LOGINShare
CHAPTER FOUR
Last Updated:
2024-06-28 02:05:42Claire stared into the mirror, watching the maids make her up.
It's finally the day of her wedding–Josie's wedding. Since the past two days, Claire's life has changed drastically.
All her life, she has always wished to live in a mansion. Wear nice, expensive clothes, Bath in a tub, walk in nice shoes to nice places. Live a luxurious life. And somehow in the blink of an eye. She has all of that. And hell, she was now about to get married to one of the most successful and young business men in Washington.
But none of the changes in her life made Claire happy. Not the clothes, not even the title as the CEO of a huge company. Cause this wasn't how she wished for these things to happen. She wanted to achieve these things by herself and make herself and her younger brother happy.
She never wanted to live a lie and that was exactly what she was doing now.
The thought of it all alone brought tears to Claire's eyes and she blinked them back.
A knock came on the door and the door opened, revealing Mrs Arrington and the maids stopped all they were doing as they moved away from Claire.
" Josie. " Anna called, walking into the room and Claire swallowed deeply, feeling her skin shoot up.
She could never get used to any of this. She thought.
" Yes, mom, " Claire muttered, looking at Anna through the mirror.
" Oh, you look so stunning, my dear. " Anna said, smiling and Claire forced back a smile.
" Are you done? " Anna Arrington asked, turning her gaze to the maids.
" Just the necklace now, ma'am. " One of them responded.
" Oh, don't worry about it. I have one. You all can leave. " Anna said and the maids bowed, walking out of the room.
The door shut behind them and Anna's smile disappeared. She opened the box in her hand and brought out a sliver, teardrop necklace.
" I was going to give this to Josie as a wedding gift. " Anna said, dropping the box on the table.
She unlocked the necklace and wore it on Claire.
" You don't… You don't have to. " Claire said.
" I should. You are my daughter now. " Anna said and Claire gulped in, touching the necklace and she stared at herself in the mirror and Claire couldn't deny she looked just like Josie.
The door opened and Jason Arrington walked in.
Claire felt her heartbeat thud when their gaze met. Since that day he had a gun pointed to her head. His face alone became a nightmare.
" It's time. " His deep voice said.
" Common. " Anna said but Claire halted.
" I want to see my brother. " She said and Anna looked at her husband who frowned.
" We had a deal that you will see him after the wedding. " Jason gritted.
" Yes, but I have been doing exactly what you want and you have my brother locked away to god knows where. How do I know you haven't killed him? " Claire asked.
" I can assure you your brother is doing perfectly fine. " Anna said.
" I am not going anywhere until I see him. " Claire stated adamantly and the Arrington's stared at each other.
" Fine. " Jason said.
" Come with me. " He added, walking out the door and Claire glanced at Anna who also walked out while she trailed behind them.
They arrived at a room where two guards stood and they bowed slightly, opening the door.
" I need to go in alone. " Claire said and she counted seconds before Jason spoke,
" You have got only two minutes. " He said and Claire walked into the room, shutting the door behind.
She walked to the bed where Cole laid covered with the duvet and she heard him sniffing.
She stared at his meal which was placed on the table and it was untouched.
" Cole? " Claire called and he immediately sat up.
" Claire. " He said, his voice croaked and she moved to the bed, hugging him.
" Claire. I thought you were dead. " He sobbed.
" I am fine. I am fine. " She cooed, caressing his hair.
" Oh, thank god. You are okay. " she mumbled and they disengaged.
" Stop crying. Everything is fine. " Claire said, wiping his tears and he shook his head.
" No. It's not. I don't like this place. I don't like these people. They are creepy. Who are they, Claire? What do they want with us? '' Cole bombarded her with questions and Claire fluttered her eyelids, blinking back her tears.
" They are no one, okay? I promise everything will be fine. "
" Stop lying to me. " Cole half yelled.
" Why are you dressed in a wedding gown? What's going on? " Cole questioned and Claire was mute.
" I want to leave, Claire. I hate it here. I am scared. " He sobbed and Claire hugged him.
" I am sorry. I am so sorry. " She mumbled.
" Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong? "
" I know. I know. But I am sorry, okay? I am sorry you are going through any of this. " Claire said and the door opened causing both of them to finch as they pulled away from each other.
" Your time is up. " Jason Arrington said and Claire sniffed, turning her gaze to Cole.
" Hey. " She said, cupping his face.
" I will be back soon, okay? Just wait for me. " Claire said.
" Where are you going? " Cole asked.
" Eat your food and wait for me. " Claire said, kissing him swiftly on the forehead and she stood up, walking out the door.
The guards shut the door and Claire followed the Arrington's down the stairs.
They arrived outside and Claire inhaled the fresh air. She felt like a prisoner who had just gained her freedom more staring at the sky.
" The guards opened the car door and she hopped in, watching Jason Arrington take the front seat while Anna sat beside her.
The guard started the car and drove out of the mansion, joining the roads.
Soon the car pulled over at a building and the guard turned off the car engine, alighting the car. He opened the door for her and Claire gently stepped out of the car.
A maid who was chosen as her bridesmaid helped her with her wedding dress as they walked into the building.
They arrived at a door and Claire inhaled sharply.
She can't believe she was really doing this. Getting married to a stranger.
She had dreamed of falling in love with a nice, caring and rich guy who loved her genuinely.
And as Jason Arrington held her hand. The door opened, revealing a bunch of people whose gaze turned. As they walked in, Claire sighted her supposed groom who was standing at the altar.
She shifted her gaze to the man standing beside Ryan and Claire felt the whole ground should swallow her when their gaze met.
Lo and behold. It was Mason Rogers.
He is her groom's best man?
Oh, no. She panicked.
" Smile. It's a wedding not a funeral. " Jason Arrington whispered and Claire forced a smile as they walked past him and she could feel Mason's gaze on her but Claire didn't dare look at him as she hoped against hope that he didn't recognize her.
Jason finally let go of her hand as she stepped on the altar, facing her supposed groom and Claire felt the air leave her lungs as she stared at him.
He had messy blonde hair, honey, brown eyes, straight nose and thin lips.
He was nothing but gorgeous. She thought.
He stared back at her with no atom of expression on his face.
The priest said a few words and finally the vows were said.
" You may now kiss the bride. " The priest said and Claire's eyes widened like she hadn't thought of that.
And honestly, she hasn't.
She watched him walk close to her, covering the space between them and Claire held her breath when he pressed his lips to her. Her eyes snapped shut as she stood still to the ground, feeling a knot tie at her belly when his hand rested on her waist.
The audience stood up and cheered and he gently pulled away.
Claire exhaled softly, staring into his eyes and he turned his gaze away from her to the audience.
She stared at people who continued to clap, all having wide smiles on their faces and Ryan grabbed her hand, walking them down the altar.
They began to receive congratulatory handshakes and Claire grew exhausted from forcing smiles at a bunch of strangers.
Ryan was soon weaseled away from her side and Claire tried to find a breathing space amongst the crowd which surrounded her.
" Claire? " A voice called and she stopped dead on her tracks, feeling her heartbeat thud against her chest.
Who would call her by her real name in such a place? She believes everyone here thinks she is Josie Arrington. Claire thought and she gently turned on her heels to see Mason Rogers and Claire swallowed nothing.
Oh no. She panicked, staring at him.
Related chapters
Twisted Fate Behind The Facade
Panic was written all over Claire’s face as she kept staring at him, at a loss of words. Knowing the kind of person Mason was, Claire knew that she was in big trouble. Quickly, Claire grabbed her gown and walked away. Unfortunately, Mason went after Claire. “Hey, stop, I need to talk to you,” Mason whispered in Claire’s ears when he was close enough to her.“There’s nothing to talk about so stop following me,” Claire replied, unwillingly to give Mason an audience and without stopping.“I'm sorry, pardon my bad manners, It's just that you seemed quite familiar to me. I'm Mason, a close friend of Ryan and a family friend of the Golds,” said Mason, extending his hand to Claire for a handshake.Claire looked down at Mason’s hands, and then back at him, trying her best to hide her hate towards him. Eventually, she decided it would be suspicious to not take the handshake on a first meeting with him so she took his handshake and shook him firmly.“I'm Josie, it's nice to meet you,” Claire
Last Updated : 2024-07-22Twisted Fate A Dance of Deception
Ryan looked at Bethany, surprised by her suggestion. Ryan had known Bethany for a while and had never seen her dance so it was shocking when she suggested they do so.Unsure of Bethsny’s dancing skills and unwillingness to engage in any activity that would make him look less cool, Ryan decided to ask for clarity on what he heard her ask before he gave her a reply.“Did you just ask for a dance?” Ryan asked.“Yes, I did. Is there anything wrong with that?” Bethany replied. Ryan paused, he had heard correctly so he had to give her a reply now. Ryan could turn her down if he wanted but he felt it would be good if the groom and bride were dancing with different people so he decided to accept her request.“You sure you're up to it? I'm a really good dancer?” said Ryan taking Bethany’s hand and standing up.“Oh. Show me then,” Bethany replied.“My pleasure, try to keep up,” said Ryan.They went to the dancefloor and Claire couldn't believe what she was seeing. The same girl she had danced
Last Updated : 2024-07-23Twisted Fate A Game of Chance
Claire couldn't believe her ears. These guys were unbelievable, they were willing to lose such an amount on just an ordinary dance.It was bizarre even for people of such caliber so she was taken aback by Ryan’s response. If this was how they spent carelessly, Claire began to wonder how exactly rich people stayed rich.“No, that wouldn't get enough people interested. I say we go bigger, let’s do five hundred thousand instead,” Ryan replied.Mason smiled mischievously again and Claire wondered why. To him, It seemed he was going to win.However, Claire was getting tired and wasn't sure how long she would last if she continued dancing at such a high level.“I accept your challenge. However, I'm bored of this song. Ask the DJ to change it, and also set up everything before we dance. You're trending so we should get the minimum required number of viewers within seconds,” Mason said.“On it, said Ryan,” walking away to where the DJ was and explaining everything to him. The DJ was surprised
Last Updated : 2024-07-24Twisted Fate The Deceiver's Game
Claire felt nervous sitting beside Ryan in the backseat. She didn't know the kind of person he was. Even though their wedding was arranged, she thought he was still going to demand sex.It wouldn't be out of place if he demanded it anyway. After all, it was their wedding night, and it was clear she had no choice but to accept.The driver was driving very fast, and their bodies brushed each other several times, making her shiver. It was like he would grab her any moment from now, and the stench of beer on him wasn't helping matters.Earlier, Mason and she had won the dance, and Ryan hadn't been pleased about it. After Ryan lost, he whispered in Claire’s ear that a woman is supposed to help her husband and not bring him down.Claire had been terrified and unable to utter a word when he began to laugh suddenly. Still, she couldn't tell whether he was offended or not.Many rumors had been spread about Ryan, and the entire city knew he didn't value women. Today, she was beginning a new lif
Last Updated : 2024-07-27Twisted Fate Beyond the Masquerade
Claire woke up the next morning in a mansion. Although she had experienced wealth at its highest level in the last few days, once she opened my eyes that morning and saw the mansion in broad daylight, It was like she had gotten an immediate superior awareness.The mansion epitomized beauty, showing the inhabitants lived the best possible life. The bed alone was half the size of her former apartment, and the guest room given to her was bigger than the entirety of it.The walls were decorated with fine furniture, which probably cost thousands. Claire stood up to observe the rest of the room, and she wondered why the room needed a wardrobe when it was built with the idea of accommodating guests.Most people moving in would probably have their luggage with them, which was supposed to be more than enough.If this was a room meant for the guests that came to this house, Claire found herself wondering how large the size of the family members would be.This was a bit much for just about anyon
Last Updated : 2024-07-29Twisted Fate A Soul Unseen
Claire followed because there was nothing more to do, and she had no choice. They both went In and left the billionaire to his bodyguards.“Claire, I was impressed with your performance; I didn't know you were such a talented dancer. It was very interesting to watch your battle online. Don't tell anyone, but I was rooting for you, “ she said, saying the last part in whispers.Claire smiled, embarrassed after that moment. She had been very happy and satisfied when they won because of how it made Bethany feel.It turns out that betting higher than the boys was more dangerous than it seemed. Unlike them, who were guys and didn't care about anything, Bethany was not used to losing, and she was very angry, having to give away that huge amount of money to him for free.Claire had kept a straight face throughout the dance and afterward, but she had been laughing inside as the sight had been very funny.After the dance, Bethany had eyed her and left, showing her disgust. If only they had agre
Last Updated : 2024-07-31Twisted Fate Forced Alliances
Claire blinked and punched her arm to make sure she was alive. It was like she had heard the world was coming to an end. Two million dollars was a lot of money and one she wasn't ready to handle.Although she had been lusting for power, she still felt that she was in trouble. With the amount she was given, she knew he would be asking her to do other things soon.“What are you up to?” Claire asked, getting ahold of herself.“That's no way to talk to your Dad or appreciate a gift. I wasn't sure that you would see through the wedding till the end. Even though you had rejected the money I initially offered, as a businessman, I can't let you make such an unreasonable choice,” Jason said.Claire bit her lip, she wanted to reject the money but all of a sudden, her mouth didn't belong to her. It was as though she had lost the ability to speak anymore.“To be clear, this doesn't make a difference to me. You're still an inconsiderable person who has no human feelings,” said Claire.“Whatever, I
Last Updated : 2024-08-02Twisted Fate The Mother's Interest
The door opened, and Claire sat and put her phone on the desk. In the large room, she felt like little.A lady walked in, pushing a tray of food. Claire hadn't ordered any food, so she was shocked by this, but she was even more surprised when she saw the next person who walked in.“Come quickly, you sloth. Do you think I have time for your laxity?” Said a voice from outside the door.Judging by the voice, Claire could tell it wasn't someone she had met before. It sounded more domineering and made her feel like she had to be on her guard.Claire certainly did, as the next person who walked in was Melissa Gold, Ryan’s Mom.Claire was taken aback when she walked in. She had met her once at the wedding but hadn't had a serious conversation with her.In truth, she hadn't had any conversations with her as Melissa was too busy with other activities.The only time they made eye contact was when she was dancing with Mason. At that moment, she had managed to catch her glance at her, and for a f
Last Updated : 2024-08-06
Latest chapter
Twisted Fate A Chance of Encounter
Come on!” Mason growled as he slammed into the lady from the back repeatedly while she moaned. “Yes, baby,” she screamed in response. Mason was in a hotel room and having fun with another one of his many chicks when his phone rang.At first, Mason ignored the call, but when it persisted, he decided to check it out. Mason put the lady on him to ride him herself and checked the phone.It was a call from the person he had hired to find out as much as she could about Josie, and it seemed that he now had an update for him. Mason reluctantly shifted the woman off him, and he went to the verandah to answer the call as he never let anyone listen to his conversations, no matter how close they were to him.“Hello, this better be good. You're interrupting my fun time, and I don't like this,” Mason said arrogantly.“Well, if you want, I could always call back when you are done with your trysts,” the man replied, unwilling to accept any nonsense from him.Mason was not happy about this, and he
Twisted Fate A Moment of Respite
The laughter filled the room as she and the old lady discussed extensively. It was not a short discussion, resulting from her trying to be as lovely and caring as possible.One thing led to another, and they began discussing the Television shows she enjoyed watching in Josie’s house.It was not surprising that they had access to the same kind of movies, but it was shocking that the staff of the Gold’s could manage to find enough time to watch a movie.Knowing a little about Ryan and about how the workers feared him, it was shocking that they had the guts to dare to use their working hours for some fun.Although she had clarified that she got some favors over the others, it was still hard to imagine that Ryan would let such a thing go on under his roof.Nevertheless, the woman knew more about the movie than Claire herself, and it hurt her to know that.Josie had been the one to fall in love with the movie at first, and it was because of her that Claire had even gotten to find out about
Twisted Fate A Convenient Affair
After a long ride, they got to the restaurant, and both got out. It was a restaurant known for privacy, so there was no risk of getting the information out to the public and being in the media's crosshairs.It was a safe restaurant used by the rich for their affairs, and it was known to keep whatever happened in it a secret.Sitting across from Bethany made Ryan feel different. It made him feel a different kind of peace. Although he did not like her and had no interest in her, It was nice to stay with someone he considered a friend in a nice restaurant like that one.Bethany was beaming with smiles and forcing him to do the same. Mason had advised him to go for dinner with Bethany as he felt he needed the female company of a person who wanted him.Ryan had been stubborn to accept this Idea, but in the end, he had been forced to eventually go for it as he realized that it was useless being tough and all.Although he was married, it was not the kind of marriage anyone would want or hope
Twisted Fate The Cost of Survival
Claire held her breath and signed out of exhaustion. She knew she had no other choice but to carry out the task.After all, her brother's life was on stage here. He had already given her an ultimatum through a messageClaire now had limited time to get what he needed across to him. It was wild how demanding he was of her, but knowing fully what he had achieved, she had decided she would do it as he pleased.The earlier she could get her brother out of the crosshairs of a madman like Josie’s father, the better for herself and him.Claire took a deep breath; she was just about to get out of bed and try to get the picture of the document when she heard a faint knock on the door.Immediately, she panicked and asked who it was. A frail voice replied, and she saw that it was his,, the head of the household domestic servants.Claire was relieved and asked her to come in. The door opened, and the woman wished in with a food tray.It was just then that Claire realized that she hadn't taken any
Twisted Fate A Complex Bond
“Yeah, but don't be so proud of yourself; you weren't great in the game either. After all, if not for the large sums of money you had access to, we both know you wouldn't have as many girls as you did at the time,” Ryan responded.Mason laughed, and so did Ryan. The point was simple. Although it was the truth, no one cared. As long as he managed to get the girls he wanted to do what he wanted, nothing else mastered a man like Mason.A few girls claimed to love him genuinely, but Mason never took any of them seriously as he felt they were only lying and wanted to keep him all to themselves.It was one of the disadvantages of that lifestyle and, ultimately, why Ryan stopped. It was because no matter how sincere the girl might look, there was always the risk that she was after you for the gold.Ryan’s reputation did not help, so it was the same in my adult years. Eventually, he returned to that lifestyle when I saw that the few girls he tried out disappointed himAnd then, when he couldn
Twisted Fate The Price of Power
Ryan was not happy about this because he felt his pride was slightly damaged, but he took it in as Mason was a perfect friend of his and he was also an essential personality, and asides from all that, he was also here to see him and keep him company.“Welcome, man, have your seat,” Ryan said.“Thanks, Buddy,” Mason replied.“So, how has it been?” Ryan asked when they had both sat down.Mason sighed and took off his suit in his usual fashion. Mason wore a suit every day, and yet he was never ready to keep it on.As soon as he got the chance to get the suit off, he would always take it off without hesitation. It was his ritual, and naturally, Ryan was already used to it by now.“It's been a wild man. Last week, I met a mad lady by the name of Rebecca. She is everything young in a lady and more. Rebecca is so hot and crazy in the bedroom,” Mason said, causing the two to laugh.Ryan smiled and shook his head; only Mason would feel that was an appropriate answer.Mason was always praising
Twisted Fate The Mastermind's Plan
“Calm down, why are you yelling? I'm the one who should be angry here, and I'm not even angry, but still, you're feeling tense. Is there a reason why you are acting up?” I asked.“No, I'm okay. I don't even know what you are talking about. I don't feel tense or bad,” he replied; there was anger in his voice, and she could hear it.“You need to calm down. I don't know what you're going through, but you have to stay strong. You can't lose yourself for any reason. If you do, what will become of you when you regain freedom?” Claire asked, trying to be subtle with him.It was not who she wanted to be. She was too far away from him to make him hate her when it was unnecessary.It was one thing to lose access to him and another to lose her love in his eyes when she looked into them, and she hoped she would.“I don't know. I'm sorry, I guess,” he replied dryly.“Do you know you're being bad right now, “ Claire asked angrily.“That's enough. If you have any other thing to say to him, then you
Twisted Fate The Puppeteer's Gambit
Knowing the kind of man that he was, Claire knew he could want that, and with his last reply, she had already established the fact that he had a motive against their family.So many questions began going through her my. Why was he after the Golds? Was it for wealth or satisfaction?The idea that a family who was not as powerful as the Golds was trying to play rocks with them amazed her.It made her wonder why Josie was sent to marry Ruan in the first place if it was for a motive, and she was curious as to whether Josie was aware of the evil plan he was preparing or not. It wasn't too far-fetched to think such a thing. After all, she had been suicidal for a reason, as a forced marriage didn't even seem enough to be a reason anymore.“This is getting far more serious than I thought. Are you sure no cameras are waiting to get me in trouble the moment I get into that room?” Claire asked.“That's a good question. Let your mind be at rest; I made sure I took care of everything beforehand s
Twisted Fate The Silent Threat
Josie could not believe her ears; it was not that he said that he had not called because of her brother that bothered him; it was the fact that he was trying to send her on an errand after all that she had already done for him.These wealthy people could not have enough; they were never satisfied no matter what they made you sacrifice for them.“I can't believe you're asking me something like this. After all, I have done, it still isn't enough for you. Tell me something; if you did not want to tell me about this mission, would you have called to tell me about my brother's bruise?” Claire asked, knowing the answer to that question.“You see, I'm a businessman. If you know earned anything about business with that degree, you acquired as pathetic or was. If you at least paid attention to classes, you would know that customers love to return to their manufacturers for more when the deal is good. In that sense, I can not leave you alone in peace as you crave. Do not expect or hope for it;
