Chapter 3 3. The Plan

Restrategize, yes, that's what she needs to do. She will make up a new plan that would save her from having to deal with the Alphonsos. But how?

Theo is right. She lacks the resources to grow her family's business. No, she can do this. She is highly capable. Theo is wrong.

"How was the talk with Theo?" Adrian asks his daughter. Ever since they got into the car she has been silent.

"It went well," Adrien replies with a smile.

"What did you guys talk about?" Valerie asks and Adrian tries not to glare at her.

"It's private."

"Nonsense! What's there in your discussion to keep a secret? I'm your mother you have to tell me."

"And they are lovers," Adrian tells his wife, "you need to give them some space."

Valerie raises her eyebrows at her husband. "Fine. But I hope you guys are bonding well. Tell me, what do you think of him?"

Adrien sighs. "I think he's handsome, intelligent, composed, has a way with words and quite nice."

Her tone has every hint of sarcasm but her parents just want to believe the illusion that she and Theo are in love. She sighs and looks out the window of the car as they drive home.

When she is in the privacy of her room, she plops down on her bed and begins to remove these torturous heels. She rubs one foot after the other in relief.

"I can't believe I have to go through so much stress for that messed up family," she mutters.

There's one thing she knows for sure, she's not attending any more family dinners at the Alphonsos'. Theo is such a brute! Of course, she's not a highly dependent lady. She is a strong woman capable of carrying out her own business.

Theo's tone held a bit of spite but he sounded sincere. It's demeaning that he sees her in such a manner. She has promised him, nonetheless. She's going to find a way to stop the wedding.

"Mum has a big temper," she says to herself, "how can I call off the engagement without her throwing a tantrum? I need to be very careful so my plans don't fall through."

"Adrien?"

Bathsheba barges into the room, startling Adrien.

"Bethsheba! I've told you to always knock before entering my room!"

"You weren't answering my knocks so I just came in," Bethsheba says in defence. She walks straight to Adrien's bed and sits on it.

Bethsheba is Adrien's only sister. She's the second child of the family and is nineteen years old.

"What do you want, Beth?"

"What? Can't I just stay in my sister's room?"

"No, you can't. Besides, you only come here when you need something."

"Sometimes I come here to discuss with you. You know, to have some sisterly time." She playfully reaches for Adrien's nose with her forefinger. Adrian slaps her hand away.

"You mean, seek advice when you have a major problem. Which are mostly boy problems."

"That's not true!"

Adrien glares at Beth who is now lying down on her bed with her feet touching the pillows. Adrien pushes her leg away and lies down. Beth laughs and sits up to face Adrien.

"Someone followed me on Instagram and liked all my posts. He commented on one of my pictures, see."

Beth passes her phone to Adrien who reads the comment out loud.

"You look so much like your sister, I wonder if you guys are the same person."

Adrien checks the name of the person who wrote the comment. It's no other than Theophilus Alphonso.

Adrien passes the phone back to her sister. Theo's comment doesn't faze her one bit. But Beth seems very concerned about Adrien's betrothed and his strange comment on her photo.

"You gave him my Instagram handle in place of yours, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"You crook!" Beth laughs, "I think he knows."

"Yes, he does."

"What? He didn't get mad or anything?"

"He did. We argued."

"You don't sound like you care."

"Do I?" Adrien laughs. "I wish I could just end all of this. I can't get married to Theo."

Beth's expression suddenly changes to that of worry. "I'm sorry you have to pass through this, Adri, but mum is adamant. She says this wedding must hold."

"I just have to manage her, then, because I'm adamant too. I hate them."

Beth becomes quiet with thought.

"What is it?" Adrien asks her.

"I'm just thinking of how we can handle all of this."

"Don't get worked up, Betty, I'll find a way, I must. Theo has already shown me signs of how abusive and manipulative he is. I can't imagine a happy life as his wife. He's rich, yes, but it's not all about the money."

"Our family situation is so messed up. Mum and Dad were talking about our unsettled bills the other day. We might have to sell off some of our stuff soon."

Adrien looks away from her sister. She hisses and slaps her hand on the bed. "I've told Mum countless times, we need to move to another house with lesser bills. If we sell this house it would help in settling a lot of our bills," Adrien says in anger.

She reduces her tone as she notices its effect on her sister who suddenly looks more depressed than before.

"Mum only cares about what people say or think. She can't live in a smaller house because the people would talk. She continues to live a billionaire's life when she's facing a financial crisis. I wonder how long she can keep up with this fake life?"

"Until we're dead broke," Beth says and looks up at Adrien.

They both laugh.

"This isn't funny," Adrien says.

"No it's not," replies Beth and they remain silent for some seconds before Beth speaks again. "So what do you plan on doing?"

"I want to call off the marriage. But to do that, I need to prove to Mum and Dad that we don't need the marriage anymore. And you know why the marriage came up in the first place."

Beth sighs. "It's so frustrating to think that the Alphonsos own the biggest media and advertising company in the country. They weren't this famous before. We used to be wealthier than them."

"I know right? And their services are so expensive, we can't afford them now."

"What if you lure Theo into doing you a favour."

"He hates me. Besides, how do you expect I lure him?"

"You seduce him."

Adrien eyes her sister. "Typical of Bethsheba summers to lure men with her beauty into doing her bidding."

Beth laughs lightly.

"A woman has so much to offer than her beauty, keep that in mind."

"Okay, what if you sell our house?"

"Beth! I can't do that."

"Says, who?"

Adrien raises an eyebrow at her sister.

"Remember when Dad said you can claim some of the family's properties when you get married to Theo?"

"Oh... But I have to get married to him first."

"Well, you can have a fake wedding."

Adrien laughs. "Fake wedding? No way."

"Come on, it would be fun to plan," Beth urges.

"You know who we're dealing with right? It's Theo Alphonso. I would rather stick my head in a gutter than plan anything with him."

"Jeez, I didn't know you hated him so much."

"Now you know, so steer off anything that has to include him in our plans."

"But Adrien, if we can't tell mum and dad about the plans we have. They would not have it."

"Dad would."

"But mum has a great influence on him."

Adrien groans in frustration.

"Okay, I'll have a fake wedding with Theo. It'll be hard to fool Mum and Dad though. I'll talk to Theo about it. Hopefully, he agrees."

"And please talk to him in person so you can ensure your secret is safe."

Adrien feels like she's about to cry. "Theo would mock me."

"Well, you don't have a choice."

Adrien glares at Beth who merely shrugs at her.

"So we would have the fake wedding and when I get a claim to the properties, I will sell this house and we would move to the hotel."

"That's the plan!" Beth exclaims, smiling, but her expression changes suddenly. "Wait, what? I can't live in the hotel there's no room for privacy."

"Well, the hotel is quite big and we can stay there on a low key. No one would know," Adrien says convincingly but Beth can see through her bluff.

"So, you're up to make the first move. Call Theo and tell him to meet you up in a secured location where none of his friends or associates would see you guys."

"Wait, right now? Don't you think it's late to make such a call?"

"It's never too late to speak to your boyfriend."