CHAPTER 1
The afternoon light turned soft and golden, filling the hotel's garden with warmth. White chairs lined the aisle, petals were scattered on the grass, and the faint scent of roses filled the air. A few guests whispered quietly as cameras clicked and flashed, capturing every moment of the ceremony.
It was nearly over. The priest's voice was steady as the bride and groom faced him, hands clasped. Then, from behind the archway of flowers, a commotion began.
A woman had just arrived.
"Miss, I'm sorry, you can't just—" one of the bodyguards said, stepping in front of her.
Alisson sighed, a faint, amused smile appearing on her lips. With a flick of her wrist, she lifted her sunglasses, revealing warm brown eyes that sparkled with quiet defiance. "Come on," she said coolly. "I'm the bride's daughter."
The guards blinked, uncertain at first. Then one squinted. The resemblance was clear. She had her mother's eyes and smile, but sharper, more magnetic. There was something dangerous about her.
The other guard muttered, "She really does look like Mrs. Corinne."
But this young woman—Alisson—was stunning.
Her off-shoulder white cocktail dress hugged her figure perfectly, the hem brushing just above her knees. Her high white boots shone in the light; each step was confident and purposeful. Her long brown hair fell in perfect waves down her back, brushing the small of it like silk.
She smiled faintly, both delicate and intimidating, as if the world revolved around her whims.
"Are you… Miss Alisson?" one guard asked hesitantly.
"The one and only," she replied, her tone filled with casual arrogance.
They stepped aside immediately, apologizing. These men resembled what she had only seen on television and in movies. They even wore suits just for their jobs. Seriously, how wealthy was this man her mother got married to?
She only nodded and didn't respond, just put her sunglasses back on and walked to the wedding area.
Some guests turned to look, curious. Whispers spread through the rows. Alisson chose a vacant seat at the back, crossing one long leg over the other and folding her arms with an air of lazy indifference.
Up front, her mother—Corinne—stood radiant in her bridal gown next to her new husband. She stared at her back figure. She didn't know what to feel exactly. It had been more than a decade since she last saw her personally. As for her biological father, she never knew him or even saw a picture. Her mother said that he was dead already. Maybe dead for her. But then, Alisson didn't have time to be bothered about not having a father, for if he were alive and he cared, he wouldn't let them suffer. She was too young to understand it but circumstances made her mind mature early.
This real mother of hers didn't raise her. Corinne gave her up for adoption when she was eight. At that time, she understood that her mother couldn't provide for her because she still had to pay bills for her grandmother's health.
She exactly remembered that day when her adoptive parents took her. She cried and begged that she wouldn't be a burden to her and would rather work or do anything a child could do to help. But she didn't allow it, she promised instead to get her when the time comes and everything is settled.
Alisson held on to that hope. Even after years and years of hoping. It happened. Corinne did her promise. She had reached her just a month ago, though she said that she had been looking for her for almost a year already. It doesn't matter anymore, as she finally found her through her adoptive parents.
It was after her downfall abroad, but she decided not to say anything. No one had to know about it from where she was now. Not her mother or even her knew family. She was quite ashamed of her past.
For that month, Corinne kept calling and video-called her. It was awkward so she mostly cut it short. She invited her for the wedding and mentioned that her husband-to-be had a son the same age as her.
At that other news, she was stunned. She rejected the invitation of going back home. But her mother said that she wanted to take care of her now, to give her a chance, to provide for her. She snorted at it at first, thinking that she didn't even give her a chance back then to stay. She knew it was for her own good, for her future, but still…
She remained silent at that time in their call. Everything already happened, no use recalling the past. But her adoptive parents told Corinne that she had rebelled and run away from home.
Alisson laughed at that. It was true but not entirely. She had her reasons. And since she had run away, she started providing for herself. Her studies, food, everything. And because of her remarkable features, few photographers recruited her for modeling in some small brands. And she started liking the job. Then she was recruited by a bigger agency. She was even on a runway for modeling fashion clothes. Until she couldn't balance her studies anymore, and she decided to quit in her last year of college.
Corinne said that she could continue her studies back home. She revealed to her then that she didn't want to study anymore, as she had already dropped out of school. But her mother was persistent that if she ever wanted to, she just had to come back home and she would prepare everything for her.
Her mother kept telling her that she just had to attend summer classes to continue to her last year, which was quite a jump, as her mother said that in their country fashion study was a four-year course for a bachelor's degree. And the country she was in had only a three-year program. So, if she decided to agree, she had to join summer classes to make up for the major subjects in her third year and she would be eligible to enroll for the graduating year.
She hesitated for she didn't want to take up fashion anymore. She didn't want to be reminded of her past. It was also why she entered modeling to give her designs a chance of being recognized. She had thought it over. And when her mother's wedding was fast approaching, she had finally decided to take the offer.
Alisson found it the perfect opportunity to escape and forget the hell that she had been through. And since she would be about to have her degree in a year, it was a waste not to take it then. Though those people abroad stripped her off of one of her dreams, she could still go for it in another way.
The priest's voice echoed softly, "...you may now kiss the bride."
Applause erupted. That made Alisson blink and even flinch from being woken up from her deep thoughts. She was glad that she had her sunglasses to hide her emotions.
She joined in the applause, but only with three slow, deliberate claps, her expression unreadable behind her dark lenses. Her gaze lingered on the couple. Then shifted to the man standing beside them.
Her breath nearly caught.
He was freaking attractive. What a gorgeous specimen!