HATRED (series 1#)

chapter 5

I haven't been able to sleep properly since my parents passed away. I miss them so much, and every time they cross my mind, the longing grows stronger. I wish I could be with them."

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I stepped out of the shower when I heard a knock on my door. "Coming!" I hurried to my bedroom to change. When I opened the door, I saw a beautiful, tall blonde lady standing there. She seemed familiar. I snapped out of my daze when she started talking to me.

"Hello, can I come in if you don't mind?" she asked politely.

"Of course, come on in," I replied with a smile.

"Mr. Ryan asked me to come and pick you up," she said, her words weighing heavily on my heart. Whenever I hear his name, I can't help but feel down. How foolish of me to think that Ryan would leave me alone.

"Alright, have a seat please. Let me get you a coffee before I get ready."

"No thanks, I'm good," she replied, a smile gracing her face.

"Just give me 5 minutes then."

********
The car came to a stop near the Versace store.

"I don't understand, why are we here?"

"Mr. Ryan asked me to bring you here. Don't worry about the bills, everything is taken care of."

"Excuse me, I don't mean to be rude, but I'm perfectly fine with what I'm wearing. I don't think he has the right to decide that for me," she said, her voice filled with anger.

"I'm sorry, but that's an order from Ryan. I could lose my job if you don't do as he said. Besides, he wouldn't be happy seeing his fiancée dressed like this when introducing you to the world for the first time," she explained, trying to convince me.

Though I felt a bit defeated, I didn't have the energy to argue. I'm not the stubborn type, and I didn't want her to lose her job because of me, I know how it feels. So I followed her to the store.

A woman in her mid-thirties greeted us, wearing a beautiful short gown. She led us to the store room and presented four different outfits in various colors.

"I'm sure you're going to love them. All you need to do is try them out," she said.

I nodded and entered the store room. I'm not really into all this fancy stuff, but I decided to try on the simple black sleeveless gown. Surprisingly, it fit perfectly and accentuated my curves.

As I stepped out of the store room, I noticed Ryan's secretary with her mouth wide open. It made me chuckle, imagining a fly flying right in.

"You look beautiful," both ladies exclaimed simultaneously.

"Thank you," I replied with a smile.

We left the store and drove to our destination.

******
When we arrived, there were so many paparazzi outside the building. As soon as they spotted our car, their attention shifted towards us, trying to capture pictures of me. "Wow, this is crazy," I thought to myself as I stepped out of the car.

That's when I saw Ryan walking towards me, dressed in a perfectly fitting black suit that seemed tailor-made for him alone. I couldn't help but notice how incredibly handsome he looked.

"I know, I look good, so I can't blame you for staring," he said with a whispered tone. "But remember, this is all for the cameras."

He was standing so close to me that I couldn't help but blush as the paparazzi snapped away. It's silly of me to wish this was real, I thought to myself.

We walked inside and took a seat on a grand royal chair.

"Welcome, Mr. Ryan. It's a pleasure to have you here," the host greeted him.

Ryan nodded in response to the journalist's question. I glanced at Ryan, silently conveying my fear of messing up because I've always been terrible at lying.

"We actually met at a friend's wedding," Ryan replied.

The journalist continued, asking if it was love at first sight.

"Yes, it was," Ryan answered, his gaze locked with mine. "The moment I saw her, I knew she was the one for me. I couldn't bear the thought of losing her."

It's incredible how some people can lie without feeling guilty. He's such a convincing liar.

"When's the wedding?!" another journalist asked eagerly.
"Tomorrow," Ryan replied.

"WHAT?!" I exclaimed as our eyes met. Instantly, I regretted my outburst. He gave me a look that could kill.

"Why is she so shocked?!" I overheard the journalists whispering.

"She wasn't expecting me to reveal this to the media. She wanted our wedding to be private," he said, flashing a smile that was clearly forced.

Ryan and I decided to wrap up the interview and leave without answering any more questions. As we walked out, he gripped my hand tightly, causing me pain.

"Y-you're hurting me. Let go," I stuttered.

He released my hand and gave me a menacing look. "What the hell was that? You almost ruined everything. Do you think this is a joke?"

"I'm not used to lying. It just doesn't feel right," I admitted.

"Don't forget who you're talking to, Kylie. I can change your life in an instant. A day will come when you won't be able to even blink properly when you're talking to me. Mark my words!" he said with a cruel smile, making me even more scared.

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