*BEN*

I sighed with relief when Nolan cut in because I was on the verge of crying.

What was I thinking last night? Asking some random man to just kiss me.

Gosh we didn't even use protection last night and I haven't taken the pill yet.

Once we were outside I released the breath I was holding and blinked away the tears.

"Did my father say something to you?" He asked in a worried tone.

I shook my head negatively and remained silent and a lone tear rolled down my cheeks shamelessly.

His words cut through me.

I let out a shaky exhale.

I'm not making the same mistake I made years ago.

I'm not letting a man have that kind of power over me.

He can't control my emotions.

I wasn't just some random gold digger he picked up last night.

It felt like it was something more and I was stupid to think that he felt the same way.

Clearly I was nothing but a mere petty stop.

One night he's being passionate and the next morning I'm met with a complete opposite stranger.

I quickly wiped it away.

"Ben."

I looked up meeting his gaze and gave him a small smile.

"I'm fine, don't worry about it."

He looked angry.

"What did my father tell you?" He asked sternly.

I couldn't tell him the truth.

Some things were better left unsaid.

Nolan sat beside me and grasped my hand.

"I need you to open up to me...now that we can't fall in love right away but we can at least be friends so I want you to be honest."

I chuckled softly.

"Do you think I'm a gold digger?" I asked curiously.

Nolan remained silent and gave me a small smile.

"Look around Ben you're surrounded by wealth you're probably richer than my dad so no I don't think you're a gold digger."

I nodded quietly.

"You know we're not even married yet but you're doing a great job at playing the role of my future husband."

He chuckled softly.

"I've been practicing."

I cocked a brow at him and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Practicing with who?" I asked curiously.

I wasn't jealous but I was filled with curiosity.

He smirked.

"YouTube."

My eyes widened in shock.

"Wait, you're serious?"

I burst out laughing and he joined in too.

"I'm sorry I'm a bit slow when it comes to matters of the heart."

In the corner of my eyes I could see Ambrose lurking around in the shadows like some bounty hunter.

The reflection from the mirrors sold him out and he didn't even realize it.

I turned to look at Nolan and he seemed puzzled.

"Ben?"

I leaned in and kissed him on the lips slowly until I felt him kiss me back with the same intensity.

I pulled away with a shaky exhale.

My heart was pounding frantically in my chest .

I swallowed hard when I realized that Ambrose was gone.

"I'm sorry that was an impulse I shouldn't have done that..."

I lowered my gaze when I felt the heat in my cheeks.

"An impulse forced you to kiss me?" He asked curiously.

No.

The truth is that I was trying to make your father jealous, Nolan.

I looked up and smiled shyly at him.

My life is full of mysterious twists and chaos right now.

He gave me a smile and cupped one of cheeks.

Our eyes locked in a frenzy and I released a shaky exhale when he leaned in and pressed his lips against mine slowly.

My eyes closed on their own and I found myself pulling him closer and this time it wasn't even a show.

I kissed Nolan because something pulled me towards him.

He pulled away with a shaky exhale and I could feel the heat in my cheeks.

"I guess that makes us even" he rasped softly and offered me his hand.

I nodded quietly and swallowed hard.

I was on the verge of ruining a father and son relationship.

Nolan and I went back inside and I had to act like I had everything under control.

My grandfather gave me a stern nod.

He only approved of me acting like a cheap slut when it benefited him.

It made me wonder if we were really related.

When I spotted my mother a few feet from me I excused myself and went to have a word with her.

We hugged and she kissed me on the cheek.

I ushered her outside.

"Where's dad? He could have at least showed up to my engagement after all I'm selling myself to the highest bidder because of him."

My mother looked away.

"Uh he didn't spend the night at home and I haven't heard from him since the day he told me about the money he lost."

My eyes widened.

"I can't win with you guys...why am I even doing this when he doesn't even care."

She grasped my hand.

"Your father cares about you Benedykta honey he just has a different way of showing it. I'm sure that he feels guilty for what happened and he's just trying to find a way to get you out of this situation."

I shook my head negatively and pulled away from her grasp.

"No. You're always defending him....and he's not guilty at all; he's probably getting wasted with some woman making the same damn mistake again."

Her face turned pale.

"Benedykta," she warned in a low tone.

I scoffed in annoyance.

"You've always known that he's been cheating on you for years. Why don't you just leave him? He doesn't even give a flying fuck about your existence."

She looked añgry.

I knew that I had crossed the line.

"I can't leave even if I wanted to."

I stared at her in disbelief.

"Is it because of the money?"

She remained silent.

"It's complicated."

"Nothing is complicated because you guys are making me marry a man I don't love for a couple of billions" I muttered furiously.

I don't know how I ended up with shitty parents like them but I was better off alone.

I turned my back and walked away without uttering a single word.

I wanted to be alone.

I found myself walking further into the vast garden away from the party as the music died down and I was met with the sound of nature around me.

A lone tear rolled down my cheek and someone wiped it away.

My teary eyes widened in shock when I came face to face with Ambrose.

I moved away from him in horror.

"I thought big girls don't cry" he taunted and I frowned at him.

"Why are you following me?!" I demanded angrily.

He smirked.

"Don't flatter yourself, Benedykta , there's nothing special about you."

He narrowed his eyes at me.

"Did your little stunt satisfy your ego?" He asked curiously.

I crossed my arms over my chest.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He began taking slow strides towards me.

I wasn't afraid of him.

"You think using Nolan to make me jealous will make you sleep at night?"

I rolled my eyes at him.

"So you're saying I'm not allowed to kiss my future husband? How am I supposed to make him happy if I can't touch him?"

His eyes darkened dangerously, instantly silencing me.

"Don't" he warned.

I smirked at him.

"Don't play with fire piccolo fiore or you'll end up getting burned."

I wasn't going to back down.

"Do your worst dearest father in law" I whispered softly.

He chuckled darkly.

*BEN*

It was all smiles for the family when Nolan and his father bid us goodbye and after they were gone my grandfather turned to look at me with a scowl on his face.

I crossed my arms over my chest.

"What were you thinking, Benedykta?!" He yelled furiously.

I stared at him in disbelief.

"What have I done? I'm selling my dignity just to make you richer. What else do you want?"

I kept my gaze on my mother and she looked away with guilt.

Serves her right.

"You came home drunk knowing that you could potentially ruin this engagement and I won't let you ruin my plans."

I scoffed in annoyance.

"I'm all doing you a fucking favor by marrying a man I don't even love so you should all be fucking grateful."

My grandfather raised his hand to hit but my mother held him back stopping him.

I smirked.

"Are we resolving to violence now?"

He remained silent.

I already knew my answer.

I grabbed my car keys and left the mansion while my grandfather kept calling my name.

This is why I moved out.

I couldn't stand being under my grandpa's control like I was some mindless puppet.

I want to be CEO so bad but deep down I think it's not worth selling my soul to the devil.

By the devil I mean Ambrose.

I got into my car and drove off without looking back.

I've always had a messy relationship with my grandfather and when I got older it only got worse.

I've tried to impress him so that I can be in his good graces that has never worked.

Tears filled my eyes as I increased the speed and I found myself heading somewhere else.

It was late but I found myself driving towards the beach.

When I finally arrived I sat on the sand and just broke down crying.

I was alone and no cameras were here to judge me.

In the eyes of the media the Rebels were an epitome of perfection and success and my grandfather has always wanted to keep things that way.

Always stay on the top no matter what.

And with this new project things might even get more difficult. Once you get to the top it's impossible to get back down and I've learnt that the hard way.

I wiped my tears away.

I released a shaky exhale.

It's easy to back away from this marriage but the mere thought of my father going to prison doesn't settle well with me.

I've already signed the contract.

I'll just have to get married to Nolan and stay with him for a year but I can't fathom the idea of having a baby with him.

No.

I've never thought of having kids and getting married was always out of the question.

My life was filled with my secret passion for writing and well taking over the family business since my father can't get his shit together.

No one knows that I'm a writer aside from my best friend Marcus.

If my family knew I know that they would never support me so some things I better off unsaid.

My mother was trying to get hold of me but I turned off my phone.

I sat at the beach for an hour just listening to the waves of the oceans wishing that they'd just carry me along.

Maybe my life would feel easier.

It was getting cold and this dress wasn't keeping me warm.

I got up and began walking towards my car.

Later that night I made it at the apartment in one piece. I stripped out of the dress and decided to go for a long shower.

I had a glass of wine and went to bed.

I had to wake up early for work.

My thoughts kept wandering back to the moment when Nolan kissed me and I couldn't help but feel flustered at the mere thought of his lips on mine.

His kiss was gentle yet passionate.

He was nothing like his father.

Ambrose.

His kisses made me feel like I was on the verge of drowning in ecstasy yet I didn't want him to stop either.

I groaned deeply.

When I eventually blocked out those steamy moments between father and son I eventually drifted to sleep an hour later.

As usual I woke up at 5.am in the morning and did my morning yoga routine despite feeling exhausted.

I decided to go for a long bubble bath and after that I went to get dressed and after I was done I was heading to the kitchen for some quick breakfast.

I turned on my phone and the number of messages and missed calls I found were alarming and a few of them were from Nolan.

I frowned and decided to call him back.

He picked up on the second ring.

"You made me worried, Ben," he muttered quietly.

"What do you mean?" I asked curiously but deep down I knew that my grandfather had something to do with this.

He cleared his throat nervously.

"Your grandfather mentioned that you left the mansion upset last night so I wanted to check up on you to make sure that you're okay."

I was angry that my grandfather dragged Nolan into this mess.

"Ben, are you still there?"

I had zoned out.

I sighed deeply.

"Yes I'm okay but I've burnt my toast while talking to you" I exclaimed softly removing black toast from the toaster.

It was burnt beyond human consumption.

He chuckled softly.

"I'm sorry for that but let me make it up to you. Let me have the honor of taking you out for breakfast."

I bit my bottom lip.

It was off schedule but I wanted to genuinely get to know Nolan.

"Please" he insisted and I found myself giving in.

"Like a date?"

I smiled to myself and I'm sure he had a grin on his face.

"Yes it will be our first date"he muttered quietly.

It was official Nolan and I were going on our first date but in the back of my mind I could picture Ambrose frowning at me.

Nolan offered to pick me up and I accepted even though I preferred driving myself to work.