Chapter 1
Nora's POV:-
Keep your temper under control, Nora. I repeat that mantra in my head for the thousandth time tonight. But it was no easy task. What are you supposed to do when your so-called fiancé is busy flirting with every single woman in the room?
I had been forced to accompany Kevin to the annual charity ball held by the charitable foundation that raised donations for Thalassemia patients. Yet it was clear to me that most people were here to either socialize or flaunt their wealth.
The women pranced around in designer outfits, their jewelry glimmering under the Swarovski chandeliers. Men in Armani suits shared flirtatious looks with them as they sipped on champagne.
Kevin and I were both forced into this courtesy of our families, but that didn't give him the right to behave like a complete dick toward me. I would have broken off the engagement immediately. Or never gotten engaged in the first place if it wasn't for my grandma and sisters.
Our family fortune had all but vanished since our parent's death, and I needed to marry someone wealthy enough to support both me and the members of our family. I had to drop out of college because we couldn't afford the tuition. And the jobs I managed to get with only a high school degree weren't enough to give my sisters a bright future.
Kevin whispered something into one of the guest's ears who burst out laughing. She was a voluptuous redhead and was definitely about to become one of my fiances 'conquests'. The sight of them made me want to vomit. Luckily a distraction appeared at just the right time.
The people in the ballroom suddenly started whispering to each other and the women started preening themselves. The crowd parted and the most important guest for today's charity gala appeared. His was a face I had seen many times on TV and in magazines. His 'sexcapades' were frequently reported in the gossip columns.
But I had to admit to myself that the photos didn't do justice to his beauty. Maybe to use the word beautiful for a man was strange but I didn't know how else to describe a guy with such a perfect face. He had full lips. His hair was so dark it was almost jet black. A straight nose and sculpted cheekbones. He was also the tallest guy in the room and probably hit the gym quite often if his broad shoulders were any indication.
Derek Osborne was the biggest patron for the charity dedicated to Thalassemia patients. No surprise as he was the richest man in the city if not the whole freaking country. He was a regular at charity events such as these.
" Nora, don't just stand there. Come on." Kevin has finally decided to stop ignoring me and tugs on my hand.
" Where are we going?"
" I told you the main reason why we came here was to mingle with people and find more investors for the company. Do you think it's smart to ignore the wealthiest man present here?" We should at least make his acquaintance." He all but drags me across the ballroom.
" Do you even know him? Wouldn't it sound weird if we just started talking to him without an introduction?"
" He knew my father. And who cares for an introduction? In the business world, you have got to be proactive. And try to smile for once, please. That poker face you have on all the time wouldn't do." I try to resist the urge to smack Kevin on the face.
But in one way he's right. I do unintentionally come across as the 'ice princess' at times. And if Kevin's business success is linked to my family's future I will have to cooperate.
I catch a glimpse of myself in one of the gilded floor-to-ceiling mirrors decorating one of the walls. It shows a blonde woman in an inexpensive black off-shoulder dress. What's most visible is the sadness in her green eyes.
Somehow Kevin manages to get through the throng of people surrounding Derek and introduce himself.
" I don't think we have met before," Derek says in a deep masculine voice and the posh accent typical of people who have spent their childhood in expensive private schools.
" You might have heard of my dad Jonathan Pierce," Kevin says pasting on the fakest smile I have seen on a person.
" You mean the owner of Pierce Industries? What a pleasant surprise. I hope your father is doing well. The last several years have not been easy for him." Derek isn't sneering at Kevin or anything. But he's mocking him albeit politely.
Kevin's dad nearly bankrupted the company and had to resign as CEO. The Pierce family had the majority shares in the company by only a slight margin. Pierce Industries was already on the brink of collapse. If Kevin didn't manage to get more investors they might lose the company entirely.
" Yes, he's doing well. " Kevin seemed visibly nervous.
And even though he had been nothing other than cold and dismissive towards me I still felt sorry for him. My opinion of Derek plummeted and I was sure I would never like him. He reminded me of all the people who had bullied me and there had been quite a lot of them.
" And who's this lovely lady?" Derek turns his blue eyes toward me.
" This is my fiance Nora Jones. She's a big fan of yours. In fact, she doesn't even attend such events often. She only agreed to come because you would attend. " Kevin speaks before I can even say hi.
I cringe at his desperate attempts to ingratiate himself with Derek.
" With a fiance like you, I am surprised she only came to this event because of me." This time I could detect a slight hint of a sneer on Derek's face.
" I did come to this event because of my fiance. He hates going to such things alone. I also wanted to say that I am so sorry for what happened to you recently. It couldn't have been easy to deal with the media after your break up with Katy. I have heard her Fandom is vicious." Derek's eyes flashed with anger for a second before he composed himself.
Derek had unceremoniously dumped his girlfriend on New Year's Eve via text. Too bad the Grammy award-winning singer made a song about it and crapped about him on any media outlet she could. He was now public enemy number one for Gen Zers and feminists.
" You follow me in the news? But I guess I shouldn't be surprised since your fiance says you're my biggest fan." He stresses the word 'biggest'.
I just give him a sickly sweet smile in return. Kevin is visibly sweating and I know he will be on my back once Derek's out of earshot.
" Excuse me. I have some urgent matters to attend to." Derek throws one last haughty look in my direction and saunters away.
" What the hell was that about?" Kevin whispers angrily to me." You couldn't behave civilly toward that man for a few minutes?"
" I was perfectly polite until I saw him mock you. And I can't believe you are finding faults with me!" I try to keep my voice down but a few people turn to look in our direction.
" You know what? This was a mistake. Dad had no business forcing us together just for some stupid promise our parents made to each other decades ago. If Dad didn't force me to - " He stops mid-sentence.
" Come on finish what you were going to say, Kevin. I know you have been finding excuses to get rid of me. And I am so done with this!"
I take off my engagement ring and thrust it into his hand. At this point, all the other guests are looking at us but I don't care.
I run out of the room as fast as I can. Outside there's a beautiful courtyard with an ancient-looking stone fountain and flower beds planted here and there. As I wander I reflect on my life.
Everything had changed for the worse ever since Mom and Dad passed away. My life had consisted of working odd jobs and trying to save for my sister's college fund. Kevin's Father had known my parents yet still it had come as a surprise when he introduced Kevin to me and started pushing us toward an engagement.
We only had one very awkward kiss and the next thing we knew we were engaged. I knew Kevin proposed to me because of his father and I knew there was no such thing as love between us. Yet I still accepted once I saw how happy my grandmother was.
She was the old-fashioned type who still believed that a woman needed a man to take care of her. For a young woman without wealth, and two younger sisters to support, a rich man was her salvation ( at least according to her).
I wasn't in love with anyone else and had never even felt passion for someone. So it didn't feel like a huge sacrifice to make for my family. Except the last few months had been torture. I felt unwanted and undesirable. I felt everyone see me as one of those gold diggers without an ounce of pride. Was I being selfish or was destroying my sanity like that worth it?
I knew that Nigella and Nadine would support me wholeheartedly but then again they were just children. They didn't know how dire our financial situation was or how cruel the outside world could be.
Lost in thought I didn't realize how far I had gotten from the main building. My thoughts were interrupted when a bone-chilling cry pierced the air. The noise came from somewhere on my left. My first instinct was to run yet something compelled me to find out what was going on.
Behind a copse of trees, four men were standing dressed head to toe in black. One of them I recognized was Derek. But what caught my attention was the man lying sprawled at Derek's feet. He was sobbing and this was the first time I had seen a grown man cry like this. He tried to stand up and almost made it when Derek grabbed him by the throat.
I had to stifle my scream of horror as he started strangling the man before my eyes. Derek's beautiful face was contorted in rage and a strange sadistic gleam showed in his eyes. At this moment he didn't look human. More beast than man. The man fell limp in his grasp and I hoped he wasn't dead just unconscious.
" Take him away. Before anyone else comes here." Derek said coldly to the three men in black suits who dragged the guy and dumped him into a black van.
Till now I had been staring transfixed at the scene before me, not knowing what to do. I needed to call the police. Just as I decided to slowly inch backward and make a run for it Derek's cold blue eyes met mine.
" What do we have here?" He says with a predatory look in his eyes.
…
