Appalled at the merciless game of destiny, Genelia closed her eyes to calm her already panicking heart. She hated the word marriage, nurturing an unwavering vengeance against Rafael Moretti in her heart. After the nightmare she went through for two years of being married to Rafael Moretti, she refused to tread that path all over again. Did she hear him correctly? Was this a nightmare? Maybe she would wake up any minute and feel relieved it wasn’t real, but the car came to an abrupt stop in front of a picturesque beach club, bringing her out of her reverie. Before she could ask him anything, he was out of the car. 

“C’mon, you’re wasting my time, Gen,” he said impatiently, walking away towards the reception desk of the sprawling and luxurious wedding venue, Drescher Beach Club. She got down from the car in a daze. Did he just call her Gen? Only one person called her that, her Brandon! Although the club was scenic, like a paradise on Earth, Gia was oblivious to everything around her. With her mind still stuck on the nickname he used earlier, she was more confused than ever before. 

Gen!

She just couldn’t figure out why he called her Gen when he should have addressed her formally! After all, they were meeting for the first time in a professional setup, or were they not?

Ten Years Ago (Flashback)

Gia rushed out of her room, hearing the voice of the only person she had been waiting to hear all day. At sixteen, she had developed a deep crush on Brooklyn’s twin, Brandon. Brooklyn was Amy’s best friend. Being pregnant, she took shelter at their house after a fight with her boyfriend, since she had nowhere else to go to. Being orphans, both Brooklyn and Brandon were just nineteen and going through a rough patch. While Brandon had landed up with a good internship that was paying for his education, he helped his twin to get into the same company. 

Near the corridor that led to Brooklyn’s room, she collided with none other than her crush! Blushing to the roots of her hair, she quickly tried to place some distance between them, but he held her arm to stop her. Goosebumps erupted all over her arms, and she blushed all the more. The last three encounters, she had been tongue-tied and too shy to talk to him, but her eyes had watched his every move. Whenever he came over to see his sister every evening, it amazed Gia at the way her heart and soul reacted to Brandon. She was never shy! In fact, she was a spoiled brat who was used to having her way around. Being the youngest in the family, she was used to the attention. So, it wasn’t surprising that her former boarding school rusticated her for misbehaviour and she returned home to join a new school in the neighbourhood.

“Are you okay, Gen?” whispered Brandon softly, his hand resting lightly on her arm while he leaned down to her level. At 6 ft. 4 inches, he towered over her delicate frame. The nickname sounded almost like an endearment coming out of his plump, kissable lips and Gia’s hopeless heart started racing faster and faster. 

“I’m Genelia, why did you call me Gen?” asked Gia, her twinkling hazel eyes focused on him, but he looked away, feeling a little uncomfortable at the attention he was receiving. She was a billionaire’s youngest daughter, way beyond his league and totally spoiled rotten by the whole family. They were doing his pregnant twin sister a favour by sheltering her in their home. He couldn’t bring their wrath upon himself by encouraging an underage teenager’s advances. 

Yet Brandon couldn’t ignore her question. Why did he call her Gen? Well, that was the first thing that came to his mind upon knowing her name. “Gen in Japanese means Spring. Aren’t you like a burst of sunshine, fresh and invigorating? Like a flower blooming, radiant and beautiful? I see you as the spring! Think about it,” he said with a grin, walking away, leaving her flustered and blushing more. His words made her young heart skip a beat, and she fell for him all the more. 

End Of Flashback 

Genelia’s head reeled with confusion as she stood dazed near the reception area. The memories were still fresh in her mind and she just couldn’t get over the heartache as the memories of Brandon came rushing to the surface once again. She felt claustrophobic and dazed as the same feeling crept into her mind again and again. Did her dad lie to her? Was Brandon alive? Was Zander Reid actually Brandon Davis? She closed her eyes and counted to twenty to calm herself. Despite being in a crowded resort, she was oblivious to everything else around her.

“Are you going to stand here all day? The officiant is already here, dammit,” scowled Zander Reid, walking up to her, looking annoyed at her zoning out in the middle of the room. 

“Officiant?” she croaked, coming out of her reverie while Zander Reid rolled his eyes and shook his head with dismay.

“Yes, we’re getting married, remember?” he reminded her, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

“But why do we need to get married when we hardly know each other?” she asked as a feeling of panic settled in her heart, and she desperately searched his eyes for an answer, but he looked away from her probing eyes. Her throat choked and she could feel the bile rise in her throat. She didn’t want to marry a second time and glanced around for a way to escape. 

“Please, let’s keep this professional. I don’t want to get married,” she whispered, drawing his attention to her. She noted the barely suppressed anger bubbling inside him, ready to erupt, the strange restlessness around him as if he was impatient to get this over and done with. What exactly was going on? Why was Zander Reid so eager to marry her? How could he think of marrying her when they had other important issues to deal with? 

“Oh, is it? I guess you prefer older men!” he taunted sarcastically, making her jaws drop as her heart sank realizing that he knew about Rafael. So how much did he know? “I don’t have time for this shit. Explanations can happen later. You need to sign a prenuptial before we head to the altar,” he said gruffly, making her jaws drop with surprise. She needed to sign what? Blood boiled in her veins as she glared at him angrily.

“I don’t have time for this shit either, Mr. Reid. If you can’t explain yourself, then I’m not doing anything you ask me to. This is a completely professional collaboration and has nothing to do with our personal lives. I don’t see any need to get married,” she said, standing her ground. A nerve twitched with anger at his temples as he tried to control the fury burning inside him at her words. Maybe he hadn’t expected her to protest. His eyes glittered with hatred as he seemed to look more determined than ever to marry her. Although he looked menacing, Gia stood her ground and stared back at him, challenging him to convince her. 

“Don’t you dare use that tone on me? I’m marrying you out of compulsion, so just cooperate and let’s get it over and done with,” he stated, seething with fury, but Gia didn’t budge an inch. She wouldn’t marry a stranger again and be his plaything. It was like history repeating itself, only this time it wasn’t with a drug lord! But she had a mission at hand that was her sole priority. Marriage had never featured in her plans in the last four years, and nothing could convince her to go ahead. Zander Reid was the last person she would marry, anyway! 

“Whatever your compulsion maybe, Mr. Reid, I don’t have any wish to get married to you. My priority is to save my dad’s business, so if you aren’t interested, then I shall look for other investors,” she stated, planning to escape the wedding at all costs. Zander Reid looked menacingly at her as he leaned more towards her, closing the distance between them. Genelia’s eyes widened, and she tried to move backward, but his hand clamped over her arm in a vice-like grip and escape was almost impossible. Genelia tried hard to wrench her arm free of his hold, but failed. 

“Isn’t it too late for that? You’ve already signed the agreement. You don’t have any other choice than to fulfill the first condition. Only then will I sign the agreement and invest the first installment in your dad’s business,” he threatened in a whisper, his face inches away from hers. The proximity took her breath away as he encroached upon her personal space, his stormy gray eyes boring into hers in a hypnotic stare. Drowned in their intensity, in their familiar depths, Genelia couldn’t look away from them, her heart skipping a beat. A strange feeling started in the pit of her stomach. The more she gazed into them, the more she felt drawn towards them. She knew those eyes, that masculine fragrance, very well. A strange feeling started clawing its way up her throat at his nearness, choking her as if she was ten years younger and right in front of Brandon. Zander Reid had the same effect upon her! 

“Why are you doing this?” she whispered, as if in a trance. His nearness, his eyes, his male scent were pulling her in towards him like a magnet. She wanted to lose herself in him, she wanted to know how it would feel when Zander Reid kissed her. She would definitely know the answers to her questions. 

“I have my reasons, Gen,” he said, his eyes searching hers, as his tone softened a little. Genelia’s eyes widened, and her breath hitched. This time, she didn’t have any doubts. He called her Gen and in the same tone as Brandon used to. Her throat choked with emotions and she couldn’t help but raise her hand and touch his cheek in a feather-light touch.

“Brandon?” she whispered as her eyes filled with tears.