A/n: Emma Stone = Abigail Dunhill.

A/N: I just want to tell everyone that I am a avid reader of Mills and Boons....the writing style is different from the contemporary one, the paragraphs are going to be long....its a style. Characters are introduced in a  random priority order. Plz dont comment saying the chapters are long and characters don't seem relevant.  I AM the writer and I know how I WANT to write my story.  Thanks, enjoy!

||Chapter I: After all she had bankrupted company to save.... ||

|Britain|

Cut to the middle of the sea and a girl is swimming in the blue-green depths. Sunlight made the blue water appear green, just like her eyes.

Abigail Dunhill had decided to enjoy the last day of freedom. Her last day, where she gets to live for herself. Her last day as herself. So she went swimming even after being told otherwise. Swimming always calmed her, gave her racing thoughts, a well-deserved break. Lately, she was in desperate need of a break. Abigail could see her whole life disappear in front of her.

This was not how she had dreamed it. This wasn't supposed to happen, at least not now. Her eyes started watering and her tears camouflaged in the salty water; so no one ever saw them. It's not like she let anyone see 'em anyways. No one knew how distraught she was from this drastic turn her merciless life took. She wasn't simply ready. She was barely twenty-four.

As a child she loved fairy-tales, and of course, her mother crowned Abigail the princess in every tale. Abigail was stupid enough to believe it. Just as a princess she wanted a white knight with a good heart, soft touch, fast horse, and they'll ride her into the sunset and say 'Baby I'll forever be yours.'

Breathless she surfaced and drew in a deep, desperate breath. She then slowly swam towards the shore.

Obsessed by fairytales she spent her life searching for a magical door to the kingdom of eternal love...

Abigail climbed up the cliff to get some rest and admire the beautifully magnificent view it offered. Pulling her knees in and hugging them she sat on the rocks. Something wet dropped on her knees. Soon more followed and she completely fell apart.

She knew she was acting childish. But in her defense, no one likes to be told whom to marry. Whom to spend your life with... you'll think what could be worse? Being forced is worst. But this was not a normal simple arrange marriage though it may appear. It was a power- play. She knew it was a well-played tactic by Sawyer family to magnify influence or power. She just happened to be medium. Nothing but a step closer to ultimate success. The wind picked up and she became more sullen.

Looking up for no apparent reason she saw a trail of clothes leading to a girl standing at the edge of ...the cliff. What the hell?! That dumb woman, she ... she is committing...suicide!

And before Abigail could do something she jumped.

"Is she crazy? Oh, O-Oh My God!" with that Abigail too jumped back in the water.

The hell was I thinking?

She swam in the blue-green depths again looking for the girl. She was half scared for that girl and the other half for herself; the police. What if she gets caught in all of this? She couldn't afford a controversy! Plus she had a bankrupted company to look after. These thoughts made her swim with more force.

At some distance, she could see the sinking body of the girl. The girl's hands were pointing up towards the surface of the water as her body sank further and further. No sooner did Abigail reached the limp unconscious body of the girl than she started tugging the stupid girl towards shore.

When Abigail held the girl's hand and turned up towards the surface. Abigail herself was losing on the oxygen, so in a desperate state of mind she tugged the girl's hand for the first time; she felt she was being pulled back into the water; as if the drowning unconscious girl had tugged Abigail back and held her  in a firm restraining grip. Bewildered she quickly turned to look back at the girl; and received the shock of her life, she quickly let go of the girl's hand and clumsily moved away from the girl.

It appeared as though the girl had her eyes open suddenly with a tranquil smile laced her lips as she looked at Abigail. The way, that girl looked at Abigail was disturbingly creepy but it also lured her in. It was as if Abigail was the long lost treasure the girl had just discovered. Abigail slowly swam towards the girl and the time stopped she felt like she didn't felt the need to breathe anymore. Abigail felt as if floating away in space, nothing holding her down.

The girl appeared beautiful as though she had walked right out of a grand Victorian wedding; more preferably her own wedding. The girl was dressed in a white wedding gown and her blond hair seemed curled all of a sudden to perfection. As if she hadn't just jumped into the water. The girl looked like she was about walk up the aisle and would initiate a beautiful life.

"Come here, lassie. Ye are the key to my freedom." the girl spoke suddenly and that's all it took to break the spell.

Abigail blinked and looked back to the girl to see but there was nothing but the normal girl in white body-con. Just the way she had jumped and was now sinking farther into the sea. In the moment of great confusion, Abigail discovered, her lungs lacked oxygen. She quickly swam towards the girl and grabbed her hand and began her quest to the shore. Abigail was scared and confused altogether; she wondered if she could make it alive out. She could only pray. With great difficulty, Abigail managed to pull the girl to the shore and carefully place her on the sand.

"Excuse me! Hey wake up!" she slapped the girl's face-no avail. The girl appeared to be seventeen or barely eighteen. Abigail wondered what could be so bad that she gave up on life.

What a shame to waste such a young life!

Abigail had learned about CPR in her high school but never thought she'll have to do it in real. As she filled her lung and got ready to do the deed, the girl did the unspeakable! She opened her eyes and spit water straight on Abigail's face and started coughing. Abigail flinched back- disgusted and horrified.

"Hey, can you hear me? Are you okay?" Abigail asked impatiently, after all, she had a bankrupted company to save. And a controversy including Abigail and this girl or an encounter with paparazzi at the given moment wasn't something Abigail desired at all.

Again the woman did the unspeakable; she abruptly sat up and her face filled with anger.

"If you were going to save me, you should've done it sooner! I almost died! The water is so salty!" The girl did a gagging action and Abigail had almost thrown her back in the water. Abigail looked at the woman funnily and thought,

Did she hit her head hard while falling or are my ears ringing? Instead of thanking me she is shouting at me! Crazy woman, first of all, I helped her by risking my life and this is how she is repaying me?

"Excuse me...." Abigail trailed not knowing how to respond. Out of nowhere, or at least, Abigail hadn't seen it coming, the woman started sobbing.

"I hope that jerk gets struck by lightning! He said his love for me was eternal. How could he do this to me...?" She cried, and Abigail sat and stared at the weird girl in astonishment. Oh, boy-trouble... Then the woman looked at Abigail and again did the unspeakable.

"... I would have been more upset if I had a curve-less, boyish body like you.... But how could he cheat on a woman like me?" Abigail sat there gobsmacked; staring at the girl. Abigail couldn't help the annoyance and irritation that set in. Here I had risked my life for her and this is how I was been repaid. Abigail did a double take of her body and scoffed.

"Curve-less? Boyish-body? Really girl! Really! Is that all you have to say?" And the nerves of the ungrateful girl, she smirked at Abigail and Abigail sat dumbfounded.

"My goodness! You are a virgin! Such a prude." The crazy girl Abigail had saved; teased her. That shocked Abigail beyond her life! Then something flashed in the obnoxious girl's eye; almost kindly she said "thank you for saving me I owe you my life...I'll see ye soon young lassie..."

Abigail couldn't help feel déjà vu, the same voice as she had heard in the sea. Abigail stared at the girl; she wasn't certain altogether what to do next. Abigail subconsciously knew that the words held a double meaning. Her voice sounded weird. So tranquil. Before she could raise any questions the girl got all excited when she saw her red shoes still safe and sound at the foot of the cliff and started heading off.

"Try not to die a virgin! And go, your true love awaits you." the girl shouted before disappearing.

Abigail was sure she had been hallucinating this whole time...

Abigail couldn't help but laugh at the irony. Of course, she wasn't going to die a virgin. She wasn't allowed to die a virgin. She was to give The Sawyers an heir and much more if Lord Raymond Sawyer desired. Again let me remind you she wasn't ALLOWED. Can you believe it! And as for true love, Raymond made it out of her bounds, but she wouldn't have it any other way; after all she had bankrupted company to save....

_~*~_

Servants were busy running here and there; decorating the small mansion. The mansion was beautifully decorated, sophisticated delicacies were been cooked in the kitchen for the lavish get-together tonight. Except Mr. and Mrs. Dunhill no one seemed happy, the atmosphere was rather disconsolate.

"Mrs. Bells! Oh, Mrs. Bells!" A high-pitched voice rang, cutting in the gloomy atmosphere of Dunhill mansion.

"Please have a look on the table arrangement! The guests will be here in four hours!"

"Yes, Mrs. Dunhill." Mrs. Bells -the housemaid replied, looking up from her work at her mistress and hurried through her work.

Adel Dunhill was a funny woman or at least Mrs. Bells found her to be. Mrs. Dunhill was a slightly plump woman, courtesy all the sweets she carelessly devoured. But she never failed to criticize Abigail's weight.

Adel always wore a pencil skirt and tight gaping silk shirt (she was a busty woman), her dark blond hair pulled back in a tight French roll and stilettos to complete the attire. Mrs. Dunhill, Adel, was the second wife of Mr. Dunhill.

The first wife died in giving birth to Callum Dunhill a.k.a. Abigail's elder brother. Abigail and Callum harbored a special bond much stronger than any blood siblings could, ever. Adel, Abigail's mother wasn't sour or bitter about Callum being the rightful heir.

Adel was rather ambitious; an over-ambitious woman. So sometimes she would come across as a narcissistic woman. On the other hand, Mr. Dunhill was a red-headed British. He was so self-obsessed that in his head he was frequently confounded by just how obvious things seem to him and not the rest of the world.

So when it was rumored that the Sawyers (owner of the largest conglomerate in the UK) were looking for a potential bride for the heir. Mr. and Mrs. Dunhill jumped the first chance they got; parading their daughter under Adam Sawyer's nose, at every chance they got. Killing two birds with one stone; because saving face and the bank balance is more important than individual happiness....

_~*~_

It had been an hour since Abigail had arrived back from the bizarre beach trip and had locked herself in her bedroom. Abigail sat in her room staring at nothing in particular. Her head was spinning and throbbing painfully. Her stomach felt greasy and she was ready to throw up any minute, courtesy nervousness. Today she's to meet her proposed groom. Her gaze traveled to her evening gown which lay neatly, untouched on the bed. She gulped, just like her mother she felt more comfortable in work clothes.

Then her thoughts spun around the earlier events. The girl, her weird attempt to suicide, her sassiness. Every thought hurt Abigail's head and overwhelmed her. She had been looking for her Knight in shining armor, since; she heard her first fairytale. To find TRUE LOVE. And then out of nowhere came an evil monster-Raymond Sawyer- and robbed her of her dreams and rights! For that, Abigail hated him, with burning passion.

She wanted to work and help Callum in business on weekdays and play golf with her father on weekends. Eat all the delicious baked goodies her mum made on weekends; simply enjoy her life. But now she'll spend rest of her life running after Raymond and his obnoxious children. Like you, like everybody else the thought didn't set a pearly smile on her face. Instead, Abigail cringed in disgust. She was just going to be another society puppet like her mother. So much for her happiness. After all, she had a bankrupted company to save....

"Just a PUPPET!" She screamed, frustrated.

"What is wrong in being a puppet? How could you be upset over such a trivial thing like not getting to choose your groom?" Adel, Abigail's mother entered her room breaking her trail of thought. Slightly aggravated with Abigail's childish behavior.

"I wasn't given a choice too at my age. Still, without creating a fuss and bothering my parents I married your father. And look how happy we are!" Adel reprimanded Abigail, looking around the room as if indicating the luxury Abigail was brought up in. And Abigail scoffed inaudibly.

Hardly, everyone knew of father's foreign business trips without your company. Everyone knew of his and Mrs. Robinsons'-the American wrench-affair.
Abigail originally wanted to share her piece of mind but bit her tongue well in time. Instead just looked down.

"Did you go to receive Raymond from the airport?" Adel asked critically.

Oops! Abigail gulped.

"Mum... I was...that...urm but..." Abigail stuttered adding to Adel's anger. Do you remember the early morning sea swimming, the rescuing of the weird girl done by Abigail? Well, Abigail had done it all instead of going to receive her groom-to-be. But in her defense, she was just postponing meeting her husband! Could you blame her?

Well, now double shit....

"What will Raymond's parents say when they hear how uncouth you are?" Adel fumed.

"Mum, is this all you have to say! Do even think about your daughter? How can you say that?" Now it was high time, Abigail lost her control.

"Of course, I do. And I can say this because I'm your mother, and am aware of your well-being! You have to hold it in even if you think this is highly unfair and rude."

"MUM!" Her patience was shattered into pieces.

"Please stop it, Mother!" Abigail's eyes brimmed as she shouted in anguish. "Is it my fault the company isn't doing well?"

Slap.

One. Tight. Stinging slap landed on Abigail's cheek. Abigail gasped and tears made their way.

"How.dare.you? You are not a little child anymore! This is not a time to throw a tantrum! Will it take 'AbiCal' shutting down and our family living on streets for you to understand?"

"What do you want from me, Mother?! I'm doing as much as I can!" she sobbed.

"Do you know why humans have their eyes in the front? So that they look forward and run forward." Abigail looked down and angry tears stained her face.

"If this marriage fails, then everything will be over for you, me, your father, brother and the company! Do you understand?"

Abigail barely nodded and Adel left the room. Abigail curled her knees and rocked to and fro. And then turned to glare at the evening gown with utmost hate.

This was life.... After all, she had a bankrupted company to save....

_~*~_

"Starting from the far left, the tall glass is the champagne glass, and then next is white wine. This is for red wine, and this last on here is water glass. Okay. Now repeat." Callum repeated nth time for his loving sister-Abigail.

Callum was polishing or rather teaching Abigail basic table etiquette and what not. You can say she wasn't really interested in learning English etiquette. Since childhood, she'd rather roll in mud with pigs than attend 'The Turning-girl-into-lady class.' She couldn't be bothered. But now she bore the brunt of her carelessness. Today evening the Sawyer's would be joining the Dunhills for a formal dinner, to discuss the wedding and formally meeting everyone. Abigail scoffed.

You might as well call it 'Daughter-selling-dinner-to-save-face' ceremony.

"Water. Glass? For water? Ugh! They all are glass then why discriminate? This is so confusing!"

"Keep practicing so you don't make any mistakes." She moodily nodded; what could she do after all she had a bankrupt company to save...

"This man here is His Royal Highness Adam Sawyer, Raymond's father. The woman next to him is Lady Beatrice Sawyer, his mother. This is Prince Raymond Sawyer." Callum showed a family picture of the Sawyers on his Mac book. But to tell you the truth, Abigail wasn't paying attention. She was busy staring at the beautiful, tall girl/woman next to Raymond. She had beautiful golden locks like Mrs. Sawyer and kind blue eyes like her father-Lord Sawyer. She was so pretty Abigail couldn't help but grow green with envy. Contrast to her future sister-in-law, Abigail felt plain with fiery orange-red curly hair, and disturbing green eyes; and to worsen it all she was ghostly pale. Even after spending thousand pounds on getting a fake tan.

"And this?" Abigail asked, barely above a whisper. She felt strangely familiar. Like she had seen her before but couldn't pinpoint.

"Ah, this is his younger sister, Vivian. She is twenty-six. Isn't she lovely?"

"Indeed, she is. So is... mum...you know...Vivian...talking for your marriage?" Abigail asked hesitantly. Callum was a little over twenty-seven. So why not. And she would feel relieved if so because she'd be assured that she wasn't the only on her parents were using.

Wasn't Abigail unbelievably selfish?

"How I wish! But no. She's already married to Mr. Horan aka the corporate shark, you remember him? But dammit, is she fit. But if I had a chance, I'd definitely hit that." Abigail's shoulders drooped but she laughed at her brother.

"No! EW no... She is married for God sake!" And they both laughed at his poor attempt at a joke. Abigail was aware of Callum's mood lightning tactics. And she appreciated it tremendously, especially after her mother's rude words. Hence, she loved Callum more, she couldn't ask for a better brother. She truly loved Callum and Callum also loved the company, so without any further protest, she'd get married to the monster. If the younger one was twenty-six then how old would that monster be? She could only pray for him not be in his late thirties.... The thought twisted her guts. She really wasn't up to deal with an age gap.

Just for Callum. She told herself. And smiled through the pain.

"So coming back to the point, keep the talking to the minimal and only speak if asked, okay?"

"Yes. Brother. So when I smile, do so lightly like this..." Abigail mocked a salute and a sophisticated smile.

"Now that you mentioned, yes just like that. Should we start again?" Callum asked chuckling and Abigail groaned, nevertheless agreed.

"He also has a younger brother; he may be eighteen or nineteen..... I don't know his name, well no one knows a lot about the young heir. There is nothing about him on Google too. So weird! I think-" And Callum's stupid theory was drowned that very instant by Abigail. It was too overwhelming.

_~*~_