Chapter 1: A Handsome Devil

Victoria rushed downstairs to the kitchen feeling lost and guilty. Her mom was already there, making dinner and she thought hard for an excuse. Obviously she couldn't tell her that she was too lost in her research on Colton to make dinner. "Sorry, I was studying. I lost track of time, " she lied and her mom nodded, buying her excuse.

"Did you eat anything after college?" she asked her, looking at the untouched kitchen. Victoria's eyes widened and she shook her head, realizing that she had been too lost in a pair of green eyes to remember lunch.

"Oh, I forgot," she said, with disbelief. How could she have forgotten to eat as well?

"I'll make you something to munch on," said her mom with a tender smile on her face. Victoria helped her with dinner while her mom made some tomato crostinis for her. She told her mom about Sofia's phone call, obviously leaving out a few juicy details about Colton.

"Mom I want to go to Reno and spend a few days with Sofi. Would that be a problem with you and dad?" asked Victoria, hesitantly but her mom smiled, readily agreeing to her request already, to her immense surprise.

"Sure, why not? Talk to Sofi whenever it's convenient for her and then stay with her for a few days," said her mom. Victoria smiled with relief after getting permission, her mind already starting to make plans for her trip.

The next day, the moment she walked into her college, she was whisked away by her girl gang. "You've got to see this, Vicky, " said Melanie. Victoria rolled her eyes seeing a picture of Colton with another celebrity actress. She was tired of reading about his hook-ups. He really was bad news! Looking closely, she noted that the picture was taken last night! Seeing the actress with him, a strange feeling of jealousy filled her heart.

"Don't you two have any other work?" asked Victoria, snatching the magazine away from their hands and walking towards their class, stuffing it into her backpack. Kara nudged Melanie and they giggled behind her as they followed her to the classroom. Victoria turned to glare at them.

"What's so funny?" she asked with curiosity. They giggled more, least affected by her words.

"Own up, Vicky! You find him attractive too!" said Kara with conviction.

"No, I absolutely do not, " denied Victoria as a faint blush stained her cheeks. Melanie chuckled at the telltale sign which gave her friend away.

"Then why did you hide my magazine in your backpack to check him out later?" She asked, wiggling her eyebrows at her.

"Why should I check him out? I'll throw it away, " said Victoria, turning around and walking into the class while her two friends giggled at her, not believing a word that she said. Victoria ignored them since there was no point in arguing with them. They were her childhood friends and knew her too well. She couldn't wait for the class to end so that she could go home and check out Colton's picture and read the caption below. She was dying of curiosity to know what was written about him. What if he was serious about the actress? What if he married her?

After college, she rushed to the parking area and quickly drove home. She didn't want to return the magazine to Melanie without seeing Colton's picture minutely. A strange excitement filled her body at the thought of doing something forbidden. She had already guessed that Colton Glenn was not a good guy. He had the worst reputation possible and she should run for the hills, far far away from him after knowing about him. But Victoria was intrigued by the bad boy so much that she couldn't wait to rush into her room and close the door and take out the magazine.

She wasn't the romantic type who believed in happily ever afters and true love like her twin did. On the contrary, she was fiercely career-oriented and free-spirited. She hardly liked a guy as she didn't have time for the average kind of guy at her college. She had no idea why Colton caught her eye! Maybe because he seemed way beyond her league being the most notorious playboy in the country! He seemed like a forbidden fruit for her! Getting his attention was like a challenge for Victoria but she loved challenges nevertheless!

She parked her car and rushed upstairs to her room and closed her door. Quickly taking out the magazine, she turned to the page where Melanie had shown her Colton's picture.

He looked so good and the smirk showed how much he was aware of his good looks. The woman in his arms seemed to be head over heels in love with him! Victoria felt a pang of jealousy again and imagined herself there instead. She took a picture of Colton with her mobile phone and cropped the woman out. Then she opened a photo editor and placed her picture there instead. She edited it a little and gave it a nice warm filter effect and bingo! It was made. She gazed at the picture she had made. They looked so perfect together as if they were made for each other! She saved the picture on her mobile phone and then concentrated on the caption written in the magazine below the picture.

Two Stars Shining Together: Are They Officially Dating?

It explained how the very hot Colton Glenn was seen with the budding actress Scarlett James at an exclusive and private club. It seemed that the chemistry between them was rocking and they were seen leaving together which made everyone speculate whether they were officially together now.

Victoria angrily closed the magazine shut and threw it away on the floor. "F*ck you, Colton Glenn," she swore with frustration but her mind went into overdrive thinking about what she read. So were they really dating? Was Colton in love with Scarlett James? She again picked up the magazine and took a look at Colton's smirking face. It was the face of the devil who never fell for any woman but compelled them to fall for him instead. He didn't look at all affected by the woman on his arm. Victoria grinned with relief. So he was just playing with her after all!

"I'll be the one to erase that smirk off your face, Colton Glenn. I'll make you fall for me one day," she swore out aloud, her mind already plotting ways to charm him but who was she kidding? She was nowhere near Scarlett James in the looks department. Why would Colton ever fall for her?

Keeping down the magazine, she started studying since it was a futile dream. With an important assessment coming up, she needed to pull herself together and study hard. Afterward, she would deal with the storm, Colton Glenn. For the next few days, Victoria tried to keep all thoughts of the handsome devil away from her mind but it seemed to be a futile task. In between her studies, all her breaks were spent searching for the latest news and pictures of him. It seemed as if she had become obsessed with the devil himself.

After a few days, post-dinner, when she was watching the television with her parents, her phone buzzed. Victoria jumped with joy seeing Sofia's number flashing on her phone.

"Hey! At last, you remembered me?" she complained to her twin. But before she could say another word, her mom snatched her phone away and started her non-stop chattering with Sofia. Victoria sat grumpily as, after her mom, it was her dad's turn to talk. Finally, they were done and Victoria snatched her phone back and raced up the stairs to her room. Closing the door she grinned happily.

"What's going on, Vicky? Were you running around with the phone?" asked a puzzled Sofia.

"Yes, I just snatched my phone back from dad and came upstairs to my room. But that's not important. Are you free now? Can I come over?" asked Victoria, excitedly.

"What about your classes?" asked Sofia in surprise.

"Damn! Why did you have to remind me? I have an assessment coming right up. I guess I'd have to wait for a month to visit you," said Victoria with a pout.

Sofia smiled at her twin's excitement to meet Colton Glenn. "Do you think Colton has a girl, already?" asked Victoria curiously. She had to know whether he was indeed dating anyone before making a move.

"I really don't know," said Sofia helplessly.

"Then can't you find out?" asked Victoria impatiently. Her twin would always be an innocent angel and she was tired of teaching her the tricks of the trade.

"Okay, I'll find out but why are you so interested in him? You haven't seen or met him yet," said Sofia.

Victoria giggled. "I searched him. He's so hot! I've been crushing on him since the moment I saw his picture, " admitted Victoria with a chuckle. That was the first time she admitted it aloud and it really sounded so unlike her! She sounded so desperate that Victoria cringed. She knew that Sofia would make fun of her!

"Heaven help you, Vicky. I'll try to find out about him from Davion and update you, okay?"

"That'd be great. Waiting to hear from you. Bye," said Victoria, disconnecting the call. For the next few days, Victoria was very restless for an update on Colton from Sofia. When she didn't get a call after three days, she tried calling Sofia. But even after calling many times, she didn't accept her call. It made Victoria very upset and all the more restless but she was very headstrong and determined and once she made up her mind on something, she never let it go.

So after the twentieth call, when Sofia accepted her call, she barked angrily into the phone, "Why are you avoiding me, Sofi?"

"I wasn't. I was just busy," said Sofia, knowing fully well that her twin knew her too well to be convinced.

"Please don't give me that crap," grumbled Victoria. "So, tell me what have you found out about Colton?" She asked curiously.

"He isn't the right one for you, Vicky, " said Sofia with a sigh. Victoria scoffed.

"I'm no saint either. So tell me more about him, " asked Victoria excitedly.