Prologue
"Bro, I don't want to go to uncle Eric's son's wedding. I don't know anyone there. Is this another torture?" Protested a sixteen year old Lisa Lennard, shaking her head of dark golden cascading hair. Her brother Laurence Lennard was ten years older to her and at twenty-six, he was the successful owner of their diamond jewellery label Sparklez, having outlets all over the world. Although he was a self-made billionaire, he was a man of few words with an extremely caring nature. Elizabeth or Lisa as she preferred being called, looked up to him as a parent, a sibling and as her only family. She loved him, respected him and only listened to him.
Since birth, she was a rebel, a short-tempered girl who was disappointed with her life. She had lots of material things but she didn't care much for those. All she craved was a normal loving family which she didn't have. Her parents, Penny Lennard and Harry Lennard weren't very loving. All they ever discussed was money, wealth and how to confiscate other people's businesses. Lisa was sick of all this. She loved her brother who was very different from her parents.
She also loved her best friend Sofia Blakesley and spent most of her days at her house with her parents and her twin sister, Victoria. They treated Lisa as their own and she connected with them more just like a family should. Their cousin Leo who was two years older than them also lived at their house. He was a good friend to Lisa and solved her problems with so much expertise that Lisa depended upon him immediately after Laurence.
"You have to come along this time, Lisa. Dad and mom will be furious if you don't, " said Laurence patiently. He knew it was wrong of their parents to pressurize them to meet the Parker siblings but when did their parents ever do anything right? At twenty-six, he was forcefully separated from his pregnant wife, Arianna after she had been thrown out of his house by his parents in his absence. He had searched for her everywhere but hadn't met with any success yet.
He had stopped all interactions with his parents but only three months back his mom had been diagnosed with Diabetic nephropathy(DN) or diabetic kidney disease. Although treatment was ongoing, yet she showed very little signs of improvement. Under such conditions her last wish was to see Laurence married and happy. She apologised for what they had done to Arianna and wanted Laurence to remarry Serenity Parker who was the daughter of Harry Lennard's friend, Eric Parker. The wedding was being planned not because his parents loved Serenity but because she was the only daughter of a billionaire hotelier and as such an heiress to a huge fortune.
After two months, seeing his mom on her deathbed, a heartbroken Laurence gave in with the condition that if he ever found his Arianna, he would give Serenity a divorce then and there. So here he was making an obligatory visit to the Parker mansion to celebrate the wedding of their oldest son, Lucas Parker. Laurence wasn't the only one, however to be forced to marry Serenity. Their parents drilled into Lisa's head that she was meant to marry Eric Parker's youngest son, Liam Parker. Being headstrong and rebellious, Lisa refused to bow down to their wishes and spent most of her days away from her own house but at Sofia's house.
"Who cares," said Lisa picking up her backpack to leave. She wouldn't go to the Parker mansion and be an exhibit on display for Liam Parker to take a fancy to her. What a pre-historic thought!
"Lisa, dad has already announced our presence to uncle Eric. You have to come along. Go and get ready. Wear something decent," said Laurence sternly.
"How can you accept their conditions bro? I think you've forgotten Arianna," said Lisa. She liked Arianna immensely and wanted her brother to be united with his true love.
Laurence sighed. "I can never forget my Aria. She lives in my soul, in every cell of my body. I've accepted since it's mom's dying wish. I have a condition too. If I find my Aria, I'll divorce Serenity, " said Laurence.
"You really believe that she's dying? You're such a perfect son. Well, I can't be a perfect daughter and listen to anything that they say. I'll go today only because you want me to, but don't expect me to start charming Liam Parker, " she said with a toss of her hair, rushing down the stairs to her room downstairs.
Their home was an ultra modern building with five floors. There was a tight security system at the ground floor. The entire building was exclusively owned by Laurence. It didn't look like a home though but more like a five star hotel with valuable furniture and furnishings. Two years back they used to live in a two-bedroomed apartment in a decent neighbourhood. However ever since Laurence had started doing well, he bought this building and his mom had it renovated according to her taste. Laurence was a man of few words. He didn't intervene with her decision but decorated his own floor as per his taste.
He lived alone on the fourth and fifth floor of the building. The building had two elevators. His parents and Lisa lived on the second and the third floor. The 1st floor had a gym, a library and a family entertainment room. There was a chef to cook for them since his mom didn't cook always complaining of some sickness or the other.
Lisa walked into her huge bedroom. She would dress up in the ugliest outfit she possessed and stick out like a sore thumb amidst all the beautiful and elegantly dressed guests. That way her mom wouldn't be able to dump her upon Liam Parker since Liam wouldn't even look her way. She wasn't beautiful in the classic sense but yes she was drop dead gorgeous and attractive. She chose a simple, flowing white dress which wasn't her style of outfit and just brushed her hair and left it untied.
She smiled at her horrid reflection on her mirror. She looked like a boring nerdy school girl. Her mom who was at the salon since morning, grooming up for the party would get a heart attack upon seeing her. She went upstairs to Laurence's floor so that her mom saw her at the last minute and there wouldn't be any time to change.
Sandra, their housekeeper who was like a mother to her, chuckled seeing her. Lisa grinned and hugged her. "Sandra tell me the truth. Am I looking horrible enough?" She asked Sandra who laughed heartily.
"No sweetie, you're looking fresh, innocent and very beautiful, " said Sandra. Lisa pouted. That wasn't what she had wanted to hear.
"No, Sandra you love me too much so you think I look good in everything. I'm actually looking fat and ugly," she said, releasing her and checking herself out in Laurence's mirror. Laurence came out wearing a tuxedo from his walk-in closet and dressing room and looked at Lisa.
"Good, I like this dress. It covers you well," he said with a smile at her jaw dropped expression.
"What bro? That's all you can say about it? Can't you say that I'm looking horrible?" She asked. She could hear her parents getting ready downstairs and she hid till it was time to go.
They all climbed onto Laurence's black Porsche. "Where's Lisa? Didn't I tell you Laurence that she needs to come along too?" Asked a disappointed Penny Lennard. They were already ten minutes late and now that they were ready and about to leave, Lisa was absent.
"She's coming, oh there she is," said Laurence as Lisa rushed into the car, sitting on the passenger seat.
"What the hell are you wearing?" Asked a disgusted Penny Lennard.
"This is a beach dress. It's not at all acceptable at the posh reception party at Parker mansion. You're looking like a middle class girl, those who work at boring offices for a living, " said Penny Lennard, scrunching her nose at her.
"What's wrong mom? Are you ashamed of me? I could drop the idea and go to Sofia's house instead," Lisa said suppressing a grin.
"No, change out of this immediately, " yelled Penny Lennard. She didn't look sick and dying at all.
"Fine, I'll take me half an hour," said Lisa, opening the car door.
"No, we're already late. This outfit's fine. Laurence let's go," said their dad impatiently. Lisa shut the car door and sat grumpily throughout the ride. She had really hoped that her mom wouldn't take her along. Now she should think of another plan to avoid Liam Parker, not that he would even cast a single glance at her. She had seen his photograph, he was gorgeous and three years older than her. He surely would be having a girlfriend of his own. She just hoped that he had a fiancée or a girlfriend and her parents' plans fail.
------------
