Chapter 1: Fiancé

I felt a strong force from my cheek that's why I woke up abruptly and regained my consciousness as if I had just come out of a nightmare. 

Before I could even completely open my eyes to look around, I heard mommy's voice from beside me which suddenly made my sleepiness vanish.

"Enough of your drama and get up now before I slap you again, Shantelle! We have something more important to go to than this bullshit of yours!" she said angrily and before I could answer her, I heard someone from mommy's back.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Zimmerman, but she can't leave the hospital yet. She still needs to rest. It hadn't even been an hour since she was brought here and had an accident." A man said that I was sure  was a doctor because he was wearing a surgical hair net and a lab coat. 

I didn't immediately notice him earlier when I woke up even though he was taller than mommy. I'm not sure if he had been here for a while and had seen and heard everything or if he just entered quietly that's why I didn't immediately feel his presence. 

He just stayed behind mom while looking at me seriously as if it was like a big question mark to him what he heard from my own mother and I suddenly felt ashamed because of that. 

Mommy cannot really choose the right places, especially when she's really angry. The only thing that matters to her is getting her anger out even if it hurts others. Her makeup is beautiful right now while she is wearing an elegant, expensive dress, ready to attend a party but her attitude towards the doctor who is here with us is not good.

Before I could signal him to stop talking, I heard mommy's voice again which immediately made me nervous because one of the things that mommy hates the most is someone meddling with her, especially if she's not talking to that person.

"Don't interfere with this matter because I already paid this woman's bill, Mr. Doctor. Just get out of here and mind your own business," Mommy's rude response to the doctor without even facing him.

I saw how the doctor's face darkened right after mommy spoke, which made me even more nervous about what could happen in their conversation right now. My eyes darted back and forth between the two of them while my heart was beating so fast.

"Your daughter is my patient, Mrs. Zimmerman, so technically she is my business and my responsibility. One of my duties is to provide compassionate care to my patients and prioritize their well-being that's why I'm being like this. Don't you have any concern for your daughter, Mrs. Zimmerman, that's why you're like that? You're her mother, right?" He asked seriously, not taking his eyes off of me and even though I can feel that my body is still weak, I forced myself to get up from the hospital bed to prevent my mom from being violent towards him.

I immediately grabbed mommy by the arm as she angrily confronted the doctor, but she immediately released my grip and pushed me which made me sit up on the bed and because I was still so weak, I felt pain in other parts of my body the moment she pushed me. 

I'm also feeling some pain in my bandaged head but even so, I still tried to hold mommy again and because of that, she pushed me again for the second time and this time, it was harder than the first which made me moan in extreme pain. 

It really hurts!

I almost cried from the pain but I held it back because I'm sure she'll just get angrier. I just stood up from behind her and I didn't try to touch her because she might push me away again.

"She is not my fucking daughter, dumbass! Ugh! You are just wasting my precious time!" She yelled at the doctor and after cursing at him, she just walked out of my hospital room and slammed the door hard.

"I'm sorry," I said sincerely to the doctor as soon as mommy left and I wasted no time and immediately followed her but before I could finally get out and touch the doorknob, I felt the doctor gently grab my arm to stop me and make me face him. 

Our eyes immediately met and before I could speak to ask him if he needed anything from me, he preceded me from talking.

"You're wearing almost nothing underneath. Here, take this and wear it before you go," he said coldly and it was only then that I noticed that he was already holding a black hoodie jacket in his other hand. 

I realized something immediately. 

If he hadn't said that, I wouldn't have remembered that the only thing I was wearing right now besides my bra and panties was a thin patient lab gown! Oh my goodness!

For a few seconds, my eyes darted back and forth from him to the jacket that he was handing me while wondering why a doctor like him would give his patient a jacket, as I also couldn't read any emotion on his face right now. But instead of asking him any further questions, I just took the jacket he was offering and continued walking while I wore it on myself without even thanking him because what was important and on my mind right now was to follow mommy immediately outside.

When I got out, I saw mommy inside the elevator just in front of my hospital room with her bodyguards and instead of waiting for me to get in so we could go down together, she immediately pressed a button on the wall for the hoistway door to close while glaring at me and because of that, I was left with no choice but to take the other elevator.

Like mommy, I also had bodyguards in the elevator. I knew right away that she was thinking I was going to run away again but even though I still wanted to, I already lost my strength because I just had an accident. I'll just plan that in the next few days when I'm fully recovered and I will make sure I succeed.

While I was waiting for the elevator to stop, I just stared at my reflection in front of me. The jacket that the doctor gave me felt like already a dress to me because he was taller than me and my height only reached his shoulders.

My hair is a bit messy and my head is bandaged. There are also some bruises on my legs and arms and I still feel pain in various parts of my body as if I was beaten up because of the hard impact of the car that I was driving into a big tree.

When I finally went down to the basement, there were even more bodyguards scattered around. One of the bodyguards immediately took me to ride in a brand new luxurious limousine that I didn't think belonged to us because I had just seen it so it wasn't familiar to me.  

At first, I was hesitant to go in because I wasn't really sure if it was ours, but when I heard mommy's angry scream from the inside of the limousine, I headed straight inside quickly and before I could even sit down, I heard mommy scream again.

"We're going to be late now just because of your fucking drama, Shantelle!"

I just bowed my head and felt embarrassed after she yelled at me right in front of her makeup artist who was now busy retouching her makeup beside her, and even though she's busy, I know that she's listening to what mommy says.

"I'm so sorry, Mom," I said apologetically. "I thought this limousine wasn't ours, so I hesitated before getting in," I added while my head remained bowed and my hands were in my lap. 

My heart was beating so fast again because of the mixture of nervousness and my fear towards mommy.

"You really don't know how to think, huh?! Your fiancé gave you this limousine as a gift, Shantelle, so get dressed now because their family might take this back if we're late!" She shouted again and I was surprised when she threw me an elegant white dress. "Hurry up and get dressed!" she added.

Before mommy could get any angrier with me, I stood up and headed towards a door at the far end of the limousine that I think was a comfort room while I was carrying the dress. Even though I heard mom stop me and tell me to just change over there by the couch in front of them, I still went straight for a walk. 

I have no intention of giving them a live show, especially since the driver will also be able to see me from his rearview mirror and I will never be comfortable with such things.

When I entered the comfort room, I couldn't help but be amazed by its aesthetic design and its fragrant smell. The tiles on the walls and floor are color gray. When I opened the door earlier, I was greeted by a round mirror and a sink below it which looks expensive and comes from another country. Even the small chandelier and toilet look expensive. Only a billionaire could afford something like this.

Before I could completely become mesmerized by my surroundings and run out of time admiring them, I started getting dressed. After I took off the jacket and lab gown, I then put on the dress that mommy threw at me earlier. It's a white backless dress revealing so much of my skin. From my shoulders to my back, I was completely exposed and it looked stunning on me. 

I looked at myself in the mirror several times as I admired the dress. This isn't the first time I've worn something sexy and elegant like this, but I don't know why I suddenly feel so confident and happy but those feelings immediately vanished right after I got out of the comfort room to be with mom again.

She continued to insult me ​​while her makeup artist was already applying makeup to me. I just tried to ignore her the entire trip until we reached our destination. 

Throughout the entire trip, so many questions were running through my mind, so before mommy finally left, I mustered up the courage to ask her something, hoping that I would finally understand what she wanted me to do.

"Why do I really have to marry that man, Mom?" I asked bravely while my heart was beating so fast and as expected, she got irritated with me again.

"Simply because they are rich! They have a lot of money which can be yours once you two get married and of course, you will give everything to us in exchange for the love and acceptance you've been wanting from all of us!" 

So it's really just all about the money, huh?

"Don't you dare embarrass us later, Shantelle, especially in front of your fiancé's entire family and other investors! Do you understand?!" Those are her last words to me before she got out of the limousine together with her makeup artist. When she already disappeared from my sight, that's when I suddenly relaxed a bit.

As I leaned back on the couch, I chose to close my eyes first to condition myself somehow. I really still can't believe that mommy wants me to marry someone I don't even know even though I already told her that I didn't want to. 

I stopped myself from crying because I was sure mom would be mad at me again once I messed up my makeup. According to her, she would be the first to get out of the limousine before me because she said I will be having a grand entrance later, so I was left alone inside.

While relaxing, I suddenly wondered if my fiancé that mom was referring to was a kind person  or not. I hope he's a good person though.

I thought that I would have to wait a while before I could get out, but just a few moments later, a woman opened the limousine door and told me it was time already for me to get out. 

I took a deep breath first before following her. I immediately wondered when she had me stationed in front of a large gate while she was just standing on the side.

I was about to ask her a question when suddenly the big gate slowly opened and my eyes immediately widened when I saw so many people smiling and looking at me while clapping their hands.

What the hell is happening?! Who are they?! Am I in the right place?!

I was also surprised when someone spoke from the microphone who I thought was a host.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the engagement party of the heiress of Zimmerman Pharmaceutical Company, Shantelle Kyle Zimmerman and the CEO of Vanderbilt Medical Center, Stefano Vanderbilt!" The crowd's applause grew louder right after he spoke.

What the f?! I thought mommy and I were just going to a simple dinner, but why is it so extravagant?!

I didn't know how to feel, especially when I was told that I already need to walk inside. Wearing my simple black stilettos, I started walking on the red carpet. It was only when I passed through the gate that I noticed the huge mansion in front of me. It was like a castle in its sheer size and spaciousness. I couldn't help but be amazed because our mansion wasn't this big. 

My heart was beating very fast as I walked and as I heard what people were saying from either side of me.

"She's so beautiful!"

"She looks like an actress or a model!"

"She's so sexy!"

In my entire existence, I have rarely received a compliment, so even though I was shy, I tried to smile at some of them.

"Her fiancé is already here!" I heard it from someone so my attention automatically turned to the front.

At first, I couldn't see the man walking in my direction because of the blinding light, but as he got closer and closer, the smile on my lips slowly disappeared, my eyes widened, and I was stiffened from my position when I finally saw his face and I immediately realized that he was the same male doctor from earlier at the hospital!