Chapter 20— Diamonds and Deception

Diana’s POV

Jealous? I scoffed.

"Why would would be jealous? It's not like it's a real marriage?"

Ciara shot me an icy glare.

"What? I am just stating the facts here."

"Well, well, well, who do we have here? If it's not the gold digger and the impostor"

I turned to look at who was behind me, and it was none other than the loser daughter, who can't maintain her home, Anna.

I felt like giving her the beating of her life, but I couldn't dare do that, the Lorenzos would sue me for abuse.

"Don't tell me you came to your introduction looking like an office worker?" She laughed softly.

My eyes rolled and rested on Raphael.

He urged me to go change with a slight nudge of his head.

I took in a deep breath and gave Anna a deadly stare before leaving with Ciara to the women's bathroom to change.

"I wish I could just grab her by the hair and smash her face on the wall" I lamented.

"Come on baby, I know you want to, I also want to, but it's so sad we can't do anything against a rich kid."

"Not for long though," I said, smiling.

I imagined the things that I could do to her once I eventually got married to Raphael, and there were a whole lot of things I could do.

"Why are you smiling?" Ciara asked

"All this torment would soon be over; soon, I will be the one tormenting them." I chuckled.

Ciara heaved a deep sigh.

There was something wrong about the way she sighed, it wasn't a sigh of relief, it was a worried sigh.

She was helping me raise the zipper of my dress; the dress was a black dress with diamonds embedded in it.

"What's wrong Ciara?"

"Uhm, yeah, there's nothing, dear."

I turned to look at her, holding her arms, her face was down.

Using the back of my palm to raise her head, I could see the worry evident on her face.

"What's wrong Ciara? You can talk to me."

"I'm... I'm... I'm just worried about you."

"Ciara? You are worried about me? What's there to be worried about?"

"I know you are getting married to Raphael because you want to punish your ex, but would getting your revenge be that easy? This family..." she paused

"I know them very well, Ciara, I know who they are. Don't forget I dated their son for seven years, so I know them very well."

"Except for the fact that you didn't know that they could treat you like a nobody, an outcast. I am happy for you, Diana, sincerely, but I am also worried."

"Do not worry about me; I will be fine. Besides, the contract has been signed; there's no going back now. I need to see this through", I said softly.

"Promise me that when it's getting too hard to bear, you will walk away, Diana," Ciara stated her eyes full of sincerity and concern.

What she was asking from me, is very hard to do.

There was a part of the contract we signed that said that no matter what either of us goes through, no one is going to walk away until it's five solid years.

I was the one who made this rule, not Raphael; breaking the rule will also attract punishment, and one of the punishments is to pay a sum of one million dollars; if either of the parties can't pay it, then we would have to stay married for additional ten years.

I made this agreement with the mindset that I would never default, because I knew what I was getting into, and I knew what I wanted to get from it as well. I knew that if anyone was to break this rule it would be Raphael.

Ciara asking me to walk away when the going gets tough would be very hard to do.

"Don't worry, Ciara, I promise to walk away", I said smiling.

I could walk away but not until after five years.

"Now, would you help me dress up, or should I just miss the introduction?"

"There's no way you are missing this introduction, not on my watch" she chuckled.

She brought out the earrings from the Marchesa cloth bag; it was also matching diamond earrings and the heels were matching diamond heels.

I was forced to ask her the money worth of what I was wearing because after seeing the way I looked in the mirror, I knew that those diamonds on the clothes, my earrings and shoes ain't knock-off diamonds. They were real diamonds.

But Ciara refused to tell me the amount; she claimed that she didn't know how much everything cost, but I knew she was lying, she just didn't want to tell me.

I was sure that everything I wore wasn't going to be less than five hundred thousand dollars.

My jaw dropped down In amazement.

Stunned by the way I look.

"Look over here," Ciara said

She did a finishing touch on my make-up.

"We are good to go now; let's go show them the latest bride in New York City", she said, smiling.

I smiled at my reflection in the mirror. The dress was stunning, and it highlighted my figure so well.

As we stepped out of the bathroom about to step back into the main event room, I suddenly developed cold feet.

"What's wrong?"

"I am not sure if I want to do this Diana?"

"Can you terminate the contract?" She asked folding her arms.

I bowed my head feeling sorry for myself.

Honestly, I didn't know why I suddenly developed cold feet, but cold feet or not, I needed to be there; contracts had been signed, and invitations had been sent.

It was too late for me to call it off now. Besides, I don't even have a million dollars to pay, and I don't think I am ready to stay in the Lorenzos family for fifteen years.

"I can't withdraw now," I murmured, straightening my shoulders.

As we neared the door, Ciara held my hand tightly. "Don't forget your commitment."

I nodded, although the burden of my deception felt significant.

The doors opened wide. A crowd of faces gazed at me—some grinning, while others observed closely. Raphael stood in the middle, his expression unreadable.

I cautiously moved ahead, the diamond-encrusted heels tapping on the marble.

It was then that I spotted him—Marcel—by the Lorenzos, his arm wrapped protectively around my adopted parent's biological daughter.

A chill coursed through me as our gazes met.

Why does he have to be here?