Chapter 1 The Anouncement

• ELORA’S POV
• Elora let out a heavy sigh as she stepped out of her white Bentley, gazing up at the extravagant mansion before her. This was where her family - if she could even call them that - the Emmersons lived. The Emmersons were the second wealthiest family in the nation, owning the biggest business conglomerate named Emmersons Co. Emmersons Co. had branches all over the world in different countries, and the family had owned the business for generations.
• When Elora was six years old, she had been adopted into the Emmerson family by Primrose Emmerson, who they all called Granny. She had been raised by Granny away from the other Emmersons because they weren't okay with the fact that Granny had adopted her. They had always called her a filthy lowlife, and frankly, she wanted nothing to do with their family, but thanks to Granny, she bore their last name.
• Once Elora had her college degree, Granny had forced her to come and live in the mansion with the other Emmersons. She had been staying with them for over two years now, and every single minute with them was like hell. However, there was nothing or no one she hated in this world more than their first son, Tony Emmerson.
• "Good evening, Grant," Elora greeted the personal chauffeur with a cheerful smile as she made her way into the luxurious mansion. Heading into the living room, she noticed servants walking around, trying to organize the dining room in preparation for dinner. Apparently, Peter Emmerson, her adoptive father, had a huge announcement to make that day.
• "Elora, darling!" Elora heard a sweet, familiar voice, and her sour mood suddenly changed into a pleasant one as she averted her gaze to Granny Primrose descending the staircase. A wide smile formed on her face as Granny took her into her arms, giving her a warm hug.
• Granny Primrose had only shown Elora love her entire life. When she was a kid in the slums, living off scraps she found in dustbins, Granny had found her and immediately treated her like her own daughter. Elora owed granny her life. Granny was the most important person to her, and she was the only reason life with the Emmersons had been bearable for the past two years.
• "Good evening, Granny," Elora beamed at her, drowning in the cozy warmth of her hug.
• "Oh, Elora. I'm so happy to see you. You know this house is always a bore when you're not around," Granny said to her with a sweet smile on her face.
• Before Elora could answer Granny, a sharp and high-pitched voice interrupted her, and she fought the urge to roll her eyes as she watched Hazel Emmerson walk down the stairs. Hazel Emmerson was the queen brat of all brats around the world. Elora detested her so much, but she had mastered the art of ignoring her bitter little comments.
• "I would argue and say the house is a bore only when Elora is around. How many times do I have to tell you that filth doesn't mix with royalty? When will you be moving out, Elora?" Hazel's voice sent a wave of anger flooding through Elora, and she had to bite down on her tongue to keep herself from saying something despicable.
• "Hazel! I know you have a thick head, so it's kind of hard for you to understand simple things, but Elora is part of this family, and I don't care how many times I have to repeat it to you. You will treat her with respect." Granny's warm defense engulfed Elora's heart, but she really needed to start fighting her battles with Hazel all by herself.
• "Oh, come on, Granny. You picked her up from the slums and suddenly she's part of our family? She's nothing but a wanna-be. She will never be an Emmerson, so stop being delusional," Hazel didn't wait for Granny to respond before rolling her eyes, flipping her hair, and walking away from them.
• "What am I going to do with that girl?" Granny whispered quietly to herself, a look of discontent and sadness on her face.
• "It's okay, Granny. I'm used to Hazel by now," Elora offered her a light peck and then made her way upstairs and into her room. As soon as the door was shut behind her, she let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding in as tension released from her shoulders. Ever since she had gotten to this house two years ago, Hazel and the rest of her family hadn't failed to make her feel unwelcome.
• They kept telling her to leave, and she wanted to. She wished she could just pack her stuff and go far away from here, but Granny insisted that she stay close to her, so she really didn't have a choice on the matter. As Elora took in deep breaths to compose herself before going downstairs for dinner, she could only hope and pray that whatever her adoptive father, Peter Emmerson, was about to announce wouldn't change the trajectory of her life forever.
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• Peter Emmerson spoke in a deep and thick voice as the family sat around the dinner table.
• "As you all know, I have a very special announcement to make tonight." He said. His eyes glanced towards Elora and he took her in for a few seconds with a smirk on his face before averting his gaze.
• Elora's heart beat rampantly in her chest as the tension in the room rose. For some reason, she had a feeling that whatever he was about to say had a lot to do with her and it was frustrating not knowing what it was.
• "Are we finally throwing Elora in the slums back where she belongs?" Hazel commented, snickering as if what she just said was the funniest thing in the world. Her mother, Vivienne Emmerson, joined in on the laughter and Elora felt degraded all over again. What was worse was that there was nothing she could do or say to stop them from insulting her. She could only sit back and take it.
• "Hazel!" Granny scolded.
• "That is enough!" Peter Emmerson said impatiently, and everyone around the table was quiet again. At least their first son, Tony Emmerson, was not there tonight. He was to be the CEO of Emmersons Co. when his father stepped down, so he was mostly out of the country on business trips. If Elora hadn't mentioned it already, Tony Emmerson was the devil in disguise and her life was a hundred times more peaceful when he was not around.
• "Anyways..." Peter Emmerson continued. "I had a meeting with the Dominics about a week ago."
• At the mention of the Dominics, Elora's attention was fully on Peter now. The Dominics were the wealthiest and most prestigious family in the nation, and Peter Emmerson had been trying to join their two families for ages.
• "As you all know, the Emmersons and the Dominics are the most influential families in all of the nation. After my meeting with them, we decided that it would be best to join our two families in order to preserve our fortune through generations. Hazel is to be married to Ambrose Dominic's first son, Zade Dominic, the heir to all the Dominic fortune."
• Hazel was already squealing in excitement before her father even finished his sentence, and Elora had to fight the urge to let out a sigh and roll her eyes.
• Peter then turned his gaze towards Elora. "And Elora is to be married to Zade's father, Ambrose Dominic."
• "What!?" Elora exclaimed, pushing her chair back as she stood up in pure shock and confusion. Her chest rose and fell, anger bubbling up inside her. She didn't want to believe what just came out of his mouth. Ambrose Dominic was about 52 years old. He was old enough to be her father!
• "What is the meaning of this nonsense, Peter?" Granny scolded her son, standing up and rushing to Elora's side as she tried to stop herself from hyperventilating. Granny put her arms around Elora, but all of Elora's attention was focused on Peter as her body trembled.
• "Oh, daddy! This is wonderful news!" Hazel spoke out in joy. Of course, she was happy. She was going to marry the young and ambitious 26-year-old billionaire, Zade Dominic, while Elora was expected to marry his old father. Elora was not even jealous of Hazel. She didn't care about the Dominics and she wanted nothing to do with any of this. She didn't even want to get married!
• "Granny, aren't you the one who has always insisted on Elora being part of our family? Well, this is her chance to prove her worth. This is her chance to prove that she is worthy to be called an Emmerson! She will marry Ambrose Dominic, and that is final," Peter insisted, his voice carrying over the entire room.
• "You cannot force me to do this. This is my life and I will not live the rest of it with someone two times my age! Hazel is already marrying Zade! The two families can be joined that way. Why do I have to marry the old man?" Elora questioned as tears threatened to spill from her eyes.
• "You will do it because it is the only way that Ambrose will agree to the contract marriage between Hazel and Zade. I want the best for my daughter, and marrying Zade will secure her future forever. I don't care if I have to give you to the old man to get what I want. You will do this, Elora, or else...."
• "Or else what?" Elora cut off Peter Emmerson for the first time ever. All her life, she had held her tongue against them. She had never talked back or tried to defend herself, but this was the last straw. She could take everything but not this. She would not let him have control over her future.
• "How dare you speak to me that way!?" He stood up in anger, banging his hand on the table and grabbing everyone's attention.
• "I am not afraid of you!" Elora snapped back, the rage she had kept locked in escaping her like a thunderstorm. "All my life, you have controlled me. You never miss an opportunity to make me feel like trash, to remind me that I am nothing, and I have taken it all silently, but this is too much. This, I cannot take. I will not marry Ambrose Dominic. I will not let you destroy my life!"
• Before Peter or anyone else could say anything, Elora was rushing out of the room as tears fell on her cheeks. She headed up the staircase and into her room, slamming the door shut and leaning back against the wall as she let the tears that she had kept locked in for so long escape her eyes like a waterfall.