A Trillionaire’s Revenge

“Look, my friend's forgotten all about me. You're married now, and don't mingle with us singles?"

I grab her and give her the tightest hug I can afford. She was still wearing her Love Spell cologne, as always. "Thank you for coming,"

"I must give it to you, you look amazing, glowing, if I may add. Is marriage the secret?" She says as she hugs back.

We break the hug. "You can say that." I smile.

"Well, I guess, that's a good thing. I should be expecting that." She says as she waves her hand, an engagement ring visible on it.

I gasp in excitement, "Bloody hell! When? Who? Congratulations!" I say as I pull her in for another hug.

She shrugs but dismisses it immediately. "David." She says as she looks at me, directly in the eyes. That was exactly what she did when she felt bad over something—looking you in the eyes to avoid any form of guilt or burden.

"David? You mean, David Jackson?" I ask in complete shock an amazement, not just because he was to be my fiancé, but because of the terrible decision she had just made. "You know what he's like, you know what their family's like—how could you make such a reckless decision?"

"It's purely business. Political. It's just a year, or two. There's no dowry, no prenup and my freedom after a year or two is finalized. My family needs him and his family needs us. It's a win win, right?" She says.

I hold her hand, "Don't walk the same path I walked, Lydia. Don't let them use you in such a horrible way." I plead, my heart, genuinely breaking for her. It dawned on me that our parents were all just the same. Cut from the same cloth. Suddenly, but not the first time, I wished I was born poor. I would've been hungry but happy.

"Just as much as I'm being used, I'm using them too. My family is using the Jackson's and I'm using my family. Although, they have no idea, but they'll find out soon enough."

I raise my eyebrows in confusion, "How so?" I ask her. She tells me her plan and I look at her in awe. Lydia had a quiet personality and a shy personality too, but what she had just said made me see that even the most gullible person could be as cunning as a fox or even worse. A voice inside my head begged me to take notes on scheming from Lydia so at least, I'd beat my mother in her own game for once.

The party had begun, and people are socializing. I occasionally steal glances of Luke as I speak with Lydia. Things had really changed since school and I'd realized I'd missed out on a lot. My friend Anna had moved out of London to Germany to start a new life. Tracy had moved to Scotland for school, and would occasionally return and Verónica was still here, in Shoreditch.

That's your husband? You can't take your eyes off him." Lydia states.

I blush, "I never thought I could love someone as much as I love him. It's just so surreal."

I mean with Rocket? We all thought you guys would

too, but I am glad that it didn't happen. I would never have

it was

it was all deception. My mother manipulated me into marrying him, but it all turned out for the

it did, Natty. You truly deserve

you, and marrying that

so be it. I'd marry him

shows." I say, as

as we both look at

to welcome them in. Lydia and I are irritated. I see David look at Lydia and she responds with a fake smile. He blows a rich-playboy kiss to her with his index and middle finger. She catches it in the air and throws her hand down almost immediately. I chuckle. David

feeling about tonight." I say to

only difference is whatever's happening, won't be happening to any of us." Lydia assures

José by the way?" Lydia asks. I scan the room in a bid to find him. My eyes fall on him, champagne in hand and a

the ladies. I wonder how we could

chimes in and I turn to

don't know." I say in response. Lydia is quiet. I begin to wonder if her whole

doing?" He asks, as he wraps his hands around her waist. She wraps her hands around his neck. "I'm fine, thank you." She responds. Disgusted by the

Luke but it doesn't take a while and I find him. He's talking to Senator Jackson. I approach them. "My love," I say as I hug my husband.

"New marriages are always like this."

saw you with your friend so I thought you were having fun without

his cheeks, "Always so

the senator? I thought you were familiar?" Luke asks. I turn to

we are and not in any way positive." I say, a fake smile on my

and I just got

he looks at me, he can see the shock and disappointment on my face. "Yes- I've shown interest, but interest doesn't mean I'll become your partner, Mr. Jackson." I look at the senator, wondering his motives for approaching Luke. If only Luke knew that the man standing right in front of him tried to manipulate my family into marrying me off to his son, he wouldn't be as entertaining as he was being to

real business there and then." Luke says and my heart begins to beat. That wasn't an option, that could never happen. Rocky was still in the manor and the senator and his son knew Rocky. Everything would fall apart if Luke found out. "Why don't we

the visiting. It's not a problem." The senator says and