Launching forward, she slaps her son hard on his face. He cups his burning cheek with left hand in confusion.

“How dare you disgrace me this way before everyone?!.” Calista yells.

“Bianca has been nothing but a good woman to you, you dare repay her this way.” Bianca sobs from the sofa where she sat.

Calista had come to vent after hearing her run away daughter in-law was back. She had encouraged her son to marry Bianca, their wedding was going to put their family on a high pedestal.

Ever since her husband passed away, she wanted nothing more than to continue his legacy. She had despised Ariel, her son's ex fiance who was nothing more than a wretched orphan and a mere delivery girl with no class or a place in society.

“I swear mother, I dont know that lady.”

“I have no idea who she is.”

“You embarrassed our family before our associates and all my friends. Our stocks are going down. How do you intend to fix this?.”

“I'll find her and fix everything, I was framed.”

“I'm going to prove I'm telling the truth.”

“You better do.”

“Make sure you find her, or I'll make you regret it.”

“The grim reaper has given us enough grace, we'll all be in trouble if he snaps.”

“Fix this before he summons us.”

She warns him sternly and walks off.

Damien drops on the couch with an exhausted sigh.

That damn old grim reaper! How much more power did he seek to possess before he gives it a rest?

He already had greying hairs and was a few years away from six feet.

He blamed his late father for making them slaves to the grim reaper.

With just a word from him, everything they've built will come crumbling down.

He looks at his distraught fiance.

The melodious voice of the reporter briefing the details of the disastrous wedding on the news filters the room. Bianca had run away since two days ago after the incident. She had just come back to Damien's house still on her wedding dress. She was a mess. She looked like she had not had a shower.

Damien gently walks close to where she was, and sits beside the sobbing Bianca .

“I swear babe, I don't know her.”

Damien pleads desperately.

“You didn't come home last night.” Bianca reminded him in a low whisper. Her face stained with tears.

“I swear by the heavens Bianca, I have never seen her in my life.

“Then where were you?.”

“Anywhere else but with her, I don't know who she is.”

“Where were you?.” She asked again.

“At a hotel with an associate. I was there for a business meeting, you can check their guests log.”

“And this associate of yours, do you care to tell me who it is?.”

“It's Clark. You know him.”

“The wedding is off.” She declares in a strangled voice.

“No my love, please.” Just give me some time, I'm going to look for her and make her take back what she said. She’s a liar.”

“ If I fail to find out who she is, you can call off the wedding. I'm going to find her and bring her to you, I promise.”

“I'm not interested in your lies. “You know her, she's your mistress.”

“You let me down before the whole world, my comments are flooded. Everyone is mocking me.” She sobbed.

“This is just too much for me to take in, I think I'm seeing things as well now.”

Damian looks at her in curiosity. “What do you mean by seeing things?.”

“I saw her at our wedding.”

“Saw who?.” Damien was confused.

“I saw Ariel.” She breaks the ice in a low whisper and cries.

“I think I see ghosts now, she was running away, I didn't get to see her face. But I have a gut feeling it's Ariel.”

“Ariel? That's impossible. You're probably seeing things my love.”

No human can break those chains, she was half dead when we tossed her into the sea.”

“I don't know, I just…… tears arrests the rest of her speech. Damien goes close cautiously and hugs her. Afraid she'd push him away. But she hugs him and cries instead.

“I'm scared, She sobs.

“What if she comes back and takes it all. I don't want to loose everything, I don't want to lose you. I know it was never mine but I want to keep them forever.

“Shhh… he pats her on the back.

Damian remembers his pretty girlfriend from college. Ariel had pretty eyes, and a beautiful smile. She was average height and curvy as well. That was the first thing that drew him to Ariel. She was physically attractive, sexy and soft spoken. She'd always move around Bianca, her tall and slender best friend. Although Bianca's facial features were average, she carried herself with confidence and power, and had managed to seduce him barely after a year of dating Ariel. She worshipped him, and he was going to give anything to keep the power she gave him.

Ariel was dumb and naive, she was always ready to do his bidding. She'd serve him and his friends during lunch and carried his bag to class. She did his homework, and would do literally anything he asks. She was acting like a love starved puppy. While he on the other hand, did not know her last name. He only knew her name was Ariel, he had no idea what she liked or her favorite color. All he felt for her was lust. She was a beauty, and she had a perfect body.

His affair with her best friend was a plus for him. At least he got to keep two girlfriends with no consequences.

By the time Bianca rose to fame, he had made his choice. He was keeping the smart one. Ariel could go to hell.

“Ariel is dead, always have that at the back of your mind.”

“If it makes you feel better I'll be more than willing to kill anyone that looks like her. I'm all yours Bianca, I'm not leaving you for anyone.”

He assured the sobbing Bianca.