Chapter One

She sat gracefully in front of her mirror applying her makeup. Light and perfect just like how she liked it. She picked up a hair clip and clipped her hair behind her ear. After giving some touches to her face she was ready to go. She stood up and walked to her bed where a red mermaid gown lay. The gown has a side slit and was design with a golden thread intricate. It had only a hand that was covered with gold net. The lady picked up the cloth and slid into it. It clung to her like a second skin, showcasing her curves that were all in the right places.

A knock sounded on the door as she was still dressing. With a come in reply, a young woman dressed in a maid's attire entered the room.

'' Help me with the zipper Mara'', she asked still backing the young woman.

'' Alright young miss'', the lady answering Mara replied and she helped her with the zip.

'' Mistress is asking of you miss'', she added as she took a step back after zipping up the dress.

'' En! I will be there soon''.

The maid nodded and left to pass the message.

All through her life, Yue Yue has always been cultivated to be the mistress of a huge family. She had to follow strict rules and had to obey everything she was told. There have never been a time she did something she liked, she had been breed from a young age to be a marriage tool to grow her father's company. She was the only daughter of the Chen couple and the heiress. She has a brother who was born out of wedlock by an actress that her father had kept as a mistress. Her mother due to some issues could only give birth to her. Wanting a male successor, her father had engaged in a relationship which brought about her brother Chen Shoacheng. To her father, he was the perfect son and his favorite, that was why growing up even as a girl, Yue Yue felt no warmth even from her mother too. Her father doted on Shoacheng and treated her like a responsibility. Her mother was no exception. Her marriage to her husband was arranged, so she was forced to adapt living with a man that had no feeling for her. When she eventually accepted the marriage a female child was born and due to some complications during the child birth she couldn't give birth again. All the feeling she was meant to have as mother was gone with the news. Lui Shu has only been after the attention of her husband and the wealth. She wasn't from a very wealthy family. The Lui family were middle class compared to the Chen family so nobody knew that a wedding between the two would be possible. It just so happened that old Lui saved old Chen and to pay back the dept, their grandchildren were engaged. Lui Shu from the onset knew of the lack of mutual feeling between her and her husband and so to establish her self and her foothold in the family, she needed to give birth to his children. But luck wasn't with her thus she ended up having only Mu Yue. When she learnt of her husband's illegitimate son, she abandoned her daughter to fight tooth and nail to grab her husband's attention before it shifts to the Mistress. Even though she succeeded by luck, she had lost the time to build up a relationship with her young daughter so like her husband she treated the girl like a responsibility. She adopted the young son and thus was able to make her husband not to bring in his Mistress to their home. Not that Chen Ting had such thoughts.

Mu Yue only seeked for love and warmth in her life but never found it. She was like a doll, controlled to live up the expectations of the people around her. Not only was she tied with responsibilities towards her family. She was also tied with the responsibilities of her father's company. In her father's opinion, she needed to hone the company for her young brother he was still young and in his opinion it was thanks to that company that she had the life she was living so she had to pay back by slaving away for the company only to step down when her brother comes of legal age not that she was bothered. Her life has always been for the people around her. Her wishes have never been voiced out before after all no one was willing to listen. So to heal her broken her and fill the void, she engaged in daily activities that would occupy her life and buried herself in her company work.

That night, they were yet again going for a social gathering the type that you need to dress high and mighty so as not to feel out of place, this type of party you have to drink to people, and fake a smile something she has been born to do and hated. She wasn't one for parties, she preferred staying in the solace of her room doing things that she wanted to. But it was her responsibility to attend such party especially the one held by people from the same class as them. She quickly organized her thoughts, slipped into her six inches golden shoe, picked her golden purse and stepped out. She walked down stairs to meet her parents that were waiting for her in the sitting room. Her father was dressed in a blue tuxedo and black leather shoe with a black tie, Chen Ting stood tall in the midst of the two five feet nine and had a broad body. Even at Fifty, he still looked young and full of life and vitals. Her brother wore the same type of suite with their father, the colour only differing. He was going to turn seventeen in a few months, he had a pale completion something he got from his mother, he was five feet six and had a lean body. He stood their with his handsome face. The guy was slightly spoilt and it showed in the way he carried him self. In terms of beauty, Yue Yue paled in comparison to the young man after all he got his mother's good looks while Yue Yue got the combination of both her mother and fathers'. Her mother wore a mild makeup that highlighted her face and a black flaying gown that was sleeveless. Everything else from her shoe to jewelry were silver in colour Lui Shu loved standing out and she was likely to do that again in the party. Yue Yue wore only a blood red jade bracelet in her right hand and a gold watch in her left hand. A red tear drop earring and ruby necklace.

'' What took you so long'', Chen Ting asked not hiding his displeasure on Yue Yue's latenesses.

'' Am sorry it's my mistake'', Yue Yue apologized she knew that any other word apart from that would bring unnecessary discussions.

Chen Ting nodded as a sign of acceptance. If not anything his daughter knew when to back down and when to defend herself. He had watched the girl grow up and knew that even if she acts submissive, it wasn't to the point of being stupid or naïve. She knew when and how to handle things a treat he knew that came from him. That was why at such a young age of nineteen, he trusted her with the company and she proved her worth she handled matters very well in the company. She has always done brilliantly in school that she had been able to graduate from college at nineteen. She just returned to the country months ago to take up the Mantle of leadership in the company. All her life had been spent in the state. Since she could pronounce words till now, her parents had shipped her off in a boarding school and had focus their attention on Shoacheng. That was why even if they were given time to bond again it couldn't happen because they have missed that critical stage in her life were they should have done so.

The family of four didn't talk again as they walked outside and got into the awaiting limo. When the door of the limo closed, Yue Yue had to put up a fake smile. The night ahead was going to be a long one.