I looked my appearance over in the mirror one final time. My hair was pinned back away from my face and curled at the back allowing my hair to fall perfectly down my back, tickling my bare-skin. My make-up was perfect thanks to Jessie, with my cheeks a perfect pink, my skin smooth and my eyes framed the black mascara. My dress was sent over by Charlene, it's black silky material clung a little too much to my figure and held my flesh in so tight that my breast were hardly contained and the slit in the leg that ran all the way up to my high thigh left little to the imagination. This was going to be a bad first impression; I looked like a hooker.

Well I have to hand it to her, she picked quite a dress. It just wasn't me. None of this was me.

Yeah, you might as well walk in there in your underwear – if it were seen as acceptable, then I fear you would be.

I felt my fury begin to build inside of me. This was a bad idea.

I say we just book a ticket to the furthest country and settle there until this whole thing blows over.

No. "We're going to try." I assured myself as I nodded to my reflection.

Yeah sure, 'try'. You do that.

I stepped into my high black strapped heels and ignored the ache in my feet from the ankle breaking heels as I started to make my way towards the door. Giving Jessie a quick wave goodbye and headed out of the door and down to the car. My family driver greeted me with a bright smile as he opened the door for me.

"Thanks Toby." I smiled and slid into the backseat of the car before Toby shut the door and climbed into the driver's seat. It was a relatively short diver from my small apartment to the hotel but it felt like hours, each second we got closer I could feel my doom slowly creeping up on me.

As the car came to a stop and Toby opened my door I knew there was no going back now. I placed my hand in the one Toby had offered me and let him gently guide me out of the car. I looked up at the grand hotel, the front was immaculate. Door frames coloured gold, stoned walls with large pot plants splashing the colour green everywhere that only made the golden lettering in between the first few floors stand out that much more. Lustrous. And to think I wanted to work for this company, I never even had a chance.

Keep the car running and fuel up the jet. Something tells me you're going to need a quick getaway.

Taking a deep breath I started forward. The doors were pulled open for me and the sudden heat filed out of the room as the loud music and talking flooded my ears. The Lustrous has two entrances, the main entrance which was where the reception desk was and the customer lounge for the guest, and this entrance which led straight to the large function room on the first floor and if you travelled up the stairs it led to a club that was open only on weekends.

I'm feeling hot, are you hot?

My heart started to race as my social anxiety began to peak. This was bad, this was very bad.

Oh dear god, kill me now. Look at all these people their just so... gross, and there is far too many of them. Maybe we should kill some, yeah that will work.

I kept my focus off my inner self and her murderous ways and on my breathing. Deep breaths, just breathe. My hands started to shake at my sides and I tried to calm myself down and adjust to the large crowd of people.

"Ah Skylar there you are." I heard Charlene's voice too late. She had her arm linked in mine, holding me tightly like a vice before I could even react and begin to pull away.

I think you should get her a bell for Christmas, that way she can tie it around her neck and we know when to run.

"You can let go, you know." I tried to pull my arm free but her grip only tightened.

I always said she was like a boa constrictor, slowly strangling you until your eyes popped out of their sockets.

"I don't think so, sweetie. Now, stop pouting it isn't flattering." She scolded and began pulling me towards my father who was damn near hiding in the corner of the room.

By the time we had walked over towards my father he had attempted to become part of the wall. I still couldn't believe it, everything he did and now I was paying for it. I couldn't even look the man in the eyes.

"Well that dress looks," Charlene started but paused as she looked down and eyed the material that could hardly be called a dress. "It looked better on the manikin but I suppose it highlights your assets." She shrugged.

Yeah well your face looks better on a racoon's butt, but you don't hear me complaining.

I think that was supposed to be a compliment?

Oh really? Well then... her face still looks like a racoons butt.

"Gee. Thanks." I faked a smile as I struggled to define her statement.

"Now, your fiancé is somewhere around here but you should steer clear, wouldn't want him cancelling on us now would we."

"Charlene."

"Yes sweetie?"

"Shut-up." I said plainly. With my mind running a million miles an hour, my anxious feelings and my inner-self running wild, I didn't need her complaining.

"You're going to thank for this one day."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, either when you're happily married or signing those divorce papers and realising you're rich. Either way." She smiled at me and reached her neck out like some disarranged emu to get a better look at the crowd.

"Question." I started, "Why would some rich family agree to this, what is in it for them?" I finally asked the question that had been itching at my mind for far too long.

Yes why would someone who has everything they want agree to have you as their wife? Oh wait, it's because they have never met you! I can't wait until they find out about me!

A small shiver ran down my spine.

"They want to expand but their investors are threatening to pull the plug because their son – although good at his job – is being described as somewhat of a loose cannon and the best way to secure a cannon is to tie him down." She explained as if it were nothing.

A loose cannon? So he is full of gun powder and knows how to make someone explode? My inner self started with her suggestive winking although I remained a little concern her winking looked more like she was having some sort of fit. He can make me explode if he has the right weaponry.

Oh god.

"Oh look there's Carol," Charlene waved over to another women giving me the perfect opportunity to slip away. I decided to head for the bar hoping an alcoholic beverage would calm my anxiety and nerves.

"Your strongest drink please." I ordered from the older looking bartender.

"Rough night?" He asked me as he started pouring different things into my small shot glass.

"And it has only just started." I replied and grabbed a hold of my freshly made cocktail of liquids, bringing it up to my lips and spinning around to face the crowd once again. Just as I spun around my hand bumped into someone sending my drink spilling over the sides and splashing out towards the certain someone who bumped me, but thankfully they were quickly stepping back with their fast reflexes.

"I am so sorry..." I started to apologise but stopped as I looked up to find a familiar pair of golden eyes burning bright as they stared at me, slowly narrowing into slits as the recognition began to set in.

"You." His deep tone echoed through my ears.

Hello again hot stuff! My day brightens with the sight of those bright golden eyes. Well, technically its night time, so my night brightens? Never mind.

"Nice to know it is all drinks and not just coffee that you have a problem with, I'll be sure to keep clear of any doors as well." He said as he straightened up his dark grey suit and ran his hands through his hair.

It was Mr Renner – or Runner as I had called him – the CEO of Lustrous and the same man I was asking for employment a little over thirty-six hors ago.

And let's not forget, of course, the breaking of his nose, burning of his groin and calling him Mr Runner.

"I already apologised for that." I defended myself.

"Doesn't mean it hurt any less." He counted as he stepped forward and leaned in to rest his weary bones on the bar. "What are you doing in here anyways?"

"I was invited?"

"Really? You don't sound too sure." He smirked at me.

"Are you always so arrogant?" I asked genuinely interested.

"Are you always so Asinine?" He frowned as his eyes flickered down my figure as if he checking me over.

Oh he didn't.

"Excuse me?" I was totally befuddled at his ungentlemanly indecency and flat out insult.

"You're excused."

Oh he did! I like him.

"I'll have a scotch and coke thanks." He ordered from the bar before looking back at me and smiled.

He had a beautiful smile in truth but he had just called me Asinine so I have sworn to hate him for all eternity. And to think I was willing to work for this man, no wonder he was going through secretaries like they had a bad smell. I looked over him quickly, his looks hadn't changed much in the short time, he still had his dark hair slick back in an old fashion style, average muscular build behind his dark grey suit and black tie and his light brown eyes twinkled like little golden suns once again. As I looked down his arms I saw the gold band on his left ring finger. So he was married.

"My condolences to the wife." I smiled at him as he took his first sip of his drink, giving me time to order another one of whatever it is I was drinking before he had spilt it.

"Huh?" He sounded generally unsure. I rose my eyebrows and gestured down to his wedding ring around his finger. "Oh I'm not married, and yes you can thank whatever deity you pray too, I wear it for effect."

What effect is that exactly?

"Ah, I see you've realised you're a complete dick and thought you would ward women off with a ring, how gentlemanly of you." I smiled and sipped my drink, chocking on the harshness of the bitter cocktail of alcohols.

Chocking on your drink, very sexy, well done.

"Not at all," he winked at me. "The opposite in fact, this is a chick magnet, women love married men and the only other thing that works this good is when you're holding a baby."

"Please tell me you aren't stealing some poor strangers' child?" I gawked at him.

"Not steal, borrow and it's hardly a stranger if I know the parents."

"You are a despicable human being."

"Why thank you, I try." He winked at me again as he took another sip of his drink, finishing the glass.

I shook my head and decided it was time to leave the despicable human to himself. Just as I spun around on my heel I came face to face Charlene, her wide smile was enough to have me recoiling.

Ah the racoon butt is back again.

"Oh good, you two have meet." A women said from behind me making me turn around to find a lady in her late fifties standing next to Mr Renner who was looking just as confused as me.

"Skylar Marin." Charlene started, making me look back towards her with wide eyes. "Meet Anthony Renner, your fiancé."

"You have got to be kidding me." Anthony Renner sighed deeply as he closed his eyes for the moment, clearly unimpressed with his new prized bride.

"Oh hell no!" I snapped.

Oh hell yes!

I can't do this.

Yes, you can he's good looking, rich, and he has already proven the man knows how to use his mouth.

He is a selfish, narcissistic womanizer.

Who is, no doubt good with his hands.

Shut up!

I closed my eyes and stormed away, hitting Charlene in the shoulder as I went by her. I need air and I need air now. Throwing open a door I thought led to the exit I found myself out in a patio garden, with a fountain, small hedges and some brightly coloured flowers but the cool night air was welcomed relief. I can't do this, not him, maybe to someone decent but not to him.

"Sky?" A voice floated in from behind me and I immediately recognised the voice.

The door shut nearly silently as he started to walk towards me, his hand rested on my shoulder as he tried to comfort me. "Skylar..."

"I cant do it." I interrupted him. "I'm sorry dad. I just can't."

I finally turned to face my father, his eyes were sad and full of regret but he loved me, I could see that. He reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair back behind my ear and gave me a small sad smile. "You look like your mother with your hair like that."

"Dad."

"Yes?"

"What would you do?" I asked him. "If I didn't do this?"

"It doesn't matter. Nothing matters anymore." He didn't even give me a fake smile. His eyes flickered from me to just behind my shoulder as they began to swell with water and the unshed tears he was currently holding back. I didn't want to see my father cry, the man I once thought indestructible was now nothing more than a mess being held up by threading string.

You can do this for him. My inner self whispered, her natural ability to ruin my life was subsiding, or maybe she was leading me down a path of destruction, leading me towards the worst mistake of my life. But, it didn't matter. She was right. I could do this for him, for all the love I bore him and for everything he has done for me.

I looked down and stepped back out of my father's reach. I didn't want to look him in the eyes anymore, all I could see was the cold, sad regret and soul crushing darkness and I couldn't take it anymore. Quickly side stepping my father I took a deep breath and wondered back into the party that seemed completely unaware of everything that was going on within the crowd.

I soon found Charlene and the older lady from before, chattering away but their faces were full of concern. "I'll do it." I said sternly as I approached the two of them.

"Oh thank god." The other lady smiled, her shoulders relaxing and her once wrinkled forehead now relaxed.

"I am so proud of you Sky." Charlene beamed at me as she went to pull me into a hug but I quickly deflected her, not wanting a bar of whatever poison she wanted to give me.

"I'm going home now while you can try to convince Mr Wedding ring over there to marry me."

"Already done." The other lady beamed at me, her eyes full of excitement. "Shall we meet tomorrow? We can go over all the pre-nup and the wedding plans?"