Chapter 1 Genesis

• Prologue
• I couldn't react. I couldn't scream. My head felt dizzy and my eyesight was blurry. My face had gone numb. I could hear my breathing, but I couldn't hear anything else.
• I felt paralyzed.
• And I didn't know how long I had been like this.
• I woke up to a bright light on my face and my hands tied to a chair.
• Help me!
• I tried to pull my hands in vain.
• Help me!
• I was shaking in fear as I tried to look around. I felt my ears getting pierced when I heard a very sharp sound and I tried to blink a couple times.
• Was… was that a mic getting adjusted?
• Someone's here! Help me!!!
• Slowly, I found my strength coming back to me when I felt a ray of hope. I could hear many voices in Front of me.
• There were people here!
• My eyes widened in surprise when I heard a man saying something into the mic. I tried to open my mouth to scream for help but only a few gurgling and moaning sounds came from it. My tongue has gone numb too.
• HELP ME!
• Then suddenly the bright light in my face dimmed and that's when I saw it.
• People have their faces covered in masks, sitting in chairs and staring at me, but nobody is coming to help me.
• What's going on here?
• I tried to struggle more. My eyes started to sting as tears rolled down my face.
• I could hear someone speaking on the mic but I couldn't process what he was saying.
• I saw people raising some sort of banner but nobody came to save me.
• I wanted to scream. I wanted to run. I wanted to wake up from these nightmare and curl into my mother's lap and feel her fingers running on my hair's.
• “H—Hel..”
• The person on the stage kept shouting and panic started to consume me as my eyes landed on banners being raised by these people .
• Then they landed on one person
• He was wearing a red mask and he was just staring at me. Not raising any banner, nor caring about the person who was shouting on the mic. His whole face was covered but I could see the gray outlines of his hair and his silver eyes.
• These place screamed danger. I had to get out of here.
• “H-Help…” my throat went dry and my head started spinning.
• “H-Help…m–me..”
• The man slightly tilted his head and raised a banner. At the same time I finally screamed. “HELP ME!”
• Then a strong smelling cloth covered my mouth again and I passed out.
• *******************************
• Chapter 1
• 1yr Before my abduction.
• “You are the most boring person I've ever met Irene porter”
• I threw a split glance at the girl.
• In Front of my desk, my best friend had her hands on her hips, huffing out an annoyed breath.
• “River just a sec am almost done….” I furiously scribbled in my note book resulting in unintelligent penmanship that will be of no use later when I review it.
• But still… I had to finish at least this much before I went for lunch.
• “Know why it is called homework? Do it when you get home. Come on!”
• She pulled me by my elbow causing my pen to slip.
• “Alright, l’m up! I’m up!” I flipped my notebook closed and neatly returned it into my hermes backpack.
• I stood up looking at her in defeat.
• “ I've been hungry for the last two hours and you insist on studying,” Rivers grumbled in disgust.
• She looked down on her cartier la Dona gold watch on her wrist and turned her glare to me.
• “See? We’ve already wasted twenty minutes of our precious break!”.
• She picked up her Louis Vuitton shoulder hand bag and stormed out of our classroom leaving me to scramble after her.
• With the pace she walked with in the middle of the hallway, my best friend almost ran into another student.
• “ Watch where you’re going” she hissed at the freshman- looking boy.
• The poor guy looked scared out of his wits as he moved out of the way.
• River And I were graduating from high school in two months,but I doubt it was our seniority that made him scram.
• Salle academy may be the school for the rich but even the students weren't safe from its own caste system.
• River Clarisse Ruiz was an infrastructure genius. Both an engineer and an architect and the head of the billion dollar SHR building inc.
• “Stupid commoner! This is why the board should have abolished that useless scholarship program!”
• Oh,no. She's starting again. With a nervous laugh, I slipped to her side.
• “You wanted that lunch right? We have a class in An hour.”
• River was already getting second glances and people were stopping in the hallway to watch the unfolding drama.
• “Oh stop being so nice, irene! This is why you always get preyed on by vultures!.”
• With an apologetic glance at the people around.
• I took hold of my best friend's expensive bag and started dragging her out of there.
• River may not have cared for attention,but I did.
• And when she started there was no stopping the things coming out of her mouth.
• My best friend may be rich and beautiful but she needs an obvious filter.
• In a way though,I couldn't blame her. During our first year, I had a friend.
• A product of a CSR program. She was kind,well mannered and intelligent- the very reason she passed the difficult screening of LCA.
• It was always just the two of us and we tend to stay in the library to study.
• But for some reason whenever we are together, I tend to mysteriously lose my things.
• River was just my classmate then and she was the one that caught the scholar stealing from me.
• She even persuaded me to report it to the student affairs of our academy for proper action.
• To say I was shocked was an understatement.
• And instead of reporting the situation I confronted that friend, her answer was something that I, in all my time, will never forget.
• “That shouldn't be a big deal aren't you rich? I needed the money more than you did!”.
• Word failed me and I was frozen on a spot,staring at her.
• But Rivers ,who was there, was quick to react.
• Her hand reached up to pull the other girl's hair.
• Of course that girl fought back.
• They fell on the grass as Rivers went on top of the other girl, not letting go of her hair.
• “You dirty poor thief”
• In the end it became the three of us in the dean's office.
• Rivers told the concerned office staff about everything.
• My parents came into the room as Rivers's mom and the director were called in.
• The next day the girl was gone.
• Rumors spread throughout the school like wildfire.
• There were mixed reactions from students due to the incident .
• But from that time on, I and Rivers became best friends.
• I remember her saying “you should stick to your own kind” and since then it was just the two of us… but there were still days I wondered if we were the same “kind” like today.
• “Aren't you embarrassed with what you are doing, if your dad finds out!” I lectured her as we walked.
• Rivers snorted in an unladylike manner “what could he do? disown me? I will definitely pay to see that”.
• I always knew this girl was a bit too rebellious for her own good.
• But lately she is more hot headed than normal.
• Especially at the mention of her parents.
• I decided to keep my mouth shut until we got to the school cafeteria.
• There were just a few people left lounging around and we quickly got our plates.
• “I thought you said you were hungry” I pointed my fork at her untouched meal.
• I looked at my best friend with straight blonde hair, full red lips, high cheekbones, and a slim figure. She was pretty talk at five-eight.
• But there was something about the set of her perfectly shaped eyebrows and clouded big brown that screamed wrong.
• Rivers was turning eighteen these Saturday and my family was invited.
• I took a sip of my milkshake before breaking the silence.
• “I got your invitation, by the way. Should I wear something red for a change?”
• My best friend always complained that I stuck to soft colors when we attended functions.
• And she always insisted my best color was red.
• Big brown eyes turned to me before blinking twice. Rivers blew out a breath.
• I smiled at her encouragingly. “ Oh, Come on, you've been acting weird lately.
• Just say it. I’ll listen to matter how crazy it is.”
• My smile, however, quickly faltered as tears brimmed those brown eyes.
• “River—”
• “i'm already engaged Irene , they've already chosen a bride for me.”
• The pause was involuntary on my part.
• I didn't know why I was still surprised.
• It wasn't anything new in our class.
• The mega rich as the media called us, did everything to rise to the top and to stay on top.
• Marriage and business always went together. It was either to further or maintain the status and the monetary value of a household name.
• It's just the way things are. How it's been for centuries.
• But my best friend was just turning eighteen! Which means she was going to be legally allowed to marry.
• And I am turning eighteen in three months too.
• Suddenly, I was nailed to my seat, lost for words, a single tear fell which she hastily wiped away with her manicured fingers.
• She smiles bitterly at me while trying to lighten her tone “not that it isn't expected but …” her button lips wobbled.
• I tried to regain my composure. “ Do you know the guy? Do I know the guy?.
• She shook her head,and for some reason I felt my heart would break for her.
• My hands were tied too.
• “danike Luther Blackwell”
• The name did not ring a bell.
• “The Blackwells own chains of hotels abroad.
• Danike Blackwell, despite being an heir and next CEO of the company, interned in the SHR building under my dad's supervision. That's all I know.”
• Did you try talking to your dad? Maybe he will …” What Isla? Stop the engagement? Maybe postpone it to salvage the feelings of their daughter?
• I was one to talk. I knew I couldn't say no if my parents said jump.
• This was part of business, the payment to a lavish lifestyle.
• Things like these were negotiated so carefully between families — quite possibly before our birth!.
• It's our part, our follow through the contract,our duty.
• I think I was more zoned-out in our next class. I kept looking at Rivers who was calmly listening to lectures. As if her world was not crumblings around her.
• When the last bell rang, I sprung from my seat and immediately went to her side.
• “Are you sure you are okay?” I asked her worriedly.
• Rivers arched one brow before rolling her eyes.
• She gave me the attitude as if the conversation earlier was already forgotten.
• “It looks like you should be asking that question to yourself babe”.
• Then she suddenly lunged at me and engulfed me in a death grip. “ Don't look so heartbroken!
• It's marriage not suicide!”.
• I tugged at her hair. “ Don't joke about death, you phsyco” I murmured, hugging her back.
• Her hands let go of me, raising it in the air “ irene,am fine. Really. I swear.”
• I didn't believe her but sure. “There's this new Italian restaurant that's been on the rave these last week. According to the reviews, the chief is a reality show winner. Wanna go? My treat.
• Rivers driver was already waiting in front of the school.
• We slipped into the backseat of her audi.
• I texted my own driver the coordinates of the restaurant and told him to follow.
• I also called my mom who immediately agreed upon learning I was with Engr. Ruiz’s only daughter.
• It was 7pm when we arrived at the restaurant.
• And the whole time, Rivers was pretty vocal again.
• Maybe telling me these things made her feel better.
• She was devouring the food and somehow, her earlier mood shifted to le as I picked on mine.
• Things were going around in my head.
• “Do you think……” I started and she stopped mid chew.
• Rivers swallowed, taking the wineglass and pointing it to me. “Do I think?”
• “Do you think you’ll like him?” In my own words, my cheeks coloured In embarrassment.
• Her face soured as if my question was the most ridiculous thing she's heard.
• I waved a hand to her face, “Don't answer that. Nevermind”. Pairing it with an awkward laugh.
• We finished eating and I gave the card to that waiter.
• Rivers was Obviously in a better mood now and was humming as we strode out of the place.
• “Shoot! I forgot something,”.
• Rivers ran back inside as I was left on the sidewalk.
• I followed her with my eyes until she went inside.
• She was always like this, always forgetting things and I shook my head.
• My gaze traveled up the building.
• The place was a hôtel-restaurant, the first floor being the restaurant. Which reminded me, I pulled out my iphone out of my bag and dialed my driver number.
• “Hello, Rob? I’m outside —”
• Someone slammed against my side And u crashed to the floor on my elbow and right hip.
• My iphone skittered across the pavement. I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings, my weight on one high-heeled foot.
• There is no way I could've myself and I took that fall hard and skidded even a few inches.
• Pain shot up from where I landed on the hard ground.
• My teeth clicked together upon impact .
• I heard a curse. A string of them, as a guy, presumably the one who slammed into me, halted in front of me in obvious annoyance. Expensive Italian loafers came into my sight.
• “Would you look at where you’re going?! Get up!” He said rather harshly.
• “O-Ouch….” I couldn't think past the pain.
• On my side. I couldn't get up either, at least not for a minute as I gathered my spinning sight.
• My eyes squeezed shut as I tried to breathe through my nose.
• And that earned me a string of profanities before I felt a hand on my arm, and another on my hip, as the man had my hands slipping around his neck and hauled me upwards .
• My eyes flew open at the touch.
• Only to meet the angry stare of a stranger.
• Back then, I still didn't know who he was. I had no idea. But I had known that moment wouldn't be the last time we crossed paths, I would've never gone there. I would have tried to change fate. Because in the future as I would know, I wish we never met. Repeatedly.