7. THERE'S NO TURNING BACK

 Luis stares at me with an expression of mockery and contempt that I did not understand, but I waited for him to finish speaking in the hope that somehow I would escape this torture.

"Did you really think I was in love with you? No, Bella, I'll never fall in love with someone like you," he said cynically. "So take it well, we'll both win. You'll have your freedom, and I'll have my inheritance. We'll be married for three years, and each go our separate ways. We'll only appear to be married. Now you have to pretend you like me, that we've truly been in love since childhood; if we do it well, we'll be free sooner."

"Sounds good to me; I don't like you either. We'll divorce in three years, and that's it," I replied happily, feeling a great weight lifted from my shoulders. I felt God existed and had come to save me.

"Yes, but I want to make something clear. During that time, you can't have any relationships," he said very seriously while looking out the window.

"Fine by me. And you?" I asked just out of curiosity.

"Me what? I'm a man, and I'll sleep with whoever I want!" he vociferated angrily.

"I don't have any problem!" I responded immediately in the same manner. "Just try to be discreet so our parents don't suspect anything. Another thing. You won't touch me! You can have all the women you want, but you won't have me!"

"Why not? I can teach you many things," Luis said, approaching suggestively while brushing his fingers against my cheek. I swatted his hand away.

"No, that's my only condition! If you don't accept it, I won't accept what you're proposing either, and I'll tell my grandparents to cancel this wedding. And you know very well the power my grandfather has!" I said very seriously, wanting him to know that although my father was selling me to him, I had someone who would stand up for me. "He doesn't care if my parents want to marry me off; if I tell him I don't want to, he'll get me out of here in a second right under everyone's noses. Don't forget I'm of legal age, I'm not obligated to obey anyone, I'm doing this so my father won't look bad. Do you understand? I don't need to marry anyone to inherit, I'm my grandparents' only heir, and even if my father disinherits me, they won't!"

"Fine, I don't like you as a woman anyway! You're not my type! You don't have to threaten me with your grandfather! So don't worry. And I don't like being threatened, Bella, you should start learning what your future husband is like," he said with a sinister look, which I didn't pay attention to.

"And I don't like being yelled at, Luis, so let's get along well, like two good friends until this is all over," I replied back. "I'll help you maintain your wild life and keep up appearances, as long as you treat me with respect, we won't have problems, but the day you don't, that's where the arrangement ends. Agreed?"

 Luis stared at me fixedly for a moment, as if trying to discover who I had become as an adult. I maintained my gaze without fear. I didn't know where I was getting the courage to confront him, as if all the resentment accumulated since our childhood was driving me to behave this way with him. He remained like that for a moment before moving away and heading towards the door, but before leaving, he turned and said:

 "Alright, I think everything is clear between us. We'll make this marriage work as best we can. In the end, we have the same objective."

 And that's how I embarked on this engagement. We go out together in public; he drops me off at the library while he goes out with other girls. Our parents and society, in general, have believed it. When we're together, I pretend to be in love with him, but I don't allow him to touch me. We organize many parties on our yacht. My mother took away all my credit cards on the day of the engagement and gave them to Luis. Apparently, his father cut off his money supply until he actually marries me, or so he's told me. I don't really care since I never use them. The money my grandfather gives me is enough to cover my needs.

 When we have parties on one of my father's luxury yachts, I lock myself in my room, and Luis enjoys everything he wants. As long as he respects me as he has until now, we won't have any problems. He lives in his world, and I live in mine. Our wedding is already completely organized by our mothers. Since I don't have anyone else to invite except my grandparents, I don't care who they invite.

 They have arranged everything as if it were a fairy tale, making decisions by themselves as if I didn't exist and it wasn't my wedding. They don't even bother to ask me or take me with them to do things. I let them, because I don't really care. My grandparents protest, they don't agree with the wedding. Especially because they know very well how abusive Luis is, I have tried to convince them that he has changed and that he treats me very well. Above all, I put on my best face and try to convince them that I'm doing this of my own free will, because we are truly in love. They pretend to believe me and leave me in peace. And so the days pass until the date arrives.

 Today is the day, right now, I'm wrapped in a beautiful wedding dress that I don't like at all, with its large neckline and tight skirt. My mother was the one who chose it to her taste. A long veil that seems endless was chosen by my mother-in-law, along with the tiara, and the bouquet of natural flowers, despite my telling her that I'm allergic to daisies. She turned a deaf ear and included them in the arrangement because they're her favorites. I think my mother really doesn't know anything about me or just doesn't care. Why does she hate me?