Serene held a cup of coffee staring daggers at Nicole. They were having a tiff, and it is about something that Serene did not care about, but Nicole always wanted to prove her wrong.

The duo were always at odds with each other and Nicole always initiates the fights.

" Serene, you should be shameless!. You have succeeded in getting almost all the male teachers, yet you are after the one I'm interested in!" Nicole said with a sharp tone, simply implying that Serene was a man stealer and was good at snatching.

Serene thanked the heavens that at least Nicole blamed her when they were both in the pantry, she did not want to recall the moment Nicole had disgraced her in front of the entire school saying that she was using her beauty to her advantage and giving instances and evidence Serene never knew existed.

" Before coming to me why don't you investigate the issue?. You always say that I initiate problems and steal your men for once did you not check if your men were the ones chasing me?" Serene said.

She noticed that Nicole wavered a bit, and she couldn't help but smile.

" That does not change the fact that you are a seductress Serene!" Nicole said holding tightly to her cup of coffee, her knuckles turning white.

" Please Nicole, they are many rich men out there looking for wives, why settle for the one who earns equal salary with you?"

" It's none of your business, whoever I like is my business you trash!" Nicole said, her voice loud.

Nicole thought about what Serene had said for a few seconds.

' Maybe it's not bad to have a rich husband. Not even the most handsome teacher in this school earns more than me'

Serene noticed that Nicole was in deep thoughts, using the opportunity she slipped out of the pantry heading to the teachers' room to prepare for her next class.

*

Serene held onto her purse as she got out from the taxi heading inside her home. She did not even know If It was home anymore, it ceased to be one when her mother died.

When she found out her father was to marry the mistress he kept while her mother was alive she was visibly angry and tried to talk her him out of it, but he was firm with his decisions.

For years now the father-daughter relationship has been strained and the 'mistress' added more issues to worsen the bond.

Serene entered the house feeling the atmosphere tensed as she glanced at the 'father figure' sitting on the couch with grim expression.

She was about going upstairs when she heard a cold voice - the voice that always escalated her worries and made things difficult for her.

" You, come back here!" He said locking eyes with Serene who halted at the sound of his voice.

" What is the issue?" Serene asked.

Her father was not pleased with her for the question, everything thing she did whether right or wrong will always be a problem to him.

" You are getting married the next three days!" he said not even beating around the bush. He said it with such straight face that Serene will not even think of it as a joke.

For Serene her entire world shattered!. She did not want to get married now, and this news surely broke her, but her father was not considerate enough to know her wants and needs.

" Why?" Serene could only ask swallowing back all the things she was about to say.

Her father was visibly angered by the question and his mistress chimed in at the right time only to fuel the pending issue.

" What are you trying to say Serene?, Can't you do anything for your father anymore?. He only wants you to get married in order to save the company and such simple task is what you can't achieve?"

Surely these words only fuelled the anger Serene's father had already. Serene's face turned ashen at her words. Her father was only using her as a tool in order to save his company name. This was too painful to bear, but she had to swallow her pride and anger in order to be free at last. She has decided at last minute that she will go abroad, although she had the thought already.

" You ungrateful daughter, do what I ask you to this time around, you being a lowly teacher was already my mercy to you" He said, his voice full of disgust and anger.

Serene's face froze in surprise. Her family was well of, but she still chose to be a teacher only for the sake of making money to go abroad. She was dumping everyone behind - her scheming half sister, her ungrateful father and manipulative stepmother, but now her father was telling her indirectly to quit her job?.

No!, she couldn't quit just yet not while she was still under the waters. Her father never gave her enough money and she was still far from achieving her goal!.

Serene pretended to not have caught the hint and casually nodded walking away from there. She needed to put her emotions in check.

Her father assumed that she had agreed, and a smile tore through his aging face. He was facing some issues at the company, and he luckily heard from a friend that the Moore family were looking for a bride for their son.

The Moore family was a well-off family. They were the richest in the whole province and the family had been like that for centuries.

The Son whom they were searching for a bride for was rumored to be a cripple and ugly man. No woman wants to marry a man like that no matter how rich he was but for Serene's father he was willing to sacrifice her for the sake of the company.

Now that he was certain he had saved the company's name his eyes flashed with a calculating look, his wife who was sitting quietly beside him had a look in her eyes that was hard to decipher.

Serene did not know where to start from regarding the case of the wedding. She knew getting married was not what she wanted but she was having this urge to do so in order to escape her family. Instead of wasting her effort and time in making money to go abroad, why don't she just marry and live a comfortable life. If her father had decided for her to get married for the company that means the family she is marrying into must be rich.

' maybe I should marry him ' She thought

Serene shook her head a little hard as if to dispel her thoughts.

' what am I thinking?. Am I being greedy right now?' Serene said, her mind still drifting back to accepting the marriage proposal.

She could not come up with a convincing decision to sooth her self. On one hand she wanted to accept the marriage proposal in order to get away from her family, on the other hand she wanted to go abroad since she wasn't ready for marriage. But she couldn't help but find her self getting Lazy in the case of marrying to reduce stress.

' What is there to think about even the most hardworking person gets lazy sometimes ' Serene said, trying to convince herself.

At least if she leaves the house, she will not have to face the family anymore. With this in mind Serene made up her mind to be lazy for once and accept the marriage. She shouldn't try to stand up for herself this time at least it will reward her by taking her away from her family!.

*

Serene's father, Mr. Woods, had already prepared the meeting with the Moore family. He only need to take Serene there to finalise the wedding date and as well the collaboration, with this in mind he already felt things going the way he wanted and he couldn't help but smile.

His wife, Rita Moore, looked at his smiling face with contempt and a hint of disgust. She suppressed her emotions and walked up to him sitting beside him on the couch forcing a sweet smile.

" I told you your hard work will pay off" She said. Mr. Woods smiled at her lovingly and couldn't help but touch her face with his calloused hands.

" It has always been you who supported me" he said.

Rita almost recoiled at the sudden touch but she steadied herself and smiled widely.

" Now that you have gotten Serene's agreement and the collaboration you will surely live a good life "

" Of course my dear. Both you and our daughter, Eva, will surely live a good life " Mr. Woods said

While they were both sharing a lovingly gaze, Rita's mind was somewhere else thinking about the best method to snatch the man's hardwork as hers and her daughters.

*

A make-up artist was called to primp Serene up but she refused. This behaviour made Mr. Woods face sour for a moment but the thought of getting the collaboration today only made him force back a smile.

He went as far as buying a high quality dress for Serene which costs a million, this special treatment made Rita throb with uneasiness and a pang of jealousy. If the young master of the Moore family was not ugly and disabled as the rumours says she would have married her precious daughter to him, but still the thought of Serene getting everything she wanted in the Moore family made her jealous but she couldn't risk her daughters future for the disabled man!.

Serene walked down the stairs gracefully after dressing up. Since she has made up her mind she needed to go there and finalise whatever needs her approval and get married quickly.

Rita's eyes flashed with hatred as she watched Serene make her way downstairs, she looked a lot like...that woman!. Rita caught a glimpse of Mr. Woods as he wavered at the sight of Serene.

' He must have remembered that woman ' Rita gritted digging her nails into her palm. Her hatred for Serene grew even more.

" Let's go" Mr. Woods said.

*

In a five star restaurant, the both family just finished their meeting and the wedding was fast approaching now that they have decided it was a day before tomorrow.

" Can I get married tomorrow?" Serene asked

Everyone was taken aback by the question. They did not expect Serene to be enthusiastic about getting married.

" Are you sure you want to get married tomorrow?" Saber Moore asked. He was the father of the young master.

" Yes" Serene said with a straight face which made them more shocked.

" That is great then" Benita Moore said. she was the aunt to the young master.

Serene wondered why the mother did not come around but she did not want to start an issue.

" Tomorrow you will go to the Civil affairs bureau to register your marriage and then we will throw a small wedding to celebrate later on"

Serene nodded. Mr. Woods thought Serene was trying to make things fast and easy for him and the thought of it made him smile.

' At least she knows the right thing to do!' he thought

Rita could only force a smile as she watched Serene get along with her soon-to-be in-laws. She did not have a doubt about them lavishing money on her. When she heard Serene requesting the marriage to be fixed the next day she could only think of her eagerly wanting to spend the Moore's family wealth as soon as possible. Rita nearly snorted on a spot.

When it was getting close to two hours since the meeting the both family bade each other before departing for their home.

*

When the Wood family got home, they was a sweet aroma wafting through the house and it made them drool but Serene quickly composed herself planning on leaving immediately. She was thinking about packing tonight then preparing herself beforehand so that it will be easy to go to her in laws.

Her trail of thought was cut short when she heard a voice that changed her mood entirely.

What was she doing here?!.

Eva!

Serene's sixth sense kicked in as she saw the smiling figure approaching towards her father and stepmom with an apron tied around her.

Only She knew that the girl hugging her father was a two faced bitch. She could manipulate just like her mother and she was also scheming too.

" Eva!" Rita step forward a bit and engulfed her in a warm hug. Mr. Woods ruffled her hair and gave her a quick peck on her forehead before going to his room.

" You are finally back" Rita said again forcing a smile after her mood almost got ruined by the way her husband greeted their daughter who just returned.

" Yes Mom, my work abroad is done and I can officially start my painting after some time " Eva said, deliberately lifting her voice for Serene to hear. She was making it clear that although Serene liked painting she did not receive help from her father to pursue it but for her, Eva, she pursued it and finally was able to paint professionally.

" Congratulations" Serene said

" Thank you sis" Eva smiled, only Serene could decipher the smug look in her eyes. With that she went upstairs leaving the pair of mother-daughter duo . She had other things to think of than stay back there enduring pain and suffering from those two.

Serene had taken a refreshing bath and was in bed preparing to sleep but she was a little disturbed. She was getting married the next day to the man that was rumoured to be a cripple and ugly although she has never met him since he rarely showed up in public.

' what if he treats me bad?' she asked

She has watched a lot of dramas where husbands beat up the wife that was arranged by their family, showing their disapproval for the marriage and pouring out their anger on the woman.

Serene started to rethink whether to marry into the Moore family or just run away like she had planned from day one, but she had to be lazy and not stand for herself for now so that she will live a good life later. With this a smile tugged her lip and she tucked herself into her bed and drifted slowly to sleep.

Downstairs....

" Now that you are back, do you plan on furthering your painting career?" Rita asked

" Mom you know I'm passionate about painting and all I want is to paint, but I also want to make sure that Serene has no intention of making a comeback in the painting industry "

Rita frowned a bit but eased her worry in an Instant.

" I'm worried about you Eva, what if Something goes wrong with you?. You know that Serene has the backup of the Moore family now"

" What?" Eva said raising her voice a bit to express her surprise.

" Sorry I did not tell you on time" Rita apologized sincerely

" How come you agreed to this mom?, you know how rich and powerful the Moore family are!"

" I had to agree because the marriage proposal was for the young master of the Moore family, and you know the rumors states that he is disabled and ugly I don't want to risk your perfect life for that "

Eva thought about it for a while and nodded.

" You do have a point"

" So, how are you going to make sure Serene dump the idea of painting again?" Rita asked. She knew her daughter was not as talented as Serene in this aspect, but her daughter was passionate about it , so what more can she do than support her?.

" I'm just going to retaliate whenever she tries to make a comeback and I will also spread words about her as well. Easy way to kill that pest"

Rita smiled and ruffled her hair.

" I will always support you dear"

" Now go serve me dinner" Rita said playfully hitting Eva.

" Is dad not coming down to eat?" Eva asked. Her tone laced with a hint of worry.

" He will come"

*

The next day, Serene woke early and dressed up naturally. She dressed in a plain black dress that highlighted her soft and perky curves and gave her skin a smooth and creamy texture. She was looking youthful and confident.

Mr. Woods drove her to the Moore Mansion that morning. After getting out from the car he held Serene back when she was already being giddy to go inside the mansion.

The Mansion was colossal and had prominent features that accentuate traditional culture. It was distinct that the family house has been since centuries ago and its features which was a little modernised but vastly traditional attracted people to it.

Upstairs at one of the enormous ceiling to floor window which was at the far end of the front yard close to the garden, a pair of dark obsidian eyes looked intently at Serene who had her back to his view.

He gulped as he took in her curves and creamy skin.

Finally!. He was able to get himself excited at last.

He was having this problem for a long time with no one being able to cure him but just the sight of an unknown lady made him jerk up and eager to exercise his manly duties.

He stayed there for a while before approaching his wheelchair and sat on it. He was perfectly fine and did not need a wheelchair, but he had his reasons, and it has been like this for a while with no one knowing about it.

Meanwhile, downstairs.....

" Now that you has agreed to this wedding please don't do anything that will make the Moore's to withdraw their collaboration" Mr. Woods said

Serene nodded not willing to speak any more than she already have.

Mr. Woods frowned slightly as he reluctantly took Serene's hands into his and walked inside the mansion.

Serene could sense his discomfort as he took her hands, but she already knows he was only acting in order to prove himself as a dutiful and loving father.

Humph!

Serene's plan has already been sketched out already. She was going to prove herself as the perfect daughter-in-law in order to escape from the Woods family grasp then she will have a flash marriage with young master Moore.

Now she was being a little greedy!.