“When you have just one thing to protect, you realize that nothing else even matters, even your life,”
Arianna gulped when she heard those words from Marcel. She didn’t know how his mother died, but she hoped to God Daniel didn’t kill her else she would reconsider marrying into this family. No matter how much she loved Marcel, she loved her life more. Imagine, if Daniel were to realize that she was getting in between his son and his intended bride, Clara, he would definitely kill her.
“She wanted to run away with me and Daniel knew that which was why he kept her like a prisoner. No, calling her a prisoner was mild, my mother was treated like a caged animal. She was never let out and the few times she needed to leave the premises, there were enough soldiers to make sure she never thought of anything stupid. Just like that, he broke her spirit little by little until she was a shell of herself. So then, I decided to take the cross upon myself and saved my mother before I lost her finally.
“I knew that if we were going to escape my father, we were going to need a large sum of money to cover our tracks, so I began to steal as little as I could from him without creating suspicion – he trusted me anyway. But then, I was a kid and thought everything was possible with sheer will.
“But before I could finish gathering my little wealth, she died. My mother fell sick and I couldn’t do anything about it except grace her deathbed with my presence. Daniel didn’t even know when she died, I had my mother’s corpse in my arms for hours before Carmine came over and raised the alarm. Daniel had left for business out of the country, not that he would have come to visit even if he had been around... ” Marcel chuckled as if he found it funny, “I bet he even traveled on purpose.”
The ridiculous laughter gurgled to a halt and he stared at her with a pained expression, “Now, you can understand why I can never forgive that man and you shouldn’t either. Doing that is equivalent to betraying me. I can’t kill him and will not kill him because I want him to suffer. I want Daniel to regret every single bad deed he has done to my mother and I want him to wake up every day in agony. ” Marcel said, his voice filled with venom.
“That is why you’re cutting him off, ” Arianna figured it out.
“His legacy is the only thing that matters to him and he intends to mold the perfect heir which is why he can never come near my kid,” He corrected under his breath, now rubbing circles on the top of her palm, “Our kid,”
Arianna let out a sharp breath, he still believed she was pregnant with his child and her hand unconsciously rubbed her belly. Was she really pregnant? She had another being inside of her? Another being that she had to protect from her psychopathic father-in-law.
.....
“You have my word,” She promised him. Moreover, Arianna felt the need to punish Daniel and bring justice for her same-sex and would have been mother-in-law that she lost, all thanks to Daniel. She lost the chance of having a mother figure from her husband’s side. Fuck, what was she thinking? She and Marcel weren’t even married yet. Damn, she can’t move too fast.
“The first course has run cold,” Marcel referred to the food in front of them that the both of them had hardly touched thanks to their conversation.
“We won’t let the same fate befall the second course then,” Arianna joked, drawing a smile from Marcel’s lips too.
And while the both of them were getting cozy with each other, Clara and her two friends were ushered into the hall and they searched for their table.
Lately, Clara was under tension and anxiety thanks to Marcel’s radio silence. After the dinner at their place, Marcel had not called nor was he accepting her calls. She tried going to his place but remembering his warning made her reconsider that. She had no choice but to Daniel and report that, but he asked her to remain calm and that everything was under control.
However, how could she calm down, when her wedding was this week and she didn’t know what to do anymore? Her wedding dress was ready but she was entirely clueless on the groom’s side. Even her mother that had been against the union suddenly began to help her with the preparation.
Everything was set to go except for the invitation. How could they give out invitations when the groom hasn’t said a word about it and the wedding was three days away? So she buried herself in the work she has neglected lately thanks to the wedding preparation.
Clara was done being nice, and starting from tomorrow, she would hand out invitations. She didn’t care how Daniel did it, but as far as his son showed up on the altar that day, she gave no care. She has tried to be accommodating in this arrangement, but since he wanted it the hard way, then she was game.
She sat down with her friends checking out the menu as one of the staff arrived to serve their needs. Clara was in no mood to talk and let the girls make her order while looking around. At least, they did well to take her to a proper restaurant rather than one filled with people stinking from poverty.
“Girl, you have to chill,” said one of her friends when she saw her mood, and Clara did not doubt that she was falling apart. The girls were the only ones who knew what she was going through.
But then, how could she relax when she knew the embarrassment she would suffer if Marcel doesn’t show up on their wedding day?
Clara only ran her hand through her hair with a sigh and boisterous laughter reached her side and it was strange because it felt oddly familiar. Clara turned to the side and glanced further down the hall only for her gaze to land on Marcel who looked happy and was instantly shocked. What was he doing here? Then she saw his date.
Clara was first filled with disbelief, then betrayal, anger. How dare he? He was seated with a brunette this time instead of the red-haired witch – and it pleased her to know that he dumped her already.
The brunette had her back turned to her so she couldn’t see her face, but Clara felt great jealousy and she couldn’t let it be. Marcel asked for this. She had to show that bitch how she deals with people who steal other people’s fiancé.