Chapter 2

“I and Daniel are at a crossroads in choosing a date for the wedding,” Victoria said as she trudged toward Selene in a bikini. “What day do you think will be perfect for the wedding?” She asked as she leaned on the rails beside Selene. Her eyebrows arched when Selene remained mute. She was picking her fingers nervously and her lips pouted in anger.

“Selene?” She waved her hands across her face but got no response from her.

“Hello, where did you go to?” Victoria pocked her ribs and she jumped.

“What was that for?” Selene snapped, glaring haughtily at Victoria.

“Where did you zoom out to?” Victoria mocked. Selene sighed and shrugged lightly.

“Sorry about that. What were you talking about?” she asked. Victoria gave a mocking stare before shuffling towards the still pool.

“Never mind,” she waved her hands in the air and dived into the cool water.

“I wonder how my dad is faring,” Selene muttered, she went back to picking her nails.

“Why don’t you go and visit him, it’s been three days,” Victoria said and leaned on the wall.

“Lauren must be around trying to prove herself worthy of being a perfect daughter,” Selene snickered and rolled her eyes contemptuously.

“Then stay.” Victoria shrugged and ducked into the water.

Selene sighed and closed her eyes slowly zooming out again. The sharp ringing on her phone tore her back to reality.

“Who could it be?” she grumbled loudly and dug out her phone.

“Dad?” she gasped and hastily accepted the call.

“Hi Dad,” she smiled, pressing the phone to her ear.

“Selene, I need you in the Villa now,” he said and the line went dead. Her dad’s voice echoed as a ghostly whisper on the phone.

Her heart pounded heavily against her chest.

Is he alright? Did he have another attack? Different thoughts ran through her head as she speedily arranged her hair into a ponytail.

“Vicky, Dad called. I’ll see you later,” she called, slung her bag across her shoulder, and padded towards the exit door.

“See you later!” Victoria shouted after she disappeared back.

 It took a fifteen-minute drive to get to the Villa, and throughout the journey, Selene’s mind was preoccupied with her father’s health.

She got to the Villa and jumped out of her car, rushing into the house and ignoring the various greetings thrown at her.

A maid led her to the room where her father was. Selene was surprised when she saw Lauren there, she was sprawled out on the couch beside Ruth.

“Hello Mom, hello Dad,” Selene trudged to Ruth and placed a light kiss on her forehead. She threw a smile at Doreen’s way and sat down completely ignoring Lauren. She wondered why Doreen had called for a family meeting.

“I’m glad that everyone is here,” Doreen said. His voice sounded like it did over the phone.

She knew for sure that Doreen wasn’t getting any better.

“I have pondered on Ruth’s persuasion about the company and I have decided to step down from being the CEO of Starlight group of companies.”

Lauren gasped and sat erect. “Really! That means that someone is going to become the next CEO, right ?” Lauren blabbered.

Doreen cast a cold glance at her and she became quiet, he diverted his gaze to the frame that hung on the wall.

“I want you to take my stead when I step down.”

The three women glanced at each other wondering who he was referring to.

“Who?” Lauren asked.

“Selene…she will become the next CEO,” Doreen muttered, pride darted across his eyes as he smiled at her.

Ruth gasped and grinned widely. Lauren’s jaws dropped as she stared popeyed at her father. Selene wasn’t left out of the whirlpool of shock either, she felt her heart stop beating for a moment as she stared at Doreen in disbelief.

“Dad…me?” she gasped and covered her mouth with her sweaty palm.

“Thank you so much, Dad, thank you for believing in me and I promise never to fail you!” Selene crouched down before Doreen. She clasped her pale hands into his and squeezed it tightly as she sobbed.

“I’m so happy for you baby. I know you can do it.” Happiness sparkled in Ruth’s eyes as she squeezed Selene’s quivering shoulder.

“This is unfair!” Lauren spat and stamped her feet violently.

“you should be happy for your sister at least.” Ruth glared at her.

“I deserve that position! I’ve been beside Dad for these past years while she lay lazily in a stupid coma.”

“Lauren!” Ruth gasped.

Selene ignored Lauren’s yells.

“I know how hard you have worked for the growth of the company but Selene has more potential,” Doreen muttered.

Lauren pouted in annoyance and shook her fist at Doreen and Ruth. “ I knew you guys never loved me, I knew it. All you care about is that snitch!” she waved her fingers at Selene and jerked her bag.

“Don’t ever call me your daughter, you hear?” she sneered and flounced away in anger.

“Don’t worry, Dad, I have your back,” Selene whispered and Doreen sighed, nodding lightly.

Selene got up and gave Ruth a tight hug before picking up her handbag.

Selene couldn’t believe that she would soon become the CEO of Starlight. She was on cloud 9.

A large grin was spread out on her face as she sashayed towards Victoria.

“You weren’t answering your call so I guessed that something must have happened,” Victoria mumbled, leaning leisurely on her Tesla car.

“Is your dad…” her question stopped midway when she saw the large grin displaying on Selene’s face.

“What’s with the smile, huh?” she asked smugly.

“Guess!” Selene shrieked, skidding happily.

“I’m not a good guesser,” Victoria replied

“You are talking to the next CEO of Starlight Group of Companies.” Selene flaunted.

Victoria’s jaws dropped in awe. “Wait, what?” she whispered, her eyes wide as saucers.

“Tell me you’re lying!”

“I’m serious. I’ll be officially announced as the CEO on Monday.”

Victoria gasped loudly and pushed her hands into her mouth to prevent her from yelling out.

Tears stung her hazel eyes as she hugged Selene.

“Honey, this calls for celebration,” Victoria mumbled and broke the hug.

“so…where do we celebrate?” Selene grinned. Victoria returned the grin, mischief dancing at the corners of her large eyes.

“It’s easier to find love in a club.”

“What?” Selene shot her head to one side.

Victoria smirked and dragged her into her car

“Girl, I need to get you smoking hot!”

~~~~~

Marion sat in a secluded spot in the bar with his friends.

“Wait a minute, isn’t that Selene?” Jerome said, staring at a group of girls. The others followed his eyes and Marion frowned and dropped the glass he was holding.

“What’s she doing in a club?” he seethed.

“Come on, dude, stop trying to act like you own her,” Jerome replied. Timothy smiled lightly as he stared at Selene.

“HSL!!” Katie screamed.

“Happy Single Ladies!” they all chanted, laughing hysterically.

“Well, it’s such a shame that Victoria will leave that class soon,” Betty pepped

“I’m proud of it,” Victoria replied.

“I’m okay being a happy single billionaire,” Selene said and gulped another glass of vodka. The girls cheered as she swayed to the dancefloor drunkenly.

“Shit! They’re drunk,” Daniel muttered as they stared at the rambling ladies.

“I have to say hello to Selene, her dad had a heart attack a few days ago,” Timothy said, glancing at Marion. He got no reaction from him as he slipped away and joined the girls.

“Victoria is getting tipsy, I should be beside her,” Daniel muttered and slipped off too.

Marion faced Jerome expecting him to leave too.

“You don’t mind if I ask your ex out, right?” Jerome taunted, smirking.

“Don’t even think about it till your next life!” Marion snapped.

Jerome echoed a mocking laugh and got up.

“I might get a chance to be with her in my next life,” he shouted in his direction and headed towards Selene.

Marion swayed the glass in his hands as he stared intently at Selene. He balled his fist in anger when Jerome patted her hair, he said something to her and she shrieked in laughter

A glass shattered and Lauren rushed towards Selene holding a broken bottle. Selene was too drunk to notice the volatile movement, Daniel was fast enough to pull Lauren away from the group unnoticed.

He dragged her roughly to Marion and pushed her into a seat

“I hate her! I hate her!” she kept muttering, disarraying her hair.

“That’s enough, Lauren,” Daniel snapped, glaring at her.

“Lauren?” Marion raised his brows at the sobbing girl beside him.

Lauren raised her head and her cries ceased as she stared into his startling blue eyes.

“Marion!” Lauren leaned in to kiss him but he brushed her off.

“She’s drunk, you should probably take her home,” Daniel said behind Marion.

“What?” Marion snapped his head in Daniel’s direction, glaring at him.

“What did you say?”

“Please Marion, be nice and take her home. I have to stay beside Victoria.”

Marion shifted his glare to Lauren who was already drooling on the chair.

“Fine!” He snorted loudly and swept Lauren into his arms.

He took a final glance at Selene before striding out of the clubhouse.

He dropped Lauren into the passenger seat and ignited the car, bluntly ignoring Daniel’s goodbyes.

“Marion!” Marion turned sharply when he heard a whisper beside him. Lauren’s eyes were wide open, staring drunkenly at him.

“I’ve always longed to have you beside me,” she blabbered. Marion ignored her and fixed his cold eyes on the road.

“I love you, Marion. What do I do to prove it?” her puppy eyes shone as she whispered.

“Keep quiet,” Marion replied brusquely.

“My dad wants to make Selene the CEO!” Lauren blurted out.

The car screeched to a halt and Marion tightened his hands around the steering wheel.

“It seems you don’t want that, huh?” Lauren muttered as she watched his reaction.

“That means that we’re on the same page,” Lauren added.

Marion threw a cold glance at her and ignored her.

“We can pull her down together, I have a plan, all I need is an ally,” Lauren kept spilling.

Marion kept mute.

“Are you in?” She asked, smirking evilly.

“Get down from my car,” Marion muttered, his hands still gripped on the steering wheel.

“Huh?” Lauren huffed.

“Get down from my car.”

“We’re going to your house, aren’t we?”

“I can see that you’re widely awake and in your right senses.” Marion got out of the car, walked to the passenger side, and opened the door.

“Get down!” he ordered.

“No, I won’t !” Lauren snapped.

Marion scoffed and gazed at her. He grabbed her hands and roughly pulled her out of his car.

Lauren winced in pain as he dropped her to the ground.

“You can’t leave me here alone!”

Marion pulled out his wallet and threw a few notes at her.

“That will take you home,” he muttered and walked into his car, then drove off without sparing a glance at her.

“Marion, you can’t do this to me!” she screamed as anger and disappointment flooded her system.