I smile happily at what's in front of me. It's a huge room with all my things and a sign in the middle of the bed that says:
"I knew you wouldn't want to live on the second floor, because of what you confided in me on the wedding day, so I prepared this room here as your refuge" Congratulations, my granddaughter, and remember, if you need me, I'll be there in a second.Love, your Grandpa.I took my phone, happy and grateful, especially seeing the strong locks he had put on the door. I picked it up right away.
"You're the best grandfather in the world!" I shouted. "Thank you grandpa, I love you with all my heart too.""Do you like the house?" he asks immediately."Yes, very much. Especially this secure room you made for me," I tell him while sitting on the bed."Did everything go well with that good-for-nothing husband of yours in Paris?" I knew he couldn't help asking."Yes, yes grandpa, don't worry," I respond smiling, and to calm himLuis said, staring at me intently. Since he hadn't been coming to the house and it was very hot that day, I had put on a shorts set that highlighted my femininity. And I think he was surprised and looked at me for the first time in his life as a woman. I'm sure of it, his eyes roamed my body with surprise, he couldn't hide it and it made me feel uncomfortable. I shouldn't have dressed like this!I reproached myself as I saw him running his tongue over his lips. Why didn't I think about the possibility that he might return? Until now he had considered me ugly, and I prefer he continues thinking that way. The last thing I want is for this brute to demand that I fulfill my wifely duties, and by the way he's looking at me, I think he'll do it at any moment, he'll force me to sleep with him. The deal we made was just words, if he breaks it, I can't claim anything.That's why before he could continue looking at my body like a piece of meat he could devour whenever he wante
I take a step back at the terrified look he gives me. It's as if I were to blame for all the annoyance and discomfort our parents caused him. He snorts when he sees I'm not saying anything. Then he yells at the top of his lungs: "Because the food isn't the problem! We have to share common stories about our honeymoon and we don't have any! What are we going to do, huh? Damn! Our mothers are a bloody headache!" "What are we going to do, Luis?" I ask frightened, realizing that it is indeed a problem. We don't have a single story together, since we spent the so-called honeymoon separately, and in my zero travel experience, the furthest my courage took me alone was to a library. If only he had taken me out for just one day, I think. Now we wouldn't be in this mess. But I don't say anything to him, that won't fix the problem. Fighting won't help us at all, we must be practical, so I release all my air thinking what to do. "We don't have an
Never mind, I have to do it because if they discover we don't share a room, there will surely be trouble. I take a suitcase and fill it with my clothes of all types and run up the stairs as best I can, enter his room and put them in the closet along with his, arrange the shoes and my underwear in a drawer. I go back to my room and bring makeup, toothbrush, and everything else."As soon as they leave, get all this junk out of here!" Luis tells me as he watches me fill his room with my things."I think we should leave them here just in case, I'm sure mom will come by often. Don't look at me like that, the ones I put aren't ones I use, it's just for show, I won't be hanging around in your room if that's what worries you. I love mine and hate climbing stairs, in case you forgot.""Fine, just finish and leave, I'm having a video call with my girl!" He still speaks rudely, as if my presence there irritates him."This is important Luis, I'm sure they're coming to check
Everyone is watching me as if they were waiting for me to say what he is asking. Especially mom who looks at me as if she wants to kill me. My father-in-law smiles waiting for me to do it, at my mother-in-law who turns red and lowers her gaze. But above all my eyes meet those of my dad who looks at me longingly."Ha, ha, ha..." I laugh nervously, I don't like this man at all. "Thank you, father-in-law," I say, while looking at dad, and I think I saw him half-smile when he heard me call him that."Bravo, how was the trip, did you like it?" My father-in-law continues to ask without taking his eyes off me."Everything was very nice, dad," Luis saves me by coming to join us, he's certainly keeping his promise not to leave me alone with them, for which I'm very grateful, they really make me nervous with their questions and insinuations, "but now let's eat, dinner will get cold. We'll chat later.""Dad, are you coming?" I ask, stopping to wait for him.Yes,
Nonetheless, Dad continued to scrutinise him intently until Luis shifted his gaze and placed his arm around my shoulders as though he were afraid of something. Dad finally finished his farewells and left, followed by Mum who was still fussing over him. What happened with him?We waved them off from the doorway, and as soon as they were gone, I shrugged off Luis's hold. He looked at me pensively when we were alone.“Bella, you were brilliant. I thought it would be tougher to convince them that we're a genuine married couple,” he said, his gaze still fixed on me.“You too, Luis. Thank you for keeping your promise not to leave me alone with them for a moment; I really was very nervous,” I said and started walking back into the house, where the servants were finishing tidying up. “Really, have you visited all those places?”“Yes, I did— with my girl!” he replied arrogantly.And that marked the end
Luis stops for a moment to observe me. His look at that moment I think is one of condescension, and I even seemed to perceive a flash of pity before he continued."Your dad initially didn't accept this marriage when it was proposed to him, he flatly refused to let you marry me. It was something I was counting on to avoid doing it. That he would keep refusing until the end, but he didn't," he finished with anger and disappointment in his voice.I can't believe what he's confessing to me. What does that mean? Dad really doesn't want this marriage? Could I get divorced if I tell him what's really happening? Grandfather says he's not as ill as mom claims. But hearing what Luis continues to say fills me with doubts."He didn't, and look at us here, married!" He says, both disappointed and annoyed. "Your dad finally gave in and handed you over to me because of what Eva did to him!"He tells me and I believe him, I don't think dad wanted to leave me in his h
But considering the amount of jewellery she acquires incessantly, it's no wonder anyone would be left insolvent. Why doesn't Dad impose some restraint on her spending? Should I phone him and tell him, or should I confide in Grandfather? No, Bella! Keep them out of this. Dad threatened Luis that day; I don't want him to harm Luis, and if Grandfather gets wind of this, he'll surely settle scores with them.I'd better stay hidden here, out of everyone's sight. The trouble is, I only have the modest sum Mima gave me yesterday. I'll sell my earrings; they must be worth a fortune. Yes, that's what I'll do tomorrow, while staying out of sight. Once these marks fade, I'll seek out my grandfather and ask for his help to divorce Luis. I shan't return to that house again. Degenerate, abuser, contemptible man! I ought to have used the taser Grandfather gave me!At the time, it didn't cross my mind; it should have. I simply couldn't fathom he would attack me in such a
I shake my head to push those memories away, get up and head to the bathroom. I wash myself as best I can, then throw myself on the bed without clothes. I should have come to this place before and fixed it properly. I think as I curl up in bed, at least it's comfortable, I tell myself and close my eyes that still release tears even when I don't want to, and I fall into a deep sleep.The next day, my phone's ring wakes me up, I open my eyes and everything comes rushing back to my memory, bringing me back to reality. My head hurts terribly, as does the blow he gave to my face. With great difficulty, I manage to sit up because of strong dizziness. I stay like that until it passes and very slowly manage to stand up, everything remains in darkness. I move slowly until I find the switch and turn on the light. I have to close my eyes until they adjust.After turning off the persistent alarm on my phone inside my purse, I head to the bathroom. The horrible image
"We'll try. I've just been informed that the journalists have left my grandparents' house and I came to find you so we could go there. Grandma just told me that she stored a lot of stuff in the attic, things that you and I made together when we were children.""Really?""Yes, and perhaps, who knows, one of them might be the trigger that brings your memory back. Shall we go now?""What about the children?""Aunt Eugenia will look after them. Shall we go?"I spring to my feet, put away my laptop, grab my phone, and circle the bureau. I take her hand and gently pull, guiding her to walk beside me. Today, I won't take the chauffeur. We need to become very familiar and friendly, so I enter the garage and take Grandpa's old car that no one recognises. And off we go slowly, slipping past the journalists who don't even realise we're there, and continue on to our grandparents' house."It's good that the journalists have left," Bella says, looking a
"The worst thing I could have done. You know, Bella is the kindest person you could meet; I've known her since we were children. Eva, her mother, abused her from a young age—I've never seen a woman do such things. As a spoiled child, when I saw that she didn't defend Bella, I mistreated her too, and she grew to fear me.""And she agreed to marry you?""Don't think it was all arranged by our parents—well, more precisely, her mother and my father. Because my mother never took part in any of it, and her father, Santiago Sardino, agreed because Eva convinced him that I was Isabella's true love. And you know, if I had set my mind to it, I could have been," he said with a sigh."What did you do to her?" Adele persisted."I've already told you I was infatuated with Vivian, my current wife. On the day of our engagement, I suggested to Bella that we stay married for three years, in name only. I would lead my life and she hers. She agreed on the c
She was watching the television screen, which showed Christian's car pulling into his driveway with a woman by his side, as the announcer spoke of her."My dear friends, at long last, we have unveiled the identity of the lucky lady to be wed to the most sought-after heir of our times, Christian Thompson. It is none other than the equally coveted heiress of the Sardinos empire, Isabella Sardino. I understand she was previously married to Luis Ibáñez, but that marriage was annulled shortly before their nuptials.According to sources very close to the couple, they have been in a relationship for many years, although no one can attest to this. At this moment, everything has come to light because his wife, it is said, has joined him in his company to assist him. Others suggest it's due to another young woman who has emerged claiming to be Christian Thompson's fiancée…"She turned off the television in annoyance. How could Christian know this gir
I set her down gently and soon we are brought a full tea service with all the sweets I like."You shouldn't have gone to the trouble, Mum," I chide."I didn't do it myself; my friend Eugenia helped me. Do you remember her, the one from Paris? She's come to live with us permanently; she's very kind.""I'm pleased for you; yes, I remember her."We lapsed into silence for a while during which, in response to her satisfied smile, I dedicated myself to eating and praising each of her sweets."Mum, pack some for me to take away; I've missed them terribly. Nobody makes my favourite sweets quite like you do; I couldn't find them anywhere!""That's because I invented them for you, darling. This recipe is made only for you, and now for your grandchildren too. Don't you want to meet them?" she asked, and I fell silent, not wanting to upset her. Yet, I want to sort out the troubles in my life before fully embracing this new chapter. She realises from my silence tha
I stand before my parents' house, which is a hotbed of journalists – an ordeal that can't be doing my mother any good. I instruct my chauffeur to turn around and approach from the rear of the house. I alight and slip through a gap in the fence that I fashioned as a youth, well-concealed even now. I scuttle, crouched low, to the window of my old room which I know how to open without a sound. Entering, I'm greeted by an engulfing silence; there's no one here. Where have they all gone? Just as I'm about to leave, a small yellow note stuck to the mirror catches my eye. It's from Dad.“If you happen to come by, we'll be at Christian Thompson's estate. Go see your mother, I'll make sure they let you in.And Santiago, thank you for coming back. Dad”A wave of emotion overtakes me; Dad knew I would come, he always knows, and that's why he forgives me. I pocket the note and exit the way I came in, instructing the driver to head for that estate. From outside,
She speaks earnestly, sitting beside me on the bed. I look at her, take her hands in mine, and let out all my breath as if wishing away the fright that makes everything inside me tremble—it doesn't disappear. Instead, it remains there, lodged in my chest, growing with each passing hour and the reality of this arrangement I've agreed to."I've already accepted, Marta," I say. "Christian realised that my grandfather was determined to marry me off to him for real, and seeing as it suited him, he agreed." I tell her honestly; since we've known each other, I've hidden nothing. Her eyes widen with surprise and concern—clearly, she hadn't expected me to say that. "Didn't I tell you he was hiding something?""You were right, Bella, but you shouldn't have agreed so hastily. You said it was odd that he agreed so readily to everything, and it seems your instincts were correct—he's running from his family." She sighs, visibly annoyed. "And I'm certain that once his m
I wake early to find Christian's side of the bed empty. I look for him in the bathroom, but there's no sound. So, I slip in for a refreshing shower myself. Afterwards, I tiptoe into the children's room. They're still asleep, the fresh air clearly lulling them into a deep slumber. I continue to Marta's room, where I find her getting ready."What are you doing? Where are you going?" I ask, surprised by her elegant attire. "I hardly recognise you. Are those new clothes?"Marta smiles when she hears me and responds. "Mima bought them for me to wear to work," she explains, still focused on her appearance. "She says I need to dress better, that you and I don't know how to dress ourselves. And since she's so excited about Christian teaching her how to shop online on the tablet he gave her, she can't stop buying things for all of us. Grandpa just watches and smiles. She's changed so much! But she's scared your father might come here to see her."She continues talking as
I will never forgive her and one day I will prove to my parents that they are wrong about her. I know, she is not what she seems, my brother told me so. That's why I'm going there, to make her life hell. If she thinks she's going to be able to trap him with her cheap woman's tricks, she's very wrong! I will not let go of him at all. I will defend you this time, my brother, you won't remember anything, but you have me, I will be your memory.I take out my phone and start checking the news on the entertainment pages. Wow, they really have a good show set up for my brother, ha, ha, ha.... Bravo Chris, you found the best solution! Ha, ha, ha... Isabella Sardino, where have I heard that name before? I started writing her a message."You did well this time, you have my full support.""Really? Do you think it's a good idea?""Yes, my brother. I'm on my way.""When are you arriving so I can wait for you with a surprise at the airport?""I have to go to Fr
After informing my parents that I was leaving, I head to my apartment. I'm so happy that my brother has come up with the idea of getting married. I don't care if it's true or a lie, I'm going to support him as long as he doesn't marry that shameless Adele. She may have blinded my parents, but not me.First, I'm going to go to France, I have to find out what that slut went to do there when she disappeared during the time Chris was in a coma. She said she had gone to do an internship, she's the only one who believes that, she doesn't even know how to speak French. Besides, I have to see if he left any photographs of the girl my brother was in love with at my grandfather's house. Why didn't he ever want to tell me who she was? Now we wouldn't have this problem, nor would I have been tempted to fulfil my promise not to investigate who she was.I finish packing when I hear the doorbell, I look through the peephole and can't believe it, it's mum. I opened the door wh