Chapter One

"Tell me you're lying," Richelle blurted as she tried to calm her shaking hands. "You... you..."

"I want to marry you, Richelle. Will you do me the honor of becoming Richelle Bethany Atter?"

Richelle covered her fine lips with one white-gloved hand to surpress her gasp. She stared at Cain Atter and wondered if this is what she wanted.

Marrying Cain would mean a life with money, safety, a home, a future and success.

Sure, that was what any woman wanted. But did she love him? Love was such a strong word, such a strong element that, if taken forgranted, could cause tremendous pain.

"Cain... are you serious?" Richelle blurted.

She couldn't see herself waking up every morning with Cain beside her. Cain, with his slicked-back blond hair and greedy-like hazel eyes.

She couldn't see her genes and Cain's genes mixing to create their own children.

It just didn't seem right.

Smoothing her gloved hand over her strait auburn hair, Richelle fixed her emerald eyes on the cab driver's seat ahead of her.

"Darling...? You will marry me, won't you? This is what you wanted, right?" The note of regret in Cain's voice made Richelle jump.

"Of course I'll marry you!" Richelle said, leaning over to kiss him. Cain tilted his head back and tsked his tongue.

"Nah-ah, Richelle, not now. Look," His arm extended and his finger pointed to something.

Richelle looked to where he pointed and realized they were at the docks. Richelle squinted. Were they? It seemed like a dock, accept for that looming building--

Wait. That's not a building.

"That's the Titanic?" Richelle blurted, a blush heating her cheeks at her own stupidity. "My God. The sheer size is enough to blow someone's mind. I wonder what she looks like on the inside," She turned to Cain and smiled.

"I love you, Richelle." He said, taking her hand in his. Richelle swallowed, nodded and put on a forced smile, but didn't agree.

Or disagree.

"My Richelle, now. We'll be together," He leaned in an planted his lips on Richelle's cheek, "forever."

"Of course, Cain." Richelle replied as the cab they rode in slowed and finally stopped. She wiggled free of Cain's grip and left the stuffy cab.

Outside, the smell of the ocean and fresh paint, the view of gulls flying over the Titanic, the feel of the ocean breeze against Richelle's face, made her smile.

Then, she frowned as she remembered her past, and her future.

Born and raised in England, Richelle had made herself quite at home in her small islander country. Her parents died at early ages and, at age nine, she lived with her Aunt. Aunt Patricia.

One year ago, Aunt Patricia left to New York and promised to send a tellegram to Richelle when she could come and join her, as well as the neccisary money to get there.

What Richelle didn't plan was, three months before her departure on the Titanic, to meet Cain Atter.

They grew close, but not that close. They've barely kissed, never made love and hardly discussed a future together.

After Cain implied he was also leaving to New York, too, they decided to plan a trip together.

Now they were engaged.

And Richelle was afraid she would realize Cain wasn't what he seemed in the past months.

"Darling, are you alright?" Cain's voice asked. Richelle turned and realized he was watching her from across the roof of the cab.

"I'm a little shaken up from the engagement," Richelle said with a forced laugh, "But undoubtedly my answer will never change."

Cain smiled and waved to the cab driver. "Get our stuff out," He ordered, and the dark-skinned man did so without arguing.

"Do you still want to do it?" Richelle asked in a quiet voice.

"Do what?" Cain replied with a puzzled expression. "Are you having second thoughts on your answer already? I though you said your answer would never change--"

"No!" Richelle frowned at her own shout, "I just... We barely know each other--"

"Darling," Cain said as he approached her. He held her hand and smiled, "True love does not take time into factor. Ever heard of Romeo and Juliet?"

"Yes. Shakespearian works."

"They met and planned their wedding all in one night," He said with a satisfied smile.

"But that was a book, written by a crazy man."

"Do you want to get married or not?"

No! Her mind shouted as Richelle pulled her hand away gently. Cain let a breath escape his lips as he leaned forward, placed his hand on the small of her back and let his lips cascade onto hers.

It felt awkward, forced and not natural. Richelle didn't kiss back. She just lay limp in his arms.

If Cain suspected she didn't enjoy that kiss, he didn't say anything as he pulled away and smiled broodly.

"Your lips are so luscious and delicious to kiss. I'm a lucky man to have them," Cain said, nodding his head politley.

"Thank you, Darling," Richelle said, then side-stepped away from Cain to reach into the cab and pull out her hat.

Wearing an elegant black dress that hugged her curves, Richelle put on its matching hat that had one white feather sticking out from the top.

"You look heavenly," Cain sighed, suddenly beside her.

"Thank you," Richelle said again, turning to face her future husband.

Cain raised his eyebrows suggestively as he stepped closer to Richelle, straddling her hips with his hands. He leaned in so his face was under the shade of her hat and whispered, "Maybe later we could... meet, in our bedroom?"

Richelle only gave a slight curt of her head before turning to the cab driver and taking her two bags.

"You don't need to carry those, Darling," Cain shouted after her as he picked up his own. "I can carry them. Or get Harold to--"

"I'm fine," Richelle said in the sweetest tone she could muster. She walked elegantly to the boarding docks of the Titanic and entered into her passageway.

She thought Cain was right behind her, so when someone tugged at her suitcase, Richelle jerked it away from the person and turned around to scold him.

It wasn't Cain.

A uniformed man with glossing, disheveled black hair and cunning azure eyes stared at her with a stiff grace of a young man.

He could only be in his early twenties, perhaps nineteen or so, Richelle guessed as she smiled politley. Calculating quickly, she realized that he must be the same age as herself.

Cain was in his thirties.

"Thank you, but I have my bags," She said, nodding her head. The man nodded, took off his hat and swiped a hand over his hair.

Loose pieces of hair fell into his eyes as he studied Cain, who was laboring up the ramp.

"He's with you?" The man asked. Richelle looked at Cain and nodded.

"Fiance'."

"I pity you," He said with a slight smirk tugging at his lips. Richelle dropped her bags and stared at the man.

"Who do you think you are?" She demanded.

The officer turned, obviously surprised at her outburst, and smiled slightly. He pointed to his nametag and said, "Jacob McCarthy."

"No, you idiot, who do you think you are talking about my fiance' like that?" Richelle asked as she perched her hands on her hips.

"I just meant you seem offly young, he seems offly old, I pity you for-- forget it. Enjoy your stay on the Titanic."

"I will, as long as long as you stay clear of my path, and I of your's." Richelle huffed, then picked her bags up and scurried to her room, not caring whether or not Cain was behind her.