Chapter One_ The things I do for love.

Isabella point of view.

“So you prefer the social construct of dating for dating sake,” Cameron had asked me the first time we held a discussion concerning marriages, “No strings attached?”

I had proceeded to groan really loudly and almost suffocate myself with the pillow she had gotten for me last year.

But I did the one thing that was socially acceptable.

I raised my eyes to the ceiling, letting out a silent sigh “I want a really committed relationship, but not one that would eventually lead to marriage. It would be way better than marriage.”

When I was younger, I hated the whole concept of marriage. Our neighbourhood certainly didn’t help to promote the whole marriage image well, too. There were always talks of someone getting a divorce or someone’s father cheating on them.

My parent’s marriage was the only exception in the ton.

The wide-eyed look Cameron kept giving strongly suggested she must have thought someone must have dropped me when I was baby, the possible cause of my mental issues. The reason for the first five seconds of silence I was able to enjoy since I met Cameron when I was in my junior year of college.

I loved her, though, because she would never judge me too harshly or judge me at all.

Wriggling my toes to admire the paint job Cameron had done on my toenails, wondering why the universe decided to bless me with such a talented best friend, albeit one that refused to understand me.

She placed her hand on her hips, a mischievous smile on her lips as she began swaying from side to side. And just when I finally understood what she was trying to do, moments before I could stop her, she busted out some dance moves.

Moves that would definitely get her kicked out of any dance show she decided to contest in.

“I had no idea my view on marriage would require such a grand performance,” I blinked at her, unsure if I was supposed to be horrified or amused.her legs shuffled awkwardly and she was at the verge of loosing her balance. “It is not changing my mind, though.”

Then, she proceeded to strike a final pose, hands on her hips while she grinned like an insane person.

“I don’t think anything can change your mind.”

“But I do want to get married, and I intend to do that soon. It would be a grand wedding, filled with everything I have ever loved and wanted. I also want a fat baby after the wedding, a chunky little one with the eyes I fell in love with. That is the greatest combination of them all.”

I shook my head in disbelief, “And for some reason, that needed an intro dance? Most people would start by just opening their mouth to say what they want.”

“But where is the fun in that?” she winked at me and blew an air kiss in my direction before proceeding to pack u her supplies.

“So does he seem like he is ready to pop the question now?” I asked mildly interested in what happens between her and he boyfriend.

While I absolutely love Cameron, I hated her one month on and one month off boyfriend whom she started dating last year. They were the cutest whenever they were together, going on dates and vacations and generally just having a great time. The main reason for their issues was Cameron was very interested in getting married before she turned twenty-five.

And he wasn’t.

She shook her head no, already sniffing, “Sadly no. But I can wear him down, I know I can.”

That was the exact reason why it was god to talk about ones interest at the beginning of the relationship before emotions and numerous orgasms get in the way. Everyone of my exes shared my view on a committed relationship, ending our relationship when it no longer served a purpose or just simply disappearing after one date.

My phone buzzed to life in my hands. I finally received the text I had been waiting for, my phone flashing with the notification.

I quickly shoved my phone down to delete the text before Cameron could see it.

"What's that?" Cameron asked, her eyes bright in interest.

"A text from my assistant, some part of the work has been completed and I have some models ready" I replied, my brain coming up with whatever lie I could use as a continuation "The rest of the work would be done by tomorrow apparently."

My heart skipped a beat when I realized I was doing the one thing I hoped to never do to a sweet girl like meron. Lying to her had never been my plan. She was already way too trusting and thought everyone she met liked her.

I watched her make her way to my closet, ruffling through everything to get her hand on the pair of jeans she wanted so badly as payment for her services. My heart practically skipped a beat when I received another message from Gilbert, Jasmine’s boyfriend.

G: Hurry up. They said they would close up the building soon so we would have as much privacy as we need.

Me: I am on my way, Captain.

I just needed to wait for my best friend to fall asleep. A pang of remorse pricked at my conscience, at what I was about to do, my gaze darted away from Cameron in discomfort.

*****

I had no idea how anyone back home was doing. Not since dad practically drove me out of the house and out of town six years ago. I kept bugging my aunt to let me speak to them during my first year, but she never agreed. She always had some sort of chore for me, something to make me forget.

Eventually, I stopped asking.

It was her own way of making sure I never knew my dad died a few months after I left, and my mom had to go into a depressive spiral. I hid the notes and the pictures I received from my stalker about them, careful to make sure she never saw them.

Taking a deep breath, I walked down the length of the large hall he intended on renting for his proposal to Cameron the next day. He had this puppy dog love struck look on his face as the attendant practically bragged about being the best in the game of decorations.

Gilbert seemed to appreciate the stale jokes the attendant kept saying in between every sentence. Those were the things that made me wonder why she was with him anyway. Yes, he was very handsome with brown hair that seemed to reflect every shades of brown when the sun graced it at random hours of the day, he had a chiselled jawline and his eyes were like a body of water one can chose to drown in.

Cameron’s words.

He was also an incredibly shallow, rich snob.

“Your taste might need a bit of improvement if you don’t agree to this place. It is beautiful.” Gilbert said the moment his attention was on me again and not the attendant.

The hall he had chosen embodied extravagance, the kind of place that would show up in G****e's top results. It was the perfect place for a royal wedding, a sharp difference from my earlier recommendations of taking her on a boat cruise or a simple date and popping the question.

The hall was a lavish sprawl of crystal chandeliers, velvet drapes and marble floors that shimmered like diamonds under the light.

“You are the true meaning of wasting money,” I almost scoffed at him before turning my attention to the attendant. “There should be a flower ring or whatever you call those flower shaped stuff that spells out words. I want ‘will you marry me, Cameron’ hung at the centre of the hall, complete with flower petals on the ground. The violin version of ‘I wanna be yours’ should be played first”

I had no idea why I did it, but I asked, just to be sure.

“I hope you have the resources to fund everything I asked for?”

I wasn’t going to win any award in his books, and neither was he in mine, but to make my best friend happy, I was willing to endure the intolerable Gilbert.

He smirked, “I could plan an engagement party for you too if you consent to it.”

My hand tightened around my purse strap, the fabric creaking in protest, as I bit back the urge to strike at him.

The vibrations from my phone stopped the train of insults and cuss words I needed to attack him with. Saved by the bell or by the call in this case.

“I am kind of very busy at the moment, Cameron. Can we talk…”

She didn’t let me complete the rest of my sentence before proceeding to interrupt me. I winced, extending the phone away from my ears to save me from the piercing shreik.

“There is a package for you here,” She said once she was done.

I rolled my eyes, “Except for some reason, that package is made of gold or something, I see no reason for you to call me. I will deal with it when I come home.”

That should have been the moment where I told her to burn whatever was in that box to ashes. We would have lived our life like that box never came.

I walked away from Gilbert and the bad jokes attendant towards the garage where my black Porsche cayenne sat, waiting for me.

“It is from your mom. Lilian Wells.” Cameron took a deep breath like those words weren’t like some sort of dynamite, ready to blow everything up if it so chooses. “And it contains an engagement ring from Zachary Newman.”