Ben Architecture, although still at its infancy has become one of the biggest and most reputable architecture firms in the country and Leia Clark is their top architect, she conquered projects left and right and Ben Archi will be a fool to let her go, a lot of people speculated, even with the curse of her father's last name, always tailing her. A few days back, it was rumored that Ben Archi's top architect will be leaving the firm, as she was offered a bigger job with all the trimmings with Ben Archi's top rival, Jack Consulting.
The thing is Leia can never leave Ben Archi, no one but her knows that it was all a farce. That it was all her, that there is actually no Benjamin Archibald, but in a world ruled by men, no woman would survive, let alone Leia, the illegitimate daughter of one of the top businessmen in the country perhaps the world. She had a lot to prove but not a lot of room to prove it on. So she had no choice but to do something drastic. Something, no one would even dream that she would dare do. Fool everyone, even her father's best friend.
Being already talented and smart on her own, she still studied hard so she graduated at the top of her class. She thought it was enough, that being not only the smartest girl but also being the hardest worker would be enough that the stigma of being illegitimate will not weigh her down, but luck was not on her side, her illegitimacy and the dreaded last name was something she can never live down. People always questioned her abilities, looked down on her, waiting for her to make a mistake. It was either she was illegitimate or that she got the job or anything for that matter, because her daddy worked it out for her. It didn't matter how good she was or how talented, it always boils down to those two things and it was just too much, she just couldn't take it anymore.
So she decided to put up her own firm, but she knew that if she put her name on the door, no one would come in. Hence, the birth of Ben Architecture and its elusive owner, Benjamin Archibald. The firm slowly built a reputation for the best designs and quick work. No one has actually seen Ben, rumors milled around on what he looked like. Ranging from being the most handsome guy in the field to being an ugly dwarf. Leia secretly laughs at this, because Ben's a mere illusion, a figment of her imagination, one she came up with while building her firm. But he is fast becoming a name to be reckoned with when it comes to architectural designs and project completions. He is one of the best! No one ever seemed to mind that they haven't seen him. As long as he gets the job done. Quality work within the time frame and with reasonable pricing, who can ask for more, right? So she is quite confident that no one would push into meeting him as long as she gets the work done and she exudes professionalism when representing him.
But unknown to Leia, Jack Garlan on the other hand was very curious as to who this Benjamin Archibald is, after all he became his fiercest rival in a short amount of time, a feat not easily accomplished in their field. They are the best and Ben Archibald is slowly but surely inching his way to the top. A position he doesn't ever want to leave. And so yes, he is very much interested in getting to know this very elusive person. His first move is to have his secretary book an appointment to see this guy. An appointment he got to his surprise, but on the day of the meeting, he was surprised to see his top architect, Leia Clark, Carlson Clark's daughter from an unknown mother. Carlson had an affair with one of his project consultants. They had a tryst in London, a supposed "business trip", that produced Leia. When Carlson found out that this woman was pregnant with his child, he was ecstatic, since Martina Clark, Carlson's wife, although beautiful, cannot have children. When Leia was born, Carlson paid off her mother to live outside of the country, and he took Leia in. Rumor even has it that he still sees her when goes out of the country.
Since Martina was barren, Carlson, in essence, was given free reign in acknowledging Leia, she allowed Leia to live within the estate, she does not live in the house she shared with Carlson. They built a small house within the estate where Leia can live. She will visit the estate from time to time for dinner, even when she was still a little girl but never slept there even though there were plenty of rooms. Carlson will always drop by to spend time with Leia before and after he went to work, so all in all it wasn't a bad deal. Martina tolerated the existence of Leia, but made it very clear that Leia is not her daughter and that will never be up for consideration and everyone in society knows it and Martina, rich in her own right holds a very large clout in the social circle, Hence acceptance of Leia in society is at best, half in half.