CHAPTER 1
“Father.” Roxanne’s voice rang out in the living room as she watched the man supposed to be her father, support her stepmother in her evil decisions.
“Don't call me your father if you can't even do such a simple task as this.” Roxanne’s father, Mr. Derek Renwick spat out, sitting beside his wife, Evelyn Renwick.
“Father, you want me to get married to a disabled man? To a man rumored to be even more ugly than a dog?” She asked again as tears rolled down her face, staining her face and shirt in the process. All these words coming from Derek were because his wife, Evelyn, suggested that Roxanne get married in place of Reina, her stepsister, To the son of the Sébastien family. The son is rumored to be handicapped and ugly.
Everyone knew that the Sébastien family was the richest in the whole of Northpass City. Being the only old-money family to own half of the riches of the Northpass region. The Sébastien family also had three sons, but two were allegedly killed in a plane crash that happened some years back. Now they were left with just one son who never showed himself to the public, and he was even rumored to have become a handicap after the incident.
A few days back, The Renwick family had faced crashes In business and the only people capable of helping the family climb back to the ladder of success happened to be the renowned old money Sébastien family.
Derek reached out to them for help, but the Sébastien family saw the Renwick's as nothing before them, and they found out about the Renwick's daughters. The Sébastien family then sent a proposal to the Renwicks, asking for their daughter's hand in marriage for their only surviving son, Ciel Sébastien, In exchange for a partnership in making the Renwick family legacy blossom in Northpass.
Initially, everyone knew Reina as the only daughter of the Renwicks, given that Roxanne wasn't even treated as a maid, not to talk of a family member.
Roxanne sniffed as she watched her father looking nonchalant without a care in the world.
“But father, why me?” She asked, knowing fully that the question was dumb, considering that her father would always give the same answer.
“What do you mean why?” It was Evelyn this time, “You're the oldest one amongst you two and you're the rightful person fit for this marriage. Besides, the Sébastien s are crazily rich, they'll take care of you and you don't have to suffer anymore” She said casually as she sipped the wine before her.
“But they didn't even ask for my hand in marriage!” Roxanne raised her voice this time, thinking they would at least see the sense she was trying to make. But Derek got mad and stood up to hit her across the face.
“Firstly, you don't raise your voice for us, and Secondly, you will get married whether they asked for your hand in marriage or not. Without this marriage, our family will crumble and your brother needs medical help as fast as possible or he might die, right? Also, our Sofia is too beautiful for him. You'll do just fine. You're fat and ugly.”
Hearing the words coming out of her own father’s mouth, Roxanne felt her body tremble.
He spoke as if Finn and herself weren't his own.
“Father, he is your son. Why are you saying all this? Finn needs money for his surgery.” Roxanne said again, trying to make him understand her words since he seemed not to have heard her the first time.
Derek gave her a disgusted look and snorted, “Finn is not my son, your mother was a cheating whore!” He spat out, making Roxanne freeze in her tracks as his words registered in her mind.
Her mother? A whore?
“Father! How could you?!” She yelled again in anger as her tears fell down her face. Derek said nothing more and just sat down with Evelyn who had a smirk on her face.
“Reina is my precious daughter, the only young lady of the Renwick family and to you, do you think she deserves to end up with a disabled child like Ciel Sébastien ?” Derek asked as she stood quietly, Roxanne watched her father as pain flooded her senses.
There was nothing else she could do at this point. Finn was her younger brother and he was currently hospitalized since he was diagnosed with a severe case of Aortic dissection requiring immediate surgical intervention.
But Evelyn had suggested that they would only help in taking care of Finn’s hospital and surgical bills if only Roxanne agreed to marry Ciel in place of her Reina.
She was left in a dilemma of marrying a man she never even knew for her brother's sake, or refusing the marriage and losing her only family, Finn.
Derek watched her expressions, seeing the hurt, pain and other emotions that were heart-wrenching.
“I can't do it Father, I just can't.” She said softly and without waiting for a response, she dashed out of the living room and out of the house. Her tears weren't drying up no matter how hard she tried to hold it in.
Just when she thought all hope was lost, she remembered her fiance, Devian Willow. The only son of the Willow family.
She had been betrothed to him for a few years and in those few years, she never asked him for any financial help. She would rather struggle for the money than ask him for help. But at this point, she was desperate for help in saving her brother’s life.
With the newfound hope, she got into a taxi and went straight to Devian’s house which was a few blocks away from the Renwick Manor. Hopefully, Devian would help her since he was her fiance.
The Taxi arrived at the entrance of Devian's house In no time and she got down from the taxi. After paying up, she hastily made her way into the premises and straight to the front door. The door was locked, surprising her as she had already seen his car in the parking lot.
She shrugged it off and just reached into her bag to pull out the spare key Devian had given her for his apartment.
She unlocked the door and stepped in. The living room was empty and she raised a brow in surprise, but quickly shrugged and headed upstairs to his bedroom.
Halfway to Devian's bedroom, Roxanne heard strange noises, or so she thought, coming from Devian’s bedroom. She hastened her footstep, thinking a burglar broke in.
But when she got to the door, she discovered that it was slightly open.
She reluctantly peeked in, to confirm If truly it was a burglar, but what she saw next shattered her entire world and hope.
Right before her, Devian was making out with another woman on his bed.
Roxanne subconsciously placed a hand on her chest as pain assaulted her.
Betrayal left a sore taste in her mouth.
Without warning, she went ahead to push the door open, to confront Devian for his actions.
“Devian!” she yelled and prepared to lash out at the woman in his arms, but the head that poked out to meet hers was none other than Reina Renwick's.
Roxanne’s words got stuck in her throat, seeing that her fiance was having an affair with her stepsister.
CHAPTER 2 Roxanna's POVMy whole words crumbled before my very eyes as I watched my supposed fiance and my stepsister.How could Devian break the trust I had in him this much? Didn't he love me? He said he did.But what was all this?“Roxanna, I can explain.” Devian suddenly said as he put on his shorts and climbed off the bed, I saw a smirk form on Reina's face as she sat up on the bed, using the blanket to cover herself up.“Roxanna, it's not what you think” Devian began to say as he came to stand before me, but before he could proceed with his words, I raised my hand to slap him.Devian’s eyes widened as he held onto the side of his face I had struck.“Explain what?! That you're sleeping around with my sister?!” I yelled as tears stung my eyes.Devian always professed love to me each time we were together, we even had our marriage coming up in two weeks.But all this while I was getting overly excited, the man was whoring around with my step sister.Devian's gaze darkened as he g
CHAPTER 3 Roxanna's POVEvelyn pulled me into the mansion, but I kept resisting, trying my best to get her hands off me. I didn't want to get married. Not this way.I would rather sell my body somewhere and make money from a rich old man than get tied to a disabled stranger.My pleas went on deaf ears as Evelyn kept pulling me to my bedroom upstairs.“Let go of me!” I yelled for the umpteenth time, but she ignored me and pulled harder.“You’d better keep your mouth shut and come with me!” She yelled back, but I refused to be pulled like some animal. With the last remaining energy left in me, I bit her arm; the very one that kept pulling me continuously.“Ahhh!! You animal!” Evelyn shrieked and released her hold on me. I saw that as a good opportunity to make a run for the exit.“Stop her! Catch her and don't let her escape!” I heard Evelyn's voice from behind and I ran even faster.Once I got outside the mansion, I ran directly to the roadside to flag down a taxi. Thankfully, I found
CHAPTER 4 Roxanne's POVAfter I returned to Renwick's Manor, I was brought into the bedroom and dressed up in a white wedding dress. Everyone was rude, including the makeup artist herself. She asked me to make sure I never let a tear slip from my eyes or she would deal with me.I was trying so hard not to tear up, especially after the disgusting thing I had to do for money. I felt like a slut, a whore that my father had called my mother.Even though my mother wasn't a whore, I still got irked each time my father called her that. It even made me believe sometimes that my mother could be a whore.Now I had to do this to confirm that even if my mother wasn't a whore, I turned out to be a whore.Just then the room door was pushed open and Derek walked in.He gestured for the makeup artists and everyone else in the room to excuse us. Once everyone had left, I dropped the facade and turned to glare at him.“Where is Finn?!” I asked as my entire body shook, anger and pain filling me again
The whole room was in a complete silence as Derek and Devian tried to process what Ciel just said. The expected groom was supposed to be crippled, not this tall and confident man, who is clearly in control of the situation at the moment.Roxanne is also shocked. Not only is Ciel Sebastien not disabled, but he is also the same mysterious “Pretty boy” from the bar the previous night. Her heart raced with conflicting emotions ranging from disbelief, confusion, and embarrassment.Derek’s face turns pale instantly as soon as he realizes his mistake. He had thought the expected groom would be a crippled, powerless man. Now, he is looking at an imposing and powerful man who clearly does not appear like someone to be taken lightly.Ciel moves forward as he addressed Derek coldly.“So, Mr. Renwick, tell me, you were saying something about your Son in law?” His voice is calm, but it unsettles Derek.Derek tried to talk, in a bid to regain control. “There…there must have been some mistake! We we
At the wedding venue, some distance away from the Renwick Manor, ripples of disbelief quickly spread through like wildfire.Although the wedding was supposed to be private, word has a way of quickly traveling, especially when the impossible had just happened before the few selected audience present.“So the Sebastien heir is not crippled?”“Could this be a set up?”“Are Renwick's aware?”“Did they think they could deceive the Sebastiens?Many more started to whisper, and suddenly, it doesn't matter that only a few people were originally invited to grace the wedding ceremony.The weight of the revelation felt too great to be held in. Business associates, family allies, and even the high ranking guests who were in the hall of the event started exchanging funny looks, sending texts and making hushed calls.Within some minutes, everyone in the Sebastien estate and beyond will come to know the truth.Back at the Renwick’s Manor, Derek Renwick stands frozen, with a poorly concealed panicked
The drive to the Sebastien estate is chokingly silent.Roxanne sits in the back of the luxury car stiffly, her hands curled into her lap. Across from her, her new husband reclines with effortless grace, his suit well tailored, and his gaze distant.He has not spoken a word to her since they left the wedding venue, not even a whisper of reassurance, no comments…. Just nothing.It was as if the whole drama at the wedding had been nothing more than a formality to him.The reality of it starts to settle on her like a huge weight.She is now Roxanne Sebastien.Not by her choice, not by love, but her circumstance.When the car finally pulls over at the estate, Roxanne felt herself gasping.The Sebastien estate is something out of a dream, it was a kingdom. It has towering iron gates that stretches beyond what her eyes can fully take in at once.The mansion itself was ahead, a grand architectural work of glass, marbles and carefully curated history. It has manicured gardens from the entrance
She moved carefully the next day down the halls of the mansion. Such estate was literally a world in itself, vast and bigger than one could think, and silent.One could smell power and wealth from every part of the house, from the crystal chandeliers overhead to the windows that looked at the perfectly manicured gardens. The ceilings were dauntingly lofty with elaborate ornate, and the air perfumed with the faintest scent of polished wood and expensive cologne. It had its beauty, but it was distinctively chilling.And she felt it was not meant for her.Not because she was not worthy, no, she refused to believe that.But because this world had been built without her in mind.Heavily weighed down by the Sebastien name, even more so than the heaviest piece of jewelry she had ever worn, she walked along corridors where she could feel the eyes of the staff upon her. Their faces were placid, as far as she could tell; they had little to say to each other, but She wasn't that naive. There
The troubles started sooner than expected.Roxanne had just barely started to adjust to the Sebastien mansion before the world outside tried to claw her neck.And, of course, who else would make that move if not Reina.She was very desperate.Roxanne was standing near the stairs when she heard noises from the front door.The domestic staff were trying to keep their voices low, but she could see through the tensionCurious, she moved forward as her eyes narrowed until she could see the unwelcome guest.It was Reina.She had a fitted gown on. She was looking desperate.“I am here to see Ciel,” she said with a firm voice. “There has been a terrible misunderstanding.”The butler, an older man with a look of practiced indifference, replied evenly, “Mr. Sebastien has not requested to see any visitors.”Reina's polished bravado cracked for a split secon
The air around them felt free now.It had changed.It felt lighter.It seems charged with a positive energy that neither of them had ever felt before in their lives in awhile.All the weight of the marriage contract and legal obligations attached to it had just melted away.There was only one thing now.It was their love for each other.And it was very real.They could feel and experience it.Ciel could not help himself.He kept smiling as he walked beside Roxanne.Same goes for Roxanne too.Both of them were smiling like two young teenagers in love.It was strange.It felt surreal.To be this happy.To feel completely lost in the moment.They had been together for a while now, living as husband and wife.But they were against each other.Living against their emotions.Against the world.But now, in the woods, walking, hands in hands together, it felt like they have truly won in life.It was still morning as they kept hiking.The morning sun cast a golden glow over the landscape of th
Behind Ciel, Roxanne's heart was pounding so fast in her chest.She could not say if it was from when Ciel had confessed his love to her or a reaction to the sudden sound of rustling leaves in the distance.For a moment before the interruption, she was already set to give him an answer. She needed to admit to herself finally what she had understood and known for a while now.Which is the fact that she had also fallen for him completely.But before she could have done that, they heard the rustling sound and Ciel's protective nature had kicked in instinctively.He had shielded her from the possible danger with his body, and from whatever that may be hiding in the woods.“Stay behind me.” He said with a low and firm voice.She nodded, as her fingers gripped his sleeve subconsciously.She was not afraid of whatever that was in the forest, atleast.Her fear was the emotions within her heart, a truth of her life she needed to confront all this while.Some few seconds that appeared like minu
The next morning, it was a bit late when Roxanne woke up from sleep.Rays of sunlight was already slipping through her curtains into the room.Giving an idea of how long she had slept.She stretched her body, as she felt a sense of lightness Settle in her chest.It felt unfamiliar.She remembered the kiss with Ciel from last night.And she realized she could not push it away no matter how hard she tried.His gentle touch and how it made her tingle kept playing in her mind.Although she had let guard down and gotten intimate with him since they got married, in the back of her mind, she kept reminding herself that their marriage was nothing more than a contract.It was just a means to an end.But now, she wondered if that was really the case as it stands now.She was still thinking when her thoughts was interrupted by a knock on the door of her room.“Come in,” she said, thinking it was one of the domestic staff.But it was Ciel that came inside.He came in and leaned against the frame
The air around them was cool as they kept on enjoying the moment with each other.The park gave them a chance the enjoy free and cool serene environment.Also, it was a perfect backdrop for the closeness they were feeling at the moment.He placed a hand on hers and the warmth of their skin touching sent tingles up her am.It was a funny and strangely comforting feeling.It had been long she had this some of ease with a man, and now she is getting it with Ciel and not just anyone.Ciel, in his usual manner, kept still and exuded a confidence that tells something about his Status.His crisp shirt was flying around as the air blew it.There was softeness in the way he held her, it was in contrast to the icy demeanor he always carried around whenever he is at work.They decided to leave the park since it was getting late.Even though, neither of them was in a hurry to get home.Roxanne looked at him from the corner of her eye, as she glanced at the streetlights on the alley.They walked s
The city noise was gentle around them as Roxanne stood, facing Ciel, who was still smirking.She smiled at him too after his answer.She knew he was also hesitant to give a direct answer.And although she knew the right answer to all the questions she was asking him, she just wanted him to say it.The evening air was blowing against their body.They had a nice and lovely dinner. It had been warm, and intimate in a way she had not expected. The same feeling goes for Ciel.After the dinner, they had decided to walk around a bit with no particular reason or destination in mind.It was strange to her how everything had felt natural between them for a while now.He looked at her, his hands were inside the pockets of his trousers.He had stopped smirking.“You are quiet.”It was her turn to smirk.“You say that like it's something bad.”“No, no, it's not bad.” He said.“It is just unusual. You always have something to say. But silence does not look good on you.”She scoffed, playfully nudgi
It was evening period the day Roxanne finally finished the training she had been undergoing under one of Ciel's associate.She was now fully prepared for all the turns of corporate life.She inhaled as she held her shirt tighter around her shoulders.The past few weeks had been time consuming for her.It was focused on refining her skills, mastering the art of negotiation in business, and also sharpening her ability to take charge as the leader that she is with a solid confidence.She had been receptive towards the teaching and had worked tirelessly to understand how the intricate business world works, it's politics and the power plays that goes on.Every session of the training had pushed her further, breaking down her old self and rebuilding her into a stronger woman.A bit too strong.But now, she is done with it.She had completed every single one of the training.But as she stepped out of the building she was in, there was this unexpected feeling in her chest, lingering there as
She looked at her mother as she smirked.She could not determine what was going through her mind.She had just told her she needed to be smarter about the way she approaches things, especially when it concerns Roxanne.And she realized she was right.At this point, the whole family is in a mess, all because everything they tried to do to make Roxanne feel like shit ended up elevating her, and they are put to shame.Her mother too was staring back at her with a smirk and for a moment, it felt like both of them were in a battle to know who stares harder.Finally, she said.“Before we proceed with whatever it is that we would do later on, I want you to know that I was deeply disappointed with what you did at the competition though.”She sighed.“The consequences of what you have done may take some time before it goes away.”Reina's heart raced with different emotions.She felt ashamed as she listened to Evelyn speak.The words got to her and it took great composure not to have cried at t
After Martha had left, she was left alone in the big mansion with her thoughts.Asides her domestic staff, she was the only one at home and due to that, there was lots of quiet.However, the heavy silence was pressing down on her like a big stone as she relaxed on the sofa in the living room.She grabbed the glass she was drinking from earlier and gulped down the wine inside it, as she replayed what Martha said about her daughter over and over again in her mind.The fact she came to her home to mock her about it made the whole thing stung.This would not have happened if Reina had not been irrational, and had just listened to her.She had told her not to do anything irrational, else she would not be there to help clean up her mess.But she had not listened.Even the mess she had gotten herself into was something even she, her mother, can not even help her from if she wanted to.Martha had had a smirk on that had been meant to subtly let her know how much of a failure she was as a moth
Evelyn Renwick, the wife of Derek Renwick sat in her living, sipping from a glass of wine. Her grand space had lovely lights all over, but the beauty of her surrounding could not help her sour mood. The news about Roxanne's rise to fame and power had not passed her by. Not a day goes by that she does not read about her exploits on the internet. There were numerous articles written about her, her new fame and power status in the Fashion industry. “Roxanne Sebastien: The New Face of the Fashion World.” “From an unknown woman to a Fashion Mogil- How she Beat the Odds!” “The Big Slam Victory at Curl's Competition - Roxanne's Dominance!” She curled her lips in disdain whenever she come across such articles. It was not enough that she had ruined her husband, but now she had the audacity to outshine Reina? The thought of it made her chest burn with frustration. Her daughter, Reina, had called her the day after the scandal unfolded at the competition, ranting about her Roxanne's