Brimming with tears, Serena ran through the misty night. Days had passed while she sobbed. Because he needed money and was about to go bankrupt, her father signed a marriage contract.
Serena, who was only 22 years old, had aspirations of becoming a fashion designer. Since she was a young child, she had always wanted to be one. Her love of fashion grew as she got older and saw more and more high-profile fashionistas and fashion shows. She enrolled at Harvard but was unable to complete her studies because her father's business venture resulted in his bankruptcy.
Her only option was to withdraw. Her father did not do anything to help her; she was depressed and broken. When she was three years old, her father, Mr. Antonio, wed her stepmother, Serena, whom she detested and constantly pushed away. She was bewildered and her father despised her too. She was always perplexed as to why her father detested her.
By the time she graduated, she had known the truth: her father had always detested her for his hatred of her mother, who shared a striking resemblance with her own mother. When he discovered that her mother had cheated on him, attempted to steal his money, and had lied about him, she fled and nearly killed him. Serena did not understand why he chose to punish her for his mother's transgression, and she was perplexed by the unclear narrative.
It was not clear where Serena was heading when she struck someone while running.
"Were you so blind that the place you were running to eluded your vision?" A slightly French-accented, icy, deep-husky voice inquired. He could not have imagined someone so much taller and more muscular. It was strange how warm and comfortable she felt right away.
She turned to face the enormous man standing in front of her; his face was covered in black makeup, his front hair fell over his features, and his cold, blue eyes were piercing right through her.
He had a stunning face and a magnificent facial structure both with and without the mask.
"Please do not be offended; I promise to look where I am going. I apologize so much," Keen not to lose his attention, she begged.
Without any delay, he brushed her aside and entered a black BMW.
After taking a stroll through the streets of New York City to collect her thoughts, Serena returned home. As she answered a call while standing by the doorpost, she melted She laughed as she looked at Serena following the phone call.
"I assumed you would not be returning. That man is your future husband, whether you like it or not, and you will be welcoming him into your home tomorrow. rrow. Make sure you look appealing enough." After she spat, she burst into joyful laughter.
Embracing her destiny, Serena turned away from her father's presence in the living room and entered her room. Although her step-sister Kylie was in the kitchen, she was extremely hungry.
Who knew? Everyone assumed Kylie would be cruel, just like her parents, but to everyone's surprise, Kylie wasn't. In addition to loving her, Kylie respected her as her older sister. Every time she faces her parents, especially her mother, she stands up for herself.
Being so close since childhood, Kylie detested seeing her parents mistreat Serena in front of her and, for the most part, always defended her.
"Serena, here you are? I have attempted to contact you. Where did you go? I was so worried." She looked worriedly at her serena as she held her shoulder.
Compared to Serena, she was significantly taller and had more mature feats. The majority of people consistently mistake her for being the older one.
"I am fine, Kylie, so do not worry. I never thought this would be my life, and it is really frustrating. I am just so exhausted and frustrated." She complained.
"is it about getting married? It isn't that bad. I am sorry." She put her hand over her mouth.
" kylie I am getting married to an elderly man, not to anyone else. Dad wants me to behave well and look nice because he is coming tomorrow. All I want is to chase my dreams and flee, never to return." She stated.
"So, you are leaving, not thinking about me, huh? That hurts." Serena laughed as Kylie made a dramatic gesture with her hand, touching her chest.
"I am happy I could make you smile. Big sister, you look so old when you frown, even though you are so beautiful."
"I understand now why people always think you are the older one." With a humorous retort, Serena put her problems aside right away. The worst kind of life would be one in which Kylie was absent.
............….
"Sir, I sincerely apologize. It was not intentional." An attractive but thin young woman begged Mr. Aaron, the CEO of Russell Fashion Empire's father. one of the biggest and most well-known fashion empires in the country.
"I believe you are growing weary of your job and that you would like to be fired, correct?" Mr. Aaron enquired.
"No, please. I sincerely apologize. It will not happen to you or to anyone else again. Please, sir, I do not want to lose my job."
"Away from my sight!" He scowled, and the gullible woman fled in fear. which startled and alarmed other workers and employees. Rather than being afraid of him, they were more afraid of losing their jobs.
"Mr. Aaron, it is nice to have you here." The secretary bowed slightly in greeting, and Mr. Aaron just nodded silently.
"Can I get my son here?"
"Yes, sir, he is at his office. I will notify him of your arrival by phone." She gave a courteous response, and the man walked by her without saying anything more.
With anticipation of seeing his son, the president and CEO of the fashion empire, he proceeded directly to the elevator and ascended to the 17th floor.
….
"Where is he now?"
"Sir, he is on his way."
"Well, at least I have seen him now." With a raspy, cold voice, Alex rubbed his forehead and said. He understood his father's purpose for being there. He was starting to annoy him with marriage.
"Papa, you're here. What do you want now?" He asked a mild question about showing respect.
"You understand perfectly why your father is here, my boy. I have both good and bad news to share with you." As if he had won the lotto, he laughed.
"What is it?"
"We have located a stunning woman for you to marry. That means you are done searching for a woman because the deal is signed." Mr. Aaron replied proudly.
"What?!" Why did you sign a contract with her family, and how is the good news coming along? I told Papa not to get involved." Alex scowled.
"What? As your father, you are aware that I am growing older with each passing dayWould you prefer that I pass away before I can hold my grandchildren in my arms?"?"
"You are acting very exaggerated. I will find a wife when I am ready, as I promised. You had just signed a ridiculous contract with a woman I do not know. What is this? A commercial exchange?" Alex asked, trying very hard not to be so disrespectful and to control his anger.
"All right, the deal is completed. The unfortunate news is that Mr. Marko declined to work with us." He stated.
"Why not? I believed he was saying that I was the kind of person who would make a fantastic partner. The fashion empire will soon host a fashion show, and the best empire in terms of style will be featured on billboards throughout the globe. And Mr. Marko is the best when it comes to offering or creating designs," he pondered. Never in his life had he been so disappointed that he forgot to be upset with his father for entering into a marriage contract.
"Therefore, the best course of action is to find someone who is exceptionally talented in producing fresh, original designs for the show." With great interest, Mr. Aaron made a suggestion.
"The Russell family's reputation cannot be damaged. What I am going to do, Papa, is call out our designers to see who is the best at coming up with designs. It is very significant." Rubbing his chin, Alex was also deep in contemplation. Mr. Marko could not have put him off, in his opinion. It was a slight to his self-esteem.
…..
Serena sat down in front of the TV in the living room. She loved the runway story the best. where she mostly watches the designer clothes that she adores.
"Whoa, there will be a competition from the Fashion Empire. This one I cannot miss. This is so good!" She excitedly held her face while grinning. She would always wanted to watch them live on a fashion show. She also desired to meet the fashion industry icons she admired.
Her attention was fixed on a single thing as she watched the advertisement. She noticed Mr. Alex Russell. Since she was sixteen, she has had a crush on him. His gaze will enchant you, and he exuded such majestic beauty.
Without a doubt, he is the most attractive man she has ever laid eyes on. His attractiveness overwhelmed her, and she started to see flashbacks of the stranger she had accidentally hit. They both have the same eye color, piercing icy blue.
The creak of the door startled her, and she turned to see her dad, who appeared inebriated.
He approached her with quite an aggressive gait.
"Rosa, are not you gorgeous?" His breath disgusted her as he spoke, touching her face. He was so full of alcohol.
"What are you doing, dad? I am not Rosa." With that, she withdrew his hand from her face. Her mother's name was Rosa, but calling it that was very annoying.
"Well, you seem to be trying to get me, considering that you almost killed me and took my money." I will stop you from doing that this time." He attempted to kiss her while holding her neck.
"eww! Dad, please do not touch me. Stop it." She got to her feet and attempted to move away, but he violently stopped her, making her stagger.
"So you're running away, huh? What did I tell you about running? You entrusted me with your foolish daughter." She quickly pushed his hand away as he attempted to touch her breasts.
"Dad, I am going to call the police and charge you with molestation if you do not stop this." She said that, bolted from him, went to her room, and shut the door. She was furious and disgusted because she had no idea that her "dad" was attempting to touch her intimate areas. She hated him even more, besides. That wasn't the first time he came into the house drunk; she felt he was doing that on purpose.
"Oh, mom, where are you? Dead or alive? How come you left me for this man? Can you confirm that he is my father? I do not think that nonsense." She heard footsteps getting closer to her door and whispered.
She quickly took cover beneath her duvet as soon as she heard her father's deep breath.
"Rosa, open up! I told you not to run away from me. Don't think I won't get you." He laughed.
She yelled, "Get the fuck out of my door, dad!" which infuriated Vivian, her stepmother.
"What is up with these sounds? Sweetheart, why are you up here?" she asked, seeing her husband standing beside her stepdaughter's door.
"That is Rosa trying to hide in there from me. He answered.
"How many times must I inform you that Rosa is not present? I told her to stop drinking after midnight and to stop calling her names. That is Serena's room, your foolish daughter." In an attempt to control her temper, Vivian answered.
She detests it when her husband mentions the name of his ex-wife; her father made her detest Serena even more because she was her mother's exact replica.