I AM THE FIRST LADY

The sun rose over the town, casting a warm glow on the streets. It was a partially sunny day, and the sky was clear as well. The air was crisp and cool, and the birds were singing happily in the trees.

The streets were quiet, and there was a peaceful stillness in the air. It was the perfect morning for a walk in the park, or for sitting under a gazebo with a cup of coffee. The world seemed to be at peace, and everything was just as it should be. It was a morning to be savored and enjoyed.

It was a day that was supposed to be filled with love and joy for Sarah, as she prepared to marry her high school sweetheart, David, the man whom she had loved and couldn't wait to be his legal wife.

Sarah couldn't contain her excitement as she got ready, her smile reflecting the happiness in her heart. Little did she know that her world was about to be shattered by a cruel twist of fate.

"You look stunning, Ms. Thompson..." The make-up artist, who was adding a few touches to her face, commented with a smile on her face. "I bet that groom would find it hard to take his eyes off you."

"You sure know how to tease me every time with your words, Fiona." Sarah enunciated, reciprocating the warm smile. "For today, I'll take it as a compliment."

Fiona shook her head negatively. "I'm not flattering you, Ms. Thompson, it's only the truth." She countered as she closed her make-up box. "It's more than just a compliment."

Sarah could only smile without a reply as she watched Fiona getting ready to leave. True - it's her day, she needs to look more breathtaking than ever.

Just moments before the ceremony was set to begin, her phone beeped, indicating that a new message had come in. Sarah checked from whom it was from and realized the sender was anonymous.

She was hesitant, but she decided to check the body of the message - it may be that someone was trying to pull a prank on her. The anonymous sender had sent her a video clip which she finds weird.

"What sort of prank is this?" She muttered under her breath, her interest piqued as she clicked on the video - the reaction she let out next wasn't something she was mentally prepared for.

Her heart sank as she watched the footage, her eyes widening in disbelief. It showed her fiancé, David, kissing her maid of honor, Laura-her own best friend. The betrayal cut deep, leaving Sarah feeling a mix of heartbreak, anger, and confusion.

The stab she got from the betrayal was deep enough to cause her a scar - if not for a lifetime. A woman's wedding is said to be one of the brightest days of her life, and Sarah had looked forward to it, she never knew it could end up being one of her most devastating days ever.

Sarah was confused about what to do; she couldn't ruin her supposed happiest day but on the other hand, she knew deep down that she couldn't keep up with David anymore - not after seeing this disgusting side of him!

*********

The church was filled with a sense of peace. The air was hushed and still, and a faint scent of incense lingered in the air. The sun streamed in through the stained-glass windows, emitting a glow over the pews and the altar.

Standing before each other was Sarah and her soon-to-be husband, David. Her facial expression was forced as she traveled her gaze between him and Laura who was standing only a few feet away. She couldn't help but swear inwardly at them - they had both ruined her happiest day.

Sarah was supposed to say the wedding vows first but seeing how hesitant she was acting, David volunteered to go first with the thought that she was feeling a bit shy and reserved before the whole congregation.

With a wide smile on his face, he proceeded to recite his vows. "I, David, take you, Sarah, to be my wife, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part."

If Sarah hadn't watched the video clip, she could have sworn that she sensed and felt how sincere David was as he recited the vow but now, she realized it was all just a facade, which she might have foolishly fallen for.

The bride took a deep breath, her hand trembling as she held the groom's hand. "I, Sarah, take you..." Her voice was supposed to be clear and strong, her love for the groom evident in every word, but it was the opposite - her voice quivered as she trailed off, she couldn't bring herself to say the vow.

With tears streaming down her face, Sarah made a difficult decision. She couldn't go through with the wedding, not when her trust had been shattered so brutally.

As she stood at the altar, her eyes filled with a mixture of pain, hatred, and determination, she found the strength to voice out finally.

"I'm sorry..." Sarah's voice trembled as she addressed the bewildered guests. "I can't continue with these vows. My heart has been broken, and I can't ignore the betrayal I have witnessed."

Without another word, Sarah turned and ran from the church, her white dress surging behind her. The guests watched in stunned silence, their eyes filled with a mix of sympathy and shock. Sarah's decision had left them all speechless, unsure of what had just unfolded before their eyes.

As Sarah fled from the church, her mind raced with a whirlwind of emotions. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew she couldn't stay in a place filled with such painful memories. With each step she took, she left behind the shattered dreams of a future that would never be.

Alone on the serene and deserted beach, Sarah sat on the sandy shore, the waves crashing against the beach as if echoing her inner turmoil. The sunset on the horizon in its warm hue of orange failed to bring comfort to the despair that hung over her like a chute.

Her eyes were red and swollen, heavy with the weight of sorrow and betrayal. Tears painted her face, the hurt as vast as the sea itself and heavy as a lead. Yet underneath the sorrow was an underlying sense of trepidation - a thought that wasn't born out of hope but out of fear of continuing to live.

Sarah ought to be grateful that she found out about them before the knot was tied between herself and David - how worse would it be if things started to unfold after her wedding?

Sarah stood up abruptly and walked closer to the beach, shutting other thoughts off her head and mind. She stared intensely into the raging waves of the waster as thoughts of suicide attempts swirled in her mind, tempting her to end the painful game she felt trapped in.

The memories of David's lies and deceit, the always smiling face of her supposed best friend, and her words of solace and encouragement tormented her mind - she realized they were all false and empty, and she felt the overwhelming urge to end the big game that had been played on her.

She has never felt so used and cheap in her whole life - David and Laura used her and made her feel she was no more than trash that could be tossed aside. The betrayal hurts deeper than she thought and with each ticking seconds - her heartache becomes deeper and heavier.

Engulfed in self-destructive thought with an inner voice screaming and gnawing at her to end the torment, she felt her life was just an arena where she was just the pawn.

Regret gnawed at her conscience as she recalled her father's earnest warnings about David, his stern and hoarse voice echoed in her mind, his desperate attempts to sever ties with her and protect her from the toxic influence of her former lover.

Sarah could vividly recall that day. She sat on the leather sofa, her eyes fixed on her father as he paced the rug in their living room. His brow furrowed in concern, a deep frown etched on his weathered face.

"I'm telling you, Sarah, he's not the man for you," James's voice was laced with urgency, his brow creased with worry. "I can't stand by and watch you marry that man, Sarah,"

Sarah's eyes flashed with defiance, her jaw set firmly as she faced her father. "You don't know David like I do, Dad. He's a good man, I can tell he is." She countered, arguing words with her father.

James shook his head, frustration tainting his words. "But I've seen the way he treats you, Sarah. It's not right." He doped out, trying to cajole the unwavering decision of his daughter. "His ways are far from that of a real man - he's no different from a boy."

"What...?" Sarah's eyes weren't softening a bit as she fixated her gaze on him - his choice of words wasn't helping issues at all.

"I can't let my daughter choose that kind of immature brat as her life partner." He insisted, his tone matching the look in his eyes as well. "You have to see things the way I see them, Sarah, that boy isn't the right person for you!"

Sarah's patience wearing thin, her tone edged with anger - she had had enough of him trying to bad mouth, David. "You have no right to judge him, Dad. You don't even know him." She uttered repulsively, almost yelling at her father.

A heavy silence followed, the air thick with unspoken words and unresolved tension. James took a step closer, his voice pleading. "I just want what's best for you, Sarah. I can't stand by and watch you make a mistake."

Sarah's eyes blazed with indignation, her voice rising in defiance. "This is not a mistake, Dad. I love him, and we're getting married." Her tone was laced with finality - she has made her decision, and not even her father can change it.

The exchange of heated words reached a boiling point, and James's patience snapped as he raised his voice. "I won't stand for it, Sarah. I won't support this!"

Sarah, her temper reaching its peak, pushed back from the table, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. "I can't listen to this anymore!" she declared, her voice quivering with anger as she stormed out of the kitchen, leaving her father behind, his words hanging in the air, heavy with regret.

She wished she had listened, wished she had seen through David's facade before it was too late. She hated herself for not heeding her father's warning - for arguing words with him and for walking out on him that day.

That evening, her heart did not only ache for herself but also for her father whom she had mercilessly pushed away. She knew she was foolish to have doubted his wisdom and choose love instead. The love she has for David is a powerful smite, blinding her to reality and filling her with delusions.

In need of solace, Sarah made her way to her mother's grave, the gentle sea breeze carrying her tears as she knelt before the headstone. Her mother had passed away from a sudden cardiac arrest years ago, leaving Sarah with an irreplaceable void in her heart.

As tears streamed down her cheeks, she found herself longing for her mother's comforting embrace. If only her mother was alive, maybe she wouldn't have chosen the wrong path.

As Sarah grieved at her mother's resting place, a stranger approached her with a warm smile. He handed her a small parcel, his kind eyes filled with a glimmer of understanding and compassion. Sarah had never seen him before which made her curiosity piqued, her gaze on the parcel he stretched out to her...

Sarah had never seen him before which made her curiosity piqued, her gaze on the parcel he stretched out to her. Though she was tempted to take the parcel from him, she still hesitated as though she was contemplating taking the parcel from him.

His unusual warm smile spread wider, urging her to take it from him. Seeing how much she was hesitating, he squatted down to her height, opened her palms, and placed the parcel on them.

"For you..." He uttered, still wearing his unusual warm smile. His voice was calm but far from the regular manly voice Sarah had heard.

"What's in the parcel?" She asked, directing her gaze from the man to the parcel in her palms before raising her gaze to meet the man's. "-and why are you giving it to me?"

"I can read the curiosity in your eyes, lady." He responded quietly, maintaining his calm tone. "Why don't you feed your curiosity by checking it out yourself?"

Sarah said nothing in reply and did as the man had suggested. She opened the parcel and couldn't believe what it contained as she wiped her eyes to be certain, though still in doubt.

The look in her eyes was that of shock and disbelief. She couldn't contain the news that an ordinary brown parcel was capable of changing her life into an arena of high-stakes games, with emotions and power as the player.

The label on the neatly wrapped sheet was in black ink, revealing an unimaginable offer - a marriage contract to the president of the United States Of America, a vouch of a one-year term and $50 million paid monthly.

Anyone could imagine the rush of emotions that ran through her veins that moment at the sight of it all which almost made her drop the parcel out of stupefaction.

This offer came at an unusual time in the President's life - the seat of the first lady had been vacant ever since the tragic demise of his beloved wife and partner. Yet the offer was there in shades and light, asking her to stand by his side and fill in the void his wife has left behind; as well as her official position in the States.

The offer was tempting and mouthwatering as well, however, no amount of elegance offer or privileges was capable of swaying her resolve. Even though she was deeply hurt and was only a foot away from giving in to her monstrous thought of murder, she felt like she still needed to give him a second chance.

Sarah still loved David deeply and bluntly against trading her genuine love for a sham matrimony. In addition, a chute of uneasiness engulfed her, wondering how the president himself had come to know her. Sarah, on the flip side, can't tell what he looks like as well - she's never the type that listens to the news or watches one.

"What did you say, Mi Lady?" The man asked, his voice suddenly breaking the long silence between and prying her thoughts. "Are you taking it or not?"

Sarah shook her head unconsciously, giving a negative reply to his question without thinking it through. She'd rather stick with the devil she has known for long than find solace with the angel she's yet to know. In a situation like this, she still chooses David.

"I'm sorry but I don't think I can comply with this - I mean, I'm not interested in such a shady offer as this!" She bluntly declined, turning him down with a stern tone and a defiant look in her eyes. "I'll appreciate it if this offer is given to someone else that needs it!"

The man wasn't surprised at her reply he appeared as though he was expecting such a reply from her. He maintained his resilience, his lips stretching out slowly in a smile again - his unusual warm smile as before.

"I don't think anyone else needs this like you do, Mi Lady." He told her, his voice sounding as though he was trying to convince her to take the offer. "-and I suggest you reconsider this before it's too late."

Sarah was crossed. Who is this man to decide what's the best for her or not? His words bruised her ego, making her feel little and small before him - maybe before such an amount of money and a life-changing offer.

"Excuse you, young man!" She blurted out repulsively, glaring at him. "You better watch your mouth while I do the same with my life, okay? You have no right to tell me what's best for me or not."

Sarah had wanted to throw the parcel at him but he was quick to stop her, holding her wrist before she got the chance. "I agree that you are angry and hurt at the moment but I'll give you another chance to think things through." He uttered in a hoarse tone. "You can keep it in case you change your mind."

Sarah sighed and withdrew her wrist from his hands, walking out on him with anger. She needed to go back to David; she felt he needed an explanation for running out and ditching him earlier.

No, they both need an explanation - he needs to explain what she had seen in the short clip earlier. She hoped he could have a good reason for betraying her and get things fixed immediately.

As she reached her destination, her heart pounded with dread but as well a small tinge of hope. The door opened at the recognition of her finger's touch - since it's automated with her fingerprint.

At first, the silence was deafening but as she stepped deeper, the moans she heard broke the silence like a stone disrupting the surface of a still lake. Her heart sank into her stomach immediately.

There, in their supposed matrimonial room, he was - David - buried in between the legs of her best friend intimately and shamelessly moaning in pleasure. The sight before her was cruel, she felt as though her heart had been ripped open and her trust was instantly crushed to dust.

"David. Laura...!" She yelled out as though it was venom, snapping them out of their fantasy abruptly. Her heart bled and her eyes blazed in anger, stirring the thought of revenge with her. That was the height of it, she had had enough of them.

Without uttering another word or allowing them to say a word, Sarah stormed out, slamming the door as hard as she could behind her. She blamed herself for being naive to think David deserved a second chance with her.

Her mind, painfully clear, reflected the offer she was given earlier and she knew the best is to acknowledge it - just as the man had predicted. At that moment, she dared not to think of anything else.

There on the parcel was a digit. She punched it in on her phone and dialed it effortlessly, placing her phone to her ears after ward, she asked. "Hello, is the offer still available? If yes, I'm now interested...!" As the words slipped into her mouth, she stepped into the cold night, ready to walk into the realm of unexpected power...