Chapter 1: Chapter 1

ELIZZE

"Goodmorning, Miss Michaels." The lady at the front desk greeted me as I entered Elegant Force.

Elegant Force is a fashion line company owned and managed by both of my parents. It was once part of the list of the biggest company in the country but because of certain circumstances, the company's profit has been depleting.

The name that was once displayed all over the billboards in the city was now nowhere to be seen and was discarded like unneeded trash.

Though, I couldn't be anymore bothered since I don't really engage myself in the company's affair. It was always Mom and Dad, including my younger sister, who takes care of it.

I was doing fine on managing my own little cafè by the road and near the park. Though it's not that huge, the monthly profit I am obtaining is enough for me to pay two of my part-timers and continue the business.

I'm living my life the simpliest it could be not until now. Not until my parents called me for an important meeting in their office.

They have never done this before. Like calling me for an urgent matter. My family were also fine about me being outside their huge business world and knew to leave me alone without any help. That is why I am really wondering and confused as to why they are calling me for matters like this now.

When I arrived at floor of their office, my Dad's secretary greeted me.

"This way, Miss Elizze. Your parents are already waiting for you." she said and I responded with a nod and a smile.

She lead me the way towards the door of the office. The sound of both of our heels was to be heard echoing the silent hallways. She only stopped when we arrived infront of a two-way door. She knocked before opening it.

"Your daughter is here, sir." she announced to the people inside.

"Let her in." that was Dad's voice.

Those words were the cue for the secretary the open the door wider and let me in. And as I walk towards the inside of the office, there were people that I didn't expect that would be here.

I was stunned upon seeing those familiar faces. I turned into a statue and I couldn't believe my eyes. All of their gazes are on mine too.

"Take a sit, darling." my Mom said. Offering the space in the sofa beside her. Near my younger sister, Emily, who has the usual face that she wears. Her facial expression always shows how she hates me.

Even though she's much younger, she treats me as if I'm not her older sister. Though I stopped searching and wondering a long time ago for the answers as to why she behaves that way.

I listend to Mom and positioned myself beside her. Infront of a young man who is famous in the entertainment industry. He is with both of his parents. The whole family of Williams who owns the biggest entertainment company not just in the country but across the world.

Seeing them makes me feel the starstruck. I can only see them on TV but now they are actually right here infront of me

"Me and your Mom called you here because we have an important matter to talk to you about." my Dad begun stating and so I listened. "You do know that our company is not that doing well, right?"  I nodded. "Our investors are slowly leaving and taking all the money they have invested because the company is not profiting anymore. We only keep on releasing money but only the bare half would come back."

I don't get where this talk would lead to.

"And so.." my Dad stopped for a few seconds. Trying his best to make me understand what really is going on. I know he's having a hard time telling me this right now. ".. me and your Mom.." he glanced at her. "Together with Mr. and Mrs. Williams.. decided to collaborate and put the two companies into one."

It seems like I now know where this talk would lead to but my mind keeps on refusing the idea.

"And it will only effectively happen if.." he cleared his throat. "You and..  their son.." Dad looked at the young man infront me. "will get married."

My lips parted upon the revelation. I couldn't respond for a minute. My brain was trying its best to process what my ears had heard of. I glanced at the young man's way only to see his calm and blank face staring at me. His reaction shows that he already knew this. Unlike me, who is completely taken aback and shocked.

"What.. What do you mean, Dad?" My mind is still unwilling to understand the situation. "Get married to him?" I repeated what he said. "But why me?" I couldn't help but ask. "Why not Emily?" I glanced at my younger sister and her expression showed me that she liked the idea.

I was always out of their world and Emily has been with them this whole time. Her eyes are open on busines matters like this. She is their best choice so why me? Why me and not her?

"She's too young for the marriage, dear." my Mom answered.

Emily is only a year younger than me. What a stupid excuse.

Both of my parents looked at me with concern. It's as if only they have another choice, they wouldn't do something like this. They wouldn't decide something as extreme as forced marriage. It's too over the line.

"I owe your parents the sucess that my entertainment company has now, Elizze." Mrs. Williams voiced out. "If it weren't for their help before, we wouldn't be where we are right now." she also tries to make me understand the whole situation.  "And my family has now the opportunity to give back the kindness they showed to us so please.. let us help you."

I took a few seconds before responding. "But we could still bring the two companies together without marriage." I reasoned out.

"But it will be much stronger if it would be binded by the law." It was Mr. William's turn to speak. "The CEO of LM Entertainment and the heir of Elegant Force getting married would turn the world upside down."

Wait.. What heir? Me? The heir of Elegant Force?

I turned to my parents. My face showed the confusion and they both nodded as if reading the questions in my mind.

But I thought Emily will be holding the company in the future? What is happening?

They continued explaining things to me. Making me understand the big picture and the good effects this marriage would bring to both parties.

If only the word 'wedding' is out of this topic, it really is a good idea to collab such camponies. An entertainment and a fashion line is the perfect match for business.

The actors and actresses could use the dresses, clothes and the accessories of our company and promote it all across the media and as an exchange the entertainment company wouldn't be troubled looking for sponsors too.

It would truly be a bomb in the business world.

"I just need more time to think about it." At the end of the day, that was my partial decision.

Mom and Dad were a bit dissapointed but I know they understand me. Things like marriage and wedding is not something to think of that instant.

Together with their son, Mr. and Mrs. Williams left first. Before having a conversation with my parents, I took my leave too.

And as I was on the elevator, Emily joined and entered. The moment the door close, she began to spoke.

"Being declared as the future owner of the Elegant Force and becoming the wife of the handsome CEO of a popular entertainment company…" she looked at me. "How fortunate you are, my dear sister." there was pure hatred and envy in her tone.

Scenarios like this always happens. Her disrespecting me and forgetting I am part of her family too. But as an older sister, I always find way to understand her and deal with her in the calmest way possible.

"I didn't wish for this, Emily."

"You sure, you didn't?" She smirks and raised her brow. "If I know you're secretly celebrating. You always stay out of the affairs in the company and stayed lowkey but you did that to switch Mom and Dad's attention to you."

I furrowed my brows. Anger started to fill me up but I tried to surpass it.

"That is not what I want-"

"Oh come on! Don't lie to my face, sis." she insisted. "I've been with you your whole life, I know this tactic of yours. Drop the act and tell our parents that you want the marriage! What is there to think about?!"

The sound of the elevator opening echoed in my ears. Her shouting left her panting in anger. I took a deep breath before turning to her.

"Think what you want to think." I say as a farewell and step out of the elevator. Leaving her with all her false accusations about me.

Upon arriving at the parking lot, I searched for my car and entered it. I turned on the engine and drive towards my cafè.

When I reached at the location, I was shocked by the numerous people, particularly, girls who are holding colorful banners and gifts on their hands.They were also screaming as if some celebrity is inside the cafè.

"Uhm.. Excuse me." I tried to push myself in the middle of the crowd. I couldn't help but flinch while I was being squeezed by their nonstop screaming and jumping. "Excuse me for a bit, girls."

Eventually, I made my way towards the door of the cafè. When seeing me, Cora, one of my part-timers, opened the door for me. The girls near me tried to enter too but she was able to stop them.

"No entry, girls. We're fully booked." she said before closing the door once again.

I heaved a deep sigh. It felt like I went through hell just to sucessfully enter my cafè.

"What's happening in here?" I asked while gazing all over the place. It was full of fangirls sitting and filling the whole cafè. "Is there a celebrity or something?" I asked, joking.

But Cora's expression went blank and serious.

"Don't tell me there really is a celebrity in here." I stated.

"There is.. one, Miss El." She smiled awkwardly before turning to a direction. I followed where she was gazing and found a man, wearing a black cap, right in the middle part of the place, happily munching cookies with a cup full of strawberry cheese ice cream on the side.

"Yes! What you're seeing is true!" Marie, one of my part timers barged in. With her cheecks tinted with pink. She almost looked like a tomato. "Jerold Harris,  "The handsome angel sent from heaven is here!" she acts like one of those fangirls outside.

"Because of him, our cafè was full for the first time, Miss El." Cora said. "We also got a bunch of customers waiting outside." she said pointing at the numerous fangirls whose screams are nowhere to be heard inside.

"He looks like he really is enjoying the food." I commented while staring at him from afar. Suddenly, he felt as if someone was staring at him and so he caught me. He immediately smiled and waved at me.

"Oh gosh, she wants to meet you, Miss El!" Marie said with full of excitement before pulling me towards the actor.

In a flash, I am already sitting on the opposite chair and infront of the man he called Jerold Harris.

"Hi, you must be Miss Elizze?" he was still munching and is full of excitement for some reason.

I nodded. "Yeah, it is me."

"They said you were the one who made this?" he raised a cookie. I nodded a yes. "You make the best cookies, Miss El! I haven't tasted one as delicious as this before!" with his tone, he really sounded like a ten year old boy who tasted cookies for the first time. "And this strawberry cheese ice cream?! I have been searching for this for a long time! It happens that the only cafè who sells this are yours."

He takes a spoonful of the ice cream and eats it.

"I'm happy you're enjoying the food." was all I can say.

By looking at his features, he really did deserve the popularity he has now. He is handsome and well-built. Opposite to his appearance is a child like heart who gets excited over merely an ice cream.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you get here?" I mean, my cafè is not the popular kind so I'm really wondering as to why a big time celebrity like him found it.

"Oh, I was running away from my manager and by accident I saw this cafè and decided to hide in here."

He was.. running away? But why?

"And in shock, I found out that you've been selling this ice cream and so I ordered one. Your worker recommended the cookies." he's quite a talker. "By the way, I'm sorry for all the.." he looked around, pointing out the fangirls. "all this... I didn't knew someone could recognize me."

"It's not a problem." I said. "I should be the one thanking you. You've brought a bunch of customers for us." he chuckled at my words.

I heard tons of camera flashing and the girls gossiping all around me but I decided to turn deaf to all of them and listened to Jerold's endless chatting.

Eventually, his manager found him and fetch him from the cafè. It looked like he will be receiving a bunch of scolding the moment they enter the van. He bid his goodbyes and because the celebrity had disappeared, all those fangirls left and had vanished too.

"All of our food are sold, Miss El." Cora reported while cleaning the counter.

"I hope Jerold would come again." it was Marie who is currently sitting in one of the tables and holding a stray againts her chest, daydreaming again.

"Gosh, he's more handsome in person!"

I shook my head while chuckling at her remarks.

A lot has happened this day. Things that left me shocked. First, my parents telling me to marry a man I didn't even have any interst on and second, this whole Jerold Harris thing.

From my current view, I saw the opposite restaurant by the road too. Sally, who owns it is currently infront of a car where all of the chairs, tables and all the things from the restaurant are carried.

"What's happening to Sally's restaurant?" I asked and both Cora and Marie looked at me. Confused too and didn't knew the answer.

And so I made my way outside and towards the front of the restaurant.

"Hey, Sally." I greeted her and from talking to one of the men removing the little chandelier, she turned to me.

"Hello, El." she greeted back with her sad and tired smile. "You had a pretty busy cafè day today."

"A celebrity came by." I responded with a chuckle. "But may I ask what'd going on in here? Why are you packing your stuff?"

She heaved a deep sigh. "The restaurant hasn't been doing well these past months." Sally said and I listened. "We tried to save it but no matter what we do, the busines wasn't improving so I decided to close and sell the land."

"Oh really?" I responded with sadness.

"What a waste, though."

"Yeah." she nodded. "I don't want to give this up in the first place because my deceased mother tried her best to built this restaurant. It was her dream to own one and pass it to us but unfortunately, we failed to maintain it. If only I had other choice. If only I could do something to save it. No matter what it is, I will do it. But I have none, El." she really sounded sad. "I couldn't do anything."

Sally's words run through my mind as the days go by.

That restaurant was built even before I built the cafè. It was one of the oldest establishment there. It was once doing well but eventually, like my family's company, it is slowly leading to bankruptcy.

The only difference in this situation is, Sally didn't have any choice but me? I had one. I could do something to save the company my parents built and raised with their whole life. I know I couldn't just let all their hard work go to waste.

They have sacrificed enough for Elegant Force to stay running. Now that I have the power to change and save the company, I can't just let this opportunity to go. The future of the company depends on me.

So, I'll take the risk and agree to the marriage proposal. It's not like I have any other plans nor do I have a lover or a boyfriend to worry about.

I'll just think of this as a way to do my family a favor. The marriage is only for the company. Nothing more nothing less. I can still go on with my life.

Finally, while sitting on the sofa inside my condo and watching Davien Williams in the TV, my future husband, I dialed my Father's number.

"Yes, darling?" first ring and he immediately picked up. It's as if he really was waiting for me to finally call.

"I have thought about the wedding proposal, Dad." I went directly to the topic.

"And what's your decision?" I can't see him on the other line but just by his voice, I know he's nervous.

"Let's do it." I said, determined. "It's a Yes.."