Arranged With Deceit

eron

ant to get

atmosphere. The excitement of my mother, Catherine Wilshire, dropped l

ing worse than chaos was silence, a

cheek to get any reaction out of her, and I did, at

ying?" my mom reacted and looked at me with shock written all over her

ing tomorrow was my engagement with a man I nev

marrying my late dad's best friend's youngest son. Therefore, I ended up saying 'yes' to the marriage in a

take. But try to understand. I can't get married, I don't want to. I d

riend? How will I show my face to his family?" asked Mom, looking at

'm Veronica Wilshire. I can get any man I want with only a single wink,

happy, successful actress, meaning if I married the wrong guy, my career was a

ara Aldridge, the eldest daughter-in-law of the family I was about to marry in, and Stephen

orted. "Because I won't marry a person who does

gest son didn't show. His brother, Stephen said that he was busy, which I found very disturb

eason," Sara tried to defe

hated his father," I responded and went near my mom who was still trying to digest what I declared. I placed my h

now. "Tyler wanted you to marry in a good family, and I am going to fulfill his last wish, whether his daughter care

lessly. My own mother wasn't willing to understand me. The

ly, "Think this over well, Vonnie. It will all

wanted to go against my mom so bad, but I had always been a good daughter. Th

an exagge

drink,

since I returned home to Los Angeles. I gave a call to my manag

glasses, and face mask. I could not take the depressing atmosphere an

car keys. Avoiding any confrontation with my mom or Sar

nizing me there, then a lot of unwanted gossips could spread as tomorrow was my engagement. And t

sic, reek of branded alcohol, and gleaming neon lights. As usual

at down on the barstool, my eyes fell on the guy beside me, who was sleeping with his hea

the man beside me raised his head, his handsome face tw

jawline and pretty eyes. He had a dark shade of hair, the front of it slightly curly and the rest was styled in a tousled way. His eyes and skin color were

cream-colored pants and white sneakers, and looked at his Patek Philippe wr

ed, his eyes wi

ractive voice even when

before dialing a number. "Hey, Dean, come to pick me up," he ordered over the phone and dropped it

r a while now, miss," spoke up

d took off my mask before ta

u lend me a pair of sunglasses as well?" he let out sar

head towards the man who was now looking at me with a bemused

" he said, a smirk l

ses because I can't have my f

of mine? What if he screamed seeing my b

celebrity just by covering thei

re a billionaire just by wearing

ppen to meet another annoying woman," complained the man

ly? Me too," I chimed, now somehow inte

e coincidence, miss- uh,

my real name. "You can call me Ms.

Mr. A," he respond

ense of humor. "So, Mr. A, what's gotten you so depressed?" I inquired, playing

nd." He rolled his eyes a

now if you don't

ddering breath and started, "It's the 21st century.

itement. I leaned towards him and

y an unknown woman?" he complained

ing know

have a lot in common.

rched an eyebrow, and I nodded with a pout. "Now I think it would b

h better if I can marry someone who has the sa

milies that were forcing us to get married when we weren't even that old and had a s

ise, why else would I meet someone w

, my voice slurry as well. I had finished two bottles of

partner and tell that to h

illiant idea and clapped. "But the only pe

om me. My breath hitched at his sudden action. "Same goes for me, excep

do you

he murmured, which made my chee

ted it as well-a distraction and a genuine kiss. So, I closed my eyes when h

s. It was special. Because it wasn't for a crowd of people to watch.

As the sunglasses were getting in my way, I hurriedly took the

my body, and another on my cheek while I wrapped

, what are you doing?" It made the two of us pull apart

ent, and you are here kissing another woman? You will drown your family name along with me," the man hissed and pulled Mr. A up from

one dimples pop. I swear this guy's smile was so damn pretty; he should have

ange attraction, an odd feeling that told me we

my body over the counter as reality started sinking in. I jumped up