Kate stood watching her surroundings, a town she wasn't familiar with, she had no purse with her, no cards and no phone.

What was she even thinking when she ran away from the wedding. Irrational survival instinct.

"Wait, I'd...I'd do it!" she screamed before the escort shut the door. Avan signaled to the young man to open the door. He looked at her emotionless as she got back in the car like a rain beaten poltroon.

"One way or the other, I'd have to marry a West, so what if it doesn't have to be Bryan?" She asked tugging the hem of her wedding gown sleeve.

Avan burst out a dismissive laugh.

Gosh so he can actually laugh, he looked cute in this facial expression.

In the next few hours there'd be news flying around town of her disappearance. Her mother would not stop at any length to make sure this wedding holds, the company is at the verge of collapse ever since her father died and this alliance was going to be the turning point of their lives. And Bryan, he won't stop at any length to revenge this slap in his face..was she stupid for running away, she obviously may not be able to save herself and her mom on her own and at the end of the day may shamefully agree to marry Bryan. And considering what he did to her, she's lost her spark for him. So if that'd be the case she'd rather settle with a better advantage, at least Avan's more powerful and she can be able to rub it on Bryan's face for cheating on her.

"Can you hear yourself?" Avan interrupted her internal monologue.

"That way you still win the wager and you'd benefit from my father's company. One year and we'd go our separate ways." She convinced him.

Avan tilted his head to her.

"I'm giving you three days ultimatum as well." She retorted.

Avan looked bewildered, no one has ever dared to tell him what to do.

"So, the narrative is going to be that you eloped with your fiancé's step-brother and married him. Do you realize the impact that has on my public image?"

"There'd be no such thing as that. I have videos and images of Bryan cheating on me, the impact would be on him not us...I mean you." She added as she touched her clothes realizing that her phone wasn't with her.

"Quite the evidence." He said sarcastically

"It's in my purse at uhm the wedding venue."

Avan considered the idea, he'd not only gain the shares from the wager but also put dirt on the West most preferred son.

He smirked. "One of my men can retrieve the phone and if the evidence is still intact then," he lingered while trailing his eyes on the contours of her hips as she was seated. "There's a chance."

"Right." Kate said as she adjusted and rested her head on the other side of the seat.

"I would make the rules of the agreement and it certainly would tilt heavily to my favor. It'd be best you back out now."

Kate swallowed hard. "It can't be that bad."

He smirked. "Don't say I didn't warn you. You can get off here ." He said as he tapped the driver's seat again.

"Yeah, about that I don't actually have any where to lay low for now..soo.."

Avan placed his hand on his forehead and grunted.

"Ave penthouse." He instructed the driver.

***

Kate woke up with a throbbing headache as she looked around her unfamiliar surrounding and recounted the events that led her to this place.

At the private hotel the night before their wedding, she had conversed with Bryan on the rooftop sit-out about their lives and beautiful future together and after what felt like two hours, he said she needed to have her beauty sleep in preparation of their big day tomorrow.

They both retired to their rooms but Kate couldn't sleep and she opted for a midnight snack and went to tell her best friend, Fiona to escort her get one. But she didn't find her in the room. So she went down to the kitchen herself and got the snack. On her way back, she decided to check if Bryan was asleep already and went into his lodge. To her surprise, she found the door slightly open. She got in and headed to the main bedroom where he was supposed to sleep but froze in her tracks.

The main bedroom door was also slightly open and she could hear faint moaning sounds coming from there. She couldn't believe her ears and roughly assumed that it was one of Bryan's friend using the room.

Out of curiosity, she tiptoed closer to the door and the moaning became louder.

"Harder baby, yeah...yeah."

The voice was oddly familiar. Kate felt a cold chill run down her spine and instantly froze with her mouth wide opened as she beheld the scene before her.

She could hear her heart shatter piece by piece. She felt a sharp physical ache to her chest as it immediately squeezed.

She held her mouth with her hands trying to stifle the uproar rising in her throat. A high thin ringing filled her ears. She took a step back as breathing became harder by the second. She was stuck at an indecision to go in there but she couldn't bring herself to face the truth in front of her. A stupid part of her hoped that she'd blink and this nightmare would be gone. But she lifted her eyes and there they were, in the heat of the moment.

What if she stormed in and Bryan cancels the wedding. The company her father left behind, the one her and her mother has been surviving on is at the verge of collapse, and Bryan has been helpful in putting them back on their feet. This marriage was to be their ticket to a better life.

She felt cold, then hot at the same time. Her face burned. Her jaws locked so tight as the tears flowed from her eyes. How dare they. She felt something prickle in her chest. Hot burning anger. She took out her phone from her pajamas trouser pocket and lifted the phone to the small opening at the door. Through the screen she felt utter disgust fill her to the brim.

But the next day as she stared at the mirror and Fiona, her chief bridesmaid and supposed best friend aided her glam up, a cold realization struck her. She couldn't choose this path for her life, she can't spend her life with a cheating partner. Even if she wanted to divorce after the company thrived, what's the guarantee that Bryan wouldn't break her to pieces before then and leave her with nothing. After what she had witnessed, she couldn't trust him anymore.

She had met Bryan after their parents introduced them in a bid to advance their businesses. It wasn't the first time they were meeting. They had met on a few occasions when her father was still alive and they both took a liking towards each other. So when the idea of marriage was brought up they both accepted. Bryan would help them with the company and in return receive a worthy profit while also married to Kate. Kate was overjoyed, getting married to the man of her dreams. Handsome, multi-billionaire, focused and every girls dream man.

"Good morning." Kate said as she got down the stairs with her hair in a messy bun.

Avan blankly stared. "We retrieved the phone yesterday but you slept off almost immediately the time you got here."

Kate sighed, "I needed it."

"Here, unlock it and show me the evidence." Avan said mockingly.

Kate unlocked the phone and stared at him, panic written all over her face.

'Kate Delaney runs away on the wedding day.'

'Kate Delaney turns down Bryan West at the altar in a bid to protect their family.'

'Watch here: Mrs. Alia Delaney release statement about her daughter's disappearance on her wedding day.'

"They're already bringing up false narratives." Kate said looking up to Avan's emotionless face as she played the video.

"My precious daughter was threatened before the wedding but she kept it all to herself, she's always trying to be so brave," Mrs. Delaney let out a chuckle. "And despite the fact that she kept to her end of the bargain to not follow through with the marriage with Bryan, they still kidnapped her, oh my poor child." She added as she wiped the stream of tears flowing down her cheeks.

"We are working really hard and have involved the police to find the perpetrators of this evil. And please if you happen to see her anywhere, any clue you might have, please do well to call this number. We would not stop until my daughter is found safe and sound. Thank you all."

"How in the world did she come up with that. Mom would really go to any length just to uphold a good public image." Kate mused.

Avan took a step back. "It'd be best if you return."

"No, I can still fix this, uhmm the evidence, it's in my gallery..uhmm just a second." Kate said quickly scrolling through her phone.

"Here, it's here! thank goodness." She heaved a sigh of relief as she handed the phone to him.

He swiped through the footage and smirked.

***

"Has there been any call come through that line?" Kate's mom asked pacing around the room restlessly.

"Not at all Ma." Fiona responded.

"I'd see what I can do from my end." Bryan said as he gestured to leave.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry for such a time like this, I hope we find her soon, I'm worried sick." Mrs. Delaney stated.

"Ma'am, are you certain this was a kidnap or Kate willingly ran away?" Fiona asked learning forward on her seat. "She told me she doesn't want to carry on with the wedding so maybe.."

"Shut up! I know my daughter. Come on, didn't you see her before that day and even on that day! She was happy, this was a dream come true for her, for us."

She took a seat at the end of the sofa while dapping the tears that began flowing down her cheeks. "I'm pretty sure she was threatened and while trying to run away, they still caught her. Oh my poor child." She cried even louder.

"Then maybe they told her to not even show her face at the wedding but she wanted to alert us. What if she was trying to tell me something and I couldn't grasp it." Bryan mused.

"Yes, yes that could be a possibility. Oh my baby, she's all I've got left. I really hope the miscreants are feeding her."

"We can check her phone for any evidence that could help the police." Fiona added.

Mrs. Delaney eyes flickered. "Of course, that's a good idea."

"The phone was in her white purse, and I remember returning it to her room. I'd go look for it."

After fifteen minutes, Fiona came back, wearing a panic expression. "It's not there anymore."

"Are you sure there's no other place it could be?" Bryan questioned.

"No, I ransacked her room, it's nowhere to be found."

"It could possibly be with her." Mrs. Delaney said.

"Then that could be a good resource. I'd alert the police to track it immediately." Bryan said.

At the West Mansion, the ceiling soared two stories up with a chandelier that hung like a frozen burst of light. Different staffs could be seen moving in their arrays.

"I heard about your runaway bride? Is there anything you don't mess up? I even put stakes on it and you screw this one up too?" Avan retorted.

"Yeah, right. Rub it on my face. Besides she didn't runaway, she was kidnapped. You know, you should have stayed out of the wager and everything about the wedding. Can't you see you're bad luck?"

"Bryan, look how stressed you look like and you're not even married yet, what would happen when you are? Mrs. Glyde West commented pulling her son in for a hug. "Let's just forget about everything and you could settle down with someone else. This Kate of a girl is bad luck, I could sense it from the moment I set my eyes on her."

"But I thought you said you liked her."

"Did I, that must have been her charm working on me, now the scales are off my eyes I can see clearly."

"Mum, it's alright. I believe this is a test to our love. We'd find her sooner besides, the police have began tracking her phone."

"You don't advise someone in love, do you? She said pulling his cheek. "Come I asked the chefs to prepare your favorite."

Avan immediately dashed out of the mansion.