CHAPTER ONE

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the soft melodies of the guitar are one of the few reasons why Isabella doesn't miss the "Misty Evening Show" hosted by the "GoodRock Cafe" that's located a few miles from her house.

It was there, amidst the warm ambiance, that Isabella's eyes met those of a stranger. "wait!, what?" she said to herself as she was shocked and surprised to see Gabriel, a talented artist with a soulful gaze that seemed to unravel the depths of her being.

"Is he new here?I've never seen him here before" she whispered to herself, trying to remember if she has seen him before or if he is from one of those fairytale stories her grandmother Susan would always tell her about when she was five years old.

Their connection was instant as Gabriel also noticed her and kept his gaze on her and was smiling at her as he sang one of Isabella's favorite songs. Isabella, who couldn't help it but dance, stood to her feet and danced to her favorite song, whining her waist and sipping her coffee at the same time.

The evening show ended and everyone went to their various destinations except Isabella and Gabriel who already knew what they wanted from each other.

"Wow, you sing so beautifully, I never thought I'd meet someone who can sing my favorite song better than the artist himself," said Isabella to Gabriel as both of them exchanged stories and laughed together.

"You look beautiful too, I haven't seen such beauty since I came to New York about three weeks ago for the Misty Evening show" he said to her. It was then Isabella knew she was right about just seeing him for the first time.

Isabella felt a spark ignite within her, a flame of passion that had long been dormant. With Gabriel, she felt free to be herself, unburdened by societal expectations and the weight of her family's traditions.

But as their love blossomed, a storm brewed on the horizon. Isabella's parents, staunch believers in the old ways, had already chosen a suitor for her, Ethan Coker, a man of wealth and status.

They were determined to secure their family's future, even if it meant sacrificing their daughter's happiness.

"I'm all grown, and not a baby!" snapped Isabella at her parents after they had told her she'll be meeting with Ethan later in the evening to finalize their wedding arrangements.

"This is somebody I haven't even seen before. What if he's a ritualist?,what if he tries to sleep with me?,what if he kills me?" All of these were the questions Isabella asked her parents as she tried to convince them about their decision about making her meet with Ethan later in the day.

"he's a very good man" Mary, Isabella's mother said softly to Isabella. "he built a new church, gave scholarships to newly graduates to further their education and gave huge sums of money to the orphanage homes" Mary said as she tries to convince Isabella, whilst patting her back and cleaning the tears that dropped from Isabella's eyes.

"but what if he doesn't love me"? Isabella asked her father, Reynolds. " he had seen you countless times at the Cafe and specifically asked to meet you and even marry you, look, "Isabella my dear" Reynolds said as he tries to pull her closer to him and hold her hands, "this is for the good of our family, my business is on the verge of expansion and massive growth and our family is on its way to eternal wealth" he continued as he smiles at his daughter who was already crying heavily.

"The future of this family depends on you" Mary and Reynolds said as they both walked out of Isabella's room leaving her alone soaked in her own tears.

It was about 7:00 in the evening and Mary dashed into Isabella's room only to find her daughter sleeping on the floor, with her hair messed up and looking unkempt and her face swollen from crying earlier today. "You should've been all dressed up by now" Mary said to Isabella as she tried to wake her up and get her on her feet.

"are we really doing this"? Isabella asked her mother, as she struggled to open her eyes, yawning and feeling tired. Her head banged and she could hardly talk. "I have a headache, I don't think I can go out again today, I need to rest," she said to her mother.

Her mother wouldn't even listen to her as all she was doing was looking for clothes and shoes with matching colors and bags for the date.

"where's that red dress you bought some weeks ago"? Mary asked, looking confused as she knew Isabella had a very beautiful red dress but couldn't find it.

"It should be somewhere, but I don't think I want to wear that to go on a date with someone I don't even know" Isabella answered as she got into the bathroom to take her shower.

"what's going on here, and who's this"? Isabella asked her mother as she got out of the bathroom, seeing a lady in her room.

Mary had brought in a makeover artist to help Isabella with her makeup and help her look beautiful for her date.

The "Magical Bistro" was one of the biggest and fanciful restaurants in town.The air in the restaurant is filled with tantalizing aroma of delectable dishes, a symphony of fragrances that dance around one's senses. The restaurant is adorned with vibrant colors, sparkling chandeliers, and intricating artworks.

The tables are elegantly set with fine china, gleaming silverwares and delicate crystal glasswares.

"Wow, this place is so magnificent", said Isabella silently as she entered the restaurant looking around and searching for her date.

Just as she stood, a voice whispered in her ears saying "if you keep standing here for long, one would mistake you for one of these beautiful artworks", "oh! Mr Ethan" she said as she hurriedly turned back to see who it was.

Looking back to see clearly who it was, she saw a dashing gentleman cladded in impeccably tailored dark suits that accentuate his chiseled features. She walked behind him noticing every step he took, his good looks sure captivated every eye that saw him, his dark suits perfectly complemented his striking presence.