Chapter - [ 1 ]

[ RAIN ANDERSON  ]

I slamped on my bed looking at the mountain of dresses among which I am hell confused to select the perfect one to wear tonight for the big event.

My sister's marriage.

My elder sister Roselie is getting married to the men she had been madly in love with though it was arranged by our parents.

The marriage was the talk of the town for almost a month.My parents didn't leave a stone unturned to make the first marriage of our family a news sensation for rest of the year.

We're typical rich princesses.

Well I don't believe in such theory but my sister certainly do.She wants perfection which only screams of richness and luxury in everything unlike me who was metaphored as cavewoman by my Mom.

"Its not your cup of tea Rain you must have listened to Roslie.Your sister is an ideal for young girls in the country."I murmured giving a pissed off glance to the dreses and shuffled them to get the 'One' for me and after a mental battle of ten minutes I got what I had been looking for.

A fish tail baby pink gown,with lacy frills below the corset and red silk embroidery on the breast with sweetheart neck.Weird combination according to my mom but it is the one I loved.

I put the dress on my front and checked myself in the mirror.My eyes twinkled in excitement.I am going to get some compliments from my Mom and aunts for wearing 'a lady's attire'.They leave no chance to pass their judgement on my dressing style.

Suddenly a loud banging on my door halted my happy dreaming.I could hear familiar voices of my parents,uncle and Nicholas,my soon to be brother in law's Dad.

I opened the door only to be pushed by the crowd of people who barged inside my room.I stumbled to steady my balance by the unexpected push.Their features were of worry and restlessness increasing my own anxiety.

Mom was trying hard to control herself from crying.Oh no,something terrible happened for sure.

Is it Rose?I didn't see her since morning or I am too busy in myself.

"Mom..Dad please say something?"My gaze danced between my parents.

Mom closed her mouth finally breaking down completely while Dad looked down.His forehead had tensed creases.He was never been a weak man to be stormed away by small problems.It must be very bad which pushed him in a terrible condition.

Moments passed I only received deadly silence.

None of my parents answered or they couldn't gather the courage to answer me.

After an eternity,my uncle moved forward with a pained expression on his jolly chubby face with same moist eyes holding a folded paper.

Without speaking a word he handed me the paper and gestured me to read it.My heartbeat paced,with shaking fingers I opened to read the content.

My eyes popped out of their sockets.It was the most dreadful event of our lives.It was a letter from my sister.

My sister's perfect cursive handwriting.The words were,

Dear Mom,Dad and Rain,

I know you must be cursing me for taking such a drastic step and to leave you in a situation where you are not able to decide what to do but I was  forced in this marriage mess too.It was not my decision though you thought it was the best for me.

No ,I found my happiness long back and today my love won over my duties as your daughter.Forgive me if you love me an ounce.I know it's very hard perhaps impossible for you to still I hope to receive your forgiveness.

Do not try to find me as I am gone forever.

Your pathetic daughter Roselie.

A gasp left my mouth and the letter slipped from my hands.My head became dizzy.It had to be a prank played by her.She was always mischievous child among us and left me to bear the punishment but I loved my sister .

"Rain now you're our last hope please save us from the blunder that your sister created.We are begging you." My uncle Aiden joined his hands in front of me with pleading eyes.

I looked at my parents for any trace of contradiction but their vulnerable state made me think of the possible consequences.

I felt anger pulsating through my body.My family might face the worst humiliation in front of the thousands of the guests who would not leave the single chance to destroy our reputation that our forefathers built .

"Rain  please marry Nick if you want to see us alive because we have no other choice than killing ourselves out of embarrassment,my child our reputation is in your hands now."Dad said in a low tone.His voice was hoarse.I can't see my Dad sad and depressed by any means as he is the only person on earth who loved me without all the flaws,discovered by Mom in me,her words not mine.

And I am willing to do anything for him.

"What about Nick-sorry I mean Nicholas?Does he know about Rose' betrayal ?"I asked knowing well how much he loved her.

I remembered his proposal to Rose in front of the crowd on beach.

I gulped hard.

"No and please never tell him.My son is a very sensitive soul.He never loved someone as deeply as he loves Roselie.He won't be able to bear the heartbreak."Mrs. Sofia Blackwood,Nicholas's mother requested in fear.

Fate can't be this unfair with me.

My new relationship was building on a foundation of lies.

"What is your decision Rain?"Mom asked hopefully.

I closed my eyes and my family's face smiling flashed in my mind.My one wrong decision could destroy many lives including mine.

My sister failed them as a daughter but I won't.It was my chance to prove them that I had inherit their teachings more than Roselie.

"Yes,I will marry Nicholas if this is written in my fate ."I nodded with a faint smile to mask my own bleeding heart.Should I feel happy that finally he is going to be mine?I guess this is my biggest loss. I will get him on the expanse of his broken heart. Will he ever forget her and give me the access to his heart?

How could I tell them the little secret that I fell in love with Nicholas when he first visited our home with his parents for a marriage proposal between him and a Blackwood daughter and it was always suposed to be Rosalie as I was younger than her and no one would want a nerd,low shell girl for a wife and daughter in law,let alone the Blackwoods,who owns the biggest oil refinaries in the country.

I had no idea at the moment that they came to talk about the marriage proposal of my sister and him.I was broken and cried for whole one week but later on convinced myself to forget him.He was not mine.

The only man,for whom I felt something,wasn't in my destiny.

I was brought back from my past lanes when Mom hugged me tightly.

"Thank you so much Rain for saving us.I wish you get all the happiness you deserve."She cried over my shoulder.From my peripheral vision I caught my father smiling proudly amidst his tears .

I made my father proud today when he needed me the most.I won as a daughter and I will win my future husband's love as well.