Forbidden Fortune

CHARACTERIZATION

Protagonist

Annabel, Twenty-Four years old.

Backstory: She's the last child of a millionaire.

Initial Desire: To turn her father's company into an international conglomerate. She sees Ethan as an opportunity to achieve this feat.

Antagonist: Ethan Cresswell. 25 years old.

Backstory: The first son and heir of a billionaire.

Initial Desire: To acquire more companies and to own the richest company in the world. He intends to continue living life recklessly irrespective of his marriage to Anabelle. Therefore he embarks on a shameless show of extramarital affairs all in an effort to shame his wife.

START: Annabel and her father are having dinner with Ethan Cresswell and his parents. Her father explains to her that she is to marry Mr. Cresswell's son as a fulfillment of a deal made in the past. Annabel is furious but she chooses to marry Ethan Cresswell nonetheless because she knows nothing is going to change that. She schemes to use Ethan's wealth to start her business and expand her father's business. Her ultimate goal is to destroy Ethan Cresswell financially as revenge for a deep-rooted grudge.

SUBPLOT: When Annabel was a child, her father (St. Claire's) signed a contract with Ethan's father at a bar. His business was falling apart when fate brought the two men together. Drunkenly, he rants about his business failures to another man who happens to be a billionaire and in their drunken stupor they sign a contract that mandates St. Claire to one day marry his daughter to his son (Ethan). Ethan's father backs St. Claire financially and even allows his daughter (Anabelle) to attend his private school on a full-ride scholarship.

In high school, she has a huge crush on Ethan Cresswell and tries everything to make him like her but he remains cold and instead takes advantage of her feelings. During a truth and dare game, Ethan is dared to strip Anabelle. He complies by tearing her shirt in the hallway while other students take pictures of her. From that day onward, she swears to take revenge on Ethan Cresswell.

DEVELOPMENT: Annabel and Ethan got married. She's extremely nice to Ethan and ignores his harem of mistresses. She gives him business ideas that build his company and help him make more money than he has ever had. She also seduces him constantly and tries to get him drunk so he can reveal the weakness of his business empire to her. Ethan finds it suspicious that Anabelle is helping him grow his business especially since he is aware that Anabelle should hate him. He hires a private investigator to find out if Anabel still holds any sour feelings towards him.

CLIMAX: The private investigator finds out that Annabel had secretly bought Ethan's rival company and she's now the CEO. Ethan wonders at the reason she would do such a thing and plans to confront her but before he was able to confront her, a scandal about him is on the internet. Due to the scandal, his stock prices plummeted drastically while that of the rival company Annabel secretly owns increased.

POST CLIMAX DEVELOPMENT: Annabel kept pretending to be a supportive wife to Ethan unaware that he has found out her secret. One drunken night, they slept together. When Ethan woke up the next morning and finds himself next to her, he hurriedly left the house to avoid being confronted about their night together. Annabel became pregnant, she is devasted and decided to abort the pregnancy without telling Ethan. She continues her revenge mission and when she got to the abortion center, she discovers the P.I Ethan hired to monitor her. She confronted the P.I and handed him some money to stop stalking her. Annabel, who is aware of the private investigator's greed knows that he would continue feeding Ethan with information about her every move. Therefore, she misleads him.

Ethan finds out about his wife's pregnancy and although he is angry that she owns his rival company and has been deceiving him he cannot help falling in love with her. He convinces her to keep the pregnancy. The P.I. continues to feed him wrong information and after this, there are two more scandals attached to his name. After this scandal, Ethan's father dies, followed by her father.

CONCLUSION: Ethan finds out that his wife is behind the scandals that threaten his business empire. He is furious beyond measure and takes action to divorce her. When he drops the divorce papers, Annabel starts bleeding and he rushes her to the hospital. The baby is born prematurely and there are severe complications that hospitalize Annabel and the baby dies. While she's in the hospital, Ethan begins to do everything to ruin her business but all his plans keep falling through. He is not aware that although hospitalized, she has put plans in place to keep her business running smoothly.

Ethan then decides to team up with her older brother who inherits her father's company to destroy Annabel's business. When she's out of the hospital, she finds out their plans and uses them against them. Both businesses begin to crumble to the ground. Frustrated that his efforts have come to nought, Ethan decides to solicit help from a company just as successful as Annabel's. The COO of that company gives him criteria he is to meet within a specified deadline. If he fails to meet this deadline, his company will be owned by them.

Ethan meets more troubles and is unable to meet up with the deadlines. He begs the COO that he would like to speak to the CEO (actual owner of the company) to ask for an extension of the deadline. The COO tells him that he is lucky she's in the office. Ethan is surprised that the CEO of such a company is a woman but when he sees that the CEO is Annabel, he is angry.

They have an intense fight in the office but somehow, they end up having sex on the table in the office. Then the COO walks in on them thinking they are still fighting. He has plans to take Ethan out of the office. When he sees them making love and they don't notice him, he walks out quietly.

Days after this they continue the divorce process and she moves out of the house. She finds out she is pregnant and decides to travel out of the country to have her baby without Ethan's knowledge. Ethan finds out about this and begs her to allow him to be a part of the child's life. Both exhausted from their petty revenge and silly fights decide to bury the hatchet for the sake of their child. Ethan makes amend for his past wrongs and confesses his love to her. They later go on to live a happy life.

Annabel stared at Ethan Cresswell; he was still as handsome as she had once known him to be; with a perfect face and an even more perfect body, it was a good thing she knew his perfection ended with his exterior if not she would be fooled by that sweet smile he had pasted on his face. Well, that would make two of them because while her heart burned with anger for the man who sat across her, her face held a sweet smile that said otherwise.

She had gathered enough from the conversation of the two elderly men on the table; she was to spend the rest of her life with Ethan Creswell and all because of some stupid contract her father had signed when she was a baby! Seriously what had her father been thinking? That they were in the sixteenth century?

After much talk and coming to the realisation that there was no getting out of this, Annabel said, "I have no objections."  She was looking directly at Ethan when she said this and she was pleased to see that she had wiped off the smirk lurking at the corners of his lips. He had looked so certain of himself, sure that given their bitter past, she would refuse the marriage but Ethan was in for a surprise.

She took a bite of the Cole slaw on her plate; it tasted no different from paper. If the marriage went through she was going to start by firing the cook.

At first, she had her reservations about the marriage but after giving it as much thought as this impromptu dinner would allow her she decided it was for the best. It would be the perfect cover to execute her revenge towards this devil of a man who sat across her. Ethan Creswell had shattered the walls of her pride and she was going to take away everything he loved. What did she have to lose anyway? Her eyes wandered to the posh surroundings; the expensive artwork that was placed conspicuously around the room, the large room that was for dining alone; the furnishings that screamed her father's entire fortune... She had nothing to lose. She had given up on love a long time anyway so while she took her revenge she would enrich herself.

Ethan Cresswell sat across from Annabel wondering what the hell was going on in her mind. He knew that Annabel hated him and so he had been confident that she would refuse to marry him, contract or not but she had surprised him by saying she had no objections. What did that mean? Had she forgotten how he had humiliated her in high school? Even he would not marry himself, so why? Or perhaps she wanted the Cresswell name for herself? Could that be it? The title and money? He had thought she would be different in that regard but apparently, he was wrong. What was her deal?

"She's a beautiful one, isn't she?" His father whispered beside him. He eyed the old man, was it because he was getting nearer to the grave that he was behaving senile? He was seething in anger and his father was enjoying himself. He lifted his eyes once more to look at her, she was beautiful but he had had his fair share of beauty so he was not moved. Although in spite of himself, he had to admit she had distinctively beautiful features. She had exceptionally beautiful eyes; blue lively eyes that seemed to grey when they met his.

"I would like to excuse myself, I just remembered a mail I need to send," he said dropping his cutlery.

"That's a pity I wanted to get to know you better," Annabel locked her raging blue eyes with his.

"You should sit son, you should learn to delegate responsibility, that's why we pay salaries," his father said smiling at his son.

"Dad, it's really important," he pressed, he needed to leave the room, Annabel's sweet smile was unsettling him.

"Does he do this a lot? You know, place business above family?" Annabel said as she picked at her salad.

"Of course not. Sit son lest your bride get the wrong idea," Ethan's father was saying to which Ethan reluctantly sat down. When he had an opportunity to be alone with Annabel he was going to ensure he arranged her to death.

"It's okay really, if I did not know Ethan personally I would've said he was an unfeeling person but he's actually a very considerate person," Annabel was saying smiling at him.

"You don't say. I've known my son since he was born no one ever said such about him," Mr Cresswell laughed patting his son's back.

"Really? He's such a sweet man," Annabel crooned.

"I remember then he mobilised a group of guys including himself to stand up against the bullies in school," Annabel said, her smile never leaving her face.

"That's wonderful to hear! I didn't know Ethan as one to concern himself with such," senior Mr Cresswell was beaming at his son with pride.

"Well Annabel aren't you a sweetheart," Mrs Cresswell who had been quiet finally spoke.

"Not when compared to your son ma'am. I hope to raise my children half as well as you raised Ethan," Annabel said watching Ethan for his reaction.

"I did a good job, I give myself that," Mrs Cresswell said and everyone at the table laughed.

"I'm sure all those articles on page six have it wrong," the table suddenly became quiet when Annabel mentioned this.

"Well you know how people like to feed on gossip," Ethan's father said to break the silence.

"You have changed a lot, Annabel," Ethan said in a calm voice. If that was how she wanted it well two could play this game.

"How so?" He desperately wanted to wipe that smile she had on her face.

"You know, you were never this sweet. I thought you hated me? Remember that allergy prank you played on me?" Ethan hated that he could not change the smile on her face.

"I was a little rascal wasn't I? I promise I'm all good now," Annabel's smile never left her face.

"I never knew you too were well acquainted with each other." This time it was Annabel's father St. Claire who spoke. "It's a good thing then! I am looking forward to this union! You two would make a wonderful couple."

"Oh, it shall be grand!" Mrs. Cresswell exclaimed, the prospect of planning a big party lit up her eyes.

"I shall see to it that we get the best wedding planners!"

Ethan rolled his eyes, "Actually I would prefer a small wedding. You know, keep things quiet."

"But..." His mother protested but was interrupted by Annabel.

"Anything you want my dear," she said batting her lashes. "This piece, it's less adieux by Beethoven is it not?" Annabel said changing the topic.

"Ah yes!" Mr. Cresswell grinned. "You listen to classical music?"

"I enjoy it a lot!" She smiled.

Ethan cringed inwardly. Annabel's attitude was suspicious. He gave her that she was good at acting; he did not know yet what she did for a living but he would not be shocked if she turned out to be an actress. He surmised she was faking because of the presence of the older folks at the table. He could not wait until they were alone so she could reveal her true self.

Much to the disappointment of the two mothers, they held a quiet wedding at one of the many private halls owned by the Cresswells. It was quiet; no large crowd, only close family members and best friends were invited to witness the event alongside the priest who officiated the ceremony. Although not many people were in attendance the wedding still went overboard on exuberance, everything about it screamed wealth.

When it was time to walk down the aisle, Annabel did so grinning from ear to ear on the arms of the man that had sold her off in order to save his business. As she walked down the aisle she admired her husband I'm his white tuxedo that hugged his muscular body. She did not care for him but it was still nice to know she had bragging rights of a sexy husband. She had every intention to enjoy the privileges that this marriage could afford her. She walked down the aisle with her father, grinning from ear to ear. This marriage was going to be a blessing. She was going to make sure he ate from her plate of revenge till he was satisfied. By the time she would be done with him, he would passionately pray to turn back time to undo the humiliation he had put her through in their teenage years.

Ethan watched his bride approach the altar. She was smiling he was sure for the sake of the guests that surrounded them. He was still convinced her smile was a decoy for whatever sinister plan she might have for him; he smiled back. He hated that his smile came on too easily, he almost did not have to fake it but he could not help himself; Annabel was stunning. In her white lace dress, she looked like she had stepped out of a fairy book. For a brief moment, lust clouded his eyes and he wondered at the things he could do to make the angel approaching him become a demoness.  back as he watched her walk down the eye in her expensive white lace dress. He had to admit that she looked beautiful as a bride.

Once the party was over and the guests had all left, their parents saw them off to a private jet that was waiting to whisk them away on their honeymoon. Annabel wasted no time, once they were aboard and had taken off she found an en suite cabin and had her bath. She then drenched herself in sweet-smelling perfumes oils and body sprays. She put on a dark red negligee which she matched with a red lace jacket; she then wore a bathrobe.

She re-entered the cabin only to see Ethan looking out the window; she walked towards him with measured steps. 

"Isn't fate funny? Who knew we'd become husband and wife?" She whispered into his ear. Ethan who had not seen her approaching was slightly startled. She laughed at him.

"I'm so happy we finally get our chance to be together alone. Think about all the things we can do for each other," against Ethan's best senses he was aroused. What perfume did she have on? And suddenly he was curious to know what she wore under that bathrobe if at all she wore anything.

"We're meant for each other, don't you think?" She continued talking but Ethan said nothing, he was finding it increasingly harder to concentrate.

"Dear husband, you're hurting my feelings. Look at me would you?" She said and Ethan was forced to look.

When she had his attention she slowly undid the rope of her bathrobe shedding it off to reveal the red she wore underneath. It was a sign for Ethan to run; she really did stand for danger.

"Tell me you didn't forget our love story, remember that poem I wrote about our undying love?" She whispered seductively, leaning into him.

Ethan's face turned beet red. Sure, he had seen several naked women and had affairs with them but he had to admit that Annabel was sexier than any woman he had come across. Her body was in front of him was a forbidden fruit that hung dangerously low on its branch.

She took off the red lace jacket and stood directly in his front, tracing her perfectly manicured fingers along his angled jawline. Her red hair cascaded down her back in soft waves. She bit her lips, "Tell me, my love, don't you look forward to growing old together?"

"Nobody plays me and wins, ever," he said in a frustrated hiss as he bent down to her level.

"Why don't you find out who wins this round?" she replied but her voice was lost in his throat.