Chapter 1 Beginning

Eloise narrowed her eyes in scorn as she swept her gaze over the rows of champagne bottles. "These are pedestrian," she said, her voice heavy with disappointment.

The bartender, a pitiful-looking young man, shrugged. "Ma'am, I am afraid this is all we have."

Eloise looked at her friends, who were observing her with a mixture of curiosity and worry. "Luxury, you said?" she asked again, sarcastic in tone. "Domain Pérignon is what I expected, not this." She dismissed the bottles with a wave of her hand.

Her friends exchanged nervous glances, their faces pale. Francesca, usually the boldest of the group, hesitated before speaking up. "E-Eloise, maybe we can just make do with what they have?"

Eloise's attention snapped to Francesca, her eyes flashing with annoyance. "Make do? You want me to settle for this...swill?" Her voice rose, frowning even more.

Francesca swallowed hard before shaking her head.

"Let us just get out of here before I die of boredom," Eloise exclaimed, pirouetting around and making her way out.

Her friends followed behind her, whispering amongst themselves. They had all seen this side of Eloise, the spoiled princess who couldn't tolerate anything less than perfection. It was what made her both attractive and intimidating.

The night was warm outside, buzzing with the activity of the city. Eloise's chauffeur was already waiting near the car, holding the door open for her. She slipped inside with practiced grace, her friends following suit.

"Where to, Miss Escobar?" the chauffeur asked, his voice respectful and measured.

"Home," Eloise replied curtly. "There's nothing worth our time here."

The drive back to the Escobar estate was filled with quiet conversation. Eloise's thoughts raced as she stared out the window. She felt a familiar tinge of dissatisfaction creep in. Her life was perfect in every way, but it never seemed to live up to her expectations.

When they finally arrived at the estate, Eloise got out of the car and entered the opulent foyer, where the marble floors shone under the chandelier's illumination. Feeling the need for some alone time to gather her thoughts, she waved her friends off.

Her heels clicked lightly against the glossy floors as she sauntered through the home. Her father's taste and wealth were evident in every room, but she still felt empty in every one of them. She stopped in front of a sizable portrait of Mrs. Escobar, her late mother, who was renowned for her grace and beauty.

"I wish you were here, Mama," Eloise said softly, her voice tinged with sadness. "You'd understand."

"Gosh! "I hate today," she said as she walked into her room and collapsed on her bed.

~~

The next day, Eloise sat at an upscale café, her beautifully manicured fingers tapping lightly on the table. Her eyes were fixed on the man across from her.

"You said we should meet up, yet you've been silent for ten minutes now. I'm not that patient, Jeremy."

The man, Jeremy, looked down, muttering under his breath before finally raising his head to speak. "I... I can't do this anymore."

"What are you talking about, Jeremy?" Eloise raised an eyebrow, her impatience clear as she noticed his hands growing clammy with sweat.

"You're too controlling, and you don't give me the happiness I want."

"So? The happiness you want? Let me remind you that you're here for my happiness, not the other way around."

"No, I just can't. Please, let's just break up."

"Is there someone else, Jeremy?" Her voice was low and taunting, her lashes drooping slightly as she spoke.

"How... how did you know?"

A sudden burst of laughter escaped her lips as she stared at Jeremy like he was out of his mind. "You fool," she whispered, giving him a crazed look that said she knew everything.

"No, I... I..."

"For a man whose father runs a big business, you sure do stutter a lot."

"I'm sorry."

"How stupid of you," she said, standing up with her eyes spitting fire. "Thinking you can break up with me. I, Eloise Escobar, break up with you, Jeremy. Tell your father the contract has been canceled. And remind him it's your fault."

"Wait, no, please. He'd kill me!"

Eloise's expression turned cold. "That's not my problem. Learn to make better choices next time."

She turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Jeremy to panic alone.

As Eloise stepped out of the café, she rolled her eyes, muttering to herself, "What a scary rat." Her chauffeur was already waiting by the car, holding the door open for her. She slipped inside with a sigh, the weight of the encounter pressing down on her.

"Home," she instructed curtly, and the car glided smoothly away from the bustling streets.

The ride back to the Escobar estate was silent, but Eloise's mind was anything but. She was already planning her next move. She knew exactly how to turn this situation to her advantage.

Arriving at the estate, she composed herself, drawing on her well-practiced ability to switch from icy anger to vulnerable sorrow. She stepped out of the car and walked through the grand foyer, her eyes already misting with feigned tears.

Her father, Gambino Escobar, was in his study, engrossed in a thick stack of papers. He looked up as Eloise entered, his stern expression softening immediately at the sight of his daughter.

"Eloise, what's the matter?" he asked, his voice filled with concern as he noticed her tear-streaked face.

"Daddy," Eloise began, her voice trembling as she approached him. "Jeremy... he broke up with me."

Gambino's eyes darkened with anger. "What? Why would he do such a thing?"

"He said... he said I'm too controlling and that I don't make him happy," she sobbed, her tears flowing freely now. "He was always shouting at me, making me feel worthless."

Gambino rose from his chair, pulling Eloise into a comforting embrace. "That ungrateful bastard. How dare he treat my daughter this way?"

Eloise buried her face in her father's chest, allowing herself a small, satisfied smile. "I just wanted to make him happy, Daddy. But he was so mean to me. I couldn't take it anymore."

Gambino stroked her hair, his mind already racing with thoughts of how to handle the situation. "Don't worry, my princess. I'll take care of everything. You won't have to see him again."

"But Daddy," Eloise continued, her voice small and pleading. "What about the contract with his father? I don't want you to suffer because of me."

Gambino's eyes hardened. "The contract is off. No one treats my daughter this way and gets away with it. I'll make sure his father knows exactly why the deal is canceled. Jeremy will pay for hurting you."

Eloise pulled back slightly, looking up at her father with wide, tear-filled eyes. "Thank you, Daddy. I just wanted to make him happy, Daddy."

Gambino kissed her forehead. "Always, Eloise. You are my world, and I don't care about that worthless being; I will always protect you."

Eloise nodded, her heart pounding with victory. Everything had happened exactly as she had planned. She knew she could count on her father's unwavering support and strength to deal with any situation, no matter how complicated.

As she walked to her room, crocodile tears dripped down her cheeks, she could not stop smiling.

Nobody, absolutely nobody, breaks up with her.

~~

Eloise needed to get ready for a night out at the club with her friends. She selected a stunning outfit: a short, luxurious dress made of shimmering silver fabric that clung to her curves perfectly. The dress was adorned with tiny, sparkling diamonds that caught the light with every movement. She paired it with a pair of diamond-studded heels and accessorized with a matching diamond necklace and earrings. Her blonde hair was styled in loose waves, and her makeup was flawless, emphasizing her green eyes.

She looked at herself in the mirror, admiring the ensemble before dismissing the maid. Eloise knew she could get any guy she wanted, and Jeremy even having the nerve to break up with her was something else. She brushed off the thought before picking up her phone and typing the name of the club where they should meet. Tonight, she would drink a lot.

~~~~

"And then I told him to fuck off because I didn't like him anymore," Eloise said, her voice carrying a note of triumph. All her friends laughed, not because they genuinely found it funny, but because they knew it was expected.

"I never even liked him at all. He was such a dick," she added, rolling her eyes.

"He sure was," Francesca agreed, though her voice wavered slightly.

"Whatever. At the snap of my fingers, I can get whoever I want. It's so easy," Eloise said, flipping her blonde hair with a confident smirk.

Eloise had always gotten whatever she wanted ever since she was a child: cars, houses, jets, and more. At 22 years old, with straight blonde hair and eyes as green as the grass, she was the epitome of beauty, and she knew it.

She smiled, sipping from her drink, her gaze drifting towards the bar. The night was young, and she was in the mood for more excitement.

"That bartender looks so hot," Sophia, one of her friends, said, her eyes twinkling with interest.

"Yeah... but unfortunately, he's poor," Eloise replied, her tone dismissive. Then, with a sudden gleam in her eye, she stood up. "But I can get him in a second."

"He wouldn't be too hard to get," Francesca said, a hint of mischief in her voice.

Eloise smirked, her confidence radiating as she sauntered toward the bar. Just as she was about to reach it, she suddenly felt someone bump into her, causing a drink to spill all over her. Her eyes widened with shock, her face flushing with fury.

"What the fuck? Are you blind? Oh my God," she exclaimed, looking down at her now-soaked dress, the luxurious fabric ruined.

She gasped, expecting to hear frantic apologies, but the person who had spilled the drink on her remained silent.

"Are you stupid? Do you know how expensive these clothes are?" she demanded, her voice trembling with rage as she turned to face the culprit.

Her anger faltered when she saw him. His eyes were striking, a shade she had never seen before, and for a moment, she was lost in their depth.

"You should say sorry," she finally managed to say, her voice softer but still edged with irritation.

The mysterious guy merely frowned, his expression indifferent, before turning and walking away, his friends trailing after him.

Eloise stared after him in disbelief. How could someone so handsome be so infuriatingly rude? Her heart pounded with a mix of anger and unexpected attraction, her mind racing as she watched him disappear into the crowd

TBC.