SOCIETY 👰 BRIDE

💞PART 1 💞

♡RENEE'S P.O.V♡

"BUT,Daddy, I barely know him. How can you me to do something like ...like that with him ?"
Renee Riley chewed anxiously on her thumbnail and stared dumbfounded at her father in light of what he'd just asked her to do. Then she remembered that one of her New Year's resolutions was to stop biting her fingernails -Hey, so what if it was only New Year's Eve? No time like the present, right? -and she forced her hand to her side. Unable to keep her still, however, she immediately lifted it again, this time to run her fingers through her curly, chin-length, dark brown hair.
All around her was music and laughter and joyful noise, and it struck her as ironic that she would be standing in the middle of a wedding reception -and playing the role of maid of honor, too - Pondering the request her father had just made of her. Another ripple of distaste rolled through her, making her queasy, and her fist tightened around the bouquet of red roses and baby's breath nestled against the sleeveless burgundy velvet sheath she wore.
"Renee, sweetheart, " Reginald Riley pleaded in that cajoling tone that had always been her undoing, "what Lyle Norton wants to do isn't so surprising .You're a beautiful girl, after all ,and he's a young, red-blooded man ,so naturally he'd want you to -
"But, Daddy, "Renee interrupted him, something she normally never did. Which just went to show how very desperate she was. "It's such a...such an intimate thing to do. I mean, how can Mr.Norton ask someone he hardly knows to... How can you ask me to-"
"Oh, come on, Renee. "Reginald interrupted her. "Be reasonable. It's not like l'm asking you to sleep with him. "
She narrowed her eyes. "Daddy, you've just told me that a man l barely know wants to me, and you approve of the idea. Now, aside from the fact that this whole thing is totally archaic -a fact upon which l won't even comment at length right now -hasn't it occurred to you that, if l do marry Mr. Norton ,then at some point, sleeping with him is going to figure into the deal? "
Her father furrowed his brows thoughtfully. "Oh, " he replied blandly, as if that particular part of the arrangement hadn't quite jelled in his brain. "Oh, yeah. Then l, uh ,l guess l am asking you to sleep with him. But only under the sanctity of marriage. "He hastened to qualify his words, as if that made everything perfectly okaydoke.
Oh,well, gee,Renee thought, in that case...
"And you talk like the two of you are strangers, honey, "he continued. "And that's just not true ."
"Showing up at three parties where he also happened to be a guest does not a relationship make, " she told him .
"Hey, your mother and l got engaged the second time we saw each other, "Reginald remained her.
"Oh, sure, the night before you boarded a plane for Vietnam, "she reminded him. "There was an element of urgency there that isn't exactly consistent with this situation. Besides, you always said it was love at first sight with you and Mama. "
"And you don't think you could love Lyle? "
Renee hunched her shoulders uncomfortably and didn't answer straight. Instead, she said, very quietly, "Daddy, he's your business rival." Her father made a face, as if he really hadn't wanted to be reminded of that particular fact .To counter his sour expression, he said, just as softly, "He's only doing his job. "
she managed a chuckle at that, but there wasn't an ounce of good humour in the sound. "His job is corporate raider, "she pointed out unnecessarily. "His whole reason for existence is to take advantage of failing companies and consume them in one big bite ."
Her father nodded disconsolately. "And now he's going after Riley Communications because it's one of those failing businesses. I know. "
"So how can you ask to marry a man who would snatch your livelihood right out from under you?
He signed resolutely. "Because, Renee, it's the only way to save the company. "
She narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean? "
Reginald inhaled deeply and took her hand in his, meeting her gaze levelly. "Look, I'll  be honest with you ,"he said. "Lyle has  told me in no uncertain terms that he'll make a deal with me that would insure I get to keep the company and receive all the funds necessary to bring it back into the black. "Oh she wasn't going to like this. Renee could tell already. In spite of that, she said "go on. "