Chapter 2: Yes, I Will Marry You

The engagement party was atrociously elegant with flowers that lined the doors to the main hall, where the ceremony took place, visitors were flowing in, smoothly dressed in rich and splendid attires. Guests conversed while they waited for the MC to make an announcement for the final show down. 

Vivienne's step-mother, Annie Lancaster and her step-sister Carla Lancaster had already gone back to the party. They both went in different directions as they talked to different people. Damian wasn't still at the party. 

This particular room that was far from the main party, had its lights switched off, but there were sounds coming from it, it was the men's changing room where Damian supposedly was, but the sounds weren't of talking or gossiping, it seemed like someone was moaning? 

The moans continued very loudly and when the lights finally lit up, there was this person who had a long black hair, fair skinned tone and a little bit thick in body shape, a woman. And as she struggled to lift her dress up, another hand came out to her waist pulling her close and kissing her neck, "That was hot Natalie," the man's voice said, It was Damian.

"When will I be seeing you again, sexy?" asked Damian who was now shirtless with Natalie's boobs pressing on his chest as they pecked each other. 

"After getting married to that Grinch, you know where to find me," said Natalie smirking and continuously kissing Damian.

"You're a naughty girl, I like you," said Damian smiling. 

After a while, Natalie had left and Damian was alone in his dressing room, retying his tie until his friend Sam came in asking, "What were you doing?" 

"Umm...Nothing, I was freshening up," said Damian with a pretentious expression. 

"If you say so, but the guests are asking for you, the ceremony is about to start, you should be down with Vivienne in 10 minutes max, chop chop," Sam said as he repeatedly looked at his watch and left.

Just as Damian was leaving his dressing room, he met Vivienne who was already outside his door, she looked ravishingly beautiful and she was even smiling, had she forgotten the incident just before when they were planning to take her down? No.

"Honey, you could've waited for me to come get you," said Damian smoothly with a lovely tone even a bird could fall of its nest.

"Don't worry Babe, I couldn't wait to see you. You know I just can't wait for this party to get started," said Vivienne with a broad smile as she caressed and hugged Damian. But that smile was laced with an underlying sense of bitterness once she hugged Damian. Damian couldn't see it but she knew better.

On the other hand, Damian thought 'You desperate bitch, I'm going to strip every single thing you have in your life and it's gonna be mine." 

And immediately they were done hugging, they smiled to each other as they went to the grand hall, where the party was being held.

Growing up, Damian always felt like Vivienne's father undermined his father, people thought they were friends, but they were more like frenemies in business, and this marriage partnership that Damian was about to do with Vivienne was going to benefit Damian and his family and Damian was determined to take Vivienne down if it meant their family was going to be on top of the elite food chain of one of the most powerful families just behind the Blackwood's.

In the grand hall, a sudden gentle sound of the MC slightly hitting his wine glass with a shiny spoon, sparked the attention of everyone to him, this was an indication that the ceremony was about to start.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are about to start the ceremony of these two young mysteriously gorgeous love birds, Damian Whitmore & Vivienne Lancaster, I would like to request for your full attention as we begin the ceremony, because the couples are already here. I officially welcome the grand guests, the VIP tycoons to grace our stage with their love, so that we may also find it in here." The MC announced as the crowd which was full of the elites cheered and clapped.

"I officially welcome, Damian Whitmore and Vivienne Lancaster on the podium," announced the MC so enthusiastically as guests all over the room clapped.

Damian and Vivienne graced the beautifully decorated podium as they smiled while they both held their hands together appreciative of the people in the room as they went to their seats that were strategically placed on the podium facing the guests and they both had microphones for addressing them.

Surprisingly Carla and Annie weren't in the hall.

During this moment Annie seemed to have been speaking with someone at the ground floor near the exit of the building where the occasion was taking place. "Immediately after this event, take the documents I gave you and take them to the chief officer's house, leave the documents to the guards at his gate, they will know what to do." said Annie in a low tone, almost as if she was hiding.

Carla was on the phone in the restroom also quietly talking to somebody but it sounded more like an order than a friendly conversation, "I want you to kill that bitch immediately she steps out of this building. No one should trace this to us, be concise and swift, understood?" Then she hang up and pressed her hands on her hair as if to fix herself from her nerves that were clearly frustrating her.

Back to the grand hall, Annie and Carla met at the entrance, joining the ceremony back together as they both smiled and went back to their designated seats that were reserved for each of them as all guests sat at beautifully decorated round tables with flowers that were placed in vases at the center of each table.

Damian stood, with his microphone in hand, in such a good mood, ready to talk, "Thank you, thank you so much to everyone, for being able to make it to this event, I appreciate you for dedicating your time to come and celebrate our engagement ceremony and I would also like to acknowledge all the grand families present here, The Whitmore's, my family, The Lancaster's, The Blackwood's and The Nobel's."

Everyone clapped once more and Vivienne really smiled while greeting her teeth inwardly but it didn't show, she was as composed as ever. 

Then Damian Continued, "As you all may know, I'm engaged to Vivienne here, my beautiful fiance and as this ceremony may suggest that we're already celebrating the engagement but I also prepared another surprise for Vivienne," he said as the guests were in awe wondering what it could be that they hadn't already known.

Vivienne wondered, 'what surprise?' as far as she knew, she already got the memo of what Damian and her evil stepmother and stepsister were already planning, so what was really this other big surprise, Damian was talking about.' Vivienne thought as she lovingly looked at Damian with a bright smile.

Damian then turned to Vivienne with a heartwarming expression and gestured for Vivienne to stand next to him, "Honey, please come stand beside me."

And as she lovingly stood with her microphone and went to him, the guests cheered as the pianist accompanied it with a short romantic song.

"Oh, Damian," she said as she blushed.

And without warning, Damian went on his knees adjusting his mic in his hand as she held Vivienne's right hand and stared at her lovingly, "Vivienne, we've known each other since we were children, we were strangers and went on to become friends and we are partners, and for this next step, I would like to seal my life to yours, forever."

The guests held their breath for this astounding moment. 

'So this was the trap, Damian, how pathetic of you, I thought you knew better, wait till you see my next move.' thought Vivienne.

Lydia Nobel, the youngest from their family of six commented to her family at the table they sat, "This is just a shit show, who is even buying this?" she grunted but no one responded, assuming they weren't buying it either.

Annie, Vivienne's step-mom and Carla her half-sister gossiped between themselves, "Damian really knows how to play this game," said Carla with a mischievous smile. "Yes Darling, this game requires someone who is thick skinned, he's just playing his cards right."

Damian continued, "Vivienne, I would officially like to take this opportunity and ask 'Will You Marry Me?'

And immediately the guests heard that they all thunderously cheered. As the excitement momentarily dumbed down, they waited for Vivienne's answer. Lydia rolled her eyes, while Annie and Carla held their hands to their mouths giggling for Vivienne to take the bait.

"NO, Damian, I WILL NOT MARRY YOU."