I look down at the 13-carat white gold engagement ring that was on my finger and couldn't stop staring at it. Not only was it bigger than the last one, but it was also prettier. Fabiola is going to go crazy when she sees it. It was her type of ring, beautiful and romantic.

"You should smile." I lifted my head and looked straight into Harlyn's captivating steel blue eyes. "You just got engaged to your ex's brother, smile. Look in love and happy."

I offered a small smile; it was a genuine smile. I didn't know how to fake smile, especially since I barely even smiled. Emotions weren't my things. Growing up with two parents who were all about the money and not much about family. Fabiola, Fiona and I didn't get love and affections thrown at us by our parents, and that's why as an adult, I still have problems understanding my emotions and that of others. Fabiola and I were both adults with jobs, but Fiona was still in high school and living with our parents. I feel sorry for the poor child, but it was her senior year, and she would be out of that environment soon.

"I don't know how to look in love and happy." After all,  have never been in love, and happiness was relative.

He nodded acceptingly. "Fair enough, I'll try and cheer you up. What makes you happy?"

I thought about his question for a while then offered a small smile, "Food."

He chuckled, "Okay, fair enough. What's your favourite restaurant?"

"I don't go out that often but when I do I usually go to Mexican restaurants."

"What's your favourite Mexican dish?"

"Enchiladas, with lots and lots of cheese. Beef burritos with beans and cheese are the best I swear and my all-time favourite quesadillas with beans and guacamole, so delicious." There were a few things that I had an immense passion for, and one of them was food. Every day I sent at least an hour on Pinterest looking at pictures of food. Sometimes I'd take the risk and try making the dish at home, sometimes I'm successful, and other times my fire alarm would go off.

"I think you should marry a Mexican instead of a plain man like me with Australian roots." he joked.

"Woah, that's a great idea. I better start looking for him before they finished that wall."

He burst out laughing with cause me to laugh as well, who knew Harlyn Hope could laugh at loud, especially in a very elite restaurant. I look to my right, and I saw a few persons watching with curiosity on their faces. I'd be curious too if one of New York's famous billionaire was sitting with me and  laughing so loudly.

He was probably used to people staring at him, but I wasn't, and it made me a little uncomfortable.

When Joesph and I were together we'd be in the spotlight, but the focus was never on me, it was always him, and I didn't mind. The less the public knew about me, the better.

"I didn't know you had a sense of humour," he said after he recovered from his outburst.

"There is a lot of things you don't know about me, Mr Hope."

"Likewise, Ms Mona. But in the past we were enemies, and now we're allies. So I intend to learn a lot more about you, especially since we're getting married in three days. Wouldn't want Joe to think we're faking it and so we have to be as real as possible."

"Oh, we're going to be real, real real." I moved my hands that was laying free on the table and place it over his. "Let's give your little brother what he deserves."

He smirked and clasped our hands together. "Sweet Revenge."

I looked in his eyes and repeated his words, "Sweet torturous Revenge."

He chuckled, "We're going to have a hell of a day. The media will be all over us. Don't be afraid to answer paparazzi. Let them know our relationship is real and that we are indeed getting married on Saturday.

"I'll call my sisters tonight."

"I already called her company. Someone from there is taking our photos as we speak."

"Los paparazzi están aquí" I was somehow getting a little too excited about having my picture taken for a celebrity magazine. Still, it wasn't because of my face going in the magazine that was making me happy; I was happy for the reason my face is going in the magazine. Revenge on the guy that used to be my fiancé and friend."

"Sí."

"Then let's give them something to talk about." I pushed back my chair and leaned forward. "Kiss me."

He didn't have to be told twice. His head met mine halfway, and then he placed his lips on mine. The kiss was a sensual one; he kissed me like how I wanted to be kissed, soft, moist and hot. There wasn't any rush, just a slow passionate kiss. When he slowly pulled away from the kiss, a deep blush took over my cheeks. I didn't realise my eyes were closed until I slowly lifted the lids causing me to look straight into his eyes which were no longer steel blue but grey. A captivating grey. 

I had no idea what possessed me to do that felt great. Harlyn Hope was a phenomenal kisser. 

The clearing of a throat brought us back from reality. I quickly moved away from his face and looked where the sound came from.

The middle-aged waiter looked at us with a smile, "More wine?"

I looked at my cup, which was almost empty and lifted it to my lips to finish the content. I placed it back on the table then looked at the waiter, "Yes, please."

I watched him as he filled my glass with wine. When he was finished, he turned to Harlyn and asked him the same question, but he declined since he still had a good amount of wine left in his cup.

"I didn't know you enjoyed white wine," Harlyn stated rather calmly.

"Me either." I wasn't a big fan of white wine, but I loved Jamaican red wine, and I'd usually take it if the restaurant has it. Unfortunately, this restaurant is French and only served French wine, which of course is one of the best in the world.

"It's just one kiss out of many we're going to have. Don't look so frightened up." How could I not be frightened up? The kiss was the best one I've ever had, and I've had a few. The man knew how to kiss, no doubt about that.

"Oh, I'm not. I just didn't expect you to be a good kisser, good at anything to be honest."

He chuckled and shook his head in response, "My brother has told you a lot of bad things about me, hasn't he?"

I nod in agreement. There was no need to lie about all the things Joesph had said to me about him, and since I trusted Joesph, I didn't believe he had any reason to lie, until now. Now he was a thief and liar in my head, and I had no idea which things were true and what were lies.

I can't believe he was ever my best friend. 

"Well, it's up to you if you want to believe them but let me tell you now, don't wrongfully judge me until you know the truth."

"Fair enough."

"You'll have to move in with me. I can get someone to pack up your things for you so that when we come back from the honeymoon, you'll have your things."

I frowned, "Honeymoon?"

He smiled, "Of course, dear. What kind of romantic wedding would it be if the couple didn't spend at least one week on their honeymoon?"

Yea, that made sense. "So where are we going for the honeymoon?"

"How does Hawaii sound?"

My face lit up, I always wanted to go to Hawaii, but I was always too busy. I suggested Hawaii to Joesph when we were making arrangements, but he said Paris was better. I couldn't understand the logic since Paris had no beach and I've been there over ten times on business.

"Hawaii is perfect! How long will we stay there for?"

"I know you're a businesswoman, and you don't like to stay away too long, so the trip is two weeks. You can bring your laptop and work if you want, I plan to do that because I can't leave business unattended even for a day." Even though Harlyn and I weren't friends for years, I still admired his work ethics. At the age of fifteen, he started investing his savings. By the age of twenty, he was already a millionaire, and when he finished college at twenty-one, he started his own software company which makes billions of dollars each year. Even with his software company, the man still didn't give up investing. He was a genius. He knew what he wanted, and he aimed for it.

That is where the significant different fall between the two brothers. While Harlyn was making his own money by creating his own business, Joesph was waiting to take over their father's place when he retired. But from the likes of things, Christopher Hope was not going to retire soon. He loved his business. So the only thing Joesph is doing now is working under his father.

"Advice from one business person to another. Thank you."

He shook his head, "Oh no, I'm the one who should be thanking you. After eight years, I'm finally getting the revenge I deserve."

"We're both getting revenge."

"But mine is long overdue. I guess I was waiting for the right time, and now is the right." he paused to take a sip of his wine, "Finola, we're going to make him pay."

I shivered at the way he called my name. It was different from the previous times where he'd spit it out with hatred and dislike. This time it was different, instead of venom, it was vanilla.

I guess when you become 'friends' with the ruthless billionaire, he starts to treat you differently. The smiling, the laughing, the smirking and the chuckling wasn't things I am used to seeing coming from Harlyn. The Harlyn who was my ex-brother-in-law, was cold, dark and straight-faced.

Who is the man in front of me? And What did he do to my enemy?

....................................

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