Chapter 34: ARE YOU BLACKMAILING ME?.
"Why are we here?." Fortune asked, looking around the shopping mall Vincent dragged her to. She wondered why he brought her here?. She stared at the wonderfully made clothes on display which can cost her her life fortune. I mean to say, they will cost a whole lot of money.
She ran her fingers on the dresses on display and sincerely speaking, they're aren't cheap materials and they're all expensive, she looked at the price tags on each clothes and almost screamed at how costly they're. Not only are the clothes and other accessories are of high qualities but the shopping mall was an exotic one.
"To pick a dress." He answered with enthusiasm, scanning the whole clothes with his eyes.
"What for?." She asked, staring confusedly at him. "Why would I need a dress?."
"I told you, you're coming with me to my brother's music gala as my date." He replied, running his hand on the backless vintage metallic silver embroided gown.
"I don't know why you are insisting on me following you to the music gala." She asked, folding her arms against her chest, giving him an intensive look. "I don't want to go. I'm not interested in going."
"Why are you so headstrong?." He asked sarcastically. "I want you to come with me, I want you there and this dress will suit you very well." He brought out a 5 layer elastic waist gauze tulle bouffant black dress.
He placed the gown in front of her, roaming his eyes over it. Checking the way it will fit on her body. "Here, take it and change into it. I want you to see how it looks on you."
With the annoyance and impatience flickering in her eyes, she snatched the dress from him and placed it back on the clothe racket he brought it out from. He widened his eyes at her actions.
"Why did you do that?." He questioned, staring blankly at her. "I brought it out for you to try it on and you put it back on its racket?."
"I don't want your dress and I'm not going anywhere with you." She said, giving him an annoyed look. "Vincent, let me be, I'm not interested in going to any music gala with you, there are so many girls you can go with. Why me?."
"Cause I want you." He whispered closely in her ear. "I want you….." She pushed him away from him, feeling her cheeks heat up.
"Will stop doing that!." She barked. "Will you please stop coming close to me, I hate it very much. I don't want anything to do with you, I don't like you so please stop coming close to me and don't think I'm one of those girls who would fall for your cute looks."
"You don't know how much I wanted you to say this." He chipped in, leaving her confuse. Is he talking about the cute looks she said or the hating thing. "I have always wanted you to admit I have this effect on ladies….."
"Point of correction, Mr." She raised one of her fingers at him. "Your looks doesn't affect me and your teases are very cheap, you should learn how to tease a girl to get her to fall for you because they aren't working on me." She blurted out and turned to walk away when he held her back.
"You can't leave until I tell you to." He smirked at her.
"As your what?." She asked and freed herself from his hold. "As your possession or what?."
He ignored her and called the female attendant, bringing out the dress once again. "Do you have this dress in another color?."
"Yes we do." The female attendant smiled at him. "Which color do you want Sir?."
Sir… Fortune rolled her eyes literally at the sir the female attendant called him. He's not even up to thirty years old and the female attendant seems older than him. Why put Sir for him?.
"Do you have baby pink?." He asked, still wearing that smug smile on his face. Doesn't his face ache for too much devilish smiles?. She wondered.
"Yes we do." The female attendant smiled.
"Bring it and take this lady along with you to the dressing room to try it on." He pushed Fortune towards the female attendant as she walks off to bring the dress.
"I'm not going anywhere and I'm not trying any dress on." She remained adamant, not moving an inch to follow the female attendant.
He leaned closer to her, whispering in her left ear with a low husky tone. She felt his breath brush over her face and her breathing quickened at that. Why does he have to tease her all the time?. "If you do not go with her to the dressing room, I will do it my way."
She was taken aback by his words, she wondered what he meant by that. She looked at him, giving him a confused stare. "Do what your way?."
"Cloth you myself of course." He smirked. "And don't make me do it because if I do, you might not like what's in stock for you."
"Are you blackmailing me to do what you want?." She questioned with the annoyance still on her face.
"I'm not blackmailing you, I'm just giving you tips on what I will do to you if you refuse and you know my type of person, I'm a persistent being. I get what I want when I want it and I want you now…"
"Are you out of your mind?." She tried to push him again but he held her hands in his, she tried to pull her hands away but his grip on her hands was so tight that she had to give up fighting him.
"You didn't let me finish." He smirked at her. "You really have a perverted mind, what do you think I meant by I want you?." He asked, laughing at the expression on her face. "I meant I want you now to try that dress on or you won't like what I will do to you if you refuse."
Just then the female attendant came back with the baby pink 5 layers bouffant dress. "Here try it on." She handed the dress to Fortune, after a minute of reluctance. She collected the clothe from her and walked into the dressing room.
Vincent smiled and sat down on the waiting seat there, he brought out his phone and started going through his social chats, from Facebook to Instagram and other social chats. Checking updates. Feeling bored, he started playing a game, he wondered what was taking her long in there.
Fortune stared at her reflection in the mirror in front of her, she stared at how the dress fitted her body but one thing is wrong. The dress was too reveling including the back, she looked like one slut in that dress. Her cleavages were also reveling and she finds it hard to walk out on this dress and show it to Vincent, the least person she ever want to set eyes on. She stood there pondering if she should go out or take off the dress. For her, it was way too reveling and she finds it uncomfortable.
The reveling I mean is that the back is totally open and the dress is off the knee. She found it too short, she stood there staring blankly at her image in the mirror. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice the dressing room's door open.
She was brought back to her senses when she heard a male husky voice. She felt someone grazed her reveling back with their fingertips, she looked at the mirror and was surprise to see him.
"You look so provocative in this dress." He whispered in her ear, making her turn abruptly. Crashing into him, her mind completely went blank when she hits his hard chest. "Any man will want to have you and I'm not exceptional."
She wanted to pull herself from him but instead he pulled her so closely that his face is right so close to her, she could hear her heart pounding fast and she prays he never hears it. She casts her gaze down on the transparent floor but he lifts her face to look at him. "V….what are you doing?." She asked, breathless. Finding it hard to concentrate.
"You look so beautiful." He said with a husky tone, maintaining eye contact with her. She swore she saw something glint in his eyes and she prayed it shouldn't be what she's thinking it is. She often asks herself why she reacts this way whenever he's close to her. "I wonder why I'm realizing this now, I wonder why I'm realizing how stunning and gorgeous you look."
She didn't know why her heart was leaping in joy at his compliment, he called her gorgeous. The V she knew always say bad words about her or takes the slightest opportunity to insult her. Her face titled up with a smile but she concealed it immediately with a frown.
"V, let go of me." She prompted immediately, making him look weirdly at her. She wriggled herself free from his hold. "And by the way, why are you here?."
"You were taking too long so I decided to check in on you." He replied.
"Haven't you heard of personal space before?." She asked, using her arms to close her reveling cleavages. He almost burst out laughing when he realized what she was trying to do.
"What are you doing?." He asked, raising his eyebrow inquisitively at her. "What are you hiding?. Why are you behaving like this is the first time you're wearing a dress reveling as this?."
"Because you forced me into wearing it." She retorted, forcefully. "I told you I don't want to wear any dress or go anywhere with you, I just want to leave. Let me be, I'm not the kind of girl you go out with. You said I'm too boring. Why would you want a boring and classless girl go with you?."
"Shhh….. you talk too much." He prompted, placing one of his fingers on her lips, shutting her up. She almost flinched at that but she composed herself. "You know I also ask myself that question." He removed his finger from her lips.
"I also asked myself why I want you to come with me." He went on. "I mean you are not the kind of girl I go out with, you're too annoying and irritating sometimes but I don't know I just want you to come with me. That's all. Maybe I'm taking you with me because you kinda understood my kind of person and you look like a cultured girl, I like cultured girls." He winked at her.
"V, please I'm begging you, let me go." She pleaded with her eyes as she removed her arms from her kinda reveling chest, absentmindedly. "I don't want to go, please take another girl with you and this dress is expensive. I can't afford it."
He smiled at her innocence, he always find this girl unbearable because she was the first girl to talk boldly at him. The first girl to voice out her opinion of him, others are always clingy but she never for once try to do so or try to flaunt herself in front of him. These days he didn't know why he finds her appealing. "Don't worry about the price tag, I'm the one paying not you."
"But it's expensive." She complained. "I can't take it, you shouldn't waste that much money on me and besides it's way too reveling so I won't be comfortable in it."
"So is that a yes?." He asked expectantly. "You're coming with me right?."
"If you want me to come with you, I will go with a simple dress." She said. "I don't want this classic dress, just a simple but attractive one." She decided to give in since he won't take no for an answer.
"That's not a problem, I will get you another dress." He prompted and smiled genuinely at her. "As long as you will come with me."
Gosh…. he's still adamant about to that.
There was a moment of silence between them, an awkward silence. She didn't know how to say this but she needs him out of the room so she can change back to her clothes, she wondered why she's finding it hard to talk to him. I mean she always does that because she finds him irritating but now…..it seems now is different. She can't even look him in the eyes.
"Umm...you might want to step out, I want to change back into my clothes." She voiced out, feeling her cheeks heat up. Hmmmm...
"Sorry." He apologized, chuckling nervously. "I will get another dress for you and also sorry for invading in your personal space." He zoomed out.
She found herself smiling at his act. Fortune stop smiling, remember both of you are mortal enemies. You both can't stand the sight of each other and most importantly he's a Playboy. These kinds of guy can go to any extent to get a girl and afterwards play her so don't be carried away. Don't be deceived by his gestures. Her inner voice warned, knocking her back to her senses.
Her inner voice is right, she shouldn't be carried away. She's only doing this so he would stop pressure her much, she's going with him so she will see Chris. She changed back into her clothes before walking out of the dressing room to join him.
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"Where in world did you get all these from?." Jane asked her sister as she drops the shopping bags on the bed. She needed one simple dress for the so called music gala but he ended up buying a whole bunch of dresses, saying in case she changes her mind not to wear the simple dress which is a cocktail black lace gown.
He bought more for her and these clothes are quite expensive. For the first time in her life, the guy she despised so much was the first guy to buy something for her.
She landed on the bed, feeling exhausted after Vincent made her go through hell in the name of finding her a dress. She didn't even know why she agreed to go with him but in that way she will meet her favorite Rock star. She will see Chris again, the thought alone made her smile. She prayed her sister would recall the engagement, she really like Chris.
"Vincent bought them for me." She replied, feeling her whole body ache for too much work, actually he let her carry the bags herself but he did bring her home.
"Who's Vincent?." Jane asked, thinking. "Is he the same guy you said you don't like?."
"Yes he is." She replied. "Really I want to sleep, he's a very persistent guy."
"Why did you say so and why would he buy all these for you?." Jane asked with suspicion written on her face. "I thought you hate him?."
"He wants me to come with him to the music gala." She responded, closing her eyes. "He said he wants to meet his brother. It has been long he saw him, really that guy is something else. He's very persistent, he wants me to come along as his date."
"Really that's good news." Jane beamed with excitement. "I knew some day, something will brew between you two and see it's working, you like him. You just don't want to accept him."
"What do you mean by that?." Fortune jerked up immediately, sitting up. "Do you think I like him?. Well I don't, I'm only agreeing to go with him so he will stop pestering me and moreover I want to see Chris."
"Hmmmm, you're sure?." Jane eyed suspiciously. "Well do you believe he's Chris's brother?. You said he doesn't have the qualities of Chris, why did you believe he's his brother?."
"He showed proofs and I believed him." She answered, lying back on the bed. "He really is his brother but they're too different, Vincent is really a Playboy who toy with girls and so irritating but Chris….he is.….too calm and quiet who needs a bold lady like you. Why don't you reconsider in marrying him?."
Jane already knew where her sister is driving to by comparing the two. She has been pressuring her to reconsider marrying Chris, she wants to marry him but the guy in question. She didn't even know him, it was like she doesn't know a thing about him. He's unpredictable, now he wants her to come to music gala as his date. She might have agreed but what will his fans think if they see her with him?.
She had to escape the wrath of his fans who thinks she's a thorng on his flesh once. What will happen if Chris is to introduce her as his fianceé in the whole cameras?. She was only doing this for his parents, they're nice people who deserves much. She always wonder what they saw in her that made them choose her.
"I'm also going to music gala with Chris as his date." Jane said, immediately Fortune sat up. Her eyes radiating with excitement and questions.
"Really?." She questioned, taking her hand. "You're also coming with Chris as his date, OMG I'm so happy, I'm happy, I'm happy for you." She squealed loudly. "So we're going to music gala with the Bruce brothers?. That's so fantastic."
"And I have reconsidered." Jane continued. "I will marry him, I will marry him." She smiled.
"Really?." Fortune squealed again, hugging her. "I'm so proud of you, that's why I will always love you. You made the right choice, not because he's a celebrity but he's the right choice for you. I have always told you he's in love with you."
"Hmmmm, I will keep that mind." She lets out a deep sigh. "But….I'm worried for Ethan, I told him to marry me."
"You what?." Fortune broke away from her, staring at her as if she's mad. "Why would you do that?."
"Because I don't want to be hurt by Chris anymore and besides Ethan likes me. He's the only one who understands me. I told him to marry me to keep Chris at arm length, I don't want to be a guy who doesn't want me."
"What told you Chris doesn't want you?." Fortune asked, disappointed at her sister's words. "Chris wants you, he likes you just that the way he shows you matter to him is different. He's a rockstar but the way he stares at you is different, for the first time I see a celebrity look at a lady that way."
"I don't know I feel like shit." She complained. "I accepted to marry him because his mother fainted out of too much thinking since the day I called off the engagement although Chris tried to explain to this to me but I refused to listen. I thought he was using his Mom to get me into marrying me. I didn't know he was telling the truth."
"So you're doing this for his Mom?." Fortune questioned. "Don't you love Chris anymore?."
"I do but..."
"There's no but in love." Fortune snatched the words from her mouth. "You have to talk to Ethan, you have to talk to him. Tell him you're sorry for giving him high hopes and that you only see him as a friend, tell him you're in love with Chris and always be in love with him. The heart never lies."
"But….I'm worried about Ethan." Jane said, casting her look on the floor of their room. "He's really into me and the thing is that I went to the ring shop with him today to buy a ring but we ran into Chris there."
"Chris?. What is he doing there?."
"I don't know maybe he came to buy a ring too." She answered, nonchalantly. "And then snatched me from Ethan and took me to his house."
"Did he propose to you?." Fortune asked, eagerly. "Did he?."
"No, I mean yes but the moment he wanted to do so, he got a call from his father telling him that his Mom was at the hospital. I went there with him, seeing his Mom's condition made me accept the marriage proposal back. I don't want her suffering for what I said."
"You're too kind, I'm proud of you." Fort giggled. "But you need to tell Mom and Dad and Ethan too. You need to explain yourself to them."
"Jane, Fortune. Dinner is ready." They heard their Mom's voice from the dinning area. Fortune casts her now-is-the-time stare.
"Yeah I will." They walked out of their room and went straight to the dinning area. Their parents were already seated, waiting for them.
They started eating in total silence when Jane broke it. "Mom, Dad, I want to discuss something with you."
"What is it dear?." Mr Alfred asked with concern. "Did something happen?."
"Not actually….." She stuttered, not knowing how to break the news to them. She was more worried about how their Mom will react to the news, she knew their Mom never liked Chris. She always seen him as one who wants to ruin her daughter's life.
"Jane what is it?." Mrs Esther asked, giving her suspicious looks. "Why are you stuttering?."
"Mom, Dad, I will marry Chris." She forced the words out. I gave it a lot of thought and I realized I don't want to be with another man but Chris.
"What?." Their Mom screamed. "Are you out of your mind, why would you want to get married to him?. I thought we have discussed this before and you said you won't get married to him?."
Fortune stared at their Mom's expression and frankly speaking, she wasn't happy with her sister's decision.
"Jane what made you have change of mind?." Their father asked calmly, eating his food.
"Dad I'm sorry for the way I blurted it out suddenly but I'm true to my words." She explained. "Since the day I called off the engagement between me and Chris, his Mom has really been down. Today I went to the hospital with Chris and saw his mom lying unconscious there, the doctor said she was in that condition because of too much thinking."
"So you're saying you're doing this because of his Mom?." Their Mom asked, giving her a distasted look. "Have you ever considered your own happiness?. Do you want to be happy?."
"Mom, I know where you are going to but please can you understand me." She pleaded with her eyes. I know you don't like Chris but please consider his Mom. His parents are really nice and I know I won't have any trouble getting married to him."
"Jane I don't know why you're saying this, whether you're doing this for yourself or for his parents." Their father inserted. "All I want is for you to be happy and if Chris brings you happiness. Then I have no problem with it."
"How can you say that, darling?." Their Mom said. "Why would you say that?. I won't let my daughter get married to a man who has the attention of all the women in the whole world. How sure are you that he wants to marry you too?. The other day it was showed on TV where he proposed to that actress of a girl."
"Mom that's in the past and besides Chris said he wasn't proposing to her." She inserted. "He was only asking for forgiveness."
"By going on his knees?." Their Mom asked, rhetorically. "Look and listen to me, I'm your Mom and I won't let my daughter marry some celebrity simply because she's obsessed with him. I won't let it, I care about your self respect."
"Darling, calm down." Their father said. "Besides she's the one getting married to him not you. She's a grown up and can make decisions for herself."
"Because his father and you are best friends from school doesn't mean you should let our daughter get her life ruined in the name of love." Their Mom barked, dropping her spoon. "And she's my daughter and she shall abide by my rules. Infact I have lost my appetite." She stood up and left the dinning area.
"She will calm down soon." Their father smiled. "She's just a little upset but don't worry she will be fine."
"Sis don't worry too much, I and dad will talk to Mom. She's just upset you made the decision without consulting her first but don't worry she will accept Chris soon." Fortune encouraged.
Jane forced a smile on her face, hoping her father's and sister's words to be true.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone