17. STRANGE CONVERSATION

 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 of the jovial Luis who had performed all night. It was as if he suddenly felt compelled to rewrite our narrative. Throughout the evening, I caught him glancing at me, almost as if he relished this farcical portrayal of marriage. Thus, I continued the conversation—not out of interest, but because it seemed that by candidly discussing his lover, we acknowledged that we were nothing to each other. Absolutely nothing. And we never would be. I don't like him as a person, and even less so for how he has looked at me since this afternoon.

“You, girl? The blonde from the plane?” I ask, prompting him to continue.

“Yes, her! Who else would it be? Don't peg me as some incorrigible womaniser; she's the only one. If it weren't for your blasted inheritance, we'd be together,” he swears, but somehow, I sense a lack of conviction this time.

“And why blame me? You could have said no, but you didn't. So leave me out of it. You know perfectly well that if I married you, it was to escape my parents,” I assert, clarifying the boundaries of our relationship. “I couldn't care less what you do with your life or whom you're with, but Luis, you must ensure our parents don't find out.”

“Bella, stay out of my business!” he retorts, now shouting, which I think is truly out of annoyance.

“I'm not meddling; it's your life!” I reply and head to my room. But I pause and warn him, “I'm telling you this because you saw how Dad looked at you. And don't forget, as he said himself, who he is—let alone who my grandfather was.”

“I'm not forgetting, Bella—you don't need to remind me. But now you're my wife, and no one should interfere in a husband and wife’s affairs,” he declares with an air of bravado, as if that alone would protect him from any threat. “So their intimidations don't frighten me, nor do yours.”

“Me? Oh no, Luis, I'm not threatening you. I merely wish for you to remain in one piece,” I retort, resuming my walk towards my room with him trailing behind. “Moreover, I desire this sham of a marriage to conclude amicably, to the benefit of us both. You can wed your blonde, and I shall embark on my travels.”

“Travel? Ha! Do you honestly believe your mother will permit that?” he jeers, prompting me to halt and spin around to confront him. Unperturbed, he continues, “I'm certain your mother is already scheming your next union with some magnate to subsidise her lavish lifestyle.”

“Where did you hear that, Luis? Do you know something?” I inquire, a surge of anxiety coursing through me. I am well aware of my mother's capabilities and her penchant for manipulation.

“Really, you're naïve, Bella,” he says, approaching me and reaching out to caress my face, which I swiftly evade. “You haven't changed at all; since birth, you've been so innocent. How can you be so oblivious to the kind of mother you have?”

“Luis, do not speak ill of my mother!” I protest, feigning offence, yet deep down, a tremor of recognition shakes me. 

I understand what he implies about her. My mother's determination to maintain her status quo is something I've witnessed firsthand. Her machinations have nearly ruined my father, estranging him from his own parents even as my grandmother lies gravely ill. She has driven him to claim his inheritance prematurely.

“No, not unless I choose to,” he replies with a smile, observing my retreat from his touch. “In fact, she and I get on quite well, better than you and she ever did. And do you know why?”

"No, I don't know," I responded honestly.

"Well, because we're the same, we only use people for our benefit, and you are her lucky piece," he says with a coldness that terrifies me.

"Luis, stop talking nonsense!" I shout, although deep down I feel he's telling the truth.

 "It's not nonsense, Bella. Believe me when I tell you all this," and he comes back until he's almost pressed against me, he leans in and tells me, staring fixed into my eyes. "Your mother will never let you go, Bella! Remember my words, she will never let you live in peace. I even think you should stay with me like this forever."

"Don't even dream of it!" I shout, separating myself from him again. "And stop saying meaningless things. Dad promised to give me my money and let me go wherever I wanted. He always keeps his word. He'll give me my inheritance while alive just like grandfather did with him."

 "Ha, ha, ha..., You really are naive! I even feel sorry for you and want to protect you," he says in a tone that truly amazes me.

He turns his back to me and makes to leave, but something's on his mind and he turns while looking at me very seriously and shakes his head as he begins to speak.

"Bella, Bella, Bella, what world have you been living in that you don't know your parents?" he says, approaching again, this time looking at me differently. "Your father does everything your mother wants. I know what I'm telling you, I had hoped he would refuse this wedding until the end."

"What do you mean?" I asked, fearing the answer he was going to give me, I could see that everything he was telling me was true, his look was sincere even though it hurt to accept it.