Ruling Heart: A saga of power, love and conspiracy

The chandeliers hung over the sea of guests all gracefully dressed and sophisticated, the whole decor spelled wealth and class, everything glittered like stars in the sky, champagne glasses raised in different directions, in salute and toast to one another. The atmosphere was superior yet dull and lifeless, the pianist added a melancholic melody.

April heave a sigh

"Here we go," she assured herself, standing on the stairs, hidden from view. She adjusted her dress once again, running a hand through her hair. No, she was not nervous because of the guest, but she had bigger worries.

She heaved a sigh and began descending the stairs.

It's her engagement party after all, why should she be sad, it's every girl's dream.

But hers wasn't just simple

Delicious aroma of delicacies hit her, sending waves of excitement through her immediately as she got to the hall.

"The only good thing about this evening" she thought with a smile.

She looked at the red carpet laid before her, her black heels were in contrast with the red carpet, she was thankful that her mother at least allowed her to choose a dress of her liking, a long black milkmaids gown with a spaghetti sleeve, and a slint at the side, black gave her confidence and peace she needed , to spend the next hours with all the fake people around.

The music stopped as all eyes turned towards her, she forced a smile on her lip as she tried her best to walk gracefully to her seat.

She's supposed to have her fiance by her side, but of course this wasn't the usual engagement party.

She smiled and nodded to a few guests, shaking hands with some while at some point engaging in hugs and receiving congratulations.

"How did you do it?" Someone asked her

She turned with a smile facing a lady

"you know, calling him and his company out on the social media" the lady continued

"you beat a million ladies with your antics"

April stared intensely at her, she saw jealousy in her eyes, she face panned inwardly, she wished she could make them understand this wasn't her game, this isn't a marriage of convenience in fact this isn't a marriage at all. Then she felt sick and suffocated, she nodded to the kind lady and headed to her seat.

Her mother approached her with a tight smile, April could see a flash of disdain in her eye when she looked at her hair, she had always wanted her to dye her natural grey hair black, but she is April, she'd rather cease to exist than fake anything.

"You'll be meeting with important guests tonight" she said

April nodded.

Just then she sighted bodyguards swarm into the hall, then followed by a huge middle aged fair man, her mother immediately left her side going towards them.

"Victor Baron" April spat, she felt the air around her stiffen, for the first time meeting the man behind her father's death, how could her mother want an ally with such a family.

"You are a selfish girl, you have always been from birth, just like your father" her mother's words echoed in her

She strode off towards the food stand, anything to relieve tension in her.

She looked towards the man once again, her mother wasted no opportunity to sale her off into marriage with the demon, what she did on the social media, was to point BARON OILS corruption and criminal acts to the international bodies, she knew that they'd be investigated although it's would just be their oil firm, they have been polluting the urban settlement and rendering the county men homeless and farmless, she wanted to stop that, yes it worked, their license was uphold until they met the demands of the international partners it was all working well, although she wasn't done with them, she was going to finish her father's work, she might not be an FBI director like her father, but she knew the right people to contact with her research, cases of thousands of country girls disappearance, drug dealings and the worst, an illegal company causing serious health damage to it's workers situated at the heart of the city, have always been overruled the nation pretain to fight these things, but the truth was that the very nation is controlled by BARON OILS, how did the great American states allowed such a sole power to just one family, even the president works for them, April knew this, it's may not seem this way to the masses, but she understood better... she had sworn, her father won't be murdered in vain. But how everything took a wrong turn, just in a second, the very person she hoped to fight is the one she'll be married to.

She loaded her plates with food, it was the only way of coping.

The click of champagne glass, sounded and caught everyone's attention

"Ladies and gentlemen let me introduce the great Leon Baron Augustus" the MC announced, while the guests clapped , their eyes met. April shivered, immediately she regretted, just maybe she should have run away, to save herself from this marriage, from this man.

Leon strode in ignoring the exchange of pleasantries , he narrowed his eyes on her, turning briefly to take in his father next to April's mother.

He hated the very essence of the room, only his humane common sense stopped him from murdering every single soul here.

"Dirty politicians" he cursed under his breath

"Welcome, senator Lady Cora Orion to introduce the couples"

Leon scowled , April shivered putting down her plate of food, her eyes met Leon's. It was cold, almost murderous.

"Why is he acting like he doesn't want this" she thought to herself she was the one been caught on the web.

"Thank you," Cora said.

"It's my honor to have the immediate successor of BARON OIL, as a son-in-law, let's raise our toast to Leon Baron and April Orion".

Leon gave a dry chuckle, what did he expect from a sly woman, the more reason he didn't have anything to do with women let alone politicians.

After April had thrash his deal on the social media with the World Resources Organization, it was the first blow the Barons had ever received, yet he couldn't eliminate her, she managed to get the organization on her side, and Leon isn't one to mess with his business, he can never let his company down, but with the recent incident the were no more the number one in the world, he needed to get back there, he had to accept rules met out to him by the bureau, instead of building his new factory that could beat all the factory in the world, he was attending to insignificant country people, the demand for him to get married because his position and company operation was threaten if he remained a bachelor, he detest his father for his dealings with the politicians, any successful politician must be friends with the Barons, but the Orions took it too far, from the nusiance director of FBI breathing down his neck to mere girl coming after him, he had to put her with the father, he wasn't one to tolerate nusiance his father's relationship with the so called Lady senator angered him the more, but he knew his father can't do anything he won't profit from he has all the leaders in the country under him. When the Lady Senator offered her daughter to him to prove her loyalty, Leon saw it as a means to kill two birds with one stone.

"Just two years" he thought, that's the time he needed to get back to the top, then he'd silence the Orions forever and make them pay for daring to go up against him.

April found herself standing next to the cold CEO, his exterior demeanor command authority, the way he looked down on the guest like they were his minor, there was a great gap between them, but she felt him towering over her.

"Is he a giant?" She murmured to herself but gained a cold glare from him, she looked up meeting his eyes, the sent fear to her, her mind screamed for her to look away but she wasn't one to bow to fear, she dared return his glare challengingly.

"A grand wedding ceremony will be announced soon to celebrate this wonderful union..."

April realized her mother was still talking, she knew her mother to be a sweet talker. She felt relieved that her mother had made her break her stare.

" No ceremony will be taking place anytime soon" Leon's authoritative voice sounded through the mic

" Now if you'll excuse me" he said offhandedly, and walked off.

April heaved a sigh, she didn't know if she was relieved that he was gone or that he countered the ceremony being held soon. Just then her phone beeped.

" It took you long enough" she mustered under her breath, she sight him at the end of the hall, noticing that the tension in the hall have been cleared as the MC had began introducing important guests she knew, it's wasn't an engagement party any longer, more like her mother's campaign party, she saw her mother next to Victor Augustus, he stood briefly with them, bowing and then, his eyes searched for her, he waved to her.

April scoffed and excused herself from the guest who tried to engage her in their boring discussion.

"You don't dress on cargo and jackets to an engagement party" April snickered once she got to his side

"I didn't know, you could fit into something other than cargo and shirts" he retorted

April rolled her eyes

" You are looking gorgeous milady" he smiled broadly giving a mockery bow, but when he looked at her again, he looked sincere with his words.

" Scratch that, did u bring the Bruiser"

" My baby's always with me" he said proudly

April grabbed his wrist and began pulling him out

" Don't tell me you are ditching your engagement party to go off with a man" he said in fake disbelief

" Do me the honor of taking my place" April swat his head

" I'm a man yuuno"

" Shut up and drive"

April commanded as she climbed up the motorcycle

" Careful with my baby, woman" he hissed.

" To the studio," she said, ignoring him.