going out of my way to be there anyway. 

 

“It's alright. Just be here. We'll be expecting you.” She hung up before I could even say goodbye but I wasn't offended. That was just our family dynamics. 

 

“You're going home again?” Julia asked and I nodded. She gave me a look of pity since she knew exactly how our family dinners were. 

 

I got up from the chair and headed to my room. If I was going for dinner, I needed to change into something presentable and pack an overnight bag. My parents hated when I didn't look my best since “the media was always watching.” 

 

We had a respectable company that was doing quite well which made my parents very cautious about our appearance. They didn't want any blemishes to be associated with the family. 

 

After I finished, I dropped the bag into my car and said goodbye to Julia who was more than happy to have the house to herself for the night. I can already see her reaching for her phone to call her sneaky link over as I pulled out of the drive. 

 

Driving home was mind numbing but I needed the entire two hours to prepare myself for what was to come. Despite my mother's cheerful disposition, I knew there was no way this was going to be an ordinary dinner. 

 

My parents were nice, but not to the point where they called their daughter over just because they missed her. They only called to ask me to do something for them and I knew this one had to be huge if they needed me to be home for it. 

 

I finally sighted our driveway and parked the car. I waited in the car for a few minutes before heading out, trying to give myself the courage to say no to whatever ridiculous scheme they might need me to do for them now. 

 

I could see my mother's face in the window and she opened the door before I even knocked. 

 

“Welcome home, darling.” She said as she enveloped me into a hug. I hugged her back, talking in the scent of her perfume.

 

Being hugged was not the issue, my mother loved hugs but even this was too suspiciously bright for her. 

 

Without giving me space to say a word, she pulled me into the living room where my father sat. He glanced at me briefly and continued whatever he had been doing on his phone before I came in. 

 

I knew mom saying he wanted me to come home was an obvious lie. My father didn't really care for that. He had just always been that way. He never showed his affection physically but in providing. 

 

“Hello, Dad.” I said in greeting and he acknowledged me with a nod. I didn't think too much of it as I followed my mother into my room. They had left it the way I left it after I moved out since there was nothing else to use it for and I still came home sometimes. 

 

After dropping my bag off in the bedroom with my mother frequently interjecting with how I looked and to ask if I had been eating frequently (something she rarely did), I finally got the chance to sit at the table for the said dinner. 

 

The food had been served by the chef before my mom and I came out of the bedroom so we just sat down at the table to eat. 

 

The conversation was mainly my mother asking me a million questions about what I had been up to and me giving the most minimal answers since I knew I wasn't called over to talk about my life. My father remained silent. 

 

Halfway through the meal, he finally looked at me. “Selene.”

 

I froze. That was it, he was about to tell me why I was here and I knew from the tone of his voice that I wasn't going to like it. 

 

I remained silent and realized my mom had gone silent too. What he was about to say must be very serious. 

 

“We have tried not to inform you about it but there's no keeping it anymore. It's only a matter of weeks before the media find out and we decided it was better you heard it from us before them.”

 

My heart beat faster. What was the problem? Is anyone dying? I glanced at my father and then my mother before returning my gaze to my father. They both looked healthy but not every illness can be physically seen. 

 

“It's about the company.” Father said and I heaved a sigh of relief at the fact that it wasn't their health before his words fully settled in. 

 

“The company is in trouble?” I asked, looking at both of their faces. I was rewarded with a solemn nod from my father. 

 

“We're bankrupt.” He simply said and I heard my mother stifle a sob. That didn't make any sense. My father had created his company from basically nothing and was now doing well. How then is the company bankrupt?

 

“How–?” I didn't even know how to voice my question. It didn't make any sense to me. 

 

“That's not the reason why we asked you to come.” He continued, his face devoid of any emotions. 

 

I knew I really won't like what was coming next. I remained silent and waited for him to continue speaking. He took his time before he spoke again. 

 

“We have found a solution but we would need your help for it.” That was it. I knew my being here was more important because this didn't seem like a converse that can be had over a phone. 

 

“What's that?” I dreaded asking that question. It was as though I handed my life to the devil and asked him to do as he wished. 

 

“So, someone reached out to me and offered to fund us with enough money that would not only lift us out of bankruptcy but enough to sustain the company for several more years.”

 

That was a good thing but I still didn't understand what it had to do with me. 

 

“He, however, stated a condition for him to help us and that's what has to do with you.” He paused and I could feel my heart hammering in my chest. “He wants you to marry his son.”

 

I sat there waiting for my brain to process his words. That can't be right. My father couldn't possibly be asking me to marry someone I didn't know to save the company. 

 

Granted, I wanted the company to do well but basically selling me off? I had to be dreaming. 

 

“And what did you tell him? No, right?” I blurted before I could properly think about what I had said. 

 

My mother remained silent by my side, looking at me, hopeful. I couldn't believe she was taking his side with this. I knew she would go along with whatever her husband said but I hoped she would say something. She didn't. 

 

My father looked at me as though I had grown two heads. “Of course not. I already agreed and this dinner is just a formality to let you know about it. You're meeting him in a few days and I expect you to be punctual.” 

 

I stood up. “There's no way, father. I will not be getting married to anybody just for money. You're selling me off to save yourself? That's not what a proper parent would do!” 

 

I knew I was raising my voice and didn't care but his next words stunned me into silence. 

 

“He's not nobody. He's Jakob Kensington!”