Fake Fiance, Real Feelings

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION The grand ballroom is transformed into a magic wonderland of flesh and bone with flowers and shimmering lights mixed up with the enchanted music of the orchestra. Evelyn, nicknamed Evie by her friends, was the only one around dressed in her usual jeans and a t-shirt, while nobody cared about what she wore,a as everyone around her was thoughtfully dressed that day. Her heart was pumping like crazy with the mixture between nervousness and excitement. Holding her champagne flute in hand, the champagne fizzes arising from the champagne seemed to clash as the butterflies in her stomach were in a flutter. Fast-forwarded just six weeks, Evie's life had changed entirely, from being a social outcast to a fake fiancée of an upper-class family. Living life to the fullest, without any regrets or attachments, was the concept that lived within her. She enjoyed every single moment of her life, embracing the unknown with delight. However, in spite of that, fate and the well-intentioned action of her Aunt Beatrice, had written a script that she no longer knew or even think about. The suggestion had been wildly far-fetched, but one could not dismiss it out of hand. Subsequently, I became aware of the limitless nature of my individuality as I pretended to be emperor for the day to Liam Leo Carter, a captivating venture capitalist who is as bold and brash as the stock market itself. It was all an affair of front, a well-staged show created for the sake and delight of Leo's narrow-minded investors and to capture the financial luring campaigns. When Evie was charged with the task of playing the role of the respectable bride-to-be, she attended all the balls and charades demonstrating a perfect image of an ideal relationship, fully aware that there was no real love between them. The magnetic charm was obvious to Evie as she took a glimpse of Leo from afar. Indeed, he made others turn their heads. That square face and bright blue eyes held something of a tease in them as if eyes could express the feeling that they were joking on stage. It was like he was smiling at her with a glass of water in which there was hidden depth. Evie wondered if she was being tricked or if there was something more to this supposed favor. The ballroom was as lively as could be witnessed by the chattering of the guests, hoots, jollity and clink of glasses. Every unperturbedly moved amidst the crowd, her eyes locked on Leo's hardly noticeable, and that moment after that sure felt like there was a spark in Evie kindled by that brief but unforgettable look. It turned the picture into a protest motion mixed with a fine blend of falsehood and truth. As the night proceeded, Evie could not but to walk into Leo's world, dazzled by his penetrating gaze and sharp talk about issues. Their discourse was as natural as possible, they talked each other through witty arabesque slang and their laughs filled one room. The more time they spent each other's company, the more Evie became aware that behind his shiny outmatched personality, Leo had a concealed introspective chain that outmatch his face-to-face delicate facade. Under the tumbledown facade, she observed like a scared child a streak of vulnerability and a compulsion to have something true. The underlying tension never really went away, but unlike a rising water level, it was very easy to see every detail. Although Evie knew that her heart was getting involved with Leo much in contradiction with her common sense thinking about the worth of their engagement as only business and not love, it didn’t make her any less attracted to him. Nonetheless, her eyes locked with his once more and she somehow detected a slightly spark of sincerity, not an utter coldness emanating from the flicker of warmth, which caused a twinge in her heart. As night progressed, the week's realm of its own took over the ballroom and eventually blurred the lines between the world we know and the world that lies beyond. Through this mask ball, Evie discovered that her feelings for Cha stand beyond the confines of their acting. Were they just the pieces that fit perfectly into the design, or did some genuine feelings exist within the artificial boundaries erected for their partnership? At the moment when the guests were saying their last goodbyes and the night dawned on us, Evie stood between a crossroads between her decisions. Would she defend her role of the pretended lover or would she dare to hush those inside feelings that quietly stole her heart? Pushing all the possibilities forward, she could, or maybe she would be courageous enough to take the uncharted path which the odds were against, but like that, she’d have a chance to change the outcome that would meet the expectations. Next time coming round she caught herself within that kind of magic surrounding the remains of the unforgettable evening that made Evie aware of the way that greater journey which in her mind she was starting to figure out has already outweighed her imagination. A game was being played. It had taken upon a life of its own, and she realized that hanging on the verge of another choice only meant that she and the young doctor would have their lives changed forever. The scene was oriented, the individuals were ready for the action, and the dowry had rose for a play of brood engagement and true feelings. Evie's world was shaken by the possibility of love, which seemed so illogical and crazy. She was ready to succumb to the thrill, uncertainty, and ultimate mystery that a love story kept in store for her. It was the path that would unfold complete with unforeseen ups and downs, but at the end of it all would come its share of painful battles and ecstatic victories. This is the beginning of the fakey fiancée’s journey and the time when Eva will discover that there are times that the border between fiction and reality may be unclear , and, as such, the love you invest in is sometimes much more authentic and profound a one you could have ever imagined. Together with the last strains of the orchestra which were just vibrating in the air, Evie sank into a bedlam of feelings. The idyllic ballroom, its appearance having emanated a kindred bond which had not been foreseen at all. [As she faced life on its own terms,] a connection flared up in her, a fire that had a potential to devour the mask she had set on. The last days heading to the Gala had been quite a preparation of preparations as Evie dealt with the intricacies that come with her new position. However, she was just thrown here and learned to the rules of the high society, which does not necessarily mean the truth. Keeping the optics that everything is all right with my marriage was the insurmountable pressure I had to deal with, but underneath the speckles, my heart was in the battle field to protect me from the attacks. Every time they met, Leo made the whole things much vaguer and more robotic. In their personal space, free from looking out for little ears, they had many in-depth talks that discussed specific plans and fears that they had to face in the future. They‘ve encountered unexpected similarities to each other, a joint love of travel, and, above all, the need to learn their own peculiarities instead of being restricted. On one hand, rum’s proximity intensified their relationship. On the other hand, what’s behind these feelings Evie could not be so sure: were they both drawn to each other because they simply found a sob in the isolation box or was their connection real and genuine. Did Leo have the capacity to mirror the disconcerting sense of realness that Naomi projected to me? Or was it also just left to him to play out a part so that he could, in turn, pay the investors what they were due? The uncertainty hung from her soul like a spirit which she took in her solitude moments. Toward midnight, when everyone went still and the moon lit up the night sky with soft light, she made her way to her bedroom, hoping to find peace and solitude. It was in these instances that she for the first time acknowledged the profoundness of the low burn kindling inside her heart, low burn kindling which meant that boundaries didn't matter anymore. As days gradually passed to weeks, their fake relationship became a true test for these two trying their best to make every moment count of this fake engagement. Through parties and other social activities, every single one of their events would be watched carefully by spectators at every turn. This strange duplicity made it possible to exchange meaningful glances, touch for a while, and share a laugh about something deep that was beyond the invisible frame, but was very palpable and clear at that given moment. The cords between them got tightened even more to the extreme of a trip to the coast house that belonged to Leo's family. Sitting in the midst of the magnificently landed mansion with ordinary life, Evie could not exactly see herself as a part of her own world. However, the realist feelings went out the window as she saw the estate and its past details that he had seldom talked about with her. In the grey library, Leo was getting emotional and shared with Loren what he had passed through as a child, the burden to be in love frightened her so much that the joy she experienced turned into discomfort. In the end, instead of taking a risk and opening her heart, Evie found herself at a quandary- to keep her heart safe from a probable heartbreak or take the risk in fruitlessly giving the love she expected to be returned. Along with chapter one of their story was about to end, Evie was going to drown in the sudden and difficult decision she had to make. The ballroom dance had opened up the path to their journey and engaged now, she had to decide. Would she dare open her opposing fluctuates and hiss sentiments to Leo, jeopardizing the whole staged act they have woven with no knots? Would she be brave enough to reveal herself to her family and friends or push her emotions aside and stay somber? The latter meant a dullness of her own self for the sake of maintaining public appearances. That choice she made marked the beginning of their storyline, which they experienced as a journey filled with hitherto unforeseen difficulties, heart-breaking moments, that led them towards each other, victorious. Everyman became nervous having strengthened herself for the only imminent confrontation, she was in preparation of providing excuses for her true emotions.