By the time they left, Olivia felt like she had passed the test with flying colors. She got into the car with Asher, she took one glance at the mansion to see the hardened look on Asher’s parent’s face.Drawing a sharp breath, she looked away from them, being able to leave that mansion in one piece was a relief to her, she turned her eyes at Asher who just drove off without taking one more look at the building.As they drove back to her apartment, Asher put a hand on her knee and squeezed it lightly. "You were great," he said, a genuine smile on his face. "Thanks for doing this." He looked into his eyes.I am also sorry since you think this is all fake, truth is, you will find out soon enough that you were the real person suppose to do this tonight, and I won’t blame you, if these smiles on your face disappears, or if you hate me so much for fooling you.Olivia felt a sense of pride and contentment wash over her. Even though it was just a pretend engagement, she had enjoyed the experi
Parker walked into the living room and Juliet turned to him after coming from Olivia’s room, Olivia has shut her room door before her mother even had the chance to say a word to her since she was angry at them.“He is the one right? What did he do with our daughter?” Juliet asked as she looked into her husband’s eyes, he was also tired of everything that was going on and wished it all stopped.“He took her to meet his parents,” He said softly and Juliet’s eyes dilated. “I don’t know how he convinced her, but he fooled her into meeting his parents as a pretend bride.” He rubbed his hand against his forehead and settled down in one of the sofa.“How did he do that?” Tears welled up in Juliet’s eyes. “What do we tell Olivia now, that the man she met tonight, the man that drove her home is the man who is supposed to marry her in the next three days?” Juliet’s breathing shook.Parker glanced up at his wife and shook his head. “He told us not to tell her about him, he told me not to mention
Olivia glanced at her parents and her lips parted. “He must have know who I am, but please tell me who he is?” Tears welled up in her eyes. Juliet glanced at Parker for support before continuing, it was breaking her heart over and over again to watch Olivia cry. "I also think you know who he is, perhaps he must have met you, perhaps he looked into our family and saw the mess we were in, and then he approached us using our dire financial straits against us. He offered to help by paying off the debt when we needed it most, but on one condition – that you marry him." Olivia's mind was a whirlwind of confusion and disbelief, she has just returned to this country, so who could it be. She looked at her parents and shook her head. "Then why the hell will you and father agree to such a thing without consulting me first?!" Her eyes were bloodshot as she looked at them. "I'm afraid your father saw it as the best way to save the family business, to clear our deb
The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting gentle rays of warmth on Olivia's tear-stained face. Her eyelids felt heavy, and the throbbing pain in her head served as a cruel reminder of the emotional storm she had weathered last night.The revelation from her parents that she was getting married in just three days left her feeling trapped and suffocated. She had cried herself to sleep, the tears becoming her solace as she tried to cope with the sudden upheaval of her life.As Olivia reached for her phone on the nightstand, she noticed the notification light blinking. With a sigh, she unlocked her phone and saw a message from Lawrence, the man she once thought was her soul mate and best friend.Memories of their time together flashed through her mind like an old movie reel, each scene playing with vivid clarity, their first meeting when he has walked up to her, with a charming smile on his face childhood face.The late night conversations during the early stages of their fri
Chloe listened attentively, offering a comforting hand on Olivia's shoulder. She didn't try to fix things or provide easy answers. Instead, she let Olivia vent, giving her the space to release the pent-up emotions that had been consuming her."I can't believe they're making me marry someone I barely know," Olivia sobbed. "I feel like my life is slipping out of my control, I can’t even make this decision on my own, and the wedding is in two days, Chloe, and I don’t know who this man is---“ Her voice was hoarse and a knot rose in her throat.“If he paid your parents debt, that means you must have known him from somewhere, or didn’t you---““You know everyone I know Chloe, the only man I know is Lawrence, and perhaps, a few admirals who has lost contact with me after I left for Hawaii, who would it have been…” She sniffled.Chloe thought for a while and then she blinked as she looked at Olivia. “Olivia, what if it’s that crazy man from before?” She asked and Olivia blinked as she looked
Olivia took a deep breath and turned her cell phone off as she turned her gaze back to Chloe who was surprised because the Olivia she knew would never shut Lawrence off. “Are you okay?” Chloe asked, concern evident in her eyes. Olivia shook her head, her sincerity showing as she slowly lowered her gaze. “Honestly, I am not,” she admitted, her voice heavy with sorrow. “I still think of Lawrence. He is my best friend and a man I have crushed on for almost my entire life. There's no way I wouldn't cry and beg him to make me his girlfriend instead of Angel. But what use is it when I'll be getting married in two days?" Her words carried a sense of resignation and pain in her heart. Chloe slowly took her hand and squeezed it gently trying to offer comfort. “I am sad that you are going through all of these, if only things were better, I would have asked you to escape with me,” she said, attempting to lighten the mood. Olivia chuckle. “Oh, my boyfriend, you are the only one that I love…” O
Asher walked over to her, a thin smile spread through his lips as he approached her, his leg covered in black trouser.“Why are you here?” Olivia quickly asked, he was the last person she thought she would see again, their deal was over, there was no deal to start with, she helped him and that was it, she didn’t need his favor anymore.He tilt his head when he saw the look on her face, it didn’t look like things were going on well for her. “You don’t look so bright, did you fail in your mission of convincing your parents about the marriage?” He raised the corner of his brows, already knowing the answer to his question since no one has called him with a change of plan.Olivia drew a sharp breath and looked away from his eyes. “Well, it didn’t work out, I think I am still stuck.” She exhaled sharply and then looked at him. “I am sure yours is working out…”“Yeah,,, you can say that.” He grinned as he looked at her. If only you know who that is with.“I am so happy for you,” She smiled.
Olivia arrived home and headed straight into her room, she felt exhausted, she knew she has talked to Chloe and cleared her mind, but her heart still felt heavy, she has ignored Lawrence call from earlier and has met Asher waiting for her close to her apartment and has requested a favor from her.And to top to everything, her wedding day is in two days, the weight of the world seemed to lift off her shoulders as she stepped into her cozy room.She didn’t feel hungry as she has eaten dinner with Chloe, and her parents didn’t come to call her for dinner, perhaps Chloe has told them she was with her all day, they didn’t look so worried, not that she was ready to say a words to either of them.After a quick hot shower later, she came out of the bathroom rejuvenated, wrapped in the soft embrace of her favorite pajamas, on that she has gotten on the last summer camp in high school because she knew Lawrence was going to that came too.As she snuggled into her bed, the dim glow of her bedside