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CHAPTER FOUR.
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2024-04-17 15:21:48DANIELLE'S P.O.V
"You've got to be kidding me!"Layla London, one of my best friends stares at me in surprise, her eyes bulging out of their sockets. My other two best friends, Janelle Wang, and Sofia Vergara mirror her expression."So, you're telling us that you're getting married to your one night stand?" Janelle asks."That about summarizes it, yes" I reply.The three of them keep staring at me in surprise. The news of my impending engagement and marriage, alone, must be hard for them to comprehend, talk less of the fact that I had a one night stand with my husband to be.After dad broke the dreadful news of his illness to me, I began to understand why he was so hard on me. Dad is usually indulgent and does whatever I want him to and I, in return, do whatever he asks of me, but the topic of my marriage had caused a rift between us.I started to see why he would not budge and why he was insistent on marrying me off to a rich family.I went to the dining room and pretended to be the best daughter, bride, and in law anyone could ever hope for and I succeeded in fooling everyone but Adrian,of course. He kept shooting glares at me throughout the night and I reciprocated whenever our fathers were too engrossed in conversation to notice us.The next morning, I decided to meet up with my friends at our hang out spot and break the news to them."Who's he?""Do we know him?""Is he rich?"My friends throw questions at me and I laugh at the absurdity of my present situation."One question at a time, guys" I say."Who's he?" Janelle repeats."His name is Adrian Valentino" I answerMy best friends once again stare at me, their mouths widening in surprise."Did you say Adrian Valentino?" Layla asks."Yes?" I say."The Adrian Valentino?" Janelle asks."Yes, I guess?" I say hesitantly.As they squeal in delight,like fan girls, I know there's something they know about him that I do not."What?" I ask"Adrian Valentino is the hottest topic in the country,Dannie" Layla answers."The hottest, wealthiest, and most sought after bachelor in the country. The sensation of the last two decades." Sofia says, fanning her face with her hands dramatically."And the Valentino empire, which he has been running since his father's retirement, is the biggest conglomerate in the country. The third richest in the entire world" Janelle adds, matter-of-factly"Wow!" I say"How do you not know any of this?" Layla asks.She looks at me like I am some sort of alien for not knowing anything about Adrian Valentino."I don't know, I just don't" I reply."Do you live under a rock or something?" Sofia laughs."Really?" I say, my eyebrows shooting up in demonstration."Seriously. How do you know nothing about him or the Valentino empire? They're what everybody talks about" Layla tells me.Sofia and Janelle nod their heads in agreement."Anyway. There's a party this evening to celebrate my dad's and his dad's partnership. They've decided to announce our engagement then.""A party. Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Janelle asks, a pout graces her face."You guys were busy being melodramatic" I say, laughing."How is there to be an announcement of your engagement if there is no actual engagement?" Layla asks"Our fathers are the ones setting all this up. They probably have something planned. I don't know, I don't really care.""There's no time to waste,guys. Let's go shopping." Janelle says, picking up her purse and standing."We're going to find the perfect dress for you to wear tonight" Sofia squeals.I'm surprised at how excited they are about all of this because I'm not half as excited as they are. However, I do need to get myself a dress and I will not rest until I find the perfect one for this night.I'm doing all of this for my dad. Only because of him.And maybe I'm also doing it to torment my husband to be. After all, if I'm being forced to marry, I can not be the only miserable one in the marriage. SOFT CLASSICAL music floats across the room from a live band.Tables of delicious looking food and deserts are lined up along one side of the wall while waiters in elegant and uniform tuxedos, walk around the room offering refreshments, and refilling empty champagne flutes.My dad and Adrian's dad, Alfredo Valentino, are going around the room, flutes of champagne in hand, greeting the guests of tonight's party while I stand in another corner of the ball room with my friends."Where's your husband to be?" Layla asks, looking around the room."He's a no-show" Janelle scowls."I can't blame him. I would be a no-show myself if I could help it" I mutter.I am more than ready to put this night behind me."So your dads are going to announce your engagement?" Sofia asks excitedly."That's the plan" I reply with a shrug."How do they plan to announce an engagement that hasn't even happened?" Janelle asks."I have no idea, and I could not care less" I say."He's here! He's here!" Sofia squeals in delight, fanning at her face again.I roll my eyes at how unnecessarily dramatic she's being."He's hot" Layla says.As much as it kills me to, I cannot help but agree with Layla. The chauvinistic bastard does look extremely ravishing tonight in a navy blue suit which is tailored to perfection."Who's that beside him?" I inquire from my gossip monger friends."That is Umar Zayn" Layla says."He's nicknamed Prince Charming because apart from his royal looks, he is literally royalty" Janelle adds."An Arabian Prince" Sofia sighs dramatically."Unfortunately, unlike Adrian, his best friend, Umar is infamous for his rakishness" Janelle says distastefully."Guys, act normal. Adrian Valentino is approaching us" Layla hurriedly whispers.While my friends busy themselves with 'acting normal', I roll my eyes and swirl the champagne in my flute while anticipating his arrival."Excuse me, ladies. I would like to borrow Danielle for a minute" I hear his deep sultry voice say."Oh, sure""Go ahead and take her for as long as you need""Don't bring her back anytime soon"My friends beam at me so brightly, I can just tell they're about to lose their minds from the excitement they feel. I'm the only one of us who doesn't feel any need to be excited; that surely makes me the only sane person in our group."They say birds of a feather flock together" Adrian's voice breaks my wandering thoughts."I could say the same for you Mr Snotty. Show me your friend, and I'll tell you who you are" I reply with a smirk.I smile smugly in satisfaction at the scowl that graces his face."What do you want?" I ask once he has successfully maneuvered us away from eyesight.He fishes an item out from his suit pocket and pushes it into my right hand. I open my palm to see a small red velvet box which can contain none other than a ring."What is this about?""My dad asked me to give this to you in time for the announcement" he says."What am I supposed to do with this?" I ask."Chew on it, why don't you?" he answers, sarcastically."I have a much better idea. Why don't I shove it up your asshole instead?" I say sweetly.He glares at me again while I smile with glee."It's supposed to be on your finger" he says."I don't think so""What?""You don't expect me to put this on my own finger, do you?""How else is it supposed to get on your finger?""The normal traditional way""Don't you think highly of yourself?""I'm not going into that room without that ring on my finger, and there is no chance in hell that I will place it on my finger , so you have one of two options to pick. I either go into that room with the ring on my finger, in time for the announcement and save both our faces, or I stay out here, miss the announcement and destroy both my reputation and that of the Valentinos. I don't think you'd want to lose face in public given how prestigious your family is"Adrian looks at me like he is planning millions of ways to murder me in his head, but I don't really care because I know I'm going to win this argument.He sighs and collects the box from me. Watching him get on one knee and proposing to me in the traditional way with a constipated look on his face is the highlight of my entire day. I should take a picture.I watch, delightedly, as he gets back on his feet and storms off into the room."Danny 1, Adrian 0"Related chapters
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DANIELLE'S P.O.V"Good evening, everyone" Alfredo Valentino's powerful voice carries in the dimly lit room.Everyone turns towards the podium where Alfredo and my dad stand, microphones and champagne flutes occupying their hands."We thank every one of you for honoring our invite to join us in celebrating the partnership of our companies" dad says."They're about to announce your engagement" Sofia gushes excitedly.I glance across the room at Adrian who stands with Umar, his hands in his pockets as usual. As if sensing my gaze, he looks at me and our eyes lock. I smirk, subtly wave my left hand and watch in smug satisfaction as his facial muscles strain into a scowl."We appreciate that you took time out of your schedules to felicitate with us and we would like to use this opportunity to announce a further alliance of our families." Alfredo says."The forging of our families into an eternal bond through the marriage of our children, Danielle and Adrian" dad finishes.The entirety o
Last Updated : 2024-04-17Sweet, Sweet, Nightmare. CHAPTER SIX.
SERAPHINA'S P.O.V. "You look gorgeous" Layla, Sofia, and I, hooted at and applauded Janelle as she walked out of the dressing room in a sexy and elegant fuschia colored silk slip dress."It's gorgeous but I don't think it would be appropriate for a wedding" Layla said."That's true. Adrian's sister is going to be a member of the bridal train. She's still a girl; I don't think her parents and brother would like seeing her in such a dress" Sofia added."I think I would disagree to agree with that point." a smooth voice purred.My friends and I turned to see a dark haired beauty. She was tall and was elegantly dressed in a navy blue two piece suit and silver stilettos. Her perfectly manicured fingers clutched a small silver purse and silver jewelry adorned her ears, neck, and fingers. She did not look at all like the girl Sofia claimed she was."You must be Danielle." she said as she approached me.Still stunned by her, I only managed to nod in reply. She beamed with elation and h
Last Updated : 2024-04-24Sweet, Sweet, Nightmare. CHAPTER SEVEN.
DANIELLE'S P.O.V Upbeat hip-hop blared from the sound system which was connected to a smart tv that hung on the wall in the center of my bedroom. Layla and Sofia choreographed the moves displayed on the tv screen, moving their bodies in tune with the beat of the music, while Sofia and Alisia flipped through magazines, in search of the best hairstyles everyone would wear tomorrow. It was the night of my bachelorette party. The night before the deal between both Adrian's family and mine will be sealed in holy matrimony. The thought of running away had crossed my mind severally during the day but dad's voice from the night of the dinner when he told me of his illness, rang in my head everytime I pondered on the thought, successfully keeping me from going through with the plan. It scared me that my first and last shot at marriage was a sham. I had always dreamt of a fairytale marriage for myself. A marriage that would be a result of a fairytale friendship that boomed into somethin
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DANIELLE'S P.O.V I stared at myself in the mirror of my vanity. The makeup artists and hair stylists had done a spectacular job; I looked breath taking. I opted for natural makeup because I didn't want to look extravagant. The hair stylists curled my naturally curly hair and held it together in a bun with hair pins with some of the curls framing my face. Pearl earrings dangled from my ears and a delicate pearl bracelet sat on my left wrist. The day I have been dreading for the past few weeks was finally here. The D-day. I should not have counted my eggs before they hatched by thinking my nerves would be calmed by the heart to heart I had with Alisia the night before. Letting myself relax in the belief that today would go smoothly was a big mistake on my part.My hands shook in fear, and my left leg trembled from nervousness. I looked like I was having a spasm with the way my body was shuddering. I sat, staring at myself in the mirror as a rush of emotions swirled in my m
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DANIELLE'S P.O.V"Welcome New York's latest couple, the newly wedded Mr and Mrs Adrian Valentino." the master of ceremony's voice reverberated. The applause and hooting that followed was deafening. The groomsmen, which consisted of Umar, Adrian's best friend; Michael Smith, Mason Walls, and George Burrell, his friends from college; and the bridesmaids which consisted of Layla, Janelle, Sofia, and Alisia; danced into the room while I looked around the reception hall as Adrian led me to the head table which we were designated to seat at, trying to see if I recognized some of the faces present. I saw some familiar faces from the times when I would visit Dad at work while I was a college student. They waved and smiled at me as I passed and I smiled back.Adrian held on to my hand as I sat and dropped it immediately my behind was firmly planted on the chair. He sat beside me awkwardly and looked around the hall. I had a feeling that he was avoiding me. He had been behaving awkwardly s
Last Updated : 2024-04-24Sweet, Sweet, Nightmare. CHAPTER TEN.
DANIELLE'S P.O.V The music sounded distant, my head felt heavy, my heart started to beat faster than normal, my throat felt dry, and I felt like air had been knocked out of my lungs. I gulped down the rest of my champagne and dropped the empty flute on the table, thinking that the way I was feeling was probably what a panic attack usually feels like. Several thoughts started to swim in my head, provoked by his unexpected presence at the reception.How did he get information about the reception venue?Where did he get those details?Why is he here, smiling at me like we never had that heated conversation the night before? "May I have this dance?" Chase repeated. I fidgeted in my seat while desperately wishing a waiter would pass by so I could request for another refill of my champagne flute. "Come on, Dannie. Dance with me" he said. I stared at him, finding it hard to believe he was not up to something. I started to wonder what was going through his mind."I won't bite,
Last Updated : 2024-04-24Sweet, Sweet, Nightmare. CHAPTER ELEVEN.
DANIELLE'S P.O.V. My first morning as Mrs Danielle Valentino was a sad and boring one. I might be the first in the history of newly wedded ladies to wake up on a couch, still in her wedding dress, with no idea where in the world her husband was. I rubbed my neck which had become stiff from sleeping on the uncomfortable couch and looked around the sitting room. The sitting area was a big space with white colored walls on which smart tv and speakers hung from. A few black cushioned couches were placed around a long glass center table. The A.C in one corner of the room hummed gently. I stretched and twisted my arms back and forth to relieve the tension in them. I stood up from the couch and trudged around the penthouse, trying to locate a room with my belongings. Once I found a room that contained my familiar pink suitcases, I sighed in relief. I managed to take off my wedding dress after much difficulty and I threw it on the queen sized bed. I opened up a suitcase in search
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DANIELLE'S P.O.V. I woke up with a start. The disturbing sound of footsteps made my sixth sense kick in. I slowly climbed out of my bed, opting not to put on my bathroom slippers to make tiptoeing easier and noiseless. I wondered who in the world could be in the house by this time of the night. I had been sleeping alone in the penthouse for the past two weeks because my new groom, Adrian, had been a no show since the night of our wedding. I had no idea where he was, what he was doing, and how he was doing; and I honestly couldn't care less. Alisia usually made my days in the house more cheerful and fun filled; she was especially helpful and assisted me with solutions to my hunger problems by bringing various dishes cooked by the Valentino family chef, on the orders of Alvida, my mother in law. Sadly, my evenings became dreary once she had to leave me on my own. Sometimes, to alleviate the boredom e, I would take my car out for a spin, an activity that gave me immense j
Last Updated : 2024-04-24
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Sweet, Sweet, Nightmare. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-EIGHT.
ADRIAN'S P.O.V. It had been a month since the storm called Chase Sinclair, had hit our lives, leaving destruction and doubts in his wake. The air hung heavy, in my office, with the weight of unspoken words as Omar Zayn, my lifelong confidante and best friend, sat across from me. His eyes, filled with understanding, met mine, as if searching for the turmoil that had etched its mark onto my soul over the past month. The weight of the past month lingered heavily on my shoulders, and I couldn't shake the guilt that gripped my conscience. "Omar, I messed up big time," I sighed, rubbing my temples. Omar leaned in, concern etched on his face. "What happened with you two, Adrian? Last time I knew, you guys were solid. Tell me everything. Maybe there's a way to fix this." Omar said, his expression empathic. In a flash, I recalled the doubts that had plagued me and the message that had led to my questioning Danielle's fidelity " I doubted Dannie's loyalty, questioned her commitment
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DANIELLE'S P.O.V I woke up with a splitting headache. The piercing pain that seared through my head dragged me out of the depths of unconsciousness. As my eyes fluttered open, I groaned, clutching my throbbing temple. The room spun and my vision blurred as I blinked. "Where in the world am I?" I muttered while trying to make sense of my surroundings. As I tried to sit up, the sharp pain in my head intensified, sending shockwaves through my body. It felt like a sledgehammer had collided with my skull and I could hear the faint echoes of my own pained groans. With my muddled senses, I struggled to make sense of my situation. I continued to blink rapidly to clear off the dizzy spell until the dimly lit room slowly came into focus. Suddenly, I felt restraints on my wrists and ankles. "What the hell...?" I muttered pulling at the ropes that bound me and restricted my movement. On seeing that they would not budge, undiluted panic started to creep into my bod
Sweet, Sweet, Nightmare. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SIX..
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DANIELLE'S P.O.V. The hospital corridors stretched before me, a maze of sterile white walls, distant echoes of life, and busked whispers. Their white walls were an unsettling reminder of the captivity I had endured for far too long at the hands of Chase Sinclair. Determination surged through my veins as I made my way towards the women's restroom, a small glimmer of hope guiding me towards the next step in my escape. I walked with purpose and my steps were fueled by a desperate determination to reclaim my life from the clutches of the darkness that Chase had surrounded me with. My footsteps faltered as both anticipation and apprehension coursed through my veins and each footfall echoed in my ears as I made my way to the restroom. Every step that I took felt heavy with anticipation and my heart pounding in my chest as I neared the restroom. It was a moment that held the key to my freedom; the key to reuniting with my family and escaping the clutches of Chase once and for all. As
Sweet, Sweet, Nightmare. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FOUR.
DANIELLE'S P.O.V. Chase’s eyes bore into mine, and I could see the rage simmering beneath them. His gaze moved around the room, scanning for any signs of betrayal and then, suddenly, his eyes locked onto my shaking figure. A cruel smile pulled at his lips as he lunged towards me and on reaching me, he grabbed my hand with his grip tightening around my wrist. Panic engulfed me as he wrenched the phone from its hiding place under the pillow and he held it up, triumph gleaming in his eyes. “You really thought you could get away, didn’t you?” he sneered, his voice dripping with malice I stood there, transfixed to the spot by the fear that caused my heart to pound in my chest, my hands trembling. The stolen phone rested securely in Chase’s grip; a small but strong weapon that I had used against the man who had held me captive for far too long. Chase loomed over me, his eyes burning with a mix of anger and desperation. "You think you're so clever, don't you?" His voic
Sweet, Sweet, Nightmare. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY THREE.
ADRIAN'S P.O.V The walls of my office seemed to close in on me as I sat there, utterly drained from the dual onslaught of my demanding position and the storm raging inside of me. The dim lights seemed to intensify the shadows that had taken a place in my life recently and the air felt heavy as the weight of my tumultuous life burdened me. The office room felt like a prison of polished wood and cold steel and the distant hum of the city just outside of the office walls did nothing to ease the feeling of being trapped. The room that was usually a place of productivity and creativity, had. now become a battlefield between my professional obligations to the company and my personal emotions. Rubbing my temples gently, I tried to erase the persistent ache that clawed at my skull, but I couldn't seem to find relief from it. Weariness weighed heavily on my shoulders, and burden on my heart as I could not seem to get away from the shattered pieces of my broken life. The weight of my r
Sweet, Sweet, Nightmare. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-TWO.
DANIELLE'S P.O.V. The days, weeks, or perhaps months, following my abduction felt like an eternity; I had lost track of time as those moments that I spent while being trapped in this desolate room passed in a hazy blur of fear and despair. Each passing moment was filled with fear, uncertainty, and a desperate longing for my freedom, every second spent in Chase’s clutches was a reminder of the very fragile line that separated both my life and death, every waking moment that I spent in that godforsaken room was tainted by the knowledge that I was at the mercy of a man I once called a friend; a man whom I had thought to forgive and let go of the hurtful things that he had done to me in the past; a man that had now turned into an obsessed captor; a man that had snatched me away from my peaceful existence. The room was always dark and even with the air conditioner, who’s hum served as the only other source of sound in the dreary space, it always felt suffocating as the only other me
Sweet, Sweet, Nightmare. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY ONE.
DANIELLE'S P.O.V. I did not know how long I slept for, or how many days had passed by while I was in a state of unconsciousness; all I could remember when I slowly opened my eyes, the heaviness of sleep still lingering in my limbs, was that I had been taken against my will and the culprit of my kidnapping was none other than my former childhood friend and recently reconciled nemesis. As my vision started to clear, I found myself in a dimly lit room; it was not as small as the one I had previously woken up in, but it felt the same to me as I felt the sterile walls closing in on me. Panic coursed through my veins as the memories of the events leading up to my kidnapping flooded my mind. My heart raced and thumped loudly in my chest as the realization of my situation settled in once more. I would give anything to exact as much pain on the culprit of my predicament and source of my pain at that moment. Chase Sinclair! A name that I had once associated with friendship; a name that
