The Secret Marriage

OMG!! Did you see the pictures? Lana Sage’s birthday party at club Halo was indeed the party of the year! Everyone that you need to know in the entertainment industry attended the wild celebrations. You’d know you are one of the ‘it’ people if you were invited to the party! On the side note, are we expecting a new billionaire? Stay tuned to be updated on this sizzling gossip! -       Gogogossip News       Lana was tapping her leg on the floor. She was anxious about the reading of the will that was about to commence. The pounding headache from the lack of sleep because of intense partying from the night before didn’t help the situation either. She could not understand why the lawyer picked such an early hour to have the meeting. It would be the same meeting if they were to pick a later time. If only the meeting were to be at 8 pm instead, that would be great, Lana thought.       The lawyer was seated opposite her and had sprawled yellow files on the table. His secretary set a video recorder on a tripod then got ready to type the minutes to the meeting. Another lady whom Lana thought another secretary was sitting beside her.       “We are here to discuss Mr Charles Alexander Sage’s division of will. Sitting in front of me is the sole child of Mr Charles Alexander Sage and Miss Ruby Sage, Miss Lana Ruby Sage," the lawyer began.       Lana nonchalantly gave a peace sign to the camera when he mentioned her name. Keeping a straight face, the lawyer continued reading the will. “On the other side is Miss Shanty Hope, the founder of Hope Orphanage.”       In one swift motion, Lana turned her head to look at Shanty. Lana did not take much notice of her before the meeting. When she did, she realized that Shanty looked familiar, but she could not put her finger on it.       “Mr Charles Alexander Sage’s beloved house will be given to Hope Orphanage. Fifty percent of his savings will be credited to the Hope Orphanage account.”       Shanty gasped. Her eyes started to crystalize. Charles has always supported her orphanage and was true to his philanthropist ways. The amount of money the orphanage would be getting would help much more orphans for many decades to come. The children would be elated to hear this exciting news.       “The remaining savings of Mr Charles Alexander Sage will be credited to Miss Lana Ruby Sage. Miss Lana Ruby Sage will be the biggest shareholder in Lance Properties, replacing Mr Charles Alexander Sage.”       The lawyer adjusted his glasses before continuing, “Miss Lana Ruby Sage is entitled to all above mentioned inheritance; however, she will only receive it if she complies with the following condition...”   (A week later)   Philip Lance was an impatient man. After a week of waiting, he decided that it was time for him to pay a visit to his future daughter-in-law.       Lana’s morning coffee was interrupted by her intercom. It was not her first time seeing Philip, who she remembered as the man who used to bring her a basket of chocolates whenever he paid them a visit. This time, it was not the teeth rotting sweets, but instead a mysterious box and a yellow file.       After Lana invited him in, he took out a piece of paper that looked like it has been around for years due to its discoloration. She read the content and recalled the will that her old man left behind. She cursed under her breath. She had been trying to avoid the problem.       "I have no reason to oblige to this contract; this agreement made between you and Papa. Why should I go along with this ludicrous idea?" Lana wasn’t surprised that her father would do something like this. He has always been the type who didn’t let her get her way easily.       “Kid, I watched you grow up since you were young. You were blessed with the wealth that your father and I had built. Everything that you ever wanted is within your grasp. If you choose not to accept the condition as per Charles’s will, you will be left with absolutely nothing. Everything – including this luxury apartment will be taken away from you. Can you, someone who has never worked a day in her life, earn money by yourself to sustain your lavish lifestyle?” Philip tried to reason with Lana. He knew of her personality; she was rebellious and always making the tabloids for the wrong reasons.       “Of course, I can! I could definitely live with my own earnings,” Lana chided stubbornly. She was confident that she could easily earn the amount of money that she had been receiving. Besides, she has an ongoing income from the sponsorship companies for posting advertisements on her social media accounts.     Philip expected her to resist. Luckily for him, he brought a trump card that Lana was unable to refuse. He took out a small wooden box from his bag. Carefully, he opened the lid to reveal the contents. Lana’s eyes widened when she saw it. It was a picture of a young lady carrying her as a baby. The lady in a yellow sundress carrying her did not seem familiar to her. Behind the photo was a stack of envelopes addressed to ‘Lana Ruby Sage’.      Before Lana could get her hand on the letters, Philip shut the lid. He knew that he had piqued the girl’s curiosity.       “You can't do this. It belongs to me!” shouted Lana. She was drawn to the letters written to her and she had a feeling that some secret was lying in the box waiting to be revealed.       "I can and I will. Not until you agree to marry Cameron. Think about it, it’s the right thing to do. Your father would have wanted this alliance to be a success. Don’t you think so? I believed twenty-four hours is sufficient for you to make a wise decision?” He felt apologetic for using such an underhanded method with his best friend’s daughter but Philip had no other choice. He wanted Lana to accept the condition so that he could continue to keep an eye on her to protect her from making bad decisions in the future.   ∞   He strode into the office suite and immediately everyone paused in their tracks and shifted their attention to the tall, lean man. Stealing a glance, Cameron Lance recognized the girl that was sitting on the sofa. She was crossing her arms across her chest and leaned on the sofa lazily. Somebody should teach this girl proper etiquette, he thought to himself.       Cameron could not comprehend why people were so obsessed with her.  Who doesn’t recognize ‘itslanasage’? The popular social media handle of the socialite and influencer that was known for her questionable fashion and nightlife. Lana Sage was neither an actress nor a singer but yet how she received such attention baffled Cameron.       Her pictures would spread across entertainment tabloids like a bad infection. Unsightly photos of her in skimpy clothes, messy mascara, and patchy foundation were usually the talk of the week. Currently ranked as number one in "the party side chick" poll, she was the go-to girl to contact if you wanted your party to be the talk of the town.       A big believer in hard work, Cameron believed that people needed to work hard in order to achieve something meaningful. He took great pride in his success and his achievement of becoming one of the top ten billionaires, under the age of 30. All those late-night studying and all-nighters before big examinations did not go unrewarded.       An ignorant, uninformed person might say that he is who he is today because of his father’s powerful allies and connections. However, to those who truly knew Cameron, they saw his determination and capabilities to lead Lance Properties in the future.       “Ah, Cameron. You’re here at last,” said Philip Lance. He was glad that his son did not forget this important meeting. He was over the moon with the thought of Cameron and Lana tying the knot.       “I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” his fake enthusiasm was betrayed by his monotonous voice. He knew what was in store for him. Even if he didn’t always like it, he always acceded to his father’s wishes.       “I believe you have an answer to our long-awaited marriage alliance.” Philip believed that his responsible son would never disappoint him.       "Yes, Father. I have decided long ago that I will dedicate everything to this company. Even if that includes marrying the late Mr Sage’s daughter.” Cameron paused. He had a sentence structured in his head but he was hesitant to say it. Growing up under a strict household, upsetting his father was the last thing he wanted to do.       “Excellent! That’s my boy!”       However, Philip’s happiness was short-lived when Cameron continued, “With one condition, our marriage should not be publicized to the public." The smile from Philip’s face disappeared. He was clenching his teeth at Cameron’s illogical condition. Cameron had always been clever with finding loopholes in a contract. Philip used to be proud of it but, he never thought that it would be used against him.        Cameron Lance's green eyes didn't back down from the intense staring exchange with his father. He could hear the sound of his heartbeat, his hand that was hidden in his pocket were cold and quivering. Of all the men in the world, only Philip could make him feel that way.       "Are you making fun of me, Cameron?!" Philip Lance's voice echoed in his fancy office. In his presence, even Cameron’s charismatic stature looked weak. Nothing could beat Philip’s experiences that were written in his wrinkles. Even at the age of 60, he was highly respected by many because of his integrity and determination. An epitome of trust, Philip Lance built his name from the ground up to make sure that his last name became notable in the corporate world.        "I dare not make fun of you. This is my request. I gave up many things for this family and this company. The least you could do is accede to mine. I believe that it is only fair since it's my future and my life we're talking about here."       Philip stared blankly at the contract that he made with Charles Sage more than a decade ago. The agreement stated that both their children would get married to each other in 15 years to the date – and now it is 15 years later.        He remembered having a fancy dinner with Charles. They excitedly discussed the joy that it will bring to them if their two children ran the company that they built. They even thought as far as having grandchildren to succeed in their legacy.        "I'll leave you to think about what's best for everyone. Let me know once you have come to a decision.” Cameron left the room in a hurry. He did not want to be near his angered father.       Lana who was sitting on the sofa witnessing the exchange was surprised. She did not expect a plot twist or an intense family drama. “I knew I shouldn’t have come,” she mumbled under her breath.      She was smitten when Cameron walked into the room. “Jackpot!”  she thought to herself when she saw the suave man enter the room. The thought perished the moment he uttered the most outrageous sentence she ever heard in her life.