Chapter 1 - Simple Life Is The Easy Life
Liana’s POV
Me: Bye mom and dad! See you later!
Mom: Okay sweetie!
Dad: Okay my girl.
My older sister, Alicia, had just agreed to take me to work today and of course, I wouldn’t say no to such an offer. Zane, my identical, older brother, had already left for work and Ziana was already in the car. Walking out of the house, I sat in the front, and we drove away from the house gate and already joined the main road.
Ziana, our younger sister, being the last born she is, already had a topic to get us talking.
Ziana: Guys, did you see?
Me: See what?
Alicia: Of course! I wouldn’t miss it!
Unlike my sisters, I was the oddball. I never liked celebrity news, because what would they give me? Money? A salary raise? Probably not. So why bother reading or keeping up with them, when they provide nothing beneficial in return?
Me: Celebrity news?
Ziana: You know it!
Me: Let me guess…
Alicia and Ziana: Lee Romano!
Lee Romano, though I never cared to see how he looked, was the topic whenever I was among my sisters. How handsome he looked, how successful he was… I heard it all. But the interesting part of this was how he was 25 years old and not married. I mean, true, I am 25 and don’t care about romance, but for a person with such a status, I thought some heiresses would be flocking his way.
Does he dislike romance like I do?
I shook my head, not wanting to sympathize with Lee Romano. He and I were worlds apart… Pfft, we would never meet. And even if we did, I wouldn’t go. I had zoned out of my sister’s conversation about Lee Romano until Ziana’s words made me return to reality.
Ziana: Too bad he’s engaged now.
Me: Lee Romano is engaged?
Alicia: Oh, our dear sis Liana, you really are living under a rock. The news has spread nationwide, and you only hear them today?
Me: I don’t care about Lee Romano, nor any celebrity for that matter. I just want to work, get my paycheck and go home. Rinse and repeat.
Alicia: You wouldn’t say the same if you saw a picture of him.
Me: Haha, like it will increase my chances of meeting him in person.
Ziana: Don’t be cocky Li. What happens if you do?
Alicia: Exactly Ziana. Don’t forget that in South Cybric, apart from the Royal family, the Romano family carry an equivalent power to those of royalty, so what they say goes.
Me: I know. But his fiancee is probably someone of the same status and wealth.
Alicia: Hey. A girl can dream.
I laughed, shaking my head.
Me: My dear sisters, you are really funny.
Alicia: Don’t say we didn’t warn you when you fall for him at first sight.
Me: Me? Please. (Turning to Ziana) What about prince charming Romano?
Ziana: He’s getting engaged… on live broadcast?!
Me and Alicia: Live broadcast?!
Alicia: That’s expensive…
Me: For a rich person like Lee, that price is nothing to him.
Ziana: And everyone will watch it on TV and livestreams, while selected companies will be invited in person! (To me) Do you see what this means?
Me: Not my boss.
Ziana: Want to bet?
Me: 200 cybric notes?
Ziana: 400.
Me: 200.
Ziana: 400.
Alicia: 600. The winners split the cash.
Me: Fine.
The company I worked for was the South Cybric National Cybersecurity company. Safely restoring lost files to blocking viruses and hackers was our daily routine. The annoying part about the job was not what I had to do, but who I had to deal with. My co-workers were nice, 25 percent of the time, and annoying to deal with whenever the topic of marriage came up 75 percent of the time.
After dropping Ziana at school, Alicia dropped me at work, and after saying goodbye to her, I sighed as I walked into the lobby, heading to the elevators that took me to the third floor. Walking out of the elevator three floors later, I sighed once again. Riana and Leah were talking about it - Lee Romano’s engagement to be more specific.
Me: Morning.
Riana and Leah: Morning Liana!
Leah: Did you see the news?
Me: Was told by my sisters. Lee Romano?
Riana: (Excited) Yep! And it’s going to be livestreamed!
Leah: Man, all the girls must be heartbroken. I wonder who the lucky girl is.
Me: Someone of the same status as his.
Everyone fell silent like I had mentioned something foreign. Nathan got into the conversation.
Nathan: Fair enough. I mean, what would Lee benefit from having someone of a lower class?
Me: (Turning to Nathan, smiling) Exactly! Someone who understands hierarchy.
Nathan was my co-worker. His table was beside mine and we got along pretty well. He is very kind, and always checks up on me. My brother is always asking me about him but I think he’s misunderstanding my relationship with him - a protective brother I have.
The girls gave a look I understood but chose to not think further about it.
Leah: Liana? Smile? Nathan is making you act differently I see.
Nathan and I: Come on.
Riana: Even saying the exact sentence? Is there a ship I didn’t know was about to sail?
Me: You are both being delusional, and Lee Romano won’t ever see you two. He’s off the market.
Leah: Ah, says the anti-romantic girl. Just because you don’t want to have a love life doesn’t mean we can’t have ours.
Me: Never stopped, never will.
Lee Romano was starting to get on my nerves. From my sisters to my workplace, Lee was in every girl’s mouth. Can’t this man just get engaged without telling the world about it?
Just then, a message from the team group came through our phones. All of us checking our phones at the same time, we saw there was an invitation. Opening it, Leah decided to read it out loud.
Leah: To Jonathan. We are pleased to inform you that your company has been invited to attend the engagement ceremony of Lee Romano this tomorrow evening at 6pm Standard Cybric Time. Please dress formally for the occasion and looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.
Leah and Riana turned to look at each other, while Nathan and I did the same.
Leah and Riana: (excited, screaming) WE ARE GOING TO LEE ROMANO’S ENGAGEMENT CEREMONY!
Riana: YES!
Me: (Muttering) Oh no.
My sisters’ words resurfaced in my mind as the girls continued celebrating. Nathan mimicked a ‘sorry’ as he walked to his desk. I stared at the invitation once more, realizing the mess I’ve made for myself.
Me: (To myself) I owe the girls 600 CN and I’m forced to go because of the company’s invitation.
Lee Romano, I so hate you.
