Prologue (One)

- Hurry up with the make-up, please. - The stylist who was still working on the mere details of the dress was even more excited than the bride. Linna was already exhausted from sitting in that chair, even though it was padded, after so long even she was not comfortable.

Her neck hurt as well as her lower back, and the worst part was that she had no idea when she would get out of there. Even though it was a fake wedding, she was anxious, her stomach hurt, and her feet were so sweaty that she felt like her feet were going to be sweaty soon.

That man, her fiancé, known as Robert Nathan Scully or simply CEO Nathan, is weird. He is handsome. Very handsome. Even more than she would have liked. His body is well defined, nothing too big or too tight, just shapely enough for his muscles to show through his dress shirts and his thighs to show through his tight jeans. His Asian features are what makes him the most handsome, his family is Thai with American descent, so even though he is weak, he still has big eyes and a slightly too big nose. What is really beautiful are his full lips and his big hair combed back and almost non-existent on the sides.

Linna would like to focus only on these things, but she knew that the man did not like her very much. É. Although he accepted the marriage, he accepted only for the sake of his parents' small business because he was going to gain from it as well. Among several moments they had to be together, few was the one they truly talked about and then she knew that Robert was not that boring. And that maybe their marriage could flow, even without any love.

She was not there for love either. She didn't feel any kind of feelings for him and she deeply wished she didn't, since, well, you can't command your heart. What she might, at most, feel is a big hard-on for having to sleep next to such a man and do nothing. But feelings? The only feelings that exist in you are kept for your father and mother. She has never been one to believe in love, even though her favorite genre is romance. Because none of the people knew how to respect her space, none knew how to be patient, none gave her what she wanted. Not everything is love, above love there are pillars necessary for a relationship.

And Linna can't live without them.

And she is also sure that the scoundrel Robert doesn't have these pillars either.

But even following what she believes, Linna felt she could be friends with him and have a good time together until the years of marriage are over according to the contract. Five years seems like a short time, but it isn't when you don't know the person, their qualities, their flaws, let alone what they are like. This means that Linna may be preparing heaven for her future husband but clearly she may be getting hell on a plate.

- Your hair looks so beautiful. - The stylist had a girly voice, Justin was his name, and he tweaked some of the curls and added some more crystals to complete the wreath made of beautiful stones. It would be much more beautiful if it was a real wedding. In fact everything looked beautiful.

The bride had come to the ceremony site hours before, to check the preparations, the wedding was going to be performed by a minister, to the surprise of many. And consequently it would not be inside a church. Even though everything would remain the same, chairs in rows, a red carpet in the middle with a large walkway and a makeshift altar. Linna enjoyed participating in this, in fact she had always been interested in organizing this kind of thing, the hostess even showered her with compliments. She hadn't heard from Robert since the day before.

She heard that he had planned a bachelor party. As if at the wedding he would not be with other women. This idea was something that bothered Linna, even if it was something without feelings, it was public and if they saw him with other people it would obviously look very ugly and embarrassing to her. However her temperamental genius just stated that she was going to do whatever she wanted. And she didn't deny it.

She looked at the clock on the table, it was only ten minutes before it was her turn to go in. With Justin's help she got up with her dress, it was simple, not too fancy. It had a V-neckline emphasizing her large breasts, and long lace sleeves with floral designs. The dress had a veil that was only two meters long, without covering her face. It just fitted into her shiny crown as it spread across the floor with a design that looked like a heart.

- I'm nervous. - Linna smiled gracelessly and Justin grabbed both her hands, as if they were great friends. This was one of the reasons she was so nervous, her friends were in the audience as guests, and they all knew the real reason for the wedding.

- It's going to be all right, little Lady. You look beautiful, everything, absolutely everything is perfect. You'll do great, your fiancé will drool. - Drooling in disgust, she thought, since she had no idea why.

- Oh, I hope so. - he joked. - I guess it was my time. - Everything was perfectly fine, too fine. Linna was escorted by Justin behind the curtain that would open as soon as the violin started playing the annoying wedding music, where she found her father and a friend.

- Oh my God. - Raoul, her father's friend, smiled broadly and nudged him.

- Daughter! God, you look so beautiful. - He touched his face with his rough palm and Linna smiled at the gray-haired man. - See you in a bit, Raoul, let me enjoy this a bit. - Raoul nodded, smiling and turned his back to the opposite side of the ceremony.

- Dad, I'm only doing this because I know that this will save our company and get us out of the mud. I want to make you proud, even more so because I like this business and that's why I accepted this proposal. - His father's blue eyes looked thrilled. -It's okay. Now let's go. - They stood in front of the curtain, Linna with her arm supporting her father and the other hand holding a bouquet of sunflowers.

Her favorite flower.

The music started and the curtains opened. For a few brief seconds she felt like she was in a theater. Where all those people were an audience witnessing a scene, eager to know the probable ending. He swallowed dryly, smiling at the people from his family, that was the worst mistake, to invite all those people. The people from Robert's family simply looked too serious, almost all in the same attire, most of them wearing black. Linna wondered if they had come from a wake. She looked over the decorated pillars of the place and down the path with sunflower petals. It was beautiful. His eyes went up to the altar, there was the pastor, apparently happy, holding something in his hand that looked like a Bible, maybe it was. But his eyes were searching for the one person who should be there.

Robert Nathan. The groom. Where was the groom who wasn't waiting for you?

She frowned, three steps away from the altar and everything starting. Then why weren't you warned about any of this? About a situation as serious as this?

- Where is Robert? -she whispered, tilting her head at her father.

- There has been a slight change, he asked to come in after you, to see you at the altar. - Linna smiled broadly and agreed, waving to the pastor and turning to the audience. - Good luck daughter. -Conan denied his daughter's cheek and joined the godparents who served as mere witnesses.

Minutes went by, and Linna got down from the altar steps, totally uncomfortable, taking a deep breath thinking about the stupid thing that irresponsible kid could do, or was doing. Something inside her said something bad was going to happen, and yes she heard that motorcycle roar overhead. It was nothing about walking down the aisle. Shamelessly Robert parked the motorcycle in the middle of the passage that led to the altar, the blonde woman got off her croup, not even wearing a helmet. Linna didn't know her, she frowned expecting what would come from him.

Robert made the blonde hold up her expensive matte black helmet and stared at his fiancée with a look of disgust.

- I only came to this wedding to say one thing. I'm not going to marry you, Linna Gustov." All the guests seemed surprised, except for Robert's parents and the bride herself, Linna seemed to sense that this was going to happen. Yet it was also cause for despair and shame. After all, everyone was there, everyone from her social circle. Believing that this was love.

- What are you doing? -Roney, Robert's father, stood up, buttoning one of the buttons of his tuxedo. His angry face didn't bother, much less frighten his son.

- What am I doing, Dad? I'm giving up this shitty marriage. Because I don't want to marry a self-interested person, for a start. This family only wants to take this from us, this woman only wants our money. - He pointed to the bride, her eyes watering, holding the lifeless bouquet. - You, Linna Gustov, are a golddigger.

- You, Linna Gustov, are a golddigger. - That was all she could say, in stuttering, stuttering words.

- Shut up? That's what you deserve. All this humiliation. You are such an idiot, babbling about your life while we were out together, do you think I was really interested? Everything about you is boring. You are ridiculous. I could never stand to be with a woman like you, ugly and weird. You can't even be smart. For those of you who would attend this wedding, it's just a farce because I could never love that one. - The bride's body crumpled, the bouquet fell to the ground, spilling the flowers due to the impact. Linna felt an enormous pain in her heart, even more so with all those looks, from her family, from her friends. What would become of her reputation after this?

- I order you to stop, Robert. - Roney went to his son and pulled him by the arm, to the surprise of everyone there his hand stopped on Robert's cheek after a sharp slap. That stopped him for a second.

- Why would I stop, Dad? Tell me, I was never the son you wanted, was I? Well, then. You can put an end to this fucking party because I won't be here anymore. - He pulled the arm of the blonde woman who was accompanying him, she seemed frightened by the situation. But she also seemed happy, especially seeing Linna crumble. - This is Lola, this is my wife. Who understands me, who loves me, who knows how to at least give me a good night's sex. Because you don't even know how to do that, Linna," she shouted, her throat burning. The scream made Linna cover her ears and fall to the floor, closing her eyes and crying. - Unfortunately I still remember that night in that nightclub and if I could go back in time I would never have allowed myself to have an experience as bad as this. You don't deserve anyone.

- Enough, Robert. I won't allow you to talk about my daughter like that. - It was Conan's turn to stand up, standing next to Roney. - Control your son!