1.

Vine absentmindedly hurried out of the E.T.E building just to be met by floods of paparazzi, she didn't want to look confused and shocked, just incase her face appears mistakenly in the papers she wouldn't want to look stupid, so she straightened her shoulders and raised her head high, as if she would fit in a good vogue magazine cover. She walked completely out of the entrance toward the packing space and halted when it seemed like their attention was on her, "oh my gosh, what I'm I gonna say, what are they gonna ask me" she shrink in her head.

The paparazzi cameras flashed continously and Vine stood awkwardly in front of them. She flashed her award winning smile as a female reporter in a tight red dress hurried towards her and... walked right passed her. It took a few seconds for reality to set in.  All cameras were in fact focused on the captivating man standing just behind Vine. Nathaniel Ross Jnr, grandson of the multi billionaire and business tycoon Nathaniel Ross. Nathaniel Ross Jnr popularly known as Nate, apart from being the billionaire's spoilt grandson, was also a very successful movie director. He had directed many movies which always had a playboy as the main character. The media had written several articles on how much of a playboy he was and ofcourse he had his looks to prove it. Nate was every woman's dream with his black curly hair, a chiseled body and eccentric green eyes. These features were more than enough to command the paparazzi's attention to himself, not that he cared about it anyways.

Reporters from various entertainment stations rushed to him to get a juicy scoop of his many known escapades. In the rush, one reporter accidentally push Vine causing her to stumble backwards, almost bumping into Nate.

Nate rather than reaching out to stop her fall, took a step, allowing her fall shamelessly at his feet in front of the entire paparazzi. Vine looked up at him in rage only to find his mean smirk placed solidly on his face. 

"This man is definitely the devil!" She thought sending daggers at him with her eyes which just seemed to please him even more. She gave up their staring game and looked around her, only then did she notice the many irritated stares from everyone around. She quickly got up and tried to smile to cover her embarrassment. Before she could straighten herself out, she was pushed aside by the already buzzing paparazzi who had gone back to flashing their cameras at Nate, ignoring her completely. 

Vine couldn't help glaring at Nate who was still smirking. She hardly hated people except maybe Claribelle her boss and Ellie, her boss's mother but this man? He was definitely the devil!.

"Hey strimp! Staring at me won't help you get pretty." Nate said with a triumphant grin on his face. He was clearly enjoying her every reaction. He walked away taking the paparazzi herd with him.

"The nerve!" Vine screamed in her thoughts, resisting the urge to scream a comeback at him which would only result to further humiliation for her. If only she could smack that grin off his face. She limped away from the entrance of the E.T.E industry building and made her way to the parking lot where her maniac boss, Claribelle Timbers was waiting in her limo.

"What took you so long" Clare raised a brow in question

"I was looking for your script" Vine replied 

"Whatever, give it to me. Find your way to the place for the second scene yourself," she took the papers from Vine roughly and turned to the driver in front "David get going" 

"Isn't Vine going with us?" David turned and realized Vine was still standing outside close to the car window at the back seat.

"Don't make me repeat myself" she snared at the driver "as for you make sure you get there and put my makeup section in order before I arrive" she glared at Vine before whining up the dark windows.

Vine stood there, she couldn't believe the girl's attitude, she was shaking with rage. After a while she sighed and ran a hand through her hair in frustration, "how the hell do she want me to get there, fly?" She said

"I can help you with a lift" someone spoke from behind her

"Oh thank you!" Before she realized who it was she had already said the words, and it was the arrogant dude she had met earlier 

"You'll stay on the top of my car though" Nate smirked "you're the one that suggested flying, I'll be faster" he shrugged and pressed his car key.

A red Bugatti Veyron lighted but, Vine turned and admired the car, it was really tempting, but she rather walk than to enter the car with the devil.

"Don't get too happy, remember you're not entering inside, you're staying on top" he gave her another of his signature smile, Vine felt like pressing his neck to death with the kind of frustration she was already feeling.

"Fuck off" she was finally able to say before she walked out, regardless of how hot and handsome the guy was, he was really annoying with that perfect smile on his soft lips. "Oh my gosh, I've not even kissed him yet" Vine Shaked the thought off her mind, she probably will never see the guy again.

She kept walking, before she finally saw a cab. Ones she arrived at the venue for Clare's next scene she practically ran inside to get the makeup in place before the ice princess arrive with her slow limo.

"Vine!" Clare called

"I'm right here.. your highness" Vine sassed at her with the built up anger from earlier

"Ohh you are already here" Clare realized and kept shut.

"This is the last scene, make me look like a goddess" Clare ordered the girls making her up.

They forced smile on there irritated faces, Clare gets on everyone's nerves, ones you're below her level she takes it as a chance to rub dirt on you.

After the buzz of the day, the scenes were completed and Vine couldn't wait to bounce on her bed, as she called a cab that took her straight home even though she knew Vine asked her to stop at the office, she ignored her and accepted the consequences tomorrow already.

She entered her house, took a shower, first if she thought of sleeping naked, but she quickly changed her mind when the December air slipped in through her windows.

Just before she closed her eyes the figure of the hot, handsome guy she met earlier crossed her mind. "He seems like he'll give me a good sleep" she slept off fantasying about a complete stranger that she might never meet again.

The next day, Vine had to smack down her alarm for disturbing her deep sleep, before she could get herself to stand up, it took the grace of god. When she succeeded in standing up, she slowly walked to her kitchen, made a quick coffee to wake herself up.

Sluggishly walked back to her room with her eyes still closed, not until she saw the time on her phone when it lighted up, "holy...mother...fucker". Vine loosed the night robe she wore and throw it on the bed, she immediately hopped naked into her bathroom, ones the cold water touched her face she shook out of her sleep completely.

Vine almost turned into flash with the way she speedily brushed her teeth, took her bath and dressed up in her pencil skirt and baby blue off shoulder top. She quickly brushed her hair and did a little make up to bring out her face instead of looking like a frustrated witch that doesn't sleep at night. She peeped to check up on her brother before leaving but he was still fast asleep. He always woke up late and ended up going late to school. She decided not to disturb him and closed his door.

She ran into her car and quickly checked the time before she drove off, "I made it in time after all" 

As she got inside the ETE building, the first thing Clare could do after seeing her was glare at her "you look like a frustrated witch" Clare said

"And good morning to you too" Vine rolled her eyes

"You didn't meet me after the scene" Clare recalled

"Ohh sorry, I didn't remember when you said that" Vine lied

"You're lucky I had nothing to tell you, I just wanted to waste some of your previous time" Clare looked at her and smiled charmingly

"Ohh, I didn't know you loved my presence, you missed me?" Vine played along 

"Don't make me throw up and mess up my expensive finger nails" Clare glared at Vine, "just get to your office and finish the paper work I left there for you" she dismissed her and Vine happily left her. Claribelle Timbers was physically exhausting. 

Elizabeth stepped in just after Vine left, "good morning mum" Clare greeted

"How are you holding up darling" she turned and kissed her daughter and the forehead then went back to take a seat.

"You don't look so fine, who soured your mood this early morning mum?" Clare noticed the small squeeze on her mum's face and it was getting hard if the woman to hide it, Clare was more worried not because of what her mum was thinking of but scared that it might leave a mark in the woman's already ageing face.

"We have a lot on our hands, the movie took a lot from us, more than we planned, and now we are in dept, I mean huge dept." Ellie looked at her daughter and Clare could recognize that look, her mum has a plan but she's not so sure of the plan.

"What can we do about it" she asked

"We plan to join you and Nate together with marriage, ones that is done our publicity will increase, which will make investors attracted to us and he will definitely roll in money too, ones you're his wife" Ellie held her daughter's gaze as she waited for her reaction

"I agree" Clare said

"Huh?" Her mum asked in surprise, did she just hear her well?

"I said I agree" Clare repeated herself "there's no objection from me" she shrugged 

"That went well, okay good." Ellie nodded

"Earlier you said we, who did you mean by we" Clare asked as she rested her back on her chair

"I and Mr. Ross" Ellie replied

"If Nate's grandfather is in support of this then it'll work out just fine" Clare smiled, she loved the idea of getting married to one of the most handsome male in town and plus it will boost her publicity so well.

"I have a meeting with Mr. Ross soon, let me get going" Ellie stood up and kissed her daughter again before leaving.

As the woman left, Clare jumped in her chair, rolling around with it in happiness. "This will be a hell lot of fun"

Ellie met up with Mr. Ross just as Nate was leaving the man's office "good morning Mrs Elizabeth" Nate greeted her politely.

"It's fine call me Ellie" she smiled at him, she wanted to start playing the in-law code and leave official greetings out.

"Hummm, okay ma'am. I'm kind of in a hurry" Nate tried excusing himself, the way the woman was looking at him was a bit weird today

"Oh yeah, of course you're a hardworking man. Good enough" she nodded, she even seemed more weird

Nate left shaking his head.

Elizabeth enter the office and greeted Mr. Ross. "Please take a seat" the old man gestured to Elizabeth.

"Thank you" she smiled politely and sat down "I saw Nate just before I came in" Ellie said, deciding to start the conversation with the main topic

"Oh yes, he needed me to sign something" Mr Ross said

"Seems like you've not told him yet about our plan" Ellie curiously asked

"No, I'll break the news to him today, but later at dinner" he replied "so how did the talk with your daughter go?"

"She accepted, wasn't easy convincing her, but she had to" Ellie lied