CHAPTER THREE

Vanessa sat beside Adrian as the driver took them to a destination she knew nothing about.

He had someone pick her up, earlier in the afternoon to a hotel, which she later found out belongs to him. One of the hotels belonging to the Knight co.

She got to the hotel and was directed to a room

There were different dinner gowns arranged on the bed, as well as a stylist, a masseuse and a make up artist waiting for her arrival.

As soon as she arrived, they began priming and triming, her hair was done, so was her make-up, she was plucked, primed and dressed until she was ready.

And here she sat with Adrian, her heart in her mouth.

He didn't even spare her a look when she got to the car and it has been pure silence through out the ride.

Her fingers were wrapped tightly together as she could feel them trembling.

Her stomach was in a knot.

Where was he taking her to?

“Now listen, this event is a formal one as it is my father's birthday party and there are going to be dignitaries in attendance, so under no circumstances shall tonight be a failure… I will introduce you to my father as my love interest and fiancee and you will smile and be polite and answer each question carefully, do you understand?” He asked and she responded with a nod.

“If you are asked where we met, you tell them it was at your restaurant and it was love at first sight and we have been together for months and we have decided to take it to the next step?”

“What about the video circulating online?... that says an entirely different thing all together!” she said barely above a whisper.

“That has been taken care off… just listen to what I say and do as I say, tonight determines if the contract between us will be a success or not… do you understand?” He asked again almost like as if he was talking to a child. This time around throwing her a glance for a moment before staring back at his screen.

“Yes” she replied quietly.

She still can't believe she signed the contract.

She had gone through it all night, over and over again and finally signed it.

To be married to a man who seems to not be able to stand her.

To be married to an arrogant spoilt rich kid.

To be married to a man she wasn't in love with.

‘It's just a year Vanessa, it will be over soon’ she said over and over and over again to herself.

She was doing this for her family.

Arriving at the Knights estate, Adrian helped her down from the car, as she took in the site before her. 

The buildings were magnificent and the courtyard glowed with beautiful ornamentations spreading across the lawns and beautiful lightings. 

The light evening breeze adding essence to the break taking view before her.

She turned to see Adrian staring at her weirdly and immediately her moment was cut short as she remembered what she was here for.

“Take this” he said tossing her a ring.

“Put it on… smile as much as possible, and if you screw this up for me, I will make sure that you and every single member of your family regret knowing who I am, is that clear?” He said leaning into her, his grey eyes stormy with irritation.

“Yes” she replied cowering back, mentally hitting herself for not speaking back at him

“Good girl” he replied and she slipped on the ring.

It was a lovely fine cut diamond placed into a golden band

It caught the light and shimmered.

Adrian brought his elbow out and she interlinked her arm in his and they moved forward to the area the party was held at the far end of the courtyard.

She could hear voices from afar and with each step she took closer, her heartbeat increased.

She could feel sweat breaking out on her body.

They got to the arena, and we're immediately spotted by Adrian's mother, Mrs Anabel Knight.

She made her way over to them, she was clad in a sequinced purple dinner gown which caught the light with every step she took closer to them. 

Mrs knight drew closer to them, a large smile on her face, studying the young lady beside her son.

 She was a beauty, a petite curvy beauty wrapped in a one sleeved black gown, she looked nervous.

“Adrian” his mother called out to him, but her full attention was on Vanessa and she didn't miss the ring on the young lady's finger.

She gave her son a hug before turning to stare fully at Vanessa, taking her in.

Vanessa had to fake a huge smile as she greeted the older lady who replied with a smile of her own.

“And who might this young lady be?” She asked waiting for an introduction 

“Mother this is Vanessa my fiancee… Vanessa my dear this is my mother” Adrian said with a smile.

This was the first time, she had seen him smiling.

He must be taking this even more serious than she thought.

“Oh my goodness, she is such a beauty… so she is the girl from the news, come along my dear” Mrs knight said all at once and without waiting another second for an answer to her question, she wrapped her arm around Vanessa's, pulling her away from Adrian into the crowd of people present.

She turned back to look at him, but he just met her gaze with a cold one of his.

What has she gotten herself into?

An hour later, she sat at an empty table, the party had started getting heated up. People were dancing, and there was an increase in the flow of drinks and food and the music got louder.

Her feets were aching her in the heels she had on, and she was so close to whipping it off.

But she couldn't do it because she was at a party where people like her didn't fit it.

She felt like a lonely little deer in the midst of lions. And so had to be on her best behavior

She hadn't seen her so called “husband to be” after the introduction with his mother, whom had then paraded her around as her daughter in law.

She seemed so Nice, how then did Adrian grow up to be so …

So arrogant and formidable.

She felt the need to use the restroom all of a sudden and so she stood and began making her way to the magnificent mansion that stood in the middle of the compound, hoping to get directions on her way in.

She moved further out, the pains in her feet intensitying.

“What do you want?” She heard a familiar voice say from behind the ridges surrounding the house.

It was Adrian's.

“I want you Adrian… I really do!” came a feminine voice in response.

Vanessa went closer, forgetting the mission at hand.

She turned round to see Adrian with a lady who she couldn't make out her face due to the poor lightning.

“You really think, I will take you back… after what you did?, and of all the people in the world you chose my brother “ Adrian said 

“ I don't know what came over me Adrian but I want you back” the lady responded placing her hands over his chest and he immediately slapped her hands off him 

“ Get your filthy hands off me” he roared.

“The only reason we were a thing was because your father’s hotels would have been beneficial to my company, and that was it… everything about you pissed me off from the beginning but I had to go along with it, you know why? Because I needed to get through you to him and now that you ruined it and your father is going senile… it's over, there was nothing between us, so why don't you run along back to Andrew, he has always loved my left overs anyways“ he said before pushing her out of the way and storming off.

“Hello?” someone called out behind her and she turned back in such a hurry, that she slipped.

She closed her eyes,as she felt herself loosing her balance before she was held, suspended in mid air.

She opened her eyes slowly to see a set of brown eyes staring into hers. 

The look of recognition washing over the stranger's face. 

She quickly untangled herself from his arms once both her feet were on the ground.

Damn these stupid heels

She looked up at her saviour, wondering where she had seen him before.

“Vanessa?... What are you doing here?” He asked with a smile on.

Then she remembered

He was a regular at her restaurant and always teased and flirted with her.

He asked her out a number of times but she was way to busy to give in his to his requests, but that never stopped him from asking her over and over again.

He always had a smile on and would leave a very large tip for whomever managed to get her out of the kitchen, just so he could talk to her and get her to take his orders personally.

“I'm here for the party and you… what are you doing here?” she answered with a smile of hers. Grateful that she saw a familiar face.

“I’m here for the party as well… it's my father's birthday today and -” 

She zoned out as soon as she heard the word father.

So “Mr nice guy” was Adrian's brother.

Her heart dropped.

How????

“Vanessa?!!!” Adrian yelled calling out her name from afar. 

Her heart raced increased as she watched Adrian Knight walked up to them.

Anger written all over his face.

He took long strides and with each step closer, her breathing slowed and her hands began to tremble.

“What do you want brother?” the stranger from the restaurant asked yelling back at him.

She still couldn't believe that they were related, actually brothers.

She felt bile rising to the back of her throat.

The little scene that was unfolding was beginning to draw attention from the crowd.

Why did it seem like that was happening much more frequently these past few days ever since she got to know the knights.

Adrian got closer and Andrew stood in front of Vanessa, shielding her from his wrath. 

“What do you think you are doing Andrew?” Adrian asked once he was within earshot.

“And what do you think you are doing?” Andrew retorted. 

“Coming to get my fiancee!” Adrian replied before pulling Vanessa towards him, still staring face to face with Andrew.

A confused look crossed his face, as she shifted his gaze to Vanessa before spotting the engagement ring she had on.

He stood dazed for a moment, probably trying to understand what was happening.

“She is my bride to be Andrew, and so under no circumstances should you be seen around her, don't talk to her, don't smile at her and don't even breath the same air as she” Adrian stated at his brother who still stood there, the confused look apparent on his face.

“This is how it's gonna be Adrian… you are stooping this low huh?”

“You played dirty… and I played dirtier” adrain replied.

“you had to bring her into this,well then brother, get ready to tango” Andrew replied after a minute of silence before turning to Vanessa and gaveher a hard look.

The looks in his eyes was different, much more different from the nice guy who was speaking to her mere minutes ago.

Almost like he had a personality switch.

Adrian pulled her to his side, his arm snaking around her waist to hold her even closer, as andrew watched every single move.

She wished for the ground to open up and swallow her whole.

“Oh I'm gonna have so much f

un playing with her Adrian, so… much… fun “ he said with a weird smile on his face, mischief dancing in his eyes.

“See you around little doe” he said to vanessa and walked away.