Semua Bab A Scandalous Marriage Deal With Mr Manchester : Bab 1 - Bab 10

~~Rain~~My head pounds like a live band is hosting a concert in there, courtesy of the numerous glasses I had last night. Tony’s restless pacing doesn’t make it any better. My personal assistant has been worked up since news of the scandal broke out this morning.“The PR team has been working for hours,” he grumbles. “They have taken down all the articles, but new ones keep springing up. This seems like a set up. I’m afraid someone is pulling strings behind the scenes to damage your reputation.”A groan rips past my throat as I reach for the cup of black coffee on the desk. Tony stops his pacing, watching me raise the cup to my lips.“What really happened, Mr Manchester?” he asks. “I have never known you to be careless.”I take a long drag of the drink. He’s right. I have never been careless. Situations like this are to be expected in the corporate world, but it’s never been this serious before. Last night was supposed to be a routine visit to the bar, just a few drinks before going

~~Selene~~It’s been two days since the scandal happened. Two days since I signed away my future to marry a guy I have only seen in business magazines. Today is my engagement, an event organized by the two families to fool the press that Rain Manchester and I had planned to get married a long time ago. They camp outside the building, scrambling to grab anything newsworthy. “It’s been an hour,” Aunt Astrid speaks up. I am seated around a large table with my relatives, awaiting the start of the event. “Why hasn’t the groom arrived? Is he trying to ruin the wedding before it even happens?”I glance over at my grandfather. He’s with Roman Manchester, chatting like long lost best friends that just reunited. Rain Manchester still hasn’t arrived. I smooth my hand over my dress. What if he’s pulling out? The event is being delayed because of him. “Maybe he is,” Uncle Victor says, raising a cocktail glass to his lips. “If I was getting married to the daughter of a psycho, I would try to rui

~~Selene~~“Five percent!” Vivienne exclaims. “That’s enough to get Selene a seat on the Manchester group’s board. It should belong to me, grandpa. Will you let her take it all for herself?"It’s the evening after the engagement. We’re all seated in the large living room of the Vaughn villa after receiving a notice that I will be receiving five percent of the Manchester group shares. My family isn’t taking this information well.“You have always wanted to get those shares, Father,” Uncle Victor says to grandfather. “Don’t you find it unfair that Selene got them without even lifting a finger?"My fingers curl into my laps. I school my expression, desperate to keep my composure intact. How could they be so cruel? They threw me to the Manchesters the first chance they got. Now they want to take my shares, the only thing I am getting from this marriage?“I think Selene should keep it.”Everyone turns to Aunt Astrid, shooting daggers at her as soon as the words leave her mouth. She shrugs w

~~Selene~~I spend the next morning picking out dresses for my prewedding shoot. Roman had sent half a dozen stylists to my apartment to ensure everything goes smoothly. The man seems to be a lot nicer than I thought. According to what I know of him, he has always been aloof and strict, keeping his doors close to everyone else. He doesn’t act that way with me, though. He gave me a fraction of his shares and is also following up on the wedding meticulously.The stylists spend the whole time chattering and gushing about Rain and I, praying for a union as ‘blessed’ as ours. I have a hard time keeping a straight face. If only they know the real truth about everything.By noon, we have two dresses ready. With a facebeat, I'm ready to head to the studio. I head out to my car, only to hear a honk in the distance. Rain is seated in a Porsche. His hand against the steering wheel as he honks at me.“He’s here to pick you up,” one of the stylists says. “Miss Vaughn, your fiance is so romantic.”

Rain povI didn’t think before I acted. That was the problem.One second I was standing beside Ava, the next I had yanked the necklace off Miss Vuaghn’s neck, harder than I intended.My fingers tighten around the green stones. Gasps fills the studio. I can’t contain the rage coursing through me. The sight of the necklace on her makes blood rush to my ears. How on earth did it get into her possession? It was my mother’s. It’s the only thing she left to me before she died. The last time I saw her alive, she had squeezed into my palms and told me to give it to the woman I fall in love with.Selene Vaughn is not that woman.“Why do you have this?” I yell. “Answer my question!”She flinches, releasing a tiny gasp as panic fills her eyes. It only increases my irritation. She looks so innocent, like she has no idea of what she has just done. I have never let anyone touch the necklace, not even Ava. Did Selene think she could wear so sacred without me noticing? How on earth did she even know