《Runaway Bride》


 Chapter 1 Oops, I Married The Wrong Guy!

    Chapter 1 Oops, I Married The Wrong Guy!


    In the 12th year of the Republic of China, the year of 1923.


    Elizabeth Song wore a festive red breasted dress with big sleeves, a magnificent shawl, and a phoenix


    cor above which was a red bridal veil.


    She was sitting on the bed, clutching her fingers tightly.


    Boom.


    Elizabeth suddenly felt her heart tighten, and heard the door being kicked open.


    There seemed to bring with cold wind, she shuddered for no reason.


    In the wedding room, the only light was from the red candle on the table.


    Through the red bridal veil, she could only vaguely see a tall figure approaching.


    After Jingmo lifted her veil, will they drink cross-cupped wine? Would he kiss her...


    Thinking a lot, Elizabeth was more shy and sitting up more tensely.


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    However, the ck shadow didn''t move but stood in front of her, staring at her.


    Elizabeth felt a sense of oppression. She swallowed and tried to say: "You..."


    The man took a step forward quickly, pinching her chin tightly with his two cold fingers, forcing her to


    look up.


    Elizabeth was pinched, and felt too painful to say anything. She heard the man say: "Jingyu Song,


    didn''t you run off with your lover? Why do youe back?"


    The voice was cold and deep, with a hint of mockery.


    He was injured and in aa in the hospital for half a month, but she never visited him. What¡¯s more,


    he even heard that she eloped, which made him extremely angry. So he asked Song family that if they


    didn¡¯t make her return, he would put Song family out of business.


    Unexpectedly, after just three days, Hongming Song came to him personally, saying that Jingyu had


    returned to Jinyuan. Though he heard that Jingyu had already gone abroad, he returned with suspicion.


    Well, she was really here!


    After hearing the man''s words, Elizabeth was shocked and frowned.


    Why didn¡¯t she understand it?


    "You are mistaken, I am not Jingyu Song..." Jingyu was her eldest sister, and wasn''t she herself


    married to Jingmo Lu, the second son of the Lu family?


    But this man''s voice was clearly not Jingmo''s!


    Elizabeth was anxious to exin, ignoring the customs or rules, and she pulled off the red veil.


    "You¡­¡­"


    The man in front of her wore a dark green military uniform and ck boots, which showed his grimness


    and determination. He closed his thin lips, while his fierce eyes seemed to have no focus.


    They were hollow.


    "Your eyes¡­¡­"


    Elizabeth asked subconsciously. In an instant, she noticed the man became violent, which made she


    was so scared that even her hair stood.


    She said something wrong again!


    As expected, the man suddenly stretched out to strangle her neck fiercely, and said terribly, "Jingyu


    Song, I am blind, but you are the one who asked to marry me in the first ce!"


    "Since you failed to elope, you think of another trick? ying a show for me?"


    Elizabeth desperately shook her head, trying to say something, but the man threw her to the bed and


    pressed her. "Since you are back, today, let''s make up the intercourse that should happen half a month


    ago."


    "No! No!" As soon as Elizabeth were able to speak, she screamed and backed away, her virginity was


    kept for Jingmo, "I said I was not Jingyu Song! You are mistaken, let me go! "


    The man couldn''t see, but had a keen hearing. He urately grasped her waving hands and held her


    firmly, then said with a smile, "Jingyu, we have exchanged rings in front of the priest, so the intercourse


    is as it should be."


    The excellent new-style satin dress was stripped off one by one, and Elizabeth trembled to say, "Please


    don''t, the person I am going to marry is not you..."

 Chapter 2 Real Groom Showed Up, With A Gun

    Chapter 2 Real Groom Showed Up, With A Gun


    The feeling was terrible! End of world devastating! Elizabeth Song couldn''t help sobbing and crying.


    "You bastard!"


    It was her father who asked her to surprise Jingmo Lu, so she happily followed the bridal procession to


    Jinyuan, their residence, and waited. But who was this man?


    "Bastard?" The man was so angry butughed, "I haven''t seen you for a while, Jingyu. How dare you


    talk to me like this?"


    Her inside bellyband was ripped off by the man ferociously. Elizabeth was ashamed and angry, she


    struggled to get up and bit on his shoulder.


    She bit desperately, her mouth was full of bloody smell. But the man seemed to be not painful, his hot


    breath was scattered in her ears, "Look carefully, from now on, you will be a true woman."


    Elizabeth only felt painful as if her body had been split in half, and she was too painful to scream, but


    grasped the quilt tightly. There was only one thought in her mind: she was ruined.


    All her expected wedding night for so long, and her virginity were gone.


    "Don''t you like thepensation for your wedding night after half a month?"


    When Elizabeth woke up, it was already mid-morning.


    The man had gone, but she still kept the same posture asst night, lying on the bed. The bruises on


    her body didn¡¯t fade at all, the red quilt and the blood on it made her feel extremely dazzling.


    Elizabeth stumbled to the bathroom, washing her body desperately.


    But no matter how hard she wash, she couldn¡¯t erase the shame ofst night from her mind, she shed


    tears sadly.


    She covered her mouth and cried to twitch.


    That man was totally a devil!


    Elizabeth washed for an hour. After going out of the bathroom, she found no suitable clothe to wear, but


    the wedding gown she worest night.


    She bit her lip and could only put on her broken wedding gown.


    The most important thing was to run away.


    Unexpectedly, when she went downstairs, she happened to meet Jingmo who was looking for


    someone in Jinyuan Residence.


    Looking at the upright and handsome man in military uniform, Elizabeth was pale. She stood on the


    stairs, clutching the dress and trembling.


    She knew she was tainted to match with Jingmo now, who was born in a military family. She had been


    working so hard to marry him, be a good wife and a good mother for a lifetime.


    But now, none of that was possible.


    She really hated all of this!


    "Eliza?" Jingmo also saw Elizabeth on the stairs. He took off his service cap, and wondered why she


    was here until he saw her broken wedding dress and hickeys. His expression was a little stiff.


    "Jingmo, you...let me exin!"


    Elizabeth rushed downstairs to Jingmo with tears: "I don''t even know what happenedst night, I..."


    Before she finished speaking, a cold muzzle was against her forehead.


    Jingmo¡¯s eyes were scarlet, and his hand with gun was shaking. "Exin? How can I believe your


    exnation?"


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    "Jingmo..." Elizabeth burst into tears.


    Jingmo refused to listen anymore. He moved the gun slightly, and pulled the trigger, hit the wall behind


    Elizabeth.

 Chapter 3 A Girls Marriage Is Only Once!

    Chapter 3 A Girl''s Marriage Is Only Once!


    The bullet seemed to fly past her ear, and the dull gunfire made Elizabeth Song tremble.


    Jingmo said hoarsely: "Do you know I waited for you all night in Xiaoling Tower? Tell me why not


    come?"


    "I don''t know..." Elizabeth grabbed his hand, crying so hardly that she could only shake her head.


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    Three days ago, when she returned from Fei City, she wrote a letter to Jingmo that she came back, but


    receive no reply from him. So she didn¡¯t know that he was waiting for her at Xiaoling Tower.


    Jingmo sneered and shook her hand decisively, "Of course you don''t know, and you won''t be here if


    you know! I was blind at that time, I should have known you are such a greedy woman!"


    He yanked the jade from his neck and threw it on her, said bitterly: "Elizabeth Song, don''t let me see


    you again, or I will shoot you!"


    "Jingmo..." Elizabeth watched the man putting the gun away and turning to leave. She didn''t dare to


    chase after him, but only stood sadly there, crying.


    Seeing they were apart, the servant came out of the kitchen and said: "Miss Song, Song Mansion


    called to ask when would you go back."


    "Later." Elizabeth took a breath and quickly wiped her tears away. "Please buy two sets of cloth for me


    and prepare a car by the way."


    "Yes, Miss Song."


    Picking up the jade that had fallen in half on the ground, Elizabeth wrapped it up, then she changed


    cloth and returned to the Song Mansion.


    As soon as she walked in, her father Hongming Song put the newspaper down, got up and walked to


    her with a smile: "Eliza, why are you back now? Let''s have lunchter."


    "Dad, what''s the matter?" Thinking ofst night, Elizabeth said trembly: "Last night, why didn¡¯t Jingmo


    come? And did he reply to me? Why didn''t you tell me?"


    Hongming looked embarrassed, as if he wanted to say something but stopped.


    "Eliza, it''s true that your father did something wrong." Qinman walked over in a seductive way, wearing


    an emerald green cheongsam which showed her enchanting figure. Even though she was about thirty-


    five years old, still graceful.


    She used to be Hongming''s second mistress, but now was his wife after the death of Elizabeth''s


    mother Xinning Shu.


    "But you live such a good life, and your tuition is dependant on your dad. Therefore, if our family is in


    trouble, you should help, too. Right?"


    Elizabeth was very anger, "I am talking to my dad, why are you here?"


    After a few years, when she saw Qinman again, she still hated her, even would like to tear her up.


    Back then, her mom was depressed and ill for a long time, and Qinman must involved in it.


    Hongming was embarrassed and scolded, "Eliza, you should call her aunt at least, why you are so


    rude..."


    "Don''t embarrass the kid," Qinman smiled kindly and said softly, "Eliza, you have been in Fei City for


    many years, maybe you don''t know your eldest sister married to the eldest master of Lu Mansion. Their


    marriage were held in the church half a month ago."


    "Unfortunately something happened during the marriage, and the eldest master was sent to the


    hospital, and your elder sister was also ill heavily, so your dad sent her abroad for treatment. Now the


    eldest master is sober, and ask your elder sister back. But we can¡¯t tell him your elder sister¡¯s illness.


    The only solution is you, although I didn¡¯t born you, you are very simr to your elder sister and your


    voice are totally the same."


    Hearing this, Elizabeth finally understood and her face was pale: "So you just lied to the eldest master


    that I was the elder sister, and then sent me there?"


    Neither Hongming nor Qinman spoke.


    They acquiesced to it.


    "Dad, how could you have such a bad idea?" Elizabeth was shaky, and said trembly, "A girl''s marriage


    is only once! I don''t ask you to give me anything, just let me get married. But you give your daughter to


    others as an item?"

 Chapter 4 You Two Are A Perfect Match!

    Chapter 4 You Two Are A Perfect Match!


    What Elizabeth Song¡¯s words were totally right and touching, Hongming Song might feel ashamed, and


    didn''t dare to see her at all.


    "Eliza, your dad has no way." Qinman pretended to be good, showing a gentle and virtuous wife.


    "Although the Beiyang Government is split, Lu family is in charge of Jiangbei Region, and it¡¯s the most


    powerful among the local warlords, no one dares to provoke them. But your dad is just a navy admiral.


    If he tells your eldest sister went abroad for treatment, Lu family will embarrass our family!"


    "That¡¯s the reason why you let me rece the eldest sister!" Thinking of the humiliationst night,


    Elizabeth was so angry that she even wanted to smash everything in the living room, "The second


    sister is also your child. Why don''t you let her go for such a good thing?"


    Qinman really didn''t expect that such a "wild girl" who grew up in Fei City would be so sharp.


    She stiffened, and dissatisfaction shed quickly in her eyes. But she still pretended kindly, "I have no


    choice, your second sister is not like your eldest sister..."


    "I¡¯ll not rece her!" Elizabeth cut her off and said coldly, "I admit that my virginity was taken away! But


    I would rather die than rece the eldest sister with that eldest master. If Lu family mes and


    embarrasses us, and dad fail to be an official, Dad, let''s go back to Fei City!"


    "You, you... I provides you with everything and raises you up not for your back talk!"


    Hongming loved glory and power most in his life, and Elizabeth''s words undoubtedly irritated him.


    His a little bit of guilt vanished, and just wanted to p her twice. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    "Mom, why haven''t you finished talking yet?" An impatient voice came from the second floor, and then


    a youngdy walked downstairs.


    She wore a light purple breasted dress, with bright eyes and nice teeth. Though she walked elegantly,


    her eyes were full of contempt, as if she couldn¡¯t look up to anyone.


    Elizabeth recognized she was her second sister Jingrou Song.


    Qinman saw her second daughter came down, her eyes brightened, and said, "Well, your younger


    sister has a stubborn temper. Your dad can''t do anything with her, Jingrou, help us to persuade her."


    "Okay, let me do it." Jingrou took her father''s arm and smiled: "I know Dad worked hard and felt tired,


    you and mom just have a rest for a while, I will persuade my younger sister."


    Seeing his second daughter was so caring and sensible, Hongming felt muchfortable and nodded:


    "You persuade her, and dad will buy you new clothes."


    Jingrou smiled more brilliantly, "Thank you, dad!"


    Seeing Hongming and Qinman went upstairs, Elizabeth still wanted to chase after them, while Jingrou


    hurriedly stopped her. Jingrou¡¯s eyes were fierce and scorching, and she was not like just now, well-


    behaved in front of Hongming.


    "Elizabeth, don''t you know the situation? Lu family is so powerful, you were married to be a honourable


    wife. Besides, that ce is much better than Fei City, you will be rich and have new clothes to wear."


    Elizabeth nced at her and sneered, "It¡¯s so good, but why don''t you marry? You and your eldest


    sister were born to the same mother!"


    "You! I want to marry, but I don''t look like my sister." Jingrou stood in front of Elizabeth with her chest


    folded, and then smiled deeply: "Besides, he is an illegitimate child, you are a wild girl who grew up in


    rural Fei City, you two are a perfect match!"


    "Jingrou Song! How dare you say it again!" Elizabeth flushed with anger, raising her hand to p her


    severely.


    Jingrou''s face was cold, she stretched to grab Elizabeth''s hair hard: "Elizabeth, I know you were


    admitted to Nanping College. But you have to know, if dad doesn¡¯t sign on the confirmation, do you


    think you can study there?"

 Chapter 5 I Really Dont Want to Give You My Sisters Things

    Chapter 5 I Really Don''t Want to Give You My Sister''s Things


    "If you pretend to be my sister and marry to Lu family until my sisteres back, I can treat you better.


    Otherwise, I will spread the information that your mother is a bitch in Fei City, so you won''t have to go


    to school either!"


    Elizabeth Song clenched her hands tightly and trembled with anger.


    She was not afraid of not going to school. She can learn knowledge through reading books in the


    future. But her grandmother is old and weak with sickness. If she knows the unbearable things of her


    mother, she will definitely be pissed off.


    Grandma worked so hard to bring her up, so she couldn''t let her grandma have trouble.


    Seeing Elizabeth''s struggle, Jingrou Song smiled triumphantly and continued to say, "If you agree, I will


    go and tell Dad to send two silver dors to your grandma every month. Elizabeth Song, two silver


    dors is quite a lot. It is the living expenses of ordinary people for several years. Your grandma can


    live better with money."


    Two silver dors can do too many things, grandma can eat better and heal her disease...


    After struggling for a while, Elizabeth finally gave in, freed her clenched hands, and looked up at


    Jingrou, "When will the eldest sistere back? When could I stop pretending?"


    "Don''t worry, soon, next spring she will definitelye back." Jingrou hummed. She looked at


    Elizabeth and took her to Jingyu Song''s room.


    The room Jingyu lived in was about 60 square meters, spacious and bright, withrge floor-to-ceiling


    windows, tender green curtains blowing in the wind, and an expensive piano in the corner.


    This was the first time Elizabeth hade up to the second floor, and Jingyu''s room is even more


    romantic and luxurious than she could have imagined before.


    "Don''t touch anything, be careful of breaking them."


    Jingrou looked around, turned out a rattan box, picking up some clothes and jewelry of Jingyu, and


    muttered, "I really don''t want to give you my sister''s things."


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    After packing, Jingrou took Elizabeth to sit at the dressing table and put her makeup in person.


    Elizabeth didn''t think she looked like Jingyu at first, but after Jingrou''s making up, she realized that she


    was almost simr to Jingyu, especially when she smiled, except for her eyes.


    Elizabeth''s eyes are slightly rounder, and they seem to have an innocent sense of rity, somewhat


    like those of a deer.


    However, Jingyu''s eyes were a little slender, and the outer corners of her eyes were thin and slightly


    raised. When she smiled, her eyes seemed to be drunk or not, which was attractive and charming.


    "You must remember the makeup steps I taught you, and as long as you need to go out in the future,


    apply this makeup! Although Johnny Lu is blind and invisible, other people still know my sister.


    Especially under the corner of your eyes, you must remember to point a mole!"


    Jingrou muttered.


    Elizabeth was secretly sent to Jinyuan before, no one saw her, but if she lives in Jinyuan in the future,


    she will definitely face people from the Lu family, so Jingrou must teach her how to make up.


    "He''s blind?" Elizabeth seemed to have heard the name Johnny, but she couldn''t remember it for a


    while, and she didn''t know he was blind until just now, so she couldn''t help asking, "How did he


    be blind?"


    "The explosion at the wedding!" Jingrou curled her lips. "He was blown to the eyes for protecting his


    grandfather. As a result, his grandfather was still lying in the hospital half-dead!"


    Elizabeth grabbed her fingers and thought of what happenedst night inexplicably.


    The man came in alone, and he walked alone too. His eyes were clear and sharp so that she couldn''t


    see that he was blind at all.


    But it''s good to be blind. At least he can''t see her. Maybe they will get along less. She only has to stay


    until the spring of next year and wait for her elder sister''sing back from treatment.

 Chapter 6 Become A Girl?

    Chapter 6 Be A Girl?


    Only one year, she can bear it.


    After finishing making up for Elizabeth Song and dressing a skirt for her, Jingrou Song took her to see


    Father Song and Qinman.


    Even Hongming Song was a little stunned when he saw Elizabeth after putting on make-up. If he didn''t


    know the truth, he really thought the girl in front of him was his eldest daughter, so he said happily,


    "Okay, very good! No one will doubt it."


    Elizabeth couldn''t help saying, "I''m only eighteen years old, but my eldest sister is 23." And she just


    heard Jingrou say that Johnny Lu is nearly 27, nine years older than her. No matter how she thought,


    she felt awkward.


    A girl''s eighteen years old should be youthful, but she is going to marry an old man instead of her elder


    sister, and he is blind!


    "If you didn''t tell the truth, who would know?" Jingrou gave her a white look, and said with an angry


    voice, "Moreover, your voice is exactly the same as my sister. People will think that you are really my


    sister."


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    "Your second sister is right, you are really like your eldest sister now." Hongming agreed with Jingrou


    and praised her, "You can persuade your sister to marry, I''m so happy!"


    Jingrou pursed her lips and smiled, "I know that dad is also working for us. I am very happy to be able


    to help dad."


    She secretly gave Elizabeth a warning look, as if as long as Elizabeth said something to Changming,


    she would definitely expose everything out by all means.


    Elizabeth lowered her head in silence.


    Now she has no choice but to pretend to be the elder sister to marry the Lu family.


    Hongming was very happy today. He specially let the kitchen add two dishes and opened a bottle of


    red wine, which he usually reluctant to serve. Elizabeth would definitely be ttered to eat such a


    sumptuous dishes at ordinary times. However, she was dull and tasteless at that time.


    Halfway through the dinner, the servant led a young man in, who dressed in a military uniform, hard-


    wired.


    "Mr. Song." The man took off his military cap and greeted Hongming.


    "Adjutant Zhao?" When Hongming saw that the person was Johnny''s confidant. He didn''t dare to


    neglect, so he hurried up to greet him, "You haven''t eaten yet,e to sit down and eat together!"


    "No need." Adjutant Zhao refused, turning his eyes on the table, and then saw Elizabeth.


    When Song Hongming saw that, his heart touched his throat.


    Although Johnny is blind, the adjutant Zhao next to him has seen his eldest daughter many times. He is


    a powerful person with sharp eyes. Hongming didn¡¯t know if he can see that Elizabeth is a substitute.


    Adjutant Zhao¡¯s gaze only stayed on Elizabeth for a few seconds, and then he said to Hongming, ¡°I¡¯m


    here to pick up the chief¡¯s wife on behalf of the chief. I wonder whether she is convenient or not?¡±


    "Convenient!" Seeing Adjutant Zhao did not see through it, Honging waspletely relieved, and


    called Elizabeth over, "My daughter is too naive. Shees back only the next day after the wedding.


    Adjutant Zhao, please say sorry to the chief Lu for me."


    Adjutant Zhao nodded.


    Jingrou went upstairs to pick up the small suitcase and handed it to Elizabeth in person. She smiled


    meaningfully, "Sister, remember what I said! Pleasee back and sit down sometimeter, Both I and


    Dad will miss you."


    Elizabeth pursed her lips and left with Adjutant Zhao.


    After opening the door and letting Elizabeth get in the car, Adjutant Zhao got into the driver''s seat. He


    nced at Elizabeth from the rearview mirror.


    He didn¡¯t take a close look at the mansion. Only then did he discover that Elizabeth was wearing a


    silver-white straight-coredrge cket with a modified skirt underneath. Her face is small, looked


    like a young girl who was still growing up.


    Adjutant Zhao couldn''t help frowning.


    It''s so strange. Didn''t he see Jingyu Song mature and generous at the wedding half a month ago?


    Why did this woman feel like a girl in just half a month?


    Adjutant Zhao couldn''t help but speak, "Mrs. Chief."


    Elizabeth hadn''t adapted to this identity. She didn''t react until Adjutant Zhao called for her the third


    time. She pressed her rosy lips and asked, "Is there something wrong?"

 Chapter 7 Just Accept The Identity of Mrs. Chief Securely

    Chapter 7 Just ept The Identity of Mrs. Chief Securely


    Hearing that the voice was still the same, Adjutant Zhao didn''t doubt anymore.


    However, thinking of the things Jingyu Song did before, Adjutant Zhao''s polite voice carried a cold


    color, "Please remember to inform of me or the chief next time when you go back to your family''s


    house."


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    "Okay." Elizabeth Song responded with her head down.


    Adjutant Zhao stopped talking and drove carefully, while Elizabeth turned to look outside the car. The


    sky was gloomy and it looked like that it was going to rain, which was simr to her mood, and her eyes


    were gradually hazy.


    After returning to Nanping from Fei City in just three days, her life has changed drastically. She lost her


    innocence, the man she liked, and even now she has no freedom.


    If she could anticipate all these, she would definitely note back.


    Half an hourter, the car arrived at Jinyuan.


    The servant who opened the door was the one who prepared the clothes for Elizabeth in the morning.


    She was a little surprised to see that the one who went out in the morning was not the same as the one


    who came back now, but she was just a little servant and didn''t dare to say anything.


    After Elizabeth entered the house, the servant took the shawl and small suitcase from her and said that


    the chief was having the meal in the restaurant.


    Elizabeth Song had to brace herself to go in.


    Since the opening of the trading port, a steady stream of new stuff from Europe has been brought in.


    The wealthy and powerful usually have their own mansions, which are decorated by masters from


    Europe. The style is novel and eye-catching.


    Although Jinyuan is inferior to those big mansions, it is not bad. Bathroom, fabric sofas, including


    European-style chandeliers, and European-style dining tables are all avable.


    Just a Jinyuan is a ce that ordinary people can''t live in even if they work for decades.


    The long European-style dining table was covered with beautiful tablecloths. A tall man in a dark green


    military uniform sat at the main seat, holding a bowl and drinking soup. From a distance, Elizabeth


    could feel a sense of oppression he gave.


    Before she walked in, Johnny Lu said, "You havee back to Song Mansion."


    Not an interrogative sentence, just a light word.


    "I, I''m sorry, I forgot to tell you." He was so cruelst night that Elizabeth was still vividly remembered.


    The closer she approached the man, her body could not help but tremble, "It won''t happen again."


    "Come here."


    Elizabeth froze there and did not dare to move until Johnny raised his head.


    She knew that the man could not see, but being stared by those gloomy eyes, she was very frustrated.


    So she moved and walked over, stood in front of him, holding her breath.


    Johnny didn¡¯t speak either, just grasping her hand urately. His hand was cold. Elizabeth couldn¡¯t


    help shaking, but she didn¡¯t dare to pull her hand back, only letting him touch it anyway.


    Johnny seemed to fail to find something on her hand, his face grew gloomy.


    "I, I took the ring off when I took a shower." His gloomy expression made Elizabeth get her hair straight,


    and quickly took out the ring from her pocket and put it on. Her fingers are slender, so the ring is


    suitable for wearing on the middle finger. "Look."


    Fortunately, Jingrou Song also gave her the ring, otherwise she would not escape the disaster.


    After touching the cold metal object, Johnny''s face looked better. He pushed the ring inward, and firmly


    grasped Elizabeth''s hand, his voice indifferent.


    "Jingyu Song, remember, ept the identity of Mrs. Chief securely. If you can not figure out and want


    to escape, or if you want to die, everyone in the Song family will be buried with you."


    Elizabeth was so hurt under his grasp, tears were almosting out, but she bit her lips tightly and did


    not dare to make a sound.


    Johnny went upstairs after finishing his soup. He walked steadily. He even knew where the stairs were


    and how wide the steps were. He didn''t look like a blind man at all. Elizabeth sat down on the chair like


    a copsed man.


    The servant brought the food, and she lowered her head to eat, but there was something in her mind.


    Since Cheng Yuan''s death, local warlords have risen one after another, there were always wars. She


    knew that the current Northern warlords would let their son marry a celebrity in their favor in order to


    win over the forces. ~

 Chapter 8 Bath For Me

    Chapter 8 Bath For Me


    But her father was just an admiral of the navy. He existed like an ant among these forces and will died


    at a light pinch. How did Johnny Lu like her eldest sister? And it''s not a concubine, it''s the position of


    the chief''s wife directly?


    ncing on the second floor, Elizabeth Song thought, the sons of other families were married at the


    age of 20, why this man is 27 but there is no concubine around him, and he didn''t marry her sister until


    this year. Why on earth?


    Elizabeth was in a trance, and the servant walked over: "Madam, the chief let you go up."


    "But I haven''t finished my meal yet!" Elizabeth muttered and looked at the half-bowl of rice in the bowl.


    She really didn''t want to go, but thinking of the man''s temper, she put down her chopsticks and went


    upstairs.


    The room still retains the decorations ofst night, the red Xi character, even the red candles on the


    table were not burned out. They were twinging Elizabeth''s eyes, and she walked stiffly to the bathroom.


    Elizabeth hesitated, still wanting to knock on the door to ask, the voice of Johnny came out.


    "Come in and bath for me."


    "I, I''m clumsy and can''t serve you well." Thinking that she will face his body, Elizabeth resisted and


    braced herself to say, "I''ll help you get the servant up..."


    "I let youe in!" The man was obviously impatient, and his voice became colder.


    Elizabeth had to unscrew the bathroom door.


    The bathroom isrge and decorated in European style. In addition to the shower, there is also arge


    bathtub. The man is lying in the bathtub, stark-naked. Maybe he is too high so that the bathtub looks a


    little small. His feet were still exposed.


    There was nothing else in the bathtub. After Elizabeth came, she could see his everything.


    She had a thin skin so that she couldn''t help blushing. Suddenly her feet slipped wet, and she fell on


    the man, with a cold chest under her palm, and his breath was sprayed on top of her head, hot.


    For a time, Elizabeth was a little stunned.


    Until she heard Johnny jokingly said: "Why, so urgent?"


    "I, I''m sorry!" Elizabeth flushed, quickly got up from him, her coat was all wet, and it was sticking to her


    body, showing her beautiful figure.


    Elizabeth rolled up her sleeves, picked up the soap and applied it to his upper body. After a while, the


    white bubble covered Johnny''s body. Hey there with closing his eyes, as if he was asleep.


    After washing him from top to bottom, Elizabeth was panting, she went to get a dry towel and said


    cautiously, "That''s done, you..."


    She wanted to say whether to help him out, after all, the bathroom was too watery and slippery, and


    she was afraid he would slip.


    Johnny seemed to know where she was, and pulled her into the bathtub by her wrist.


    Elizabeth was unprepared and fell on top of him. Now, her clothes werepletely wet.


    He took her little hand down andzily said, "Here."


    "No! You wash it yourself!" After touching there, she evaded as if it is a snake and struggled to escape.


    But Johnny restrained her waist and sneered.


    "Why, haven''t you seen itst night?"


    "You, you are perverted!" If it weren''t for her hands were imprisoned behind her back, Elizabeth would


    have pped him over, "I''m not Jingyu ..."


    Thinking of Jingrou''s warning, she abruptly swallowed those words into her stomach.


    "You are not what, huh?" Johnny asked, grabbing her hair abruptly and approaching her. "The same


    trick is boring after being yed twice, or do you want to try if I have a temper?"


    Elizabeth breathed in pain and said tremblingly, "I, I wash it for you."


    She could not disobey him, nor dare.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Johnnyy there, with his hands on the edge of the bathtub, his voice was cold, "Take off your clothes


    and sit up by yourself."~

 Chapter 9 Do You Want to Make Me Die Without Descendants

    Chapter 9 Do You Want to Make Me Die Without Descendants


    "What?" Elizabeth Song was confused. After she reacted, her face turned pale, "You, didn''t you ask me


    just to wash it for you..."


    "Need me to say it again?"


    He was very impatient, and the cold air all over his body made Elizabeth shiver. It was obviously a


    shame, but she couldn''t refuse, and unbuttoned her clothes tremblingly.


    The water in the bathtub was a little bit cold, making Elizabeth shiver all the time. She climbed onto


    him, tears of shame fell, and her body sank little by little.


    His size, she couldn''t adapt at all. After only entered a little bit, her face turned pale.


    It was so painful.


    Johnny Lu was very impatient with Elizabeth''s sluggishness. He pinched her thin waist with his big


    hands and pressed her down hard. Elizabeth''s body tightened instantly and there was no blood on her


    face.


    If it weren''t for biting her lip, her voice would break out.


    "Rx." Johnny was rude, patted her hips with a big hand, the water sshed all over, his voice was


    muffled, "Do you want to make me die without descendants?"


    He rubbed her fulness with one hand, and it felt great. But it was small, not as big as his palm.


    Johnny frowned.


    He was full of angerst night, so he didn''t pay attention. At this time he thought of it, he was a little


    puzzled. Before he was blind, he and Jingyu Song often met. He knew that she is very plump, but why


    it is so small to when touching?


    "Looking big, feeling small!" Johnny said, pinching her waist to move on himself hard.


    Elizabeth could only cover her mouth tightly with her hands, tears kept flowing down, covering her face.


    Because she is not Jingyu at all!


    It was not until thetter half of the night that Johnny stopped, threw her in the cold bathtub and left


    directly.


    Vaguely, Elizabeth heard Johnny talking to the servant outside, "She didn''t drink the decoctionst


    night. You boil a bowl and feed her to drink it in person!"


    Elizabeth Song knew what kind of decoction it is.


    When her consciousness waspletely lost, she thought, she was very eager to drink it, and his


    behavior was just what she wanted!"


    Mrs. Colonel." Early in the morning, the servant came up and called Elizabeth, as if there was


    something serious to say. Elizabeth, who was still groggy, had to get out of bed.


    "What''s the matter?" she asked.


    "The colonel said that since you are married, there is no need for a servant here, so we will leave a


    driver with you. You are responsible for taking care of the colonel''s daily life. We will go back to Lu


    Mansion in the afternoon."


    "Okay, I see." Elizabeth got a terrible headache so shey back on the bed. Anyway, she was used to


    taking care of herself in Fei City, so it was fine without a servant. "You go."


    "Madam, there''s one more thing." The servant said hesitated. "The colonel said, after you have sex,


    you need to call me to report, and then I will bring you the decoction."


    Elizabeth stood up, picked up a small half bowl of unfinished decoctionst night and poured it into her


    mouth abruptly. After drinking it, she handed the bowl to the servant and pursed her lips, "I know, Can


    you go out?"


    "Yes." The servant walked out obediently with the bowl, and Elizabethy back on the bed.


    In the afternoon, Elizabeth developed a high fever.


    All the servants in Jinyuan returned to the Lu Mansion, so Elizabeth was left alone.


    She struggled to get up to look for the medicine, and after taking it, she went back to bed andy on it


    again. This fever continued for three days.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Fortunately, the driver called back and said that Johnny was handling official business so he won''t


    come back for a few days. She was more rxed, otherwise she might faint while cooking.


    After the high fever, Elizabeth was refreshed. She went downstairs to cook but found that there was no


    more vegetables, so she called the driver.


    The driver was following Johnny, so he couldn''t return at the moment. The driver said, "Madam, the


    colonel said you can go out and buy by yourself. The money is in the drawer. Besides, the colonel will


    come back tonight."


    "Okay." Elizabeth hung up.


    If she can, she hopes Johnny will nevere back, then she will be so grateful! ~

 Chapter 10 There Are No Servants in Jinyuan?

    Chapter 10 There Are No Servants in Jinyuan?


    Nanping has always been the fat that the local warlords want to eat, but they are all afraid of the Lu


    family. Moreover, Johnny Lu is the favourite pupil of the former President Cheng Yuan. His methods are


    so harsh that no one dares to do anything.


    Although monogamy in Europe has been promoted in various ces and practiced by many people,


    the old tradition was deeply ingrained. Rich men still had many wives. Youngdies fromrge families


    cannot go through the filthynd, so servants do everything.


    Elizabeth Song dressed inly, because her grandmother used to be a Etiquette mammy of the


    princesses in thete Qing Dynasty. She learned a lot when she lived with her grandmother. She has a


    very good temperament. When she entered the lively vegetable market, she was thought to be a young


    lady from a rich family.


    The vegetable market was crowded and lively. Although the smell of chicken, duck and fish was not


    good, Elizabeth felt alive and smiled gradually.


    When she lived with her grandmother in Fei City, her father paid very little money every month. She


    relied on her grandmother''s doing handicrafts and writing letters for others to make money. Shopping


    was all carefully nned.


    Soon, Elizabeth left the market with vegetables and a fish.


    She went to the side of the road to take a rickshaw. A rickshaw was pulled by a master and stopped in


    front of her. Jingrou Song walked down. She was wearing a light purple hand-embroidered cheongsam.


    The buttons were all emerald, very beautiful.


    "Second sister." Seeing that it was her, Elizabeth called out politely even though she didn''t like her. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    "Humph!" Jingrou seemed to response her. When she saw Elizabeth go out without makeup, she


    wrinkled her eyebrows, "Elizabeth Song, didn''t I teach you to put on makeup? What can you do if you


    are seen by the servant like this?"


    "Jinyuan''s servants have been transferred back to the Lu mansion." Elizabeth said. She can pretend to


    be the eldest sister, but she doesn''t want to put on makeup and look at other people''s face every day.


    "Johnny Lu is blind, he can''t see it either."


    There are no servants in Jinyuan?


    Jingrou did not expect that Johnny was so cruel. He didn''t give Elizabeth servants. She looked at


    Elizabeth carefully, and saw that her face was much paler than before. Thinking that Elizabeth probably


    didn''t go well during this time, she was gloating.


    "Elizabeth Song, how Johnny treats to you, Dad can''t control, but before my sisteres back, you


    must not be tossed to death, otherwise your mother and your grandmother will be in trouble!"


    Elizabethughed sarcastically, "Then you won''t worry about it. However, if I find out that you didn''t


    send money to my grandmother, I swear that your fate will only be worse."


    "You! The money was sent long ago." Jingrou cursed her red lips and hummed softly: "I also asked


    Dad to sign your notice, and I will let someone send it to Jinyuan for you."


    "No, I''ll go back and get it myself." Elizabeth interrupted her.


    In the past few days, Elizabeth also figured out that since she would suffer so much humiliation instead


    of her eldest sister, the two silver dors that Hongming Song gave to her grandmother a month was a


    little bit less, so she should gain more money.


    "Whatever you want!"


    Elizabeth was tired for carrying the fish. Seeing the rickshaw came, she was going up after calling the


    master to stop.


    "Elizabeth." Jingrou shouted to her, saying meaningfully, "Tomorrow night, Lu Mansion is going to


    prepare a dinner party, Johnny should take you back? I will go there too, and will give you a surprise."


    "If He takes me, I will go there. I will pretend to be innocent if he didn''t say it." Elizabeth avoided her


    hand with a cold face, "As for the surprise, you should keep it for yourself. Just remember to send


    money to my grandma every month."


    Elizabeth got into the rickshaw very neatly, and the master rushed away. Jingrou behind her did not


    seem to have expected her attitude will be so cold and red the rickshaw angrily. ~

 Chapter 11 Just Wait And See!

    Chapter 11 Just Wait And See!


    Elizabeth Song, just wait and see!


    After returning to Jinyuan, Elizabeth washed the ingredients expertly and cooked pumpkin porridge with


    purple pottery boiler.


    Fortunately, she was taken care by her grandmother in Fei City, and she had learned to be


    independent over years. Otherwise, she would only live a bad life as her mom did after being kicked


    out by the Song family.


    After a while, Elizabeth who was busy in the kitchen, heard the sound of the door being opened. She


    guessed it must be Johnny Lu back.


    She pursed her lips and put the dishes on the table.


    Johnny unbuttoned his uniform jacket and the top two buttons of his white shirt, which looked like a little


    casual and unruly. He seemed to smell the food and walked towards the dinning hall.


    He was very familiar with Jinyuan, and sat down a chair as soon as he entered the dinning hall.


    Elizabeth brought out a bowl of pumpkin porridge and ced it carefully in front of him.


    "It''s just cooked, so it¡¯s a bit hot."


    Hearing what Elizabeth said, Johnny simpered.


    He still held against her escape before, so he removed servants in Jinyuan, trying to make her suffer.


    While this morning, when he heard the driver reported that Elizabeth would go out to buy vegetables,


    he thought she was going back to talk to Hongming Song.


    "Elizabeth, what else can you do that I don''t know?" Johnny was surprised by the several kinds of


    smells, she might cook a lot of dishes. "You even can do the work that only the peasant women can


    do."


    Elizabeth felt nervous.


    She didn''t know her eldest sister couldn¡¯t cook, and Jingrou Song didn''t tell her about it at all. Since


    there was no servant, she just instinctively bought vegetables in the market and cooked for herself.


    What should she say?


    "Are you nervous?" Johnny''s hearing was keen. Hearing Elizabeth''s messed breaths, she was


    obviously nervous. He turned his head to her, and said powerfully: "Elizabeth?"


    "I, I just learned it." Elizabeth was more nervous by his words that she even had cold sweat, and


    pretended to be calm: "Because Dad asked me to take good care of you, and let nanny teach me how


    to cook."


    "Why are you so nervous?"


    Elizabeth stirred her fingers and said trembly: "That''s because...because I only learned cooking for a


    while. I''m afraid the dishes don''t suit your taste, which would make you lose your temper..."


    Her exnation seemed reasonable, and Johnny didn¡¯t ask her anymore. Elizabeth was also relieved.


    This man was terrible.


    After telling Johnny the positions of the dishes, Elizabeth sat down beside him carefully.


    When she was free, she could take a good look at Johnny.


    The man¡¯s facial features were cold and hard, his thin lips made him look ruthless. His long narrow and


    beautiful eyes was terrifying, because of the scary look.


    When Elizabeth in Fei City, she often met warlordsing and going. They looked lifeless in the old-


    style dark military uniforms, while Johnny was different from them, he was so handsome and powerful,


    because of his tall and strong figure. He was born to be amander.


    Elizabeth pursed her lips, and felt a little regretful suddenly.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    He was the colonel of the Beiyang Government, and at the crucial age of struggle, but became blind


    suddenly... Others might have broken if they suffered this, but he was so calm.


    Seeing Johnny picking fish, Elizabeth hurriedly got up and went over, "The yellow croaker has many


    bones. Let me help you."


    She was just afraid that he might choke on a fish bone, but it seemed to hurt Johnny¡¯s susceptibilities.


    He mmed hand on the table, and the hot pumpkin porridge sshed on Elizabeth¡¯s hands.


    "Ah!" Elizabeth eximed because of the scald.


    In the next second, her wrists were gripped fiercely, and her bones were almost crushed.


    Johnny didn''t look at her but said indifferently: "Elizabeth, all you need to do is to behave well as the


    wife of the colonel. Just do what you should do, and keep your mouth shut tightly."

 Chapter 12 She Only Waited For A Nightmare.

    Chapter 12 She Only Waited For A Nightmare.


    "I¡¯m, I''m sorry." Elizabeth Song whispered.


    Her clenched wrists were loosened, and a circle of red marks left. She didn¡¯t dare to rub it but squatted


    to clean up the debris on the ground. Unfortunately, her finger was cut by ident, and blood suddenly


    flowed out.


    Johnny seemed to lose appetite, and got up to leave. Before leaving, he said: "Dinner in Lu Mansion


    tomorrow night. What do you need, ask driver to send you to buy it." After saying that, he went upstairs.


    As soon as he left, Elizabeth''s finally rxed. Her wrist hurt so much that she couldn''t hold things up.


    After applying medicine on her wrist, she returned to clean up the mess.


    Elizabeth was daunting in the kitchen, washing things very slowly on purpose. She was afraid Johnny


    would make love with her likest time again, and she was so fearful just thinking of it.


    But no matter how slowly she dis, it couldn¡¯t solve it. She had to go upstairs after turning off the light in


    the living room.


    It was pitch ck. Elizabeth heard Johnny breathing slowly, and felt Lucky that Johnny was asleep. But


    for fear of awakening him, she still didn¡¯t dare to turn on the light and felt to the bathroom.


    After returning from the bath, she lifted the quilt and went to bed cautiously. She didn''t dare to get too


    close to him, but his breath was so close that she couldn''t help but be nervous.


    Elizabeth felt sad when she touched the little jade on her chest.


    She met Jingmo Lu in Fei City, when she was 16 years old. Knowing of his noble status, she had


    always avoided him, but Jingmo stuck to pursue her. Therefore, she sent him the jade that her mother


    left as a token of affection.


    They agreed that when she was eighteen years old, reached the legal marriage age, he would


    persuade his families to marry her. From then on, she waited happily.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    While at her eighteen years old, she only waited for a nightmare.


    Thinking of that day Jingmo met her at Jinyuan, his eyes changed from shock to anger, Elizabeth burst


    into tears, and buried her head in the quilt in order not to let others find her crying.


    In this area, the old tradition was deeply ingrained that a woman would be cursed if she got remarriage,


    let alone lose virginity.


    Even if the eldest sister came back, she was free but not qualified to be with Jingmo anymore.


    From the moment the jade was broken, their affections and so on were broken, too.


    Even thoughter she hid her thoughts to fix it, she knew better than anyone that it was toote.


    "Elizabeth, don''t challenge my temper." A man''s voice came from the darkness, said indifferently, "If


    you want to cry, go to a ce where I can''t see you!"


    Elizabeth was so scared by him that she stopped crying. Johnny was silen, and she clutched the quilt


    tightly, felt asleep.


    In the early morning, Elizabeth woke up. It was cold around her, obviously Johnny had been away for a


    while.


    After washing, Elizabeth sat at the dressing table and made up carefully.


    She was good at using these powders, but felt ufortable to see her face changed into another


    appearance. Then after dressing, she went downstairs.


    After the driver sent Johnny to the camp, he returned to Jinyuan and waited for Elizabeth. Seeing


    Elizabeth went downstairs, he bowed and saluted.


    "Good morning, Madame. The colonel had asked me to take you out to buy some new clothes."


    "Okay." Johnny said itst night. Elizabeth waszy to cook breakfast, so she just decided to


    eat fried bread stick and tofu jelly outside.


    After breakfast, the driver took Elizabeth to Siyige Cloth Shop.


    This shop was well-known in Nanping City. The master was excellent in making clothes, and almost


    every rich girl came here to customize clothes.


    Although Johnny and Jingyu held a western wedding in ordance with European customs, and didn¡¯t


    invite many people. However, Jingyu asionally came to Siyige to customize clothes, so the master


    knew her.


    "Madam." The master felt Miss Song was different from the previous, she looked pretty young,


    "Madam, you are really well maintained, getting younger and younger."


    Anyway, she was five years younger than her elder sister, and there were still some differences


    between them, she was not as fit as her elder sister. Hearing the master¡¯s words, Elizabeth could only


    nod her head.

 Chapter 13 Madam Is Really Careful.

    Chapter 13 Madam Is Really Careful.


    "I need a customized dress for the dinner party. How long does it take?"


    "It won¡¯t take long after you choose cloth and style." The master said, and took out the best materials


    for Elizabeth, and asked her what style she liked.


    Elizabeth didn''t like cheongsam, because it was too tight and sexy, showing her figure.


    Now, she was the colonel''s wife, she would be gossiped if she wore a shorter cheongsam; while she


    couldn¡¯t walk fast if she wore a longer cheongsam. However, since Jingyu likes wearing cheongsam,


    she had to choose the style ording to Jingyu''s preferences.


    The cheongsam had to be made by hand, and it would be made until the afternoon by two masters.


    Elizabeth was not willing to wait here, so she asked the driver to take her to the bookstore.


    The bookstore was next to the bank, where peopleing in and out in the early morning. The shelves


    were densely packed with books, and many English books from abroad.


    Fei City was small with only one bookstore, and books were very expensive there. Elizabeth read


    books there but never buy, she stayed at that bookstore for a whole day every time, and left until the


    bookstore owner closed the door.


    This time she went out with enough money, and no longer had to read a book secretly. She picked out


    all the books she liked, and handed some books to the driver if she couldn''t hold them.


    "Madam, do you know English?" The driver was almost illiterate, but he used to see amander¡¯s


    correspondent wrote English, so he knew it was English. Comparing the words in the book selected by


    Elizabeth, he asked if she knew English. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    "No, but I want to learn it." Elizabeth concealed she knew English, but smiled, "The colonel has met


    many people and will deal with foreigners in the future. So I want to learn English well to help him in the


    future."


    "That''s it, Madam is really careful." The driver seemed to understand her.


    Elizabeth thought for a while and said, "Uncle Chen, don''t tell Colonel about it, and I¡¯ll tell him after I


    learn it, okay?"


    The driver Mr.Chen nodded, "Okay!"


    Nearly twenty books didn¡¯t cost her one silver dor, but in Elizabeth''s eyes, they were luxuries that


    making all unhappiness disappear after buying these books.


    She asked the driver to send books back, while she went to the cafe.


    After the opening of the trade port, there were many European supplies and various foreignnguages


    came in. But because foreign teachers¡¯ tuition was expensive, only official¡¯s children could learn.


    Elizabeth used to not know it, but Jingmo specially hired a foreign teacher to teach her in Fei City,


    saying that he would deal with foreigners sooner orter, and let her be an interpreter for him, so that


    he would not suffer.


    Unfortunately, she had learned English, but he was no longer around.


    It took a long time for the driver to go back, he came to the cafe in the afternoon. As soon as he came,


    he apologized to Elizabeth and said that he received a call from Johnny and went to help.


    Elizabeth didn''t me him, and went to Siyige with him.


    The cheongsam was already done. Because it was tailored, Elizabeth didn¡¯t have to try it, and directly


    took it back.


    When she was paying, she heard the noise outside, and a young woman came in with two servants.


    The woman wore a moon-colored nt-breasted cheongsam with long sleeves, and a popr bun.


    With nice skin and perfect oval face, she walked in an elegant way, giving a feeling of nobility.


    "Are my clothes ready?" The woman asked the master.


    Her voice was very clean and refreshing. Elizabeth knew she must be the daughter of a rich family.


    Elizabeth stood a little aside to make way for the woman.


    "They have already done, I''m going to send them to Miss Liang!" The master hurriedly said, and he


    didn''t dare to offend such a wealthy girl, "I''ll let someone show them for you."

 Chapter 14 Are You Qualified?

    Chapter 14 Are You Qualified?


    "Wait." Yiyi Liang saw the beautiful cheongsam in the master¡¯s hands, and directly took it to find the


    style was good, so she said with interest: "This is so beautiful, and I want it!"


    "But, but..." The master nced at Elizabeth and said embarrassingly: "Miss Liang, this is a


    cheongsam custom-made by Mrs. Colonel, so..."


    Seeing the master kept ncing at her side, Yiyi also looked over and saw Elizabeth standing there.


    She didn¡¯t wear gorgeously but still dazzling.


    "Jingyu?" Yiyi recognized her and changed her expression. She stared at her fiercely and said


    hatefully: "How could you deserve the name of Mrs. Colonel? You are a loose woman, just a senior


    prostitute."


    Elizabeth frowned unconsciously.


    Hearing the name "Miss Liang" and seeing the master¡¯s attitude, she knew who this woman was. This


    woman was the only daughter of Liang Family, and her father was the Deputy Interior Minister of


    Beiyang Government, who had good rtions with Lu family.


    She had long lived in Fei City, and knew little about her elder sister¡¯s life. But hearing Yiyi said Jingyu


    was ¡°a loose woman¡± and ¡°a senior prostitute¡±, she felt very ufortable.


    After all, she was Jingyu now.


    "If Miss Liang isn¡¯t educated well, please don''te out to lose your father¡¯s face. As for whether I am


    worthy of the title "Mrs. Colonel", you¡¯d better to ask Colonel Lu on your own."


    Elizabeth seemed calm and turned to the master, "Master, please help me pack the cheongsam, I am


    leaving in a hurry."


    The master was very embarrassed.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    This cheongsam had been held by Yiyi. And he didn¡¯t dare to offend either of them, one was the wife of


    the Colonel and the other was the daughter of the Deputy Interior Minister!


    "Well, Ms. Liang. After all, Mrs. Colonel is elder...¡± The master said embarrassingly, hoping Yiyi return


    the cheongsam. Before he finished speaking, Yiyi''s behavior made everyone stunned.


    Yiyi picked up the silver scissors on the table to cut the cheongsam into pieces, and threw it on


    Elizabeth.


    "Jingyu, do you deserve to wear this kind of clothes?" Yiyi sneered, with an undisguised sarcasm look,


    "Your father is just a minor Admiral, not even worthy of holding my father¡¯s shoes!"


    "You¡­¡­"


    Elizabeth frowned and was about to say something, but Yiyi walked forward and pped her face


    directly.


    Her movement was fast and fierce, and there was no time to avoid.


    "Why? Why!" Yiyi grabbed Elizabeth''s hair and said jealously: "Why could you such a despicable and


    slutty woman marry Johnny? "


    She and Johnny grew up together when they were young. She thought they were in the same status,


    and she should marry him for granted. However, she just went to Jiangbei City with her aunt and only


    found Johnny married when she came back!


    Yiyi became more annoyed as she thought about it, and grabbed Elizabeth''s hair tighter and tighter.


    "Don''t you just have a coquettish face? I¡¯ll tear it!"


    Elizabeth was so painful that she frowned deeply, so she wouldn¡¯t stand Yiyi anymore. She reached out


    her hand and sped Yiyi''s wrist skillfully, released herself easily.


    "Yiyi, I also have a temper. Don''t go too far."


    Elizabeth used to live in the old region of Fei City, she had learned from many masters.


    In the dark alleys, there hid many real masters. She had learned the etiquette that a Shanghai celebrity


    should know, and some simple medical skills, and even some Kongfu for self-defense.


    Yiyi was not her opponent at all.


    "Jingyu, are you provoking me?" Yiyi shook his sore wrist and trembled with anger, "People from the


    countryside are really different, you are so rude and impolite!"


    Elizabeth tidied up her clothes and reminded Yiyi nkly: "Miss Liang, no matter how you dislike me,


    you should call me ¡®Mrs. Colonel¡¯. After all, I¡¯m the wife of Johnny, and even your father will respectfully


    call him ¡®Mr. Colonel¡¯. Therefore, I hope you can call me ¡®Mrs. Colonel¡¯ter. Anyway, you will not be as


    rude and impolite as me, right?"

 Chapter 15 Jingyu Song, Malicious You

    Chapter 15 Jingyu Song, Malicious You


    Thest few words were extremely heavy emphasized so that the sense of mockery was not hidden at


    all.


    Yiyi Liang''s face turned gloomier.


    She red bitterly at Elizabeth Song, then pulled her hand back hard, "Jingyu Song, malicious you!"


    "Miss Liang, wait." When Yiyi was taking the servant to leave, Elizabeth calmly stopped her, "Ms. Liang,


    I can pass over that p, but the Chinese cheongsam cut by you is worth a piece of silver dor, which


    is quite expensive."


    Yiyi red at her fiercely. Seeing Elizabeth standing there, pursing her lips, not leaving without getting


    the money, she grabbed the purse from the servant, took a handful of money and thrown on Elizabeth


    hard.


    The beautiful and round silver dors crackled and fell to the ground, the sound was so crisp that the


    master''s eyes were straight.


    These are all silver dors! !


    Before leaving, Yiyi said fiercely, "I know brother Johnny''s temper, he will not protect you! I won''t forget


    today''s thing, Jingyu Song, wait and see!"


    Elizabeth ignored it and knelt down to pick up the money.


    What Yiyi thrown are all silver dors, which is all of 15 pieces. Elizabeth had never seen so many


    silver dors in her life, so she carefully put them in her wallet and gave two to the master.


    "Please give me a cheongsam ording to my size." The customized cheongsam was cut by Yiyi. At


    this time, it will definitely be toote for the master to rush out to make a new one. So she could only


    get the ready-made cheongsam.


    "Okay, Mrs. Colonel, please wait a minute."


    After Elizabeth walked out of Cheongsam Customized Shop with the wrapped cheongsam, Mr. Chen,


    who had been waiting in the car for a long time, got out of the car and walked around to open the door


    for Elizabeth.


    "Madam, your face?" Mr. Chen was just reading the newspaper so he didn''t know Yiyi had been here.


    Seeing Elizabeth''s left cheek was red and swollen, he couldn''t help asking, "What happened?"


    "I''m okay, let''s go back." Elizabeth said, bending down to get into the car.


    Seeing Elizabeth''s reaction, Mr. Chen couldn¡¯t say anything. So he drove Elizabeth back to Jinyuan,


    and then went to the camp to pick up Johnny Lu. Mr. Chen deliberately detoured to go back to


    Cheongsam Customized Shop to ask.


    In just a few minutes, Mr. Chen learned from the master that Yiyi had beaten Elizabeth.


    Mr. Chen secretly thought: Miss Liang really gone too far. No matter how, Jingyu is now Mrs. Colonel.


    She pped Jingyu on the spot. Doesn''t it mean that she pped Colonel in the face?


    Although tonight is the family banquet prepared by the Lu family, Lieutenant Zhao was ustomed to


    following Johnny, and when Mr. Chen arrived, he got into the car with Johnny.


    Without waiting for Johnny to ask, Mr. Chen told one by one about today''s trip with Elizabeth: "In the


    morning, I sent Madam to Cheongsam Customized Shop to choose a cheongsam. The Madam didn¡¯t


    want to wait for a long time, so she went to the bookstore to pick some English books."


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    "English book?" Lieutenant Zhao spoke out first, quite surprised, "Isn''t she toozy to study, and she


    didn''t graduate from Nanping Academy, why she buy English books?"


    "I also asked at the time. Madam said that in the future, the Colonel will have to make contact with the


    foreigners. Learning foreignnguage well can make the Colonel not suffer losses in the future, and


    she also let me not tell the Colonel."


    Mr. Chen retold Elizabeth''s words truthfully.


    Although he promised Elizabeth, Mr. Chen had been following Johnny for so long, he was very loyal.


    So he would tell Johnny no matter what happened, and he did not dare to hide anything.


    "Colonel, there is one more thing." Mr. Chen said, "Miss Liang also went to Cheongsam Customized


    Shop in the afternoon, beat the Madam, and pulled her hair. These are all that I went to the shop to ask


    the masterter."


    "I heard from the master that Miss. Liang was very angry, ridiculing the Madam for not being worthy of


    marrying the Colonel, and threatened to teach Madam a lesson."


    "Oh? How did she react?" Johnny became interested.


    "The madam first relieved the strength of Miss. Liang''s hand, and then moved you out. Finally, she


    glibly made Miss. Liang throw off some silver dors with a bit of anger and leave. I heard that she was


    so angry when she went back that she fell ill."~

 Chapter 16 It Is Really Incredible

    Chapter 16 It Is Really Incredible


    Lieutenant Zhao was so surprised when he head that.


    He couldn''t help turning his head and nced in the back seat, and said, "If it were not for the Song


    family had only two daughters and they didn''t look alike, I thought the Song family had other


    daughters."


    In fact, when Lieutenant Zhao went to pick up the Madam from Song''s house for the first time, he felt


    something was wrong. Miss Song usually smiles, and she has plenty to talk to everyone. But now she


    talks very few, and the point is that she bes more and more girlish.


    It''s really incredible!


    "Her temper is quite fierce to outsiders, but she will be a little crybaby again when seeing me."


    Johnny Lu''s lips up slightly.


    Jingyu Song ttered him actively when she saw him before, and she couldn''t wait to dere to


    everyone that she was Mrs. Colonel, and would never consider for others.


    But now, this Jingyu speaks few words, a little bit stubborn, and loves to cry.


    However, her crying can make his heart soft.


    "No matter what the Song family wants to y, let them y." Johnny tilted his head slightly, leaning


    comfortably in the seat, "As long as she is the daughter of the Song family, it doesn''t matter whether


    she is fake or true."


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    "Yes." Lieutenant Zhao responded.


    Although Johnny said that, when thinking of the delicate body that he had hugged before, his groin


    fluttered like an evil fire, and he had feeling instantly.


    That woman''s body is delicate and soft, and feels extremelyfortable, but her chest is a little


    smaller.


    Elizabeth Song''s cheeks were so swollen, she put an egg to apply for a long time, and finally she


    barely covered it with a thick foundation. After just changing into the cheongsam she bought, she faintly


    heard a voice from downstairs.


    Mr. Chen said outside the door, "Madam, Have you finished? The Colonel is waiting for you outside the


    house,"


    "Okay." Elizabeth said, picking up the bracelet and putting it on her wrist, hurried out of the room.


    When getting in the car, Elizabeth saw Johnny sitting inside, with his uniform jacket open at will and


    one hand on the back of the chair, looking loose, but still giving people a strong sense of oppression.


    She sat well by the door, a little far away from him.


    "Why sitting so far?" Johnny snorted coldly, and directly pulled the woman over and made her sit on his


    lap, with fingertips slipping across her beaten cheek.


    Elizabeth was wearing the split cheongsam. After being hugged by him, the cheongsam began to move


    up, revealing a pair of slender legs. Thinking of the person in the front seat, she was tight, "Colonel,


    don¡¯t ,don''t do that."


    If Johnny really did something, she could bite her tongue in shame and kill herself!


    "Squeeze my shoulders." Johnny touched her leg. He probably knew what she was afraid of. Hezily


    said: "If you find them looking at your body, I will goug their eyes."


    Mr. Chen focused on driving, his eyes didn''t dare to look in the rearview mirror, Lieutenant Zhao also


    looked down at his nose.


    Elizabeth had to pinch his shoulders awkwardly with her hands.


    When the Beiyang Government hasn''t copsed, the Lu family was famous. They chose the mansion


    on Jiahe Road where celebrities gathered, one after another, but no one could steal the limelight of the


    Lu Mansion.


    The Lu family is now even more prestigious. Zhiyi Lu is the acting prime minister, the eldest son is the


    Colonel, and the second son is a major general. Celebrities who visit the Lu Mansion to curry favour


    with Lu family every day are so many.


    Although it was a family banquet hosted by the Lu family tonight, the lively atmosphere was simr to


    that of the festive season. There were several Pontiacs parked in the garden. The mansion was


    equipped with luxury cars, which gave it a taste of intoxication.


    Elizabeth took the lead to get off the car and saw this pce-like Lu Mansion, she was a bit stunned.


    She originally felt that both the Song Mansion and Jinyuan were luxurious enough, but she opened her


    eyes today.


    Seeing Lieutenant Zhao going to open the door of the car to let Johnny get down, Elizabeth walked


    over, "Lieutenant Zhao, I¡¯m Mrs. Colonel, the Colonel should bring me in, you can follow us."


    The arrogance was like asking Lieutenant Zhao to know her identity. But Lieutenant Zhao was not a


    child. He knew what she meant, so he looked at Elizabeth more at that time. ~

 Chapter 17 What About My Wife?

    Chapter 17 What About My Wife?


    Johnny Lu didn''t say anything, letting Elizabeth Song hold his arm, his lips seemed up.


    This woman is more pleasing than before.


    The living room in the mansion is more than 100 square meters, notpletely designed ording to


    the Ming and Qing dynasties. The designer has ingeniously added some European elements to make


    the whole living room magnificent but not luxurious.


    There were already some guests in the living room, wearing luxurious clothes, sitting together, talking


    andughing. After the servant led the two of Johnny and Elizabeth in, theughter diminished, and in


    the end there was even no sound.


    Johnny wore a dark green military uniform without gloves on his hands, giving people a strong sense of


    oppression. Elizabeth, who was holding him, wore a dark green ingot cor with diagonal slit


    cheongsam. The hem of the cheongsam was hand-embroidered with cold plums, giving her a cool


    color with her fair skin, which matched Johnny especially.


    Everyone looked at them with different expressions, but they were more puzzled.


    As a family of warlords, the Lu family is powerful and financially rich. The average celebrity is still not


    able to climb. People originally thought that Johnny would find a right person who is matched for his


    identity, but they did not expect that he married the daughter of an admiral, which is still the one with a


    bad reputation.


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    Although they are rtives of the Lu family, no one dare to say, after all, Johnny''s temperament is


    there, and they fear him from their bones.


    In silence, ady wearing a navy blue drop cor cheongsam and a pearl ne came over. She


    was well maintained and looked like she was in her early twenties.


    Thedy was smiling and her voice was gentle and delicate, "Johnny, I haven''t seen you back for a


    long time."


    "I have married, if Ie back often, what to do with my wife?" Johnny said, his voice was dull and


    cold, "If you marry the Lu family but my dad often does note back, you will be wronged."


    Thedy heard the sarcasm in his words, her face was so pale that she felt embarrassed.


    While Elizabeth called out obediently, "Second Madam."


    She has never been to the Lu Mansion, but she heard that Zhiyi Lu has two wives. The eldestdy''s


    dress is simple, while the second wife likes pearls. This is probably the second wife Congrong Qiu.


    Congrong nodded, her face finally improved, and she took them to the living room.


    Men and women sit at separate tables.


    Over there, as soon as Johnny sat down, the other men of the Lu family went up to greet him carefully,


    and while talking, Elizabeth sat with the other female rtives of the Lu family.


    However, her arrival seemed out of ce, and the female rtives didn''t want to talk to her at all. They


    formed a few factions of their own. Some even looked at her with deep contempt and disdain.


    Elizabeth pursed her lips.


    The reason is that her father is just an admiral, who relied on his father-inw''s retire to go up. He was


    dozens of grades behind the famous Lu family, but one admiral''s daughter married the Lu family''s


    eldest son.


    Even if it is her who sees this kind of thing, she also felt unbelievable.


    "Jing Yu, when did you meet the eldest young master?" Elizabeth was in a trance, suddenly heard


    someone calling her name, she looked up.


    It was Fen Liu, the wife of the wealthy businessman Jia Su, who was dressed fashionable and smiled.


    "I met him when I went to dinner with my Dad." Jingrou Song also told her how Johnny and her eldest


    sister met, and said immediately, "Later, Brother Johnny invited me to have meals, and we gradually


    became familiar."


    In front of Johnny, she could call him Colonel or something, but in front of so many people, if she called


    Colonel, it seemed that Johnny treated her badly, and calling his name was too strange. So she had to


    strike an average.


    "Oh, that''s it!" Fen Liu smiled weirdly, and went to talk to Congrong, "Second Madam, I remember that


    the young master is the childhood sweetheart of the daughter of the Liang family, Miss Liang often


    comes to the mansion to y. Why..."


    Although the words was not finished, it seemed to deliberately make people guess something. ~

 Chapter 18 Robbing My Man?

    Chapter 18 Robbing My Man?


    Congrong Qiu is also a shrewd person. Of course she would not say something bad of Johnny Lu in


    front of so many people, so she smiled and said, "Johnny and Yiyi are childhood sweethearts are right,


    but I don¡¯t know if they like each other. Moreover, marriage is a major event. Johnny knows it in his


    heart, and our elders will not interfere."


    "Hey, it''s a pity." Fen Liu sighed and said regretfully, "Miss Liang is beautiful and smart, and her father


    is the Deputy Interior Minister. If she can marry the Lu family, we don''t know how happy we will be!"


    Elizabeth Song pursed her lips.


    They looked at her with that look before, she also endured it, but in front of so many people, even when


    Johnny was at the next table, ridiculing her with a bad family background, isn''t she a bit mindless?


    Does she want to diss her or Johnny?


    "Mrs. Su." Just as Elizabeth wanted to say something, Johnny had already spoken, with a faint voice,


    but full of deterrence, "If you are very free, why not singing a song for everyone to listen to!"


    As soon as the words came out, the guests present couldn''t help butughed directly.


    Everyone knows that Fen Liu used to be a prostitute in Zuihuan Building. It was only by the skill of


    fascinating people, and she also grasped the handle of many high-ranking officials, which forced the


    rich businessman Jia Su to marry her.


    Fen Liu was tossed to cover up the fig leaf in public, so she smiled embarrassedly and stopped talking.


    Congrong on the opposite side gave her a secret nce.


    She is really a no-brainer. Even if she dissatisfied with Elizabeth, can''t she say it privately, she has to


    speak in the face of Johnny, I''m afraid she won''t have the chance toe to Lu Mansion in the future!


    Elizabeth drank tea in silence and thought to herself, Johnny has a keen sense of smell and terrible


    hearing. He could hear the second Madam''s words even so far away, so she has to be more careful in


    the future.


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    No one talked to her, she just looked at the people in the living room, from this table to the other, she


    didn''t know them.


    Elizabeth saw the servant opening the door and a pair of young man and woman came in.


    The man was wearing a dark green military uniform and ck boots. He was heroic and handsome,


    but there was no expression on his face. He untied his cloak and handed it to the servant. A beautiful


    figure followed.


    Jingrou Song?


    After seeing the woman holding Jingmo Lu clearly, Elizabeth firmly held the teacup, her pupils shrinking


    sharply.


    Why is he with Jingrou?


    She is also really stupid! After knowing that Johnny is the young master of the Lu family, she should


    have thought that his rtionship with Jingmo. They are both from the Lu family, and of course they will


    be brothers!


    Seeing Jingmo and Jingrou talking and behaving intimately, Elizabeth only felt that her heart was


    stabbed a few times by a knife, dripping with blood, she couldn''t help it anymore, got up and walked


    towards the two.


    There was no blood on Elizabeth''s face, and she stood in front of them with her hands clenched, her


    voice was trembling.


    "You, you..."


    She wanted to ask something, but she couldn''t say itpletely for a long time.


    When Jingrou saw Elizabeth''s appearance, her eyes shed unhappiness, and then she smiled and


    said to Jingmo, "Jingmo, my sister is so happy to see me, I will take her to the side to talk!"


    After that, she just dragged Elizabeth away, while Jingmo stared at their figures with a grim expression.


    Why is this ¡®Jingyu Song¡¯ voice so familiar?


    "Elizabeth, what are you doing!" After reaching the corner, Jingrou immediately removed her smiling


    face and said coldly, "Don''t forget that you are the eldest sister now. Do you want to kill us all?"


    "Why are you with Jingmo?" Elizabeth paid no attention to anything, clutching her arm tightly, "He never


    said he knew you, Jingrou...you rob my man?"


    "What rob? You are now married to Johnny." Jingrou said, but there was an unbearable triumph


    between her brows. "You can''t be with Jingmo anymore. I have to manage to be with him."


    How good the "manage to be" is! ~

 Chapter 19 Dad Didnt Brought You Up For Nothing!

    Chapter 19 Dad Didn''t Brought You Up For Nothing!


    Hearing Song Jingrou¡¯s words, Elizabeth felt extremely angry and only want to tear her hypocritical


    face into pieces.


    She and Jingmo Lu had known each other for more than two years, and they liked each other. But she


    was framed by her families to pretend to be Jingyu, and even her loved man had snatched away by


    Jingrou!


    Thinking of the shrewd Jingrou and what happened before, Elizabeth suddenly found something, she


    was scared and stunned to look at Jingrou.


    "It¡¯s not my father¡¯s idea but you! You made mee back from Fei City to pretend as my eldest sister


    and marry Johnny. It must be you gave father this conspiracy, right?"


    If it was father¡¯s idea, he wouldn¡¯t be so guilty when he saw her back at first nce.


    After thinking, it could only be Jingrou''s idea!


    Jingrou didn''t speak.


    Elizabeth saw the guilty in Jingrou¡¯s eyes and understood everything, "Jingrou, you are too vicious!


    Anyway I am your younger sister, how could you set me up in this way?"


    "I didn''t want to, but you look like my elder sister!" Jingrou was still quibbling, "Besides, All I did was for


    Song Family, and dad bringing you up couldn¡¯t gain anything?"


    Elizabeth moved her lips.


    Just because she had the same voice and look as Jingyu, she deserved to bear the suffering?


    "I won''t do pretend anymore. If you want to do it, just on your own." Her father had been bad to her


    since she was a child, and she didn''t want to help Song Family at all. Besides, she and Jingmo were


    separated because of this hateful idea.


    She didn''t want to bear it anymore, and was fed up with it!


    Jingrou changed her countenance and wanted to say something, but only saw Elizabeth walking to


    Jingmo quickly.


    Elizabeth saw Jingmo talking to the servant at the door of the kitchen, his familiar side face made her


    want to cry. She walked faster and faster and couldn''t help calling: "Jingmo."


    She wanted to tell Jingmo the truth that it was not her fault, she was set up but she always loved him!


    Jingmo looked up.


    Seeing he was calling by ¡®Jingyu Song¡¯, he frowned. Because she was hurriedly walking over, with a


    pale face and tears in his eyes, as if she was very wronged.


    This woman was wronged, she should looked for Johnny, what did she call him?


    Although he and Johnny were not born to the same mother, and they were not in good rtionship, he


    still politely called: "Hello, sister-inw." when he saw Johnny''s wife, ¡®Jingyu¡¯.


    Sister-inw?


    This name made Elizabeth''s face paler, and her thin body was trembling.


    Yes, she was Jingyu now, the wife of Johnny, but not Elizabeth. He called the name right!


    "Jingmo, I have a lot to tell you." With tears in her eyes, Elizabeth approached him step by step: "I am


    not Jingyu at all, I am..."


    "Sister-inw, you walk too fast!"


    Only after Elizabeth said a few words, Jingrou cut in and hooked Jingmo''s arm.


    Jingrou smiled and said: "I said I was with you. But my eldest sister doesn''t believe me, and wants to


    meet you so much that I couldn¡¯t stop her."


    "No, it''s not..." Elizabeth said anxiously, but Jingrou blocked her words faster.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    "Jingmo, do you know? I just chatted with my eldest sister, she said she had a friend whose mother


    was very beautiful, but it was a pity that her family became poor, and lived a bad lifeter..."


    Jingrou was saying, while looking at Elizabeth inadvertently.


    Elizabeth knew the subtext of her words, and she squeezed her hand so fiercely that almost into her


    palm.


    Jingrou was threatening her!


    If she told Jingmo that she was not Jingyu but Elizabeth, Jingrou would tell her mother''s scandal on the


    spot, and might tell grandma far away in Fei City.


    Elizabeth said trembly just now, so that Jingmo didn''t hear clearly. He only felt her soft voice was very


    simr to the woman who betrayed him, which made him inexplicably irritable, "It''s not what?"

 Chapter 20 It Was All On His Carelessness!

    Chapter 20 It Was All On His Carelessness!


    "You got it wrong, I just want to bless you." In the end, Elizabeth Song gave up. She didn''t dare to


    gamble with Jingrou Song with those secrets. What¡¯s more, she lost her virginity, and was not qualified


    to be with her beloved man.


    When Elizabeth looked up, her face had returned to normal, and she smiled faintly: "My sister is


    naughty, and I hope Master Jingmo could bear her."


    Hearing her words, Jingrou couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief.


    Jingrou hooked Jingmo''s arm and said, "No, I¡¯m pretty good, right? Jingmo? The eldest sister is too


    much, I¡¯m not as bad as she said."


    "Then I''ll go over there first." Elizabeth said, turning away quickly. While her walking was a little stiff.


    Jingmo frowned.


    Why this woman behaved strangely when she saw him?


    "Jingmo..." Jingrou was still acting coquettishly, but Jingmo was very impatient and warned: "If you


    don''t want to eat, just go back. I''ll find another woman!"


    Jingrou didn''t dare to coquet, and thought resentfully.


    Jingmo only cared Elizabeth, and he just needed her for dealing with others. It was really hateful!


    Later, The Lu Master, Zhiyi Lu and his wife Xiangrong Hua returned.


    Zhiyi was over 50 years old, but still hale, and her serious appearance made him look majestic. His


    wife Xiangrong was at a simr age as him, and maintained well, her figure and appearance didn¡¯t fade


    a lot.


    Everyone got up to greet Zhiyi, and Zhiyi nodded as greeting. As soon as Xiangrong sat down, all the


    women came to Xiangrong but not surrounded Congrong Qiu anymore, which made Congrong


    expression changed.


    After dinner was done, everyone moved to the living room and sat down in their ces respectively.


    The Lu family''s rule was men didn¡¯t sit at the same table with women in party, because it was


    inconvenient to talk business, so they sat separately.


    Elizabeth saw the servant taking Johnny to his seat, while Johnny was gloomy, as if he would lose his


    temper at any time. She pursed her lips and walked to sit beside him.


    She couldn¡¯t tell the truth, but only could perform her eldest sister well.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    "Johnny, let me sit beside you." Elizabeth held his hand, and said with a little fear. Johnny didn''t speak,


    but showed acquiescence, and other men at the same table didn''t say anything.


    The dinner was very hearty. In addition to the appetizers, there were 13 main dishes, which filled the


    entire table.


    Fortunately, Elizabeth could discern what were they, and told the nearby dishes to Johnny.


    In others¡¯ eyes, it seemed that they were whispering.


    A man saw that Johnny took food so slowly, and a few words slipped out: "Elizabeth, since you sit


    beside Johnny, why don''t you take care of him? Help him pick food!"


    He didn''t realize what he had said until he finished speaking, and his face turned pale suddenly.


    It was also silent on the dining table.


    Everyone knew Johnny Lu couldn¡¯t see, but no one dared to show the slightest sympathy, because


    Johnny wanted the face. There used to have someone sympathized with him, but Johnny broke this


    man¡¯s legs.


    Elizabeth felt Johnny¡¯s breaths had changed, and his hand was so cold that she couldn''t help shivering.


    How could Lu families be so mindless? How dared he say so!


    "Johnny always likes to d by himself, and dislike others to help." Elizabeth smiled and raised her ss:


    "I toast Uncle, thank you for your concern for Johnny."


    Her soft voice and gentle words broke the silence on the dining table.


    The man also hurriedly raised his ss and touched Elizabeth¡¯s ss, and smiled barely with sweat on


    his face.


    It was all on his carelessness!


    Johnny snatched the ss from Elizabeth and ced it firmly on the table.


    He didn''t let Elizabeth drink, nor did he drink. He obviously didn''t want to reconcile.


    "It¡¯s done, let''s eat." As if afraid the dining table would be a bloody ce, Zhiyi finally speak in an


    unhappy tone, and nced at that man, "Can''t you shut up and just eat? Talking will only make you


    annoying! "

 Chapter 21 Awake

    Chapter 21 Awake


    I wake up with heavy eyes. Gloom surrounds me, and darkness apparently takes control of my vision. I


    stir, ufortable, imprisoned, and immobile in the bed where I am. Attempting to sit up, my body


    screams at me to stop, aching and pitiful. I grunt with annoyance at being unable to sit up as I always


    have.


    ¡°Easy, brother, take it easy. It¡¯s going to be all right. You¡¯ve been asleep for a long time, it¡¯s only fair you


    feel a little dizzy.¡± It¡¯s Dawson who positions himself next to me.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I question.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    My brother helps me sit up in bed with my back half straightened. He shakes out the pillow and ces


    it behind me in a smooth, gentle motion.


    ¡°You had the surgery, but the important thing is that you¡¯re okay. That¡¯s what matters to me.¡± I hear the


    creak of the chair as he sits down.


    My eyes are heavy, and my head is throbbing.


    ¡°Twin intuition, perhaps? Or maybe you¡¯re worried about nonsense and simpletons?¡±


    ¡°Good morning,¡± they interrupt just as I go to answer Dawson. ¡°I see you¡¯re awake already.¡± David


    reaches over to open my eyelids and shine a shlight on them.


    I¡¯m still dozing. However, something detonates in my brain. Confused, I analyze the situation. I don¡¯t


    see the light. The glow of the shlight doesn¡¯t bother me, burn, or cause me to want to look away.


    When Dawson rearranged the pillow, I heard it, felt it, as I was close enough to do so. I recognized their


    voices, both Dawson¡¯s and David¡¯s... but I didn¡¯t see them. At no time did I see them.


    ¡°But what...?¡± I p David¡¯s hand and hear the shlight fall to the tile in the room with a tter.


    I touch my face, startled.


    At first, I thought it was just a bandage over my eyes, one of those used after head surgery, to be


    exact, brain surgery.


    David is a specialized neurosurgeon; he prepared me for everything concerning the days before and


    after the surgery. He informed me that, for safety reasons, a bandage would be ced on my head,


    which would go from the nape of my neck to my forehead to protect the incision and suture.


    My head feels heavy and ufortable, as if it were a ton of cement dropped on it by a construction


    truck. I begin to feel dizzy and off-center. I blink, annoyed and ufortable, to find a way for the


    shadow and gloom to leave my vision. Nothing happens. I continue to see nothing but shadows and


    movement.


    ¡°You must tell me everything you feel, Dar¨ªo. From now on, you must tell me during the time you are in


    the clinic, both in observation and in a basic room. Nothing will be unnecessary. If you feel nauseous,


    please tell me if your head bothers you or is heavy, also. The smallest detail, however simple it may


    seem to you, you must tell me.¡±


    ¡°Tell you? Is that what you want? Haven¡¯t you noticed that I couldn¡¯t see shit? Fuck, I can¡¯t see


    anything!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t see me?¡± he inquires between confused and worried.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Howe you can¡¯t see? Is that normal?¡± asks my brother. I recognize him


    immediately from his voice.


    His presence, him in himself, even if I can¡¯t see him, I feel it. I know he is there, and I don¡¯t need my


    eyes to make his presence almost palpable. Our connection has always been like that: so real, honest,


    natural, and straightforward. I guess that¡¯s why the betrayal with Arianna affected me so much.


    ¡°Can you see this?¡± He opens my eyelids again and searches for something I can¡¯t decipher.


    The truth is that I see nothing, nothing more than a flow of shes, of light¡ªshadows in movement.


    Everything else isplete darkness.


    I remember the exact moment when David, with the surgical mask on his face, covering his nose and


    mouth, looked at me and told me that they were going to proceed to ce a transparent stic mask


    on me in order to sedate my body before the intervention on my nerve atrophied by the fall from the


    second floor of the castle.


    Even Arianna, after death, continues, in a twisted and cruel way, to manage my existence. She threw


    herself; she threw herself without caring that her son had just been born, just arrived in this world to be


    loved. After four hours ofbor, the doctor who received Dante at the castle determined that it was all


    depression that had not been detected in time. Shemitted suicide. And I tried to reach her clumsily,


    but I failed. She fell from the second floor, and the back of her headnded on one of the rocks that


    adorned the garden I had sent her to nt. I followed her trajectory, but as I was aware of the fall,


    perhaps because my intention was not to die and leave my son helpless, or maybe because it was not


    my time to perish, I did not die like her. I hit the sprinklers hard and full. Nevertheless, I survived. As the


    days passed, I began to experience constant headaches and memory loss.


    ¡°I can¡¯t see anything, David, just shadows. What does this mean? Am I going to stay like this?¡± I ask,


    on the verge of losing my mind.


    How long ago was the surgery?


    Myst thought, at least the one I remember, was Dante. His first smile, his dark hair, his blue eyes,


    and his bright gaze. He would look at me lovingly when I approached him as if I was the best person in


    the world¡ªhis innocence and unconditional love without asking for anything in return.


    ¡°You just regained consciousness. I¡¯m going to monitor you for the first twenty-four hours. After that,


    we¡¯ll see how you evolve...¡±


    ¡°Tell me what the hell is going on. Is this part of the process? Of recovery? Or have I lost my sight for


    good? You better be honest with me. Don¡¯t be redundant. I don¡¯t need your concern.¡±


    ¡°Dar¨ªo, I think you need to calm down.¡± My brother stands next to me and squeezes my right shoulder


    gently.


    ¡°It¡¯s not you who doesn¡¯t see anything! I have a son! How am I supposed to watch him grow up? How


    am I supposed to hold him before he falls to the ground when he trips over his feet? How am I


    supposed to be in every moment of his life?¡±


    ¡°Dar¨ªo, this was part of the risks I told you about before scheduling an appointment for surgery. I


    warned you that something like this could happen. The good thing is that, for the moment, it seems that


    the atrophied nerve is repaired...¡±


    ¡°So what? Am I supposed to feel good about that? That¡¯s supposed to reassure me? That¡¯s supposed


    to give mefort? That¡¯s bullshit! Bullshit! Fucking bullshit!¡± I yell, venting.


    This is beyond me.


    My hands are shaking. I¡¯m sure that, had I been able to see David, my fist would have already been


    stamped on his face.


    ¡°David, I think you¡¯d better back off. Leave us alone for a while. I know my brother needs his rest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in an hour,¡± the aforementioned replies before I hear the sound of the door closing.


    I¡¯m screwed.


    I have gone blind.


    After so much, after everything I¡¯ve done to be constant and present in Dante¡¯s life, I¡¯ve failed.


    The image of Tatiana pops into my head, her brown eyes bright, her mouth dangerous and so tempting.


    I just got married, and I already represent a burden to my wife.


    ¡°Don¡¯t torture yourself for no reason, Dar¨ªo. I know that face. I¡¯ve known it since we were boys and had


    tests. Everything will be fine. Don¡¯t despair, and don¡¯t be anxious.¡±


    ¡°How can I not get anxious if I¡¯m a damn blind man?!¡±


    No way.


    Instead of helping my son, my wife, my family... I screwed up, and big time.

 Chapter 22 Return to the castle

    Chapter 22 Return to the castle


    A weekter...


    ¡°Careful. Step, another one. We¡¯re almost to the entrance.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, please!¡± I snap at Dawson.


    I¡¯m annoyed and unhappy with life.


    It¡¯s been a week since the surgery, and I still haven¡¯t recovered my vision. Expectations for doing so


    were between 20 and 30%. The odds of staying this way forever were even higher than the odds of


    fixing it.


    Why didn¡¯t this happen to a murderer? To a criminal? To a corrupt person? Why, as clich¨¦ as it sounds,


    do bad things happen to good people?


    While it is true that I have not been a saint, I do not deserve a wreath of flowers, and I do not deserve


    the Nobel Peace Prize. However, I find it ridiculous, absurd, and even cruel that I, who have not


    intentionally caused harm to any person in my twenty-seven years of age, should be the one to receive


    this disgrace. Because it is what it is! My brain can¡¯t help but think of how many people inhabit this


    world who are more deserving of misfortune in their lives than I am.


    ¡°You¡¯re blind. You¡¯re not a fucking idiot. If I tell you there¡¯s a step, you lift your foot. One after another,


    and you walk. Nothing else. You limit yourself to that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t fuck with me, Dawson. I¡¯m not in the mood,¡± I grumble.


    I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s talking to me that way, even though that¡¯s what I need right now.


    When I don¡¯t realize it, my brother knows what I need in my life. Now all I need is someone who won¡¯t


    let me fall, who won¡¯t let this ruin me, because I know for a fact that I can almost put my hands in the


    fire for it. I know I¡¯m on the verge of a breakdown, and acknowledging it doesn¡¯t bother me, it doesn¡¯t


    hurt, it doesn¡¯t tear a piece out of my body. I know depression firsthand; I lived it and felt it. She¡¯s been


    a part of me since Arianna decided to leave my son¡¯s and my side.


    ¡°I¡¯m not either. I intended to be well away from here by this date.¡± He points me to another step.


    Who¡¯s the hell idea was it to put so many goddamn steps in the entryway?! Ah, yes, it was mine. What


    an idiot!


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to stay.¡± Then, bored and tired of being led by the hand to my own house, I grudgingly


    reply. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to dy your ns or stay the whole week at the clinic. You could have left. I


    know you intend to marry that youngdy.¡±


    ¡°Two things, the first; you don¡¯t have to ask me to stay, it¡¯s implied and very much mine. You are my


    brother. The truth is that at this instant, I have no other ce I want to be. No matter how I talk to you,


    how I treat you now... I know you are a tough nut to crack. You¡¯re a tough guy, much tougher than me.


    You have kept your cool and your life intact since Arianna¡¯s sudden and selfish death. I admire you and


    always will.¡±


    I¡¯m about to burst into tears like a fucking pussy. This man I¡¯ve alwaysbeled as crazy-headed and


    carefree has hit the nail right on the head. I can¡¯t let myself be ruined. My son and my sanity depend on


    it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of everything in thepany and our overseas business. So you won¡¯t have to worry


    about a thing,¡± he asserts as he squeezes my shoulder. ¡°Strive to recover and get through this. I¡¯m sure


    you¡¯ll regain your vision before long.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Dawson,¡± I say with a lump in my throat. ¡°I appreciate everything you¡¯ve done for me these


    past few days. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d count on you... not after what happened.¡±


    ¡°No woman or bad decision will make you run away from me. I¡¯m the real thorn in your ass.¡± We stop,


    and he releases me. ¡°Here we are.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the second thing?¡± he didn¡¯t finish telling me.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You said you¡¯d tell me two things. First, the one who just got out of head surgery was me.¡±


    ¡°I love her,¡± he answers matter-of-factly. ¡°I know you may not believe me, that you may think it¡¯s early,


    that I don¡¯t know her... You may have a thousand notions about Teresa and me, but the truth is that I


    haven¡¯t stopped thinking about her since I met her.¡±


    ¡°Oh, boy, what have you done?¡± Donate¡¯s voice makes me turn my head, even though my eyes see


    all ck.


    I feel at home knowing that the only thing left of my childhood, of my whole life, is still there and waiting


    for me. It¡¯s beautiful.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I receive a warm hug I haven¡¯t felt in months.


    Dante¡¯s age.


    Since Arianna¡¯s death, I shut myself away into raising and caring for Dante. I also closed the door of


    my heart and my feelings to everyone around me. I realize now how much I missed feeling cared for by


    that petite woman.


    ¡°Don¡¯t start crying.¡± Even though she can¡¯t see me because she has her face tucked into my chest, I


    smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m not crying. You just scared me to death. I haven¡¯t stopped praying since Dawson called, saying you


    were going into surgery. I was praying for everything to go well.¡± He pulls away from my arms.


    I asked Dawson not to tell anyone about my current condition. I don¡¯t want anyone¡¯s grief. It¡¯s


    unnecessary. But that won¡¯t bring back my vision.


    I am wearing a long-sleeved indigo blue shirt, which I have put on by force. My body still feels strangely


    heavy, and the headaches haven¡¯t stopped. David told Dawson and me that it was normal to get them


    for the first few weeks. Dark sses cover my face, and I know that¡¯s why Donate hasn¡¯t noticed my


    blindness.


    ¡°Pleasee in. What are you doing standing there? Mrs. Tatiana is on the balcony with little Dante.


    We were really expecting you tomorrow.¡±


    My body stiffens as I hear that, and memories of Arianna suddenlye to my mind.


    ¡°Arianna!¡± I scream as I see her storming out of the room after being inbor for hours. ¡°What are you


    doing? Get back here!¡±


    She kept running, and I couldn¡¯t help but follow her. She was wearing a white dress with thin, delicate


    sleeves, just like her. It came down to her feet, hid her heels, and let her silhouette show a little, for it


    was semi-transparent, like almost everything she wore. She wanted to give birth in the castle and


    refused to go to the hospital. She did not want to be seen in any medical facility. No one knew during


    her nine months that she was pregnant. I don¡¯t know how I didn¡¯t realize at the time that something was


    wrong with her, with us, and with our rtionship. Arianna did not lose her slender figure with Dante¡¯s


    pregnancy, although sheined about the pounds she was gaining.


    ¡°Dar¨ªo?¡± Dawson grabs my hand and urges me to walk to move from the driveway.


    Our driver waits with the suitcases at the foot of the car. He hasn¡¯t moved. Dawson takes it upon


    himself to carry me and instruct me when to climb each step. I thank him silently. It is enough that my


    brother takes me by the hand as if I were an invalid, though my cruel brain, cracked and aching,


    repeats to me that that is what I am now: an invalid.


    ¡°You arrived!¡± I hear my wife say.


    My world crumbles at her angelic voice. I will no longer be able to hide my facade of normalcy.


    ¡°Hello, Tatiana,¡± I greet and standstill since I don¡¯t know where to focus.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± she exims.


    Without being able to avoid it or notice the movement because of my blindness... Ssh! I feel her


    hand stamp on my face.


    ¡°God!¡± On instinct, I fumble at the bruised area.


    ¡°God, nothing. You¡¯re an idiot. You went in for surgery!¡± she rants, upset.


    ¡°I think I¡¯d better take Dante, Mrs. Tatiana,¡± Donate interjects.


    I hate myself for not being able to see my son, his cheeks flushed and his eyes bright.


    ¡°Yes, take him away, please. And you...¡± I wait for more trouble, ¡°follow me to the studio. We have a lot


    to talk about.¡±


    ¡°Sister-inw...¡± Dawson trails off, and I know he¡¯s trying to soothe the beast my wife has be.


    My dragonfly.


    ¡°Stay out of it. It doesn¡¯t concern you. This is between my inconsiderate husband and me. You are not


    in the best position with me. So stick to staying away from me.¡±


    ¡°Well, unless you take him by the hand, he won¡¯t be able to follow you to the studio,¡± he ironizes.


    I feel like punching him. She acts this way because she doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with me. I


    understand, and I¡¯m sorry. She doesn¡¯t have that kind of malice and maniption in her heart. It only


    took me a few days to realize that.


    ¡°Dawson...¡±


    ¡°What? At some point, you have to tell her and better sooner thanter.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Tatiana has no idea what has happened to me.


    That¡¯s what I was trying to avoid from the clinic.


    I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s thinking. It stands to reason that, upon arrival, both she and Donate, were


    going to find out about myck of vision.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m blind. I can¡¯t see you... I can¡¯t see anything.¡± I feel like that¡¯s the hardest thing I¡¯ve ever uttered in


    my life.

 Chapter 23 Blind News - PART THREE

    Chapter 23 Blind News - PART THREE


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    I almost want to smash my face against the wall, hit it again and again until my neurons start working


    again. I stare at Dar¨ªo. I can¡¯t believe that he is actually blind, that after trying to regain what he lost


    with the death of histe wife, he is now left in that state for the rest of his life.


    My heart and mind cannot believe it.


    I cannot give it up so easily.


    He cannot give up. I have seen and heard so many miracles. For example, being cured of cancer, a


    fatal disease. Or diseases like HIV have twenty or thirty years of a healthy life without setbacks through


    care. Losing your vision is not the same. I know it is not, but it is impossible for me not to consider


    every option that manifests in my head.


    ¡°I think you know the answer to that question very well.¡± He focuses his eyes on me, but I know he


    can¡¯t see me. I understand.


    I have been unable to move or peel myself away from the hard wood of the bedroom door. His arrival


    has made my heart beat fast, and memories that have haunted me since the night we spent together


    have returned.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, really. I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t mean to offend you...¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± he interrupts me, ¡°and you never will. I know you don¡¯t want to offend me, and this


    situation, I assure you, Tatiana, is something I could never have considered as the beginning of our


    marriage.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°Our marriage has never been like ordinary ones,¡± I gasp without measuring my words.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. I tried every way to give you a wedding, a ceremony, and a lunch with your family. I


    tried to make you feel at home when you came here to the castle. I made you...¡±


    ¡°I know everything you did.¡± I approach him, unsure, and ce my hands on his shoulders. He tenses


    instantly but gradually rxes. When I see that my hands are no longer a bother or an agony, I give


    myself the chance to continue. ¡°I know what you did from the first moment, and I understand. I¡¯ll be


    completely honest with you: I don¡¯t understand why even at this point you¡¯re still saying that you and


    I...¡± I stop abruptly.


    I don¡¯t think this is the time to tell him what I think of our marriage, of our unconventional alliance. He


    could have tried to give me a lovely ceremony and make me feel that the castle was my new home, but


    the truth is that his emotional remoteness and his barrier of coldness have by all means prevented me


    from getting close to him. It has prevented us from carrying out this alliance in a satisfactory way for


    both of us, even when inside me, my heart beats so fast to have him close and when my hands tingle


    with desire to caress his skin like that night at theke. Had I known that our rtionship could be so


    simple without marriage, I would have stayed that way, as the woman at theke, the one who brought


    smiles to his face and could strike up a conversation with him without being looked at as if she were a


    horrible person, aplete nuisance.


    ¡°You left and didn¡¯t tell me the truth; you told me you were going away on business. So I had to find out


    from Donate.¡± Listening to her talk on the phone by mistake, I felt so inferior and minimized to infinity.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have the confidence, just like when you saw me with my sister¡¯s letter before you left. You


    said the trust was important, but you don¡¯t keep your word. You only employ it for your own benefit.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how much I regret making this decision and even more to hear you say that. Trust


    applies to both parties.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a fucking contract! It¡¯s a marriage!¡± I shriek so close to him. I find it embarrassing. I continue,


    however, as I¡¯ve been having this pain in my chest for days now that almost keeps me from breathing.


    ¡°You say you don¡¯t want to get over your... Arianna.¡± Donate mentioned the deceased¡¯s name to me


    days ago. ¡°I understand. I don¡¯t want to take her ce. However, the least I deserve from you is


    respect and trust. For example, for you to tell me something as important as the fact that you¡¯re going


    to have surgery on your brain, it¡¯s not to trim your hair!¡±


    ¡°I know I did it wrong,¡± he acknowledges. At least he has the courtesy to lower his head and almost


    blush.


    ¡°You should have told me,¡± I sigh sadly. ¡°You should have told me at the exact moment you decided to


    do the surgery.¡±


    ¡°You and I, Tatiana, we don¡¯t have that closeness and that trust. I¡¯ve known you for a few days. I


    couldn¡¯t... I couldn¡¯t tell you that I was going to undergo that surgery.¡±


    His words stab into me like a sharp dagger. I feel my heart bleed inside, and my eyes let the tears


    escape. It¡¯s a horrible feeling, and it¡¯s a half-truth what he blurted out because in my gut, I do trust him,


    and I do believe he¡¯s a good man. It¡¯s just that life has mistreated him in an irrational and imusible


    way.


    ¡°On the other hand, you could have gone away and left me in full care of your son, the most precious


    thing a person can have, and you left him to me.¡± It¡¯s silly, his earlier excuse. Not knowing me, not


    trusting me. ¡°But of course, we don¡¯t have that kind of trust.¡±


    I walk away and feel like maybe I¡¯ve been a little cruel. But, right now, that man in front of me, staring


    nkly, still looking straight at me, shoulders slumped, and mind dislocated, deserves to be cared for


    and understood, to receive positivity and good care. Support from his family. Support from me.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the same, and you know it.¡± He reaches into his pants pocket; it¡¯s a gesture he makes


    repeatedly. I wonder if he¡¯s resisting touching me or if he¡¯s trying to stop any kind of touching or rubbing


    with me.


    However, his kisses before he went to the city for surgery told me something else. They gave me to


    understand that he really wants me. Although his mind wants to avoid it, his heart feels something for


    me. That gives me sad and false hopes in a world where I have not asked to be offered a marriage with


    a stranger who turned out to be someone important to me.


    Why false? Because I know that he loved histe wife, the mother of his child. He told me so himself:


    he¡¯s still not over her, and he¡¯s not interested in getting her out of his heart either. I don¡¯t know how I


    can live with that.


    ¡°No, Dar¨ªo, it¡¯s not like that. I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t understand what you want me to know. For me, for


    Tatiana, it doesn¡¯t make sense that you don¡¯t trust me as a wife, as a person, and not enough to tell me


    that you have a high probability of dying in surgery, but that you trust me with the care of your son for


    more than a week.¡±


    ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t be alone. I left you with Donate. She knows Dante perhaps more than I do. She


    is a woman. She¡¯s the one who took care of us as children when we were little. I knew you¡¯d be fine


    with her.¡±


    ¡°What if something happened to you? Did you even think about that?¡±


    My hands are nervous, ufortable. I feel like grabbing him by the cor of his shirt and shaking him


    until he understands what I mean until he understands how false and empty his words sound. His logic


    is not at all understandable.


    How could he have made love to me and say he still doesn¡¯t trust me? What kind of world is it that I


    came to live in? One where people can have unbridled sex and the next daypletely ignore each


    other?


    This is not what I wanted to be when I was someone¡¯s wife. It¡¯s not what I wished and dreamed of


    having.


    This is what I meant when I told Teresa the day before I got married that I didn¡¯t want to marry Dar¨ªo. I


    remember me with my baggage, eager to get away, preparing to go far away, while thinking that I could


    have a future with Lucian.


    Now I realize how deluded I was. This is what she, my sister, concluded when she told me that not


    everything in life was made of roses. She has more of a head for these things than I do. She knows


    more about rtionships, more about life. Her advice is now starting to make sense. Just because I


    slept with Dar¨ªo doesn¡¯t mean he trusts me. Even when I gave him my virginity, I gave myself to him,


    body and soul, one night in front of theke, with the stars as witnesses. He promised me infinity and


    beyond.


    ¡°I wanted to stay positive and think I was going toe out ahead.¡± He rolls his shoulders up,


    unconcerned.


    ¡°Good for you!¡± I roar.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like that, don¡¯t! I don¡¯t need this right now. I¡¯m... I¡¯m not good with words and with... feelings.¡±


    He runs his hand through his hair. Then, exasperated, he runs them down his face and shakes them,


    frantic. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to apologize anymore, and I don¡¯t know what to say to you, so you don¡¯t


    make this bigger than it is. I¡¯m here, at home. This should be enough.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not,¡± I admit out loud. It¡¯s more for me than it is for Dar¨ªo. ¡°It¡¯s not enough. It¡¯s not enough for


    me.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean, Tatiana? What do you mean by that?¡± He steps closer.


    I don¡¯t know how he does it, but he stands in front of me and fumbles for my hands. I stand still, not


    knowing if I should leave before I fall into his silky, cheating voice, in that tone that only lets me recreate


    forbidden moments, where we were not two strangers, but a woman and a man destined to meet under


    the gaze of the moon.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°And who does? Tell me who knows so I can ask them. Dawson, perhaps? Your sister? Should I ask


    Donate? Or would you rather...?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡±


    Iunch myself and kiss him with the intention of making him as ufortable as he makes me, but as


    our lips touch, a caress creeps up my face. His hands grip my jaw, and his mouth takes control of the


    lingering caresses.


    He takes absolute control.

 Chapter 24 Desire

    Chapter 24 Desire


    His hands caress my body. They run slowly up my waist and back. They run over my abdomen and my


    breasts. I feel him everywhere, and I like that. It fascinates me. Combined with the memories of the


    night before our wedding and this moment, plus the longing I had to see him and know that he came


    out of the surgery well, the desire I feel is voracious. I need to possess him. I need to feel him


    everywhere, to feel that I am his and he is mine.


    ¡°Easy,¡± he whispers.


    Without knowing how and why, I gently push him to the edge of the bed, still with our mouths entwined


    and our lips in a dramatic story of unbridled pleasure. We end up lying with our arms and legs


    entwined. He starts to take off my dress without delicacy. I don¡¯t care what happens and throw it on the


    floor. I undo the buttons covering Dar¨ªo¡¯s slightly hairy chest. I am anxious; my hands shake as I hold


    him for a couple of seconds.


    He sighs against my lips.


    ¡°No hurry, my beautiful dragonfly. No hurry. I¡¯ve waited too long for this moment,¡± he murmurs


    melodiously next to my mouth.


    I almost think I melt.


    ¡°I want you,¡± I confess in a voice I almost don¡¯t recognize as my own.


    I¡¯m eager to feel him inside me.


    How perverse I have be!


    I never felt this unbearable rush with Lucian, this out-of-control carnal desire, the trembling in my


    hands, and how thirsty my lips are. The only thing that can quench this thirst so earthly, so perverse, is


    Dar¨ªo¡¯s own mouth. He runs his lips across my cheeks, palpating them as if for the first time.


    ¡°I want you too. I did it from day one. I¡¯ve wanted you, and I¡¯ve tried to control myself.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do it anymore.¡± I take courage and kiss him again. In the meantime, I finish taking off his shirt


    and throw it somewhere in the room.


    He returns each kiss and increases the strength of his grip. The way he bites my lower lip makes me


    lose control. I climb on his hips and ride him like he¡¯s my steed.


    ¡°You¡¯re a fierce one. You got me...¡± He closes his mouth and purses his lips as he feels me rub against


    his member. ¡°Oh, God...! If you keep doing that, I won¡¯t be able to do everything I want to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m yours, your wife, and you can do whatever you want to me inside our bedroom.¡±


    ¡°Whenever you want,¡± he adds with a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m always going to want you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that.¡± His voice breaks, but he clears his throat and continues. ¡°I¡¯m not going to


    ruin this moment I¡¯ve dreamed of so much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to forget about it,¡± I tell him, so he knows I¡¯ve understood.


    I know where his mind is going.


    I know what he¡¯s referring to.


    And he¡¯s wrong.


    My interest in Dar¨ªo does not lie in whether he can see me or not, because the instant I realized that


    this man could love me as no one ever had, nor I believe ever will, he gave me unmeasured pleasure,


    surrender in body and soul. I was with that stranger under the simple moonlight, inplete darkness,


    with only the stars illuminating our bodies. Even so, without being able to see his face, I knew I could


    trust him, that I could spend my life by his side. My heart cried out to me. Knowing that he would be my


    husband, I could not contain my happiness. However, I realized that there are too many secrets that


    surround Dar¨ªo, to the point of him being blind now without knowing the exact reason.


    ¡°Later.¡± He reaches for my lips again.


    I move closer to his face to make it easier for our mouths to meet.


    I¡¯m left with nothing but my panties and bra, which, without much work, Dar¨ªo removes and drops it to


    the floor.


    ¡°Desperate?¡±


    ¡°Distressed, eager to have you, to possess you for the first time...¡±


    I stand still, pull away from his lips and look at him, confused.


    First time? Doesn¡¯t he remember that we already had a first time? Doesn¡¯t he know that I was the


    woman he made love to on the shores of Lake Di Tenno?


    ¡°Dar¨ªo...¡±


    ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong? Why are you walking away like that, beautiful?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not our first time,¡± I blurt out after a few long seconds. I try to stay on my feet.


    In a way, he knows I¡¯m that young girl who gave him her virginity.


    I gave him my virginity, my body! He even took my heart that very night!


    What if fate puts you with the same person twice in your life?


    That happened to me, and it turns out he doesn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Do you think I wouldn¡¯t remember doing it? On our wedding night, you came up to the room, and we


    did absolutely nothing. Our union was not consummated. I don¡¯t understand you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just...¡± I don¡¯t even know how to say it. I stare at him; his eyes are watching me even more


    confused than mine must be.


    I¡¯m on his hips. I rub his erect, rock-hard member. My sex radiates an inner warmth I never thought


    possible to have. I feel wet, but my desire is stunned, fried, frozen.


    Does he really not know?


    ¡°How much has your memory been affected? How did this happen to you enough to make you have


    surgery?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the right time to talk about it, Tatiana. You¡¯re naked on me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not naked. I¡¯m wearing panties.¡± I put my hands on my hips, an automatic gesture I make when I¡¯m


    ufortable with something.


    ¡°Get off, please,¡± he asks me after a few eternal seconds without saying half a word.


    ¡°But...¡±


    ¡°Get off, Tatiana.¡± This time his tone is harsher, less yful, and loving, not like a few minutes ago. I


    don¡¯t understand how it¡¯s possible for him to be both versions in one person. He can be loving and


    tender, also cold as an iceberg. That same coldness takes over my body, so I move to leave his body


    and stay on the mattress. I cover my chest with the blue satin sheet to match the entire room. Days


    ago, I did a little remodeling: I removed some things and decorated others under my taste. I don¡¯t care


    about the circumstances under which Dar¨ªo became a widower. I hate myself for the selfish thought,


    but life goes on, and he decided to get married for whatever reason. Now I am in his life, and I must


    mark my space.


    That made me feel better in the first few hours. Then I thought that Dar¨ªo was not ready to let histe


    wife rest in peace, nor to start over. Instead, he tried to love me.


    He rises from the bed. His chest is darker than his body, for he wears tiny hairs as dark as night, coiled


    and delicate, silently inviting me to run my hands over them.


    ¡°You and I haven¡¯t made love. We haven¡¯t had sex. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to and what you want


    to aplish with this. Are you pregnant? Did you get pregnant and decide to marry me? Do you want


    to make me believe that this child you¡¯re expecting is mine?¡±


    I am left with my jaw unhinged as I listen to the string of facies, lies, and contradictions that Dar¨ªo


    spews out of his mouth. Is this man crazy? Doesn¡¯t he listen to what he says?


    ¡°You are insane!¡± I get off the bed and go to him. I drag the poor sheet. ¡°Of course, we made love. You


    were already with me. I¡¯ve been trying to tell you for days! You took my virginity! You were the first man


    I trusted to give my body to!¡±


    ¡°Tatiana, that¡¯s absurd. It¡¯s illogical! So illogical is that you pretend I¡¯m going to believe you. I don¡¯t


    know what you were told in my absence and who told you about my condition, but you¡¯re not going to


    manipte me.¡±


    ¡°Is that what this is about? Do you think I¡¯m manipting you? Who hurt you so much that you would


    doubt your own wife like this?¡± I start to cry and feel his hands around me. ¡°Get away! Get off me! You


    hurt me. You denigrate me. You use me of being a slut, getting pregnant, and manipting you into


    making me your wife. You can¡¯t use me of those atrocities, of being a horrible person and then want


    tofort me.¡±


    ¡°You are not a horrible person.¡± This one, I hear his voice calmer, less out of control. ¡°However, you


    have to believe me when I tell you that you and I have never been together.¡±


    ¡°Then what? Who did I give my virginity to?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t yell like that. Don¡¯t talk so loud.¡±


    ¡°Why? Are you afraid others will hear how absurd your words are? Do you think others think you


    married a whore?¡±


    ¡°Tatiana!¡± He tries to grab me again, but I pull away and walk to the door. I open it and leave him


    standing. He turns at the sound of my footsteps.


    I know he can¡¯t see me. I¡¯ve always heard that when one of the five senses is affected, the others


    intensify their performance.


    ¡°I will leave. You don¡¯t trust me and what happened.¡± My cheeks are pitiful, and my eyes burn from


    trying to control the fall of my tears. ¡°You don¡¯t want me around.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that. I didn¡¯t say I don¡¯t trust you either. But, Tatiana, for God¡¯s sake,e. Get away from


    the door ande,¡± he begs me. I almost feel my feet fly to him. ¡°Come and let¡¯s talk.¡±


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°We have nothing more to talk about on the subject. You say you weren¡¯t with me, and I know you


    were, I know you were, because believe it or not, it was at my twenty-third birthday that I lost my


    virginity, and guess what, it was with you!¡±


    ¡°Tatiana...¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t talk to you or see you, not until you¡¯re ready to listen to me and not judge me like I¡¯m some


    random bitch who sleeps with any idiot and then doesn¡¯t know which one.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it wasn¡¯t me, did you ever stop to think that maybe it was...¡± he runs his hand over his face, ¡°my


    brother?¡±


    ¡°Fuck you!¡± I hiss before walking away and leaving him alone in our bedroom.

 Chapter 25 Stumbling

    Chapter 25 Stumbling


    I run out of the room so fast, I fail to notice someone in the hallway in time, so I end up mming into a


    muscr wall.


    ¡°Hey, sister-inw! Take it easy. Where are you going in that beautiful handmade dress?¡± taunts


    Dawson.


    I pull the fabric up to my chest; I think the sheet covers even part of my throat. I blush from head to toe.


    He¡¯s thest person I would have wanted to meet in the hallway in this shape. I should have thought


    things through before I ran away. It¡¯s all his fault, or at least partly his fault. It¡¯s Dawson¡¯s fault. If he


    didn¡¯t have a twin with whom it was possible to confuse him, Dar¨ªo would have believed me and trusted


    my words, or maybe not.


    I don¡¯t know who could hurt him so much and so badly that, even though the truth is before his eyes, he


    doesn¡¯t believe in it. He does not listen, see or understand. He has shut down and blinded himself, not


    only physically because of his current condition after surgery, but because in his mind, heart, and soul,


    Dar¨ªo no longer trusts anyone but himself.


    I was a fool to believe that I could have a fairy tale happy ending. The man I lost my virginity to, the one


    who made love to me under the moonlight, and the one I loved without even seeing his face, is my own


    husband. I was so happy and so excited. It was a plethoric, almost orgasmic feeling. As I tasted his lips


    under the huge mboy¨¢n tree, he has nted in the garden. I foolishly believed that he reciprocated


    everything I felt for him. And in some ways, I know he does and that he loves me, at least desires me.


    Even if it is his body, he is not immune to me, whether his heart has an anti-love vest.


    What good does it do me to provoke desire in him if I can¡¯t reach his heart? Could it be that I am the


    most foolish and deluded of women?


    Now more than ever, I need Tere! I¡¯m sure she would know what to do.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t cry,¡± Dawsonments, but I¡¯m not crying, or maybe I am.


    I don¡¯t even know what to think about myself anymore.


    I think my sister was right. I haven¡¯t enjoyed my life, and I¡¯ve trusted the wrong person twice. So


    something must be wrong with me.


    I can¡¯t raise my hand to check if I¡¯m crying, but the thin cold touching my cheek tells me I am. Indeed, I


    wail.


    ¡°Get out of my way. I don¡¯t want to see you or him. What¡¯s more, I don¡¯t even know which of the two I


    want to see less anymore.¡± He frowns as he doesn¡¯t understand what I mean. ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. I know


    about you and my sister. You¡¯re a fucking abuser! She¡¯s only twenty!¡±


    ¡°Tatiana...¡±


    ¡°Get off, or I¡¯ll hit you!¡± I growl. My hands feel sweaty, and I clench them tightly; I feel my fingernails


    through the fabric of the sheet. I am hurting myself, but I can¡¯t help the pressure.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you go until you tell me why you¡¯re crying. Did my brother do something to you?


    Did he...¡± he scrutinizes me, ufortable, and a blush appears on his cheeks, ¡°force something?¡±


    ¡°No! Of course not! Dar¨ªo¡¯s not like that,¡± I defend him on automatic. ¡°He¡¯s your brother. How can you


    even think that? You must know him better than anyone else. After all, you can share women.¡±


    I don¡¯t know why I told him that. Nevertheless, anger bubbles up in my body, and my throat gets a little


    more dried by the second. I need to escape and get out of the castle. Likewise, I need to seek refuge


    somewhere else, somewhere far away from the Magghio¡¯s, far away from all this that I was forced to be


    a part of. I knew from the beginning that I did not belong here. I knew things were going to go wrong for


    me. This is not what I deserve, it is not what I need, and it is not what I want. I don¡¯t have to be treated


    like any other, like a person of little credibility, much less do I deserve to be a wife who can¡¯t be trusted.


    Even though I know that Dar¨ªo will need the help of everyone around him right now to recover from the


    situation he is going through, I don¡¯t have the strength to face him right now. The decision is clear: I


    need to leave the castle right now.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how I regret what I did, and I don¡¯t have to apologize to you for what happened with


    Arianna, but I assure you that¡¯s in the past. If my brother decided to marry you, it¡¯s because he¡¯s doing


    his part to get over her.¡±


    I blink once, twice, three times, four times. I pull the fabric tighter against my chest. I don¡¯t understand


    what the hell he¡¯s talking about, what does he mean? What does he mean he shouldn¡¯t apologize to


    me?


    He seems to interpret my look of confusion, reaches over, and grabs my shoulder. I put my chin up to


    let him know not to mess with me and give him a big smack on the right knee. He releases me and


    bends down to rub the bruised spot.


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± I bawl. ¡°You¡¯re all insane!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to help you, help you both. I¡¯ve caused enough pain.¡± He lets out an imprecation and shakes


    his foot. ¡°Shit, woman! I was only trying to help.¡±


    ¡°You grabbed me hard,¡± I excuse myself as I feel the euphoria begin to fade.


    ¡°Never mind. I... I just want you to know... I¡¯ll truly regret my whole life that I slept with Arianna. I don¡¯t


    know what I was thinking. I didn¡¯t mean to hurt my brother. He¡¯s my brother!¡± Dawson runs his hand


    through his hair and closes his eyes.


    I see the pain on his face and begin to understand the situation.


    ¡°You slept with Dar¨ªo¡¯s wife?¡± I question with my throat dry and my pulse racing.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you about to leave with the sheet covering you because he told you his wife slept with me?¡±


    ¡°And what would that have to do with me? It¡¯s both of your problems!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I saw you leave, and you said about sharing women... All I thought was that...¡±


    ¡°That I was leaving because my husband was cheated?¡± Wow, this is worse than a mess. It¡¯s like being


    in the mouth of a wolf; you bump into every fang and hope to find your way out.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what to think anymore.¡±


    ¡°Did you sleep with your brother¡¯s wife?¡± I ask again.


    ¡°I was drunk.¡± Even though he pretends it sounds like a credible excuse, I don¡¯t take it that way.


    Drunkenly you slip your penis into your brother¡¯s wife¡¯s vagina? And she didn¡¯t know it was him? Is that


    why...? That¡¯s the point!


    Now I feel more pain. My heart is fading little by little, piece by piece.


    Dar¨ªopares me to his ex-wife, to histe wife, to the one before me. Hepares me to an


    unfaithful woman because he was whipped and because such a situation hurt his manhood. He thinks I


    am capable of confusing him. I can¡¯t understand how Arianna mistook one brother for the other.


    Spending a few days together, I have noticed that even the tone of voice of both of them is slightly


    different. Dar¨ªo looks at me with sincerity and a little distant, but his eyes give me that confidence that


    assures me that everything is fine. Dawson, on the other hand, is different. He has that vital energy,


    that desire to change, and that carnal desire that he can¡¯t hide under a suit. They¡¯re so different. I feel


    like an idiot for even digging into who I slept with that night at theke and thinking it was Dawson.


    There is no room for doubt that Dar¨ªo is the man I lost my virginity to and married, even if he doesn¡¯t


    want to ept it.


    ¡°Being drunk is no excuse for fucking your brother¡¯s wife.¡± I walk past him, with the sheet being


    dragged and my hands on my chest.


    ¡°But a woman! You can¡¯t go out like that! Where are you going?¡± Dawson calls after me, but I don¡¯t turn


    around.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I¡¯m sick of it.


    I¡¯ve tried, and I can exin it better. But, until Dar¨ªo trusts me, without reservation or parameters, our


    rtionship won¡¯t work.


    ¡°Away from you and your hell!¡±


    ¡°Tatiana! Come back!¡± This time it is Dar¨ªo¡¯s voice that booms throughout the castle.


    I turn and see him beside his brother at the foot of the stairs.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I mutter before opening the door and escaping.

 Chapter 26 Back home

    Chapter 26 Back home


    I arrive at my parents¡¯ house in ten minutes. I didn¡¯t think for a second where to go when the family


    driver asked me for directions. The man was kind enough not to look at my appearance when I got into


    the ck sedan.


    ¡°Daughter, what are you wearing!¡± my mother exims as she opens the front door. ¡°You¡¯re a woman


    married to a respectable man!¡±


    ¡°Forget what I¡¯m wearing. Why don¡¯t you ask me what he did to make mee to the house like this?¡±


    I tell her as I walk in and go straight to my room.


    ¡°Don¡¯t yell at me!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do yell at you!¡± I quickly look for something to wear. It¡¯s gettingte already. I look at the cuckoo


    clock I have hanging above the bookcase where I keep my novels and little ceramic dolls. ¡°I don¡¯t know


    how you can care so much about appearances, Mother. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°Of course it matters. You got married and left here as a youngdy. You are with a man of a higher


    social ss. Therefore, your dress and appearance say a lot about you. Besides, I¡¯m sorry to tell you


    that it influences your husband.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn about my husband!¡± I squeal.


    I finish pulling up my ck tube-style skirt. Likewise, I slip on a baggy white blouse of butterflies and


    red roses.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that you look like a child.¡±


    ¡°Where is Teresa?¡±


    I don¡¯t n to stand around listening to my mother lectured me on how my actions influence society.


    That¡¯s water under the bridge. I know, it¡¯s true, she¡¯s right, but right now, that¡¯s a trifle. I don¡¯t care that


    people see me and Mrs. Merlina at the flea market saw me get out of the sedan covered in a sheet. I¡¯m


    tired of trying to be perfect! It¡¯s exhausting to be someone you¡¯re not. Pretending to please everyone, to


    help and please...no matter if you lose your essence along the way.


    ¡°Your sister went out to buy some things for her trip.¡±


    ¡°Are you okay with her going with that young man?¡±


    ¡°I remind you that he is your brother-inw.¡± My mother stands in the doorframe and analyzes my every


    move. She looks tired. Her dress is wrinkled, which worries me, as Mom always tries to look


    impable.


    ¡°So, you know?¡±


    ¡°Tere is no fool. That girl is wide awake. She got herself a good match. She¡¯ll have a good home and


    economic stability forever. They say those Magghio men only marry once.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you just ept it.¡± It was a big shock for me to know that my younger sister has decided


    to tie the knot with Dawson Magghio. Of course, he can tell me that he is sorry for getting involved with


    Arianna, but after learning that he can betray his own brother, I don¡¯t even want to consider what awaits


    Tere by marrying him.


    I tell my mother the same thing. In the meantime, I tie my hair up in a high bun and put a pair of golden


    rose hairpins in it.


    ¡°Men are like that by nature. Don¡¯t think you¡¯ll have apletely faithful man, for it¡¯s in his blood to


    want to try new meats.¡±


    What an excuse my mother makes.


    She doesn¡¯t let me speak and continues. Finally, she walks over and sits on the edge of the bed.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know because you were very little when it happened, but more than fifteen years ago, your


    father had an affair.¡±


    ¡°Dad cheated on you?¡± I stop looking at myself in the mirror. I walk over, sit next to her and sp her


    hands in mine. ¡°I had no idea.¡±


    ¡°I know you didn¡¯t. I raised you in a bubble and hurt you by making you think the world is perfect. When


    I married your father, I was just a child, a few years younger than Teresa. He was my first man.¡±


    ¡°I knew you married young, but I never got around to calcting the years.¡± Now I realize how airborne


    and lost I was. I understand why my mother thought the best thing that could happen to me was to


    marry someone financially stable: they did the same thing to her.


    ¡°Your father was a well-known young man here. My family had just arrived by boat, and we had no one.


    We didn¡¯t know anybody. I was an only child. Adjusting was difficult.¡± I look at Mom; she is far away.


    Although her body is beside me, I know her mind is far away from reminiscing about those times.


    ¡°You were married by force, by convenience, just as you did with me.¡±


    ¡°Twenty-five years ago, that was not a bad thing. It wasmon and normal between families. Your


    father courted me for a week, the first week we arrived. Dad had no job, no idea how to support Mom


    and me. I was barely out of high school.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Mom!¡± The story repeated itself. I do nothing but feel lousy about how I hated my parents without


    realizing it. It was a vicious cycle for the Mattew family, and I was just another dot going around the


    circle. ¡°When did Dad cheat on you? With whom? Is she from here?¡± I never considered getting into a


    rtionship with a married man.


    I never considered having sex even with Lucian.


    Dar¨ªo was the one who broke my schemes and barriers. Maybe it was the pressure of knowing that I


    would be married the next day to a man whose nickname was the Shady One. That could upset the


    holiest of women. I don¡¯t know if that influenced me to let myself make love and participate in


    something I had never allowed my boyfriend of so many years to do.


    ¡°She¡¯s passed away. She had cancer a few years into their rtionship.¡±


    ¡°Rtionship? Wasn¡¯t it a one-day thing? Did they keep seeing each other?¡±


    ¡°For months.¡± I look at her, surprised, given that she hasn¡¯t lost her cool or sanity at any point. No tears,


    no crying, nothing but grief just dusted off.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mom.¡±


    ¡°These are things that happen. I¡¯m telling you this, Tati because I don¡¯t want to see you unhappy. Nor


    do I want to see you sad and sleeping with any man for a couple of euros. You deserve so much more.


    Your father and I went out of our way to see that you both got the education you deserved.¡±


    ¡°Still, Dad sold me to the highest bidder. To the only bidder. He didn¡¯t think twice when Dar¨ªo came


    offering to pay his debts.¡±


    ¡°You must know something.¡± She contemtes me; her eyes are the same color as mine. She strokes


    my left cheek, something that always made me feel better.


    ¡°No more secrets, please,¡± I ask. I don¡¯t know if my heart can take it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what made youe wrapped in that sheet like your husband tried to abuse you.¡± I get


    ready to interrupt her, but she stops me. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re going to tell me otherwise because that¡¯s


    what you look like, and that¡¯s what people will think. That¡¯s why you should always think about how


    your actions can affect those around you.¡±


    ¡°I just needed to leave.¡±


    ¡°And I understand you. Sometimes you need your space to think, your time alone.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve always been there, and you¡¯ve never run away even though you have two daughters.¡± As much


    as my mother spoke to me loudly and out of turn, she has always been there for us. I don¡¯t remember


    her contradicting my father.


    ¡°We are not all the same. We wives carry an enormous burden and more so if we are only dedicated to


    being mothers and housewives.¡± She stands up, and I do the same. ¡°Dar¨ªo was not the one who came


    to ask for your hand, it was your father who sought his help.¡±


    The coldness reinstalls itself in my heart, sticking like a million needles in acupuncture therapy. I feel


    short of breath and drop my body back onto the bed.


    ¡°As I told you, Tati, I don¡¯t know what made youe here and what made youe back. However, I


    cannot allow you to believe that it was all that poor widower¡¯s fault. If anyone bears full responsibility, it


    is your father because he did the same thing my father did to me. This is not what I want for my


    daughters.¡±


    I hear my sister¡¯s voiceing, and I contemte my mother. I have so many things to say, so many


    words stuck in my throat. An indescribable pain grips my body. I no longer know what to think or


    believe. However, I begin to understand why Teresa wants to leave with Dawson: she saw what I didn¡¯t


    have time to see or understand. In my foolish idea that everything could go well, perfectly, and


    organized as I wished, I did not know that one thing is what the donkey wants and another who makes


    it. My own father sold me. He is used to seeing it and doing it. Dad is almost ten years older than my


    mother. I don¡¯t even want to imagine the pain she suffered being offered to that older man. The


    unhappiness she must have felt, I never noticed. She was so engrossed in being happy. I didn¡¯t notice


    how she was wasting away in a marriage where she had no say.


    ¡°Hello? Anyone here?¡± I ran over to meet Teresa and hugged her tightly.


    I hadn¡¯t seen her for days since I moved into the castle. Thest time we talked was when she told me


    she was marrying Dawson.


    ¡°Tati! What are you doing here?! I¡¯m so happy to see you!¡± she squeals and hops in my arms. ¡°Oh, this


    is the best surprise ever!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to see you too, tadpole!¡± I hold her against my chest briskly. I¡¯d love to keep her small


    forever.


    ¡°Come on, my babies, let¡¯s have some coffee.¡± My mother goes to the kitchen, and we follow in her


    footsteps.


    ¡°What are you doing here? How is Dar¨ªo and his recovery going?¡±


    ¡°Recovery?¡± My mother has no idea about the surgery Dar¨ªo had.


    It¡¯s just that even I didn¡¯t know he was going to have such a thing done. I guess my sister¡¯s


    communication with Dawson is more effective than mine with Dar¨ªo. I proceed to exin. She grabs


    her head and blurts out a mumbled sentence.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. At least he¡¯s alive and at home,¡± I try to reassure her.


    ¡°What are you looking here then?! You¡¯re crazy! Your husband needs you now more than ever.¡±


    I run my hand over my face and throat clear, ufortable. I don¡¯t know if I should tell my mother


    about the situation I¡¯m going through in my marriage. But, I also don¡¯t want to look so inexperienced


    and have her feel that I can¡¯t keep the signed contract because that¡¯s what it was, a contract for them


    and Dar¨ªo, but not for me.


    For me, it became a wonderful escape. Marrying the man I desired and who awakened dormant


    feelings and emotions was beautiful. However, the reality turned out to be different.


    With her ck shirt and short hair with highlights, my sister looks beautiful, a real princess. No dark


    circles under her eyes, no freckles, and no wrinkles from bad times. She is happy. I instantly feel the


    same way.


    Her happiness is mine.


    I owe Dawson an apology. I don¡¯t think judging him lightly was the best thing to do. However, we all


    deserve the vote of confidence.


    ¡°You see...¡±


    I tell them everything: the night before the wedding, theke, the unbridled passion, the desire I had


    never felt, and how Dar¨ªo loved me beyond measure. Then, I tell them what happened the day after


    and when he said he didn¡¯t remember any of it.


    My mother puts the coffee on and almost drops the cup when she hears me say what happened a few


    hours ago.


    ¡°And to top it off, all he tells me is that maybe I got confused, and the one I was with that night was...¡±


    ¡°Dawson.¡± My sister ties up at once.


    ¡°I know it wasn¡¯t him,¡± I reassure her.


    ¡°I know that too. Rx, you don¡¯t have to exin yourself to me. That same night I saw Dawson. After


    you left, he came to see me, and we talked for a while.¡±


    ¡°Where was I all that time?¡± My mother pours our coffee and sits down at the round table with us. She


    watches us without crediting what she hears. ¡°I have been blind in my own house?¡±


    ¡°He stood at my window the whole time and exined about the wedding. That¡¯s when I knew who you


    were going to marry: his brother. I didn¡¯t want to tell you about him right away, because... I don¡¯t know...


    I don¡¯t...¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. All I care about is that you¡¯re happy. That he makes you happy.¡±


    ¡°I am, and I will continue to be. Mom has been very supportive. She agrees; she wants me to go away


    and see the world.¡±


    ¡°I want the best for my daughters and that opportunity I couldn¡¯t choose.¡± She ces her hands on


    ours, and we look at each other with watery eyes.


    It¡¯s an adult moment we never had. We never got that trust from our mother. Now I realize how


    necessary it is.


    ¡°What will you do?¡± my sister asks me after a while.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± And I¡¯m honest. I have no idea what the hell to do.


    Go back? Go back to a house where my husband thinks I slept with his brother? Feel like I¡¯m not


    enough, and he thinks I¡¯m like his dead wife?


    ¡°You will go home, go back to your husband and help him with everything.¡± My mother grabs my chin


    and speaks frankly to me. ¡°You¡¯re going to go to that castle, and you¡¯re going to show him that you¡¯re


    not a toy, that you¡¯re not just anyone. People sometimes don¡¯t see what¡¯s right before their eyes. As a


    woman, intelligent and skillful, you must tear off the blindfold that covers their vision. Assert your right,


    make him understand that you will not leave and not like his ex-wife. Finally, you do give yourself


    respect.¡±


    ¡°And what do I do about hisck of love?¡± I take a sip of my coffee. It¡¯s hot and revives what was cold


    from the pain.


    ¡°He will learn to love you because you are an exceptional woman. Love doesn¡¯t happen overnight, and


    from what you say, at least the flesh is already weak with you. Even if it takes more work, you will


    seed in repairing what his ex destroyed.¡±


    I sigh and feel my lips turn tremulous.


    It¡¯s too much for me. I¡¯ve never felt the need to show someone that I love them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry. That doesn¡¯t solve anything. You suffer, you ruin yourself... and others don¡¯t even notice your


    pain,¡± Tere whispers as she runs her hand across my shoulders, showing me that I have two


    magnificent women by my side.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I tell them with a lump in my throat. ¡°Thank you for listening to me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. We all go through situations that force us to seek second opinions. After all, two


    heads think more than one.¡± My mother smiles and finishes drinking her coffee. ¡°And in this house,


    there are three of us.¡±

 Chapter 27 The Truth

    Chapter 27 The Truth


    Dar¨ªo Magghio


    Hourster, I am still waiting in the dining room for Tatiana¡¯s return. I shooed her away as if she were


    really guilty of some atrocity. My demons of the past made my present vilely affected. Now, feeling the


    house empty and knowing that I was responsible for Tatiana¡¯s departure, I begin to understand that I


    must get used to my new present and stop focusing on the wrong things someone else did to me in the


    past. And that someone is none other than Arianna. Because of her, after so many months since her


    death, I take responsibility for not reaching her in time when she jumped off the balcony. Just thinking


    about it, my body freezes, and I feel raging anger over the months I have learned to control.


    What the hell was this woman thinking? What kind of depression so strong wrapped her up that suicide


    was the only alternative she found to her pain? Did I, unconsciously, mistreat her? Did I judge her so


    harshly as the days went by when she confessed her infidelity to me that she wanted to die? That she


    tried to escape from family life and her own newborn child?


    I don¡¯t understand how it was possible that a mother, minutes after giving birth, could have the fortitude


    or rather the emotional weakness so strong that, regardless of my calls, she would throw herself over


    the cliff without caring that she was leaving her child an orphan, without thinking about the future he


    would have or the circumstances he would suffer growing up without a mother.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to dinner.¡± It¡¯s more of ament than a question. In the meantime, she approaches.


    That woman knows me better than I know myself. She was there every step of the way; it was even her


    idea to dere Arianna¡¯s death a loss when giving birth to Dante. It wasn¡¯t fair to tarnish my son¡¯s


    memory, nor my family¡¯s name, by making it public knowledge that my wife, myte wife, was so fed up


    with me, with the situation she had with me, with her son who had just been born, that she had been so


    lost as to save her and decided to kill herself at thest minute.


    No, I didn¡¯t want that in my son¡¯s life. I don¡¯t want it still, and I will never want it again. My son deserves


    all the happiness in the world... and that is what I intend to give him.


    Even if I am blind now, so blind that I don¡¯t know how I will seed in bestowing him that happiness for


    which I have striven so hard, I will make him happy.


    ¡°I have said things...¡± I run my hand through my slowly growing beard. It itches a little, but it¡¯s more the


    anxiety of not knowing if Tatiana will return.


    The driver told me he took her to her parents¡¯ house. I knew that was the house because he brought us


    to the castle on the wedding day.


    That day I wanted so much to kiss her. Her scent intoxicated me, stunned me. I didn¡¯t know I could feel


    something so strong for a woman I barely knew.


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    ¡°Your mouth is your measure, Dar¨ªo. So you must learn not to do or say the first thing thates into


    your mind.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that...¡± I nce at my cell phone, which I still hold in my hand.


    I can¡¯t see it, but I can feel it. I grip it tightly and think about the conversation with David, who called to


    follow up on my first hours out of the hospital and his care. One thing led to another. Finally, after


    several minutes of chatting, I decided to ask him the question that has tortured my head so much since


    Tatiana left.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s likely. But, as I told you before you had the surgery, there are moments that you can erase


    without realizing it. First some irrelevant details,ter names, phone numbers, lunchtimes, until in the


    end it¡¯s so bad, you forget almost everything, even a whole day.¡±


    ¡°You say I can forget moments. How could that be possible? I don¡¯t forget my son¡¯s smiles, documents


    to be signed, chats with my employees, or conversations with my housekeeper. Yet you say it is still


    possible to forget instant.¡± I didn¡¯t understand anything. It was either one thing or the other.


    ¡°It can be worse when what happens to you is marked in such a strong way that your mind prefers to


    obviate it and cover it up.¡± He was silent for a few seconds, then gave some instructions to a nurse and


    continued, ¡°although you may not understand it that way, your type of amnesia is not only because of


    the atrophied nerve, but you have preferred to forget specifically what triggered your nerve fissure.¡±


    ¡°Arianna¡¯s death.¡± I understood little by little what he was referring to.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, Dar¨ªo, will you let me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± I needed answers. I didn¡¯t care which way they came.


    ¡°Your wife¡¯s death: seeing her throw herself, you jumping behind her to catch her and not making it in


    time, meant not only a blunt force trauma to you as you fell into the garden from a second story, but an


    internal pain that may have affected your mind minutes before hitting a nerve.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to tell me that I lost part of my memory because of trauma? Because I couldn¡¯t save


    Arianna?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a possibility,¡± David said something to the nurse again and apologized before continuing. ¡°The


    brain is aplex thing, and it¡¯s not an organ that can be fixed in one fell swoop. A lot of times, the


    glitches are mental and emotional. You lock yourself in, and you don¡¯t recover. You don¡¯t heal.¡±


    ¡°Likewise, I¡¯ll stay blind.¡±


    I hated reality. I hated having to feel so helpless. I couldn¡¯t call myself unprotected or insufficient


    because none of it sunk in. I believed it, let alone felt it. I was always strong and capable of fending for


    myself without help from others. Although given the circumstances, I had to rely on those around me


    and who I trusted the most, I did not feel that I was a visual invalid.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, and I¡¯ll say it again: your vision loss is temporary. I am very positive. I know that


    soon you will call me and tell me that everything is back to normal.¡±


    ¡°Before you go, tell me onest thing.¡± My chest tightened, and I gasped for air with my mouth, as the


    oxygen did not want to enter my lungs as it should. ¡°Is it possible to forget something that happened


    but believe that the event was the product of a dream?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± David didn¡¯t hesitate for a second. My heart leaped happily inside my chest.


    My dream with Tatiana was not a dream.... it was a reality! The most beautiful reality I had in months,


    maybe more than a year. She was real. The woman of my dreams, the one with brown hair and


    seductive voice, who let me love her on the riverside, was her.


    Tatiana tried to tell me, and I didn¡¯t believe her.


    I said goodbye to David without giving him the reason for my jubtion.


    Now I am here, sitting here waiting for her toe back to be by my side again. I would like her to stay


    with me forever. I need to have a chance to apologize to Tatiana. I offended her too much! How could I


    have been able to believe and tell her that maybe it was with my brother that she was with?


    ¡°I misjudged her,¡± I say after a while.


    Donate sits down next to me on one of the chairs at the dining table. She ces a hand on my


    shoulder, and I feel her warmth sear my skin.


    ¡°Yes, you did. You got married to give your son better welfare. It¡¯s not all about economics. You¡¯re


    running away from your own happiness and judging a poor, innocent woman for sins someone else


    ¡°I know. I know now.¡± And I also know what an idiot I was.


    ¡°You¡¯ve grown up in so few days, though...¡± Donate stops talking.


    I begin to despair because I can¡¯t see what she is thinking. I have always been able to see in others


    what they think long before they utter the words, except with Tatiana. With her, I was so blinded by


    Arianna¡¯s infidelity. I didn¡¯t give myself a chance to see what was before my eyes. So wary of


    bing...


    ¡°It will be good for you to finish the sentence. I have enough to do without seeing you, that I can¡¯t listen


    to you either.¡±


    I don¡¯t want to think about how I feel about Tatiana right now. It¡¯s too soon. It¡¯s too...


    I just can¡¯t.


    Let alone when she¡¯s not here to help me understand this thing that fills my heart.


    ¡°Good evening, Donate. Would you be so kind as to leave me alone with my husband for a while?¡±


    That voice.


    It¡¯s her.


    She¡¯s back.


    I get up immediately. The sound of her voice tells me she¡¯s near, but my feet don¡¯t want to move. They


    don¡¯t cooperate at all. Even if they were to move, my heart has frozen the transit of blood through my


    body.


    She came back.


    She came back to me.


    And this time, I will not lose her, not unless she really wants to leave my side

 Chapter 28 Speaking up and being honest

    Chapter 28 Speaking up and being honest


    Tatiana Magghio


    I see Dar¨ªo standing in front of me. He looks tired. It is incredible how the human body can reflect so


    many feelings in a matter of hours. I wasn¡¯t gone for long, but long enough to be able to understand


    and ept what I have to do. My hands sweat, nervous. I am scared and anxious. The situation I am


    facing is not ideal. His words sank into my brain, driving it crazy, as I listened to each of his


    usations. The only one that got to me was the fact that hepared his ex-wife to me.


    I am not like her and never will be.


    ¡°Tatiana...¡± he calls out to me. I can see he intends to approach.


    I can¡¯t help but feel awful about the way I am right now. I want to hit him. I want him to understand that


    he offended me. With his words, he questioned my honesty and made a dent in my heart.


    ¡°No, you will listen. You will listen to everything I have to say. But, then, if you feel you must tell me


    something, you will.¡±


    ¡°I ept that. You are hurt, and believe me when I tell you that...¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear?¡± I stroll, approach him, and try to control my nerves. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything, don¡¯t say


    anything because I¡¯m weak, because you haven¡¯t given me a chance to know you and get to know me


    yet. You don¡¯t know that when I¡¯m sad or hurt, if you interrupt me, I break down and start crying.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to cry. I don¡¯t mean to hurt you. If you would just listen to me for a second...¡±


    ¡°Sit down.¡± It¡¯s not a request. I position myself behind his chair and put my hands on his shoulders. ¡°I


    got you. Just sit down and listen to me.¡±


    I step out from behind the chair. My footsteps, though slow and precise, echo over the floor. The


    sandals that were not even supposed to sound, with every step, every tap of my heel, of my toes on the


    tile, ng as if they were a drum. Apparently, my heart beat so fast, all the sounds intensified. It was


    the feeling of being haunted, perhaps by my own demons, because I didn¡¯t want him to misinterpret my


    words, or maybe because it depended on whether our rtionship could work. I sit down across from


    him, pull up a chair, and arrange my legs. Our knees almost touch softly. His warmth tickles me.


    Knowing he can¡¯t see me and having knowledge about how destroyed I am by how the special moment


    we were finally going to have after we were married was all ruined by his mistrust.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep with Dawson. I didn¡¯t, and I won¡¯t. I have no other way to tell you and for you to


    understand, nor do I intend to sound innocent or weak. I know I¡¯m not versed in these rtionship


    issues, but I want you to know that I would never betray you.¡± I take a breath. I see that he has his


    hands sped and that his eyes focus on me even though he can¡¯t see me.


    His blindness doesn¡¯t make me ufortable or bother me. I don¡¯t feel sorry for him. I really don¡¯t.


    From what little he let me notice and what others talk about him, I know that he is not a wimp, and he is


    tough. He is brave. The simple fact that he decided to take care of his son after his wife¡¯s death says


    more about him than any resume. He is strong and will have my admiration forever.


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    ¡°You were with me the night before our wedding,¡± I continue, but this time my voice betrays me, and my


    eyes water. Finally, I throat clear to regain control, but in vain. ¡°You called me dragonfly. Your dragonfly.


    You loved me and made love to me. I came virgin to your arms.¡±


    Dar¨ªo purses his lips. For an instant, Ie to believe he¡¯s going to interrupt me to tell me it¡¯s not true,


    but he stays still and doesn¡¯t blink. He is there, in front of me, listening to me without objecting. He


    doesn¡¯t look like the same man who, shirtless, in the middle of the bed, told me I had a sibling mix-up


    that night at theke.


    ¡°It was you. I know it, I feel it, and I feel it when I listen to you. I would never mistake you for Dawson!¡± I


    make as much emphasis as I am capable of and as much as my sentimentality allows. I feel myself on


    the verge of an emotional breakdown. I fear to sob.


    I give myself a few minutes without uttering anything because the lump in my throat won¡¯t let me.


    The house is silent. I chose the wallpaper when I decided to change the decoration of the matrimonial


    room, the one I unconsciously wanted. I arranged it for Dar¨ªo and me.


    I can¡¯t imagine the hell he must have gone through when he found out that his own brother slept with


    his wife. But, I don¡¯t want to judge anyone, especially not at this point in our lives. Yes, our lives.


    Because I don¡¯t intend to walk away. I¡¯m not a weak maiden who runs when she feels the noose


    around her neck.


    Well, says the sarcastic voice in my head.


    I know I¡¯m a coward, but I can¡¯t be one minute longer.


    ¡°When I said I loved you when we met in town, you replied that it was too soon, that we shouldn¡¯t rush.


    I know it may sound false to you, juvenile, but it¡¯s the truth. Without seeing you, without knowing who


    you were, what you were like physically, my heart told me. And you know what?¡±


    He cocks his head slightly, a gesture that makes him look even younger than he is. His age has been


    hidden between beards and dark circles under his eyes, sad and droopy eyes, that hatred and


    resentment with the world. He let himself be ovee by sadness.


    He and Dawson look alike, as they are identical. However, Dawson has that carefree look. That calm


    and serene face. He also has that liveliness and impulsiveness that reminds me so much of my sister


    Teresa. Both brothers are the same age, but Dar¨ªo seems to be years ahead of Dawson, all thanks to


    Arianna¡¯s betrayal and death.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you don¡¯t believe me. What I feel for you is like nothing I¡¯ve ever felt before. When you


    kiss me, and I feel you close, my heart beats so fast my breath catches.¡± I reach over, grab one of his


    hands and ce it on my chest. ¡°Do you feel that? That¡¯s my heart wanting to burst out of my chest just


    having you in front of me. Sad? Pathetic? I don¡¯t give a shit. I¡¯m sick of not throwing myself, of not


    following what my heart wants, of being just another one of the bunch.¡± I remove the hand covering his.


    I can¡¯t help but look at him, distressed and anxious. ¡°Do what you want with that confession. I¡¯m not


    going anywhere... not unless you want me to.¡±


    We stand silently in the same posture: with his hand on my chest and his eyes on me, though he can¡¯t


    see me.


    ¡°When I saw you that night, I thought it was a dream, a figment of my imagination. I drank quite a lot of


    gin that night. I felt so bad about agreeing to let you marry me.¡± His husky voice so soft fills my ears. He


    could be telling me he hated me, and his tone would transport me back to that event on theke in the


    moonlight. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be like the other men in these towns; that sexist retrogrades who think they


    have the power to y and do with women as they wish. Fathers who sell their daughters as if they


    were property or real estate. Husbands who mistreat their wives and use them as an ornament and a


    source of children.¡±


    I feel his caress. His hand slowly moved up and closed with the chair. Now both hands are on my neck.


    I close my eyes and enjoy his longed-forpany. I don¡¯t want it to stop. I don¡¯t want to move away or


    for the magic to break.


    Why must everything be so tricky between couples? Between two people who, however obvious it may


    seem, are attracted to each other?


    ¡°I drank quite a lot of alcohol until I almost didn¡¯t know myself. I ended up atke di Tenno, then I saw


    you. Just your silhouette. You mumbled something, and I loved your voice. You asked who was there


    and I didn¡¯t know what to answer. You had me captivated. You looked like a mirage.¡±


    ¡°But you came closer...¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t help myself. Since Arianna¡¯s death, I never approached any woman. Yet that night, for some


    reason, I felt that we were...¡±


    ¡°Destined,¡± Iplete his sentence, for that is what he told me that night. ¡°We met in the right ce.¡±


    ¡°And at the right time.¡±


    ¡°The next day, you didn¡¯t know anything. You left me in shock. But, then, hearing your voice again, my


    mystery man had a face, and coincidentally he was going to be my husband that very day.¡±


    ¡°I had no idea that my dream was real, that it was all real.¡±


    ¡°It was,¡± I reply, confident.


    ¡°Now I know.¡± He nods and strokes my cheeks with both hands. ¡°David, my surgeon, confirmed that it¡¯s


    possible to have forgotten something like that.¡±


    ¡°Is it possible? Well, we can see it¡¯s possible, but why?¡±


    Dar¨ªo is silent, and for a second, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s going to continue. But, instead, he surprises me


    when he caresses my lower lip with his thumb.


    His warmth is addictive. His presence itself is.


    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want to continue. My mind was closed to the idea of continuing my love life after


    Arianna died,¡± he moves a little closer, and I feel his breath on my lips, ¡°but my heart always knew I


    could love someone else.¡±


    ¡°You...¡±


    ¡°I can love someone else, and I don¡¯t want to forget. I don¡¯t want to forget you. I hate myself for not


    being able to see you right now. I¡¯m sorry, Tatiana, I¡¯m truly sorry. I never meant to hurt you. It¡¯s just that


    there are some things I don¡¯t...¡±


    ¡°I know about Dawson and Arianna.¡± I don¡¯t want him to torture himself by saying it out loud. I know


    anyone feels it¡¯s a shame to be betrayed like that, but I need him to understand it wasn¡¯t his fault. ¡°You


    need to stopcerating your heart and your life with something you couldn¡¯t prevent.¡±


    ¡°How did you find out? How did you know? Only Donate and Dawson know.¡± His brows furrow.


    I don¡¯t want him to get mad at his brother for telling me.


    ¡°The important thing is that I know, and I don¡¯t want you to keep torturing yourself. You have to let go of


    the past, or you¡¯ll lose your future.¡±


    ¡°Wow...¡± he exims with a smile.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what they told me just a while ago, and what do you think?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ready for that.¡±


    I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m hearing. Could it be...? Could it be that I¡¯m finally...?


    ¡°As unbelievable as it may seem, even if I don¡¯t see you, I know everything you¡¯re thinking. Yes,


    Tatiana. That¡¯s what I mean. So I¡¯m ready to dedicate myself to you, to us, and to our family that is just


    beginning.¡±


    ¡°God, you scared me to death!¡± I squeal. I throw myself on him and kiss him on the mouth hard. ¡°I love


    you! I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s soon, and I don¡¯t care if you don¡¯t say it either. I just want you to try it with me.¡±


    ¡°I will, I promise. I can¡¯t promise I¡¯ll say how I feel tomorrow either... I... I just...¡±


    ¡°Easy.¡± I give him one more kiss and feel self-conscious as I hear a few footsteps since I¡¯m almost on


    top of him, my ass in pomp and my arms around his neck. ¡°As long as you tell me you want me in your


    life, that¡¯s good enough for me.¡±


    ¡°I want you in my life,¡± he confirms without a second¡¯s hesitation.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough for me... for now.¡± I smile against his lips, and happiness makes me think he¡¯s going to


    burst out of my chest. ¡°Let¡¯s go upstairs.¡±


    ¡°Upstairs?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time to do what we didn¡¯t do on our wedding night.¡±

 Chapter 29 Make love

    Chapter 29 Make love


    His hands caress my body, and his lips run down my neck to transport my being to a ce where only


    he and I exist. I wanted this as much as I tried to breathe. I want Dar¨ªo. I want him inside me as he


    whispers my name and loves me as he did in theke.


    ¡°You¡¯re beautiful.¡± He kisses one of my breasts; his mouth is like heaven.


    His words are shocking to me, as he can¡¯t see me.


    He sucks and tastes me. He lightly bites my nipple, and my body vibrates, seduced by the wetness of


    his lips.


    ¡°You don¡¯t see me.¡± I smile shyly.


    I am with Dar¨ªo atst, no reservations, no lies in between. We trust each other.


    ¡°Just because I can¡¯t see you now doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t know what you look like, that I don¡¯t feel your


    body and skin next to mine. You are perfect for me. If you let me love you... if my blindness doesn¡¯t...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be here, I told you a while ago. If you want me in your life, I have no intention of leaving you.¡±


    ¡°I want you in my life, Tatiana,¡± he whispers. One of his hands runs down my belly to leave my bristling


    skin in its wake, eager for him to caress me where my pleasure hides.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to drive me insane.¡± I kiss his neck.


    His back has sparse, fine hairs, as fine as bits of sewing thread. His chest has them, too, perhaps in


    less quantity.


    He throws himself at my lips. I don¡¯t know how it¡¯s possible that just having his body next to me makes


    me feel him everywhere. I like it. I love it!


    ¡°Never insane. I¡¯ll make you see stars.¡± His fingers begin to caress my sex.


    My erect, thick clit is raised, hungry and happy from the attention Dar¨ªo¡¯s knowing fingers are giving it.


    ¡°It¡¯s magic,¡± I murmur. I almost don¡¯t recognize my own voice.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything yet, precious. The magic is about toe.¡±


    His voice is like an aphrodisiac. It wraps around me and seduces me.


    I throw my arms around him and pull him tight against me. I part my lips even further apart and gently


    draw his mouth, as well as his tongue in deeper, and the pleasure is even more intense. He moves as I


    would love for him to move inside me. As he kisses me, his fingers intensify the caress on my pussy. I


    melt under the touch of his hands.


    His hands are a transport to paradise, straight to heaven.


    We are naked on the silk of the sheet. The bed feelsfortable and so soft, as do Dar¨ªo¡¯s hands,


    though I can feel the strength hidden in those arms. Nothing covers us. We are just skin against skin.


    We tear off our clothes in a hurry. Because of the strength and desire that ovees us, everything is


    scattered on the floor. We throw each garment away without thinking about where it fell since we were


    too hasty as we entered the room.


    ¡°Keep going, please,¡± I beg as I feel myself getting closer to climax. ¡°Please...¡±


    I don¡¯t know about myself and what I want. The only thing I know for sure is that I want Dar¨ªo. He is the


    one I want, the one I think about.


    The only thing I can conceive of at this moment is savoring every part of his body.


    ¡°Easy.¡± I stir between his hands until I manage to get out from under his body. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I want more of you. I want to taste you.¡± My sex cries out for his touch, but I ignore it.


    I need this to give myselfpletely, caress him, and satiate every part of me that needs him. To


    explore what we couldn¡¯t explore because we didn¡¯t have time. This is the chance for both of us to


    enjoy our alliance.


    ¡°Tatiana,¡± he growls.


    That motivates me. I don¡¯t feel fear. These are strange sensations to me, but I feel apelling need


    to fulfill them, to taste them, to have them. I want to enjoy Dar¨ªo. However, I also long to give him the


    same pleasure that he has given me without qualms or regard.


    ¡°Tonight is about you. Let me please you, my beautiful dragonfly,¡± he asks tenderly, but I don¡¯t give in. A


    fierce beast has awakened, and I have but one purpose for now.


    ¡°Tonight is about the two of us. It is our time. Now it¡¯s your turn to be loved.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re not done...¡±


    I crawl up on all fours and almost climb on top of him. But, instead, I pause to scrutinize his huge, erect,


    blunt-tipped penis that¡¯s a little pink, as well as delicious. It makes my belly throb, and I want to


    possess him.


    I don¡¯t know myself!


    What is this that has awakened in me?


    Iunch myself into an attack as if I were starving, and only eating that rich phallus could soothe my


    ravenous state. I don¡¯t consider for a second asking him for condoms. I don¡¯t want them, not now. I just


    want to feel my husband. I long to start my own family alongside Dante.


    ¡°Ta... Tatia... na...¡±


    His voice trails off as my mouthnds on his penis moistened by pre-seminal fluid. I push it all the way


    in and pull it out again. I watch him from below; his eyes are closed, and his hands clench the sheet on


    either side of his body.


    I get my rhythm. I go up and down, lick and absorb his taste. It¡¯s a pleasure to savor.


    I¡¯ve never done an act like this before, but one thing is clear to me, I like it.


    I like the way his body looks taut and willing at the same time. How his veins show through his arms,


    thick and throbbing. How his penis rises and erges even more.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°I love the taste of you.¡± I taste him for the umpteenth time and suck hard. ¡°You¡¯re delicious.¡±


    I speed up a little more. I gently nibble around his member. I hold him with both hands; I move up and


    down his foreskin to stroke hard with my fingers the throbbing, stiff, robust, and perfect penis.


    ¡°Are you real?¡± I ask in between a grunt and a sigh.


    His half-open mouth seeks oxygen. That gets me passionate and turned on. I put it that way.


    I climb on his hips and slowly drop down on his wet cock. I¡¯m slippery, wet as ever, and that makes it


    easier for his member to enter my small sex.


    ¡°Is this real enough? Can you feel me?¡± Slowly, I begin to move. He brings his hands up to my hips and


    holds them tightly. ¡°I like that,¡± I confess, naughty.


    It¡¯s true. I find myself seized with passion from the force with which he holds me.


    One of his hands moves down to my sex and begins the rapid movement as I speed up my thrusts a


    little more. I ride him, possessed and amazed by the pleasure of the friction of our bodies. We feel at


    ease.


    ¡°Like this!¡± my body no longer dominates him. Instead, my hips swing up and down.


    His hand grips me, his fingers dig into my hip bone and roam over my clitoris as if he knows me. He


    moves over it as if he knows what my pleasure bud likes.


    ¡°Come,¡± he asks.


    I lie on his chest. I seek his lips, and we kiss intensely, without stopping moving to the rhythm of


    pleasure. His penis fills me, fills me. It is designed for my pussy. Completely wet, I allow him to move


    inside me without causing me any harm.


    ¡°Umm...¡± I bite down on his lower lip.


    ¡°Take it easy,¡± he mumbles into my mouth. ¡°Enjoy. I¡¯m yours.¡±


    ¡°And I yours.¡±


    He rises slowly and pulls away from my mouth. I pull away slightly and see him propping himself up on


    his elbows. In one motion, I end up lying down and with Dar¨ªo on top of me: my legs around his hips


    and his hands on either side of my head.


    ¡°Ready?¡±


    Before I can answer him, he moves inside me again and takes hold of my body. He pulls me tighter into


    him to squeeze me. His balls collide with the entrance to my sex, and the sound drives me crazier with


    pleasure. His thrusts are getting louder, more determined. The room is dark, and only the moonlight


    coming through the window illuminates our naked bodies.


    ¡°Dar¨ªo...¡± I gasp. He smiles, I know because his teeth shine a little from the light filtering through the


    blinds. ¡°You¡¯re...¡±


    ¡°Come on, little dragonfly. Let yourself go. Let¡¯s go together.¡± His voice is almost guttural, like a


    caveman possessing his female.


    That thought upends me, turns me on, gives me an intense taste, then I feel my brain go nk. My


    eyelids grow heavy, and I bring my hands up in search of an effective grip.


    He intertwines his hands with mine. Finally, I let go of clinging to my husband.


    I climb to the promised heaven.


    I climax a few secondster.


    His own body vibrates over me. I feel his seed spilling hotly into my sex. My breasts tighten, and my


    belly contracts. Dar¨ªo screams my name, and it triggers overwhelming happiness in my chest, one I


    didn¡¯t know I could possess or attain.


    He is mine. In short, he is.


    And I ampletely and unashamedly his dragonfly.


    His wife.

 Chapter 30 News and answers

    Chapter 30 News and answers


    The days passed without any altercation as if Dar¨ªo and I were suddenly living in a bubble of love,


    understanding, and affection. Weeks went by without even realizing it. We got used to getting up


    together at dawn and making love as if for the first time; we loved each other every moment and


    enjoyed each other¡¯spany. I live in a paradise. I fell in love with my husband without intending or


    looking for it. Then, one day I woke up and could not imagine a life without him by my side. Least of all


    without Dante, that chubby, yful son that life bestowed upon me. He whines orughs for me to carry


    him.


    However, not all is bliss in our paradise. Sometimes Dar¨ªo bes a desperate, frantic, and angry


    man because getting used to the fact that he can no longer see, that he had to depend on us to help


    him at all times, irritates him. Sometimes he forgets about manners, patience, and tolerance. He goes


    so far as to throw in the towel and throw whatever he can get his hands on. He gets angry with himself


    and with life for not being able to see.


    As we sip morning coffee on the balcony, watching the sunrise, with Dante in my arms, I feel


    excruciatingly nauseous. I get up from the rocking chair and hand the baby to Dar¨ªo. We talk about


    Dante, who is nearing his first birthday. We start nning what we want to do to him since a baby¡¯s first


    year is essential. I am captivated and crazy in love with my new family, and who would give anything to


    see them happy, both my little boy and the man I love, keep creating perfect scenarios so that


    everyone will be pleased, happy, and joyful to live under the same roof.


    I start running at full speed and end up in the bathroom, with the toilet¡¯s mouth receiving my every gag.


    After a while, feeling that I have nothing more to expel, I get up from the floor and wash my face with


    plenty of water. Then, I try to refresh the difort that has taken over my body.


    ¡°My love, are you okay?¡± I raise my head and find Dar¨ªo standing in the door frame with Dante in his


    arms, who looks at me curiously without understanding what is going on. ¡°You got up so fast... Are you


    feeling sick? Did you throw up?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, honey.¡± I pour some more water and wash out my mouth to avoid the horrible taste I was left


    with after throwing up.


    ¡°Are you sure? Do you want me to call a doctor? Would you rather we go to the hospital?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I answer quickly. ¡°No, love, don¡¯t fuss with it. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a virus.¡±


    ¡°A virus? You¡¯re not pregnant, are you?¡± he asks, just what I was trying not to think about.


    Yes, there¡¯s a chance I am. To be frank, part of me rejoices at the thought, but the other... the rational,


    logical part of me wonders if this is a good time for something like that. We have just settled our


    differences and are beginning to trust each other. Dar¨ªo has shared his ideas with me, he has told me


    about his finances, he told me how he and Dawson had managed the family business for all these


    years since his parents have not been with them. He said to me about Donate and his childhood.


    We¡¯ve bonded in a way that I feel like a child now could feel like an invasion of our world.


    And I me myself for that. I hate myself for not wanting to think about it, at least not while our marital


    rtionship is barely welded. The iron is still hot and can be bent by any force majeure. I need to feel


    that we are strong, that we are close enough and can handle anything. I want to have a family, and I


    want it with Dar¨ªo, with my husband. However, I don¡¯t know if he wants the same. He already went


    through something traumatic with Arianna¡¯s pregnancy.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, honey,¡± I sound hesitant, and that only causes Dar¨ªo to calcte.


    I know, I can tell by the way his brow furrows further, and slight wrinkles furrow his forehead.


    ¡°Tati...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say it,¡± I interrupt. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t havee with Dante in your arms from the balcony. You


    could have fallen with him.¡± I change the subject and call it a day. I don¡¯t want to talk about it.


    I¡¯m sure it¡¯s just indigestion.


    ¡°I can walk that space without your help or anyone else¡¯s,¡± he mumbles.


    I didn¡¯t want to make him ufortable, but I also can¡¯t let him do that impulsively without thinking he


    might fall or trip over any object or wall. Dar¨ªo has learned to move around the house, mainly on the


    second floor, since there is only a hallway, the bedrooms, and the balcony overlooking the garden, a


    space that he knows perfectly and that this week we have made an effort so that he learns where each


    of the furniture, columns, corners, and corner tables are, to avoid an ident and so that he feels


    comfortable in his home, that he does not feel like an intruder or as useless, words that he used to refer


    to how he felt days ago.


    ¡°Give me Dante.¡± I reach out my hands and ce them on the baby¡¯s back. ¡°I love you. Don¡¯t be a


    grump.¡± I kiss him on the mouth, and his body reacts. He hugs me and squeezes me gently.


    ¡°Today, I long to have you all to myself,¡± he whispers, kissing me again and again.


    ¡°Ummm...¡±


    When he kisses me, I can¡¯t concentrate on anything else. His lips are addictive. His taste is my


    downfall. I¡¯d like to kiss him all day long, give us pleasure and caress every part of our bodies.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t watch yourselves, you¡¯ll end up making a little brother for Dante before you¡¯re two months


    married.¡±


    I slowly pull away from my husband and nce with a smile at Dawson, who is at the foot of the stairs.


    He watches us with amusement.


    ¡°You¡¯re just jealous,¡± Dar¨ªo states with a smile as well.


    I see him happy, and that fills me with joy. He is smiling again. Despite the circumstances and his


    blindness, Dar¨ªo has smiled countless times. ording to Donate, he hadn¡¯t smiled for months.


    Since Arianna died, I can¡¯t help but feel both delighted and proud.


    ¡°Jealous? You¡¯ve left all the work to me. You¡¯d better reinstate yourself quickly so I can have my own


    life.¡±


    ¡°Do you already know when you¡¯re leaving with Teresa?¡± I question. I grab Dar¨ªo¡¯s hand and point out


    each step as I slowly walk down to meet Dawson. I have slowly grown ustomed to his rtionship


    with my sister. I don¡¯t see him as strange or abusive anymore.


    ¡°Brother, may I have your wife for a couple of minutes?¡± he inquires as we face each other.


    I shift Dante from one side of my hip to the other. He begins to get heavy for me and more so now that


    he has started to walk. Slowly, but with a lot of desire to run. It is beautiful to see him grow and to be


    able to take advantage of that opportunity to the fullest. His love is unconditional and without measure.


    That little piece of flesh with eyes and a dark clump of hair loves me and shows it in every hug.


    Dar¨ªo tenses, and I know I must respond quickly. I want to avoid misunderstandings at all costs.


    ¡°What do you want with Tatiana? Why can¡¯t you say it here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something to do with her sister,¡± Dawson replies, watching me with a frown and his arms crossed


    over his broad chest, just like Dar¨ªo¡¯s.


    ¡°Whatever you want to tell me, you can tell me here with Dar¨ªo. We have no secrets,¡± Imunicate.


    I ce my free hand on Dar¨ªo¡¯s arm so he knows I¡¯m not hiding anything.


    Even though the past is somewhat settled, I know that the situation with both brothers is a bit difficult. I


    understand that because I¡¯m his wife and we¡¯ve only known each other for a few weeks, it¡¯s pretty


    complicated. I know that for Dar¨ªo, with his loss of vision and his insecurity in our rtionship, must not


    be easy for him to hear Dawson want to talk to me privately.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°As you wish.¡± He rolls his shoulders up, unconcerned.


    ¡°Who the hell is Lucian? Why is he harassing Teresa?¡± snaps Dawson.

 Chapter 31 Explanations about Lucian

    Chapter 31 Exnations about Lucian


    It is clear that I owe an exnation and not only to Dar¨ªo but also to my brother-inw, who has burst


    the bubble of happiness without realizing it. Dar¨ªo ces a hand on my shoulder and squeezes me


    gently. He is confused, and I understand. Couples have the time to share the names of their exes, as


    well as the events that set a precedent and the reason they broke up. In this case, the reason I was


    going to break up with Lucian was that I was being forced to marry Dar¨ªo, although Iter realized that


    he was nothing more than a fucking bastard who didn¡¯t even deserve a greeting. However, I didn¡¯t


    bother to tell Dar¨ªo about him. Maybe I wanted to forget all about my time with that man, knowing I had


    been cheated on and understanding that Lucian didn¡¯t deserve to belong in my past, not after he had


    ruined my life and Teresa¡¯s life. By hurting her, he hurt me in the same way.


    I watch him and try to figure out if he¡¯s angry or just upset. He furrows his brows and waits for my


    response, one that almost urges me to vomit again.


    ¡°Lucian was my boyfriend,¡± I reply.


    I have no idea how I¡¯m going to exin the situation to Dar¨ªo, let alone Dawson. I shudder to consider


    the reaction Dar¨ªo is going to have upon hearing me.


    ¡°And what does he want with your sister?¡± my husband asks, confused. Just the obvious. ¡°Does he


    want to see you? Didn¡¯t you exin to him that you were getting married?¡±


    ¡°You have to admit that our wedding wasn¡¯t especially nned ahead of time, love.¡± What an excuse I


    make.


    I set out to walk up to the balcony. I begin to feel the cramped space. I focus on Dar¨ªo to distract


    myself; he has a long-sleeved wine-red nnel that settles his half-tan color a bit.


    The heater is working perfectly, so the temperature inside the house isfortable. Even so, I feel


    terribly hot. My hands sweat, and the back of my neck itches irrationally.


    ¡°Is that why it is? Because of the rushed wedding? That manes looking for you a month after you


    split up?¡± This time it¡¯s Dawson speaking.


    As the weeks have gone by, I¡¯ve learned to tell them apart inside out. The smallest detail makes me


    realize who is Dar¨ªo and who is Dawson. Even more so after learning that Dawson has more golden


    hair than Dar¨ªo. It seems my brother-inw has spent considerable time in the seaside part of the


    country.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± inquires Dar¨ªo when he senses me walking away.


    ¡°I think we¡¯d better sit on the balcony. I could use some air.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? Let¡¯s go to the clinic and confirm it¡¯s just a cold, honey.¡±


    He¡¯s worried about my health. So I try to get us all seated by the time I tell them about Lucian.


    Why on earth wouldn¡¯t Teresa have told Dawson about Lucian? Why not trust him for what that fucker


    did to her? They¡¯re getting married, and she hasn¡¯t had the gentleness to tell him, to trust him enough


    to let him know that someone tried to take advantage of her, her innocence, and her body.


    ¡°Dawson,¡± I turn to my brother-inw, for I truly understand that it is not my ce to speak to him on the


    subject, ¡°I think it¡¯s better if you take it up directly with Teresa.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit, I¡¯m sick of this mess!¡± he explodes.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    I shudder from head to toe.


    ¡°Dawson!¡± it¡¯s Donate, ¡°you¡¯d better calm down! You¡¯ll scare the kid.¡± She reaches over and scoops


    him up in her arms.


    I smile at her gentleness and kindness. I got a friend, a housemate, who advises me as if she were my


    own mother and mainly because she bets on my rtionship with Dar¨ªo. She believes we can survive


    ande out undefeated from how we started our marriage.


    ¡°Thank you, Dona,¡± I thank her. I grab Dar¨ªo¡¯s hand to walk up the stairs again. In the meantime, she


    leaves with Dante. It¡¯s a relief to take the boy away from what I know will be a disaster.


    Two strong and determined men will not take well to the fact that Lucian tried to abuse my sister, more


    so now when Dar¨ªo explodes at any unfavorable situation. The first few days were difficult for him. His


    anger even caused me to cry from helplessness for not being able to help him feel satisfied even with


    the fact that he came out of the surgery well. Now he can be in his son¡¯s life with me by his side.


    ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± he cried one day when he stumbled as he left the room. ¡°I¡¯m going to go crazy.¡±


    ¡°Love...¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t go through with this. I can¡¯t be a good father if I can¡¯t see where I¡¯m going if I can¡¯t watch my


    son take his first steps. How am I supposed to take him to the park to ride his tricycle?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to work it out, honey. You¡¯ll see. This is all temporary. David says...¡±


    ¡°David has no idea what¡¯s wrong with me! Don¡¯t you see? Don¡¯t you get it? I¡¯m fucking blind!¡±


    That¡¯s when I knew, for the first time, that he was going to need the help of everyone he knew who


    cared about him. That¡¯s why I secretly asked Dawson to help me and not to go far away. I didn¡¯t know


    who else to turn to.


    Who better than his twin, a man just as strong and intense, to help him?


    ¡°You already went to Teresa¡¯s, didn¡¯t you?¡± I tie the ends together quickly.


    His reaction makes me think about how it must have affected my little sister, the light of my eyes.


    ¡°She won¡¯t talk. What¡¯s more, she mmed the door in my face.¡± He¡¯s ted and beside himself. I¡¯ve


    never seen Dawson so out of control. He always looks carefree and detached from trouble as if nothing


    would stain his peace. ¡°She even called off the wedding!¡±


    ¡°She called it off? I don¡¯t understand. She¡¯s not...¡±


    ¡°Impulsive? By the gods, Tatiana! She agreed on impulse and called it off for the same thing!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Dawson,¡± I implore him.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Tatiana? Tell me at once what you¡¯re hiding. I¡¯m blind, not deaf or an idiot. What


    happened with that boyfriend of yours that your sister decided to walk away from Dawson?¡±


    I¡¯m caught between a rock and a hard ce. Dawson looks at me with his arms crossed.


    ¡°You better start talking because I swear, I¡¯m thinking the worst, and I don¡¯t like to think about the bad.


    So I don¡¯t give a damn about tracking down who he is and where he lives and going to beat the shit out


    of him for so much asing near my wife.¡±


    I turn my head to the hallway that is only a few steps away. A few steps away is my freedom and the air


    I need. Tiny ck specks creep into my vision. I blink to clear my vision, but they are still there. I lean


    back against the wall and begin to take a forced breath.


    ¡°Tati?¡± I hear Dawson¡¯s voice and feel his approach.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Dar¨ªo has my hand held. I don¡¯t feel the warmth of his hand, just a cold sweat soaking


    my fingers. ¡°Tatiana, are you okay? Say something, please.¡±


    I want to tell them yes and that I¡¯m fine. However, nothinges from my lips.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you to lie down.¡± Before I realize it, Dawson lifts me in a flutter and walks up the stairs with


    me in his arms. ¡°I¡¯ll call the emergency room and have someonee check on you.¡±


    ¡°Tatiana!¡± Dar¨ªo arrives in the room secondster, distraught. I worry that he went upstairs alone. I


    imagine him desperate and distraught, not knowing what¡¯s wrong with me.


    ¡°Let her rest. I think this goes beyond a simple breakup between her and that Lucian guy.¡± I want to yell


    at him to butt out, not to add fuel to the fire, but my lips won¡¯t cooperate.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, brother. There¡¯s something not right here.¡± I hear them talking, but I start to lose my


    senses. ¡°She¡¯s not like that. She even tells me everything. She... We have to talk to Teresa. There¡¯s


    something that doesn¡¯t add up...¡±


    Little by little, I fall into a deep sleep.


    The ckout has ovee me.


    The darkness has taken my consciousness.

 Chapter 32 Light sleep

    Chapter 32 Light sleep


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± asks my husband.


    Sure about what?


    I blink several times. Am I asleep?


    Slowly I regain my memory. Memoriese flooding back and fill my head. I fainted! I¡¯ve never had


    anything like that happen to me before. I¡¯m pretty strong. I usually am.


    I remember Dawson¡¯s arms carrying me as if I weighed less than a feather, Dar¨ªo¡¯s concern...


    Teresa. My sister suddenlyes to my mind.


    Lucian!


    Oh, no!


    I try to open my eyes, but the damn things won¡¯t cooperate.


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Hello, beautiful dragonfly.¡± Dar¨ªo sits down next to me. The bed sinks gently under his weight. ¡°Go


    easy. It¡¯s all right.¡±


    ¡°Dar¨ªo...¡± my voice is hoarse, my tongue heavy in my mouth, and I feel a haze in my throat, almost as if


    it¡¯s been days since Ist spoke. ¡°What.... what happened?¡± I inquire, though I know myst conscious


    thought was the fainting, the bed, and the brothers discussing whether or not to call the emergency


    room.


    It¡¯s all so confusing to me.


    I shudder under the sheet. I finish opening my eyes as wide as my heavy eyelids will allow.


    ¡°You¡¯re in the clinic, love. You passed out. You scared the hell out of me. For a moment, we thought


    you¡¯d fallen asleep, but when Dawson tried to wake you up... God! You nearly scared me to death.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m s-sorry, my darling,¡± I murmured weakly. ¡°What happened to me?¡± I blink several times in a row. My


    body is weak. I feel it by how it shivers and shakes from the mere winding through the open door.


    ¡°You¡¯re anemic,¡± he answers as he runs his hand through his hair. He doesn¡¯t look at me. He doesn¡¯t


    because, ultimately, he can¡¯t see me.


    I watch the door where a draft of cold air blows in. Dawson is not around, and I don¡¯t want to bother


    Dar¨ªo, who I know will get up and try to close it, but he doesn¡¯t know this ce. Thest thing I feel like


    doing is making him feel useless, as he often repeats, given his condition.


    ¡°Anemia?¡± I¡¯ve never been a sick woman. I have no trouble eating or taking vitamins.


    ¡°Yes, beautiful. The doctor has been kind enough to prescribe some vitamins for you to take.¡± But, with


    his tone of voice and the way he wrings his hands nervously, I get the hint that something is wrong with


    him.


    I sit up as best I can on the bed until I manage to stick my back against the headboard. I have an IV


    ced in my right hand. Am I that bad that I need to be channeled?


    ¡°Dar¨ªo,¡± I ce my IV hand on his shoulder and make him turn towards my voice, ¡°what¡¯s wrong love?


    You seem thoughtful... distant.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, beautiful.¡± He smiles, but the gesture doesn¡¯t reach his eyes, which makes me worry even


    more.


    ¡°And why do I feel like you¡¯re hiding something from me? We¡¯re past hiding things from each other,


    honey. Why don¡¯t you just tell me what¡¯s bothering you?¡± I think of the despair he must have felt when I


    fainted when I couldn¡¯t do anything. Dawson had to help him. Thank the angels that his brother, despite


    all their differences, hadn¡¯t left his side.


    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m serious, baby. It¡¯s all right. Rest, that¡¯s all you need to worry about right now.¡± He gets up


    slowly.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I sound more rmed than I wanted to.


    ¡°Do you want me to stay by your side?¡± his question makes no sense to me, so with difficulty and all my


    willpower, I pull off the sheet that covered my body and sheltered me a little from the cold. I have socks


    on. I feel them when my feet touch the icy surface of the floor.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone else to be with me. You¡¯re the one I want by my side always.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure, love? Do you really want me here? Nothing will change that?¡±


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡± I ce my hands around his back, hug his body and snuggle in. Then,


    slowly, he brings his arms up and around mine.


    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant,¡± he informs, his voice husky. His arms are tense, his back rigid.


    I begin to understand his emotional remoteness. I try to take in words. At least I try.


    Pregnant.


    Pregnant?


    Fuck, am I pregnant?


    No matter how many times I say it in my mind, I find itplicated to understand.


    ¡°Tatiana...¡± I know he¡¯s waiting for ament from me, but nothinges out of my mouth. I am


    speechless.


    Pregnant?


    Dante is only going to be barely a year old.


    I¡¯ve only been married to Dar¨ªo for a month.


    What will people say?


    I immediately recoil at this idiotic musing. I want to bang my head against the wall for even thinking


    about what people will say. Are they going to support my son? Will they be the ones buying milk and


    diapers? I don¡¯t care about anyone but Dar¨ªo.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s too soon and that... that¡¯s not how we nned it...¡± My husband, such a blunt and honest


    man, so straightforward and always speaking his mind no matter if others disagree, is nervous. Not


    only that, but he is also anxious. ¡°I don¡¯t want to pressure you... I mean... I don¡¯t want to impose on you


    to... to carry my son... Shit!¡± he exims and pulls out of my embrace. He turns around and runs his


    hands up to mine, gently gathering them up to ce them on my neck.


    His warmth soothes me.


    His breathing slows, and he lets out a sigh.


    ¡°Dar¨ªo?¡± His blue eyes, almost gray because they are so light, crinkle, and shrink. ¡°What do you really


    think about my pregnancy?¡±


    His hands run up my chin. My cheeks flush from the ravenous heat that takes over my body from


    holding him so close. He is so beautiful, so tender, so different. I know he can¡¯t see me, can¡¯t realize


    how in love and captivated he has me, so I reach up and kiss him. His lips open. I take the opportunity


    to insert my tongue and deepen the kiss, which bes more passionate every second. I press my


    chest against his and raise my head a little to give him better ess to my mouth.


    I will never get tired of him kissing me like this, so sensual, so possessive, so him. His thumbs circle my


    cheeks; his caresses cause me to gently rub my hips against his body, which reacts quickly, and I feel


    his erection.


    An involuntary moan escapes my lips, and he grunts, pleased.


    ¡°I will never get tired of this mouth, my dragonfly. You are beautiful.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to get tired of it.¡± I press my forehead to his.


    We stay like that for a while. We feel our hearts beating next to each other. His warmth is enough to


    forget the cold that recently bothered me. I¡¯m wearing the same light yellow id dress I wore in the


    morning before I knew I was going to have one hell of a day.


    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant,¡± I mutter.


    ¡°We¡¯re pregnant,¡± he corrects me and lets out a chuckle.


    ¡°Are youughing? Really? Do you find this funny?¡± I don¡¯t understand.


    I thought he¡¯d be upset about the pregnancy. I thought he wasn¡¯t ready to have another baby.


    Already his experience was somewhat tricky. Even realizing the dy with my period, I didn¡¯t want to


    consider it, as I was afraid of how an unnned baby might affect our rtionship that was just


    beginning to take root.


    ¡°If I could see you right now, I¡¯d see how pale you look, so scared you¡¯re dying of nerves.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t...¡±


    ¡°White as milk, looking like a ghost.¡± He smiles again.


    I don¡¯t understand his reaction at all.


    ¡°I¡¯m not...¡± I think about it. In truth, I am scared, but not because of what Dar¨ªo believes, but because I


    worry about him and how he¡¯s taking it. ¡°I¡¯m not scared.¡±


    ¡°You are.¡± He reaches up and strokes my arms. It leaves my skin electrified and eager for his touch


    again. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know we weren¡¯t looking for it, but I want you to know that a child is always


    wee.¡±


    I let out a sob, and tears begin to stream down my cheeks.


    Can this man be a better husband? What did I do to deserve someone like him?


    I cry inconsbly, and Dar¨ªo hugs me tofort me without understanding the crying. He doesn¡¯t know


    that he just made me the happiest woman in the world by simply saying those words to me. He has put


    back together with my wobbly world and the ground that had begun to shake beneath my feet at the


    thought that he didn¡¯t want my son, and that¡¯s why he was so bewildered before.


    ¡°Shhh.¡± He strokes my hair loose and tangled as I have no idea how long I was passed out. ¡°It¡¯s going


    to be okay. We¡¯ll be fine. We have each other. You¡¯re not going to get away from me that easy, not now.


    Ever.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to run away from you. On the contrary, I want to lie with you every day of my life,¡± I


    confess with a contrite, clenched heart. ¡°You are the person whoplements me, the man I will


    always want to have by my side, the only one who has truly seen me and loved me, taking a chance


    even after...¡± I shut up suddenly, as the tears won¡¯t stop, and my throat closes up.


    ¡°I know.¡± Dar¨ªo interprets my silence and understands perfectly what I was going to say. ¡°I didn¡¯t even


    think myself that it was possible to trust anyone but myself again. You came along. When I thought you


    were just part of a dream, a rich and exquisite one... I was so drawn to you, so weak with you.¡± Sigh. All


    the weight that imprisoned my chest drains from my body and generates a puddle of melted fears on


    the floor. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone else by my side. Only you, my dragonfly.¡±


    ¡°I love you.¡± I hug him more fiercely until my channeled hand throbs, sure because I did more force


    than I should have.


    ¡°I love you more, my dragonfly, my treasure. I am not afraid by your side, nor am I in pain. My only fear


    is...¡± He falls silent. For an eternal second, I think he¡¯s going to stop talking, but he surprises me when


    he continues, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a burden to you and anyone. You must be aware that my eyes will


    perhaps... They will probably never be the same again...¡±


    ¡°Listen to me well, Dar¨ªo Magghio.¡± I grab his face between my hands. ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit about your


    eyes. I don¡¯t care in the least that you¡¯re not able to see me. I loved you before I knew you were the


    man I was going to marry. I loved you for the way you caressed me and the way you talked to me that


    first time at theke. I will love you even if a hundred years go by because I feel for you is not visual. It


    is not physical. This...¡± I put his right hand on my chest, right where my heart beats, ¡°what I feel for you,


    not even a thousand years will be able to erase it. I loved you without seeing you, and I think you did


    too.¡±


    ¡°What did I do to deserve someone with a heart as good as yours?¡± I feel it¡¯s more to himself the


    question.


    Someone clears their throat, and I turn my face toward the door. It¡¯s Dawson.


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave you two alone for five minutes because you¡¯re already about to fuck each other in the


    middle of a hospital room and with the door open!¡±


    Iugh at such ament, and Dar¨ªo lets out a snort, though his expression is amused.


    ¡°You¡¯ll kill anyone¡¯s magic, bro.¡±


    ¡°The one I¡¯m going to kill is your wife if you don¡¯t tell me right now what¡¯s going on with Teresa.¡± Then,


    abruptly, the atmosphere cools and bes ufortable, almost unbearable.


    ¡°You¡¯d both better sit down,¡± I suggest.


    I see Dawson withdrawn, his arms folded across his chest, his hair in disarray. He¡¯s tired. I can swear


    he looks sad and without the same electrifying spark that his eyes possess.


    It¡¯s now or never.


    I help Dar¨ªo to sit in the family chair next to the bed I used to upy. Dawson keeps an eye on my


    movements, which prepares me and makes me understand that the conversation will be difficult.

 Chapter 33 Anguish

    Chapter 33 Anguish


    ¡°He¡¯s a bastard!¡± Dawson is beside himself. He screams as if a dagger has been plunged into his


    chest. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill him!¡±


    ¡°Dawson, that¡¯s an extreme sentence. Calm down,¡± I try to calm him down, but I know it¡¯s impossible.


    It¡¯s like having a Lion in a cage. Seeing the key to the lock on the door, he will do whatever it takes to


    escape and break free from his prison.


    ¡°Strong?!¡± he exims, raging. He spits out the words as if they weigh heavily in his mouth. ¡°Strong?


    Strong is that that bastard is not in jail. Strong is that you...¡± he steps closer and points his index finger


    at me. Automatically, I recoil. His eyes, like light blue as Dar¨ªo¡¯s, shine so bright they scare me,


    ¡°Knowing what he did to Teresa, you did nothing to remedy it.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, don¡¯t you dare hold me responsible.¡± Exasperated and on the verge of losing my temper, I p


    his finger and shake it off. ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re talking about! You don¡¯t know anything,


    Dawson. You don¡¯t understand anything. And that¡¯s why you¡¯re here, talking to me and not Teresa.¡±


    Thanks to his silence, I know I¡¯ve hit the nail on the head.


    He watches me, furious. He is upset and, more than anything feels betrayed. I share and understand


    his helplessness, as that¡¯s how I felt when Teresa confessed to me what Lucian tried to do to her that


    night. Dawson was somewhat right to be upset. Most people who have experienced attempted sexual


    abuse and do not report it to the police are likely to go through it again. The initial trauma haunts them,


    then that abusive son of a bitch may try to finish what he started and couldn¡¯t aplish at the time.


    However, Teresa just wanted to walk away, to stay off Lucian¡¯s radar. I foolishly believed that, upon


    marrying Dar¨ªo, Lucian would throw in the towel and nevere back into our lives. I was dead wrong.


    ¡°I know I should have helped her, but she wouldn¡¯t let me. She met you and wanted to get away from it


    all, from the town, from our parents, from the neighbors. So she decided, as a way of coping, to get the


    hell out of here, never to return.¡± I hug myself to contain the shudder I suddenly feel as I consider never


    seeing my sister again. She is the one being affected in her life in general, even though the abuse


    didn¡¯t ur. It will always be a reminder.


    Dar¨ªo is still, so still, I almost don¡¯t think he¡¯s breathing. Dawson follows the direction of my gaze and


    clenches his fists just before mming one of them against the adjoining wall.


    ¡°Goddamn it! Fucking fuck! Fuck!¡± My eyes widen at the roar he makes as his knuckles hit the


    concrete. His hand slowly reddens.


    ¡°Dawson...¡±


    ¡°Tatiana.¡± Dar¨ªo gets up from the chair, and I stand in front of him, so he doesn¡¯t have to walk so far in


    my pursuit, ¡°let him get it off his chest.¡±


    ¡°Banging on the wall won¡¯t solve the problem.¡± My voice sounds wryer and doesn¡¯t emphasize what I


    intended. I earn a rabid re from Dawson. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean...¡±


    ¡°Which the hell would you rather, a fist in the wall or a bullet in the middle of your ex-boyfriend¡¯s chest?¡±


    Now he¡¯s the one hurting me with his words.


    He has said it intending to hurt me. I press my lips together until they hurt. I must control myself for the


    sake of our rtionship. We are a family now.


    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Dar¨ªo speaks, convinced as if his words have all the logic in the world. ¡°Better the wall than


    that bastard¡¯s face.¡±


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°How could you not notice? How could you be there with her, and all that time not know something had


    happened between them? Why didn¡¯t you care about Teresa?¡± Each question is like a hammer blow to


    my heart. A migraine rises without warning and settles in, rejoicing in my suffering.


    I hold my breath and look at him, sad. I asked myself that same question for days. Why didn¡¯t I see the


    details? Howe I didn¡¯t know she hated Lucian after getting along with him for years? Did he n it


    for a long time? Did he think about how to rape my sister while trying to sleep with me? God, this is


    hell!


    I drop into Dar¨ªo¡¯s arms seeking hisfort. I hear Dawson curse. Meanwhile, my husband¡¯s arms


    wrap around me, and he whispers words offort in my ear. I can¡¯t help but hate myself now. Hate


    me for being the world¡¯s worst big sister, for not knowing how to read the signs and realize in time


    Lucian¡¯s interest in Teresa. He¡¯s a pig, a bastard who deserves to be behind bars. My body convulses


    from crying. The spasms don¡¯t stop. I cry until I am nothing but a trembling body full of remorse.


    ¡°Tati...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better leave us alone, brother. Now is not the best time,¡± Dar¨ªo tells him. His voice is low and


    hoarse. He is angry. I can¡¯t see his face because my head is hidden in his chest, and his hands are


    holding me tightly.


    I know that if he lets go of me, I will fall to the ground because my legs will not be able to support the


    weight of my sins. The worst sin I could have evermitted in my life: trusting someone as wretched


    as Lucian. I failed terribly in my role as a big sister. I don¡¯t understand why what Dawson said affects


    me so much. I keep sobbing and shuddering in my husband¡¯s arms.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I really didn¡¯t mean to...¡±


    ¡°Go away, Dawson. There will be time for thatter. Tatiana is in no condition to get upset, let alone


    suffer. It doesn¡¯t suit her condition...¡± He remains silent, and I feel his body tense up.


    Dawson doesn¡¯t know it yet.


    ¡°Dar¨ªo?¡± his twin blurts out.


    Could it be that he¡¯s not ready to share the news with anyone else? Has he painted a screen for me?


    Was it just an borate act, and he¡¯s really not happy with the news that we¡¯re going to be parents?


    ¡°You¡¯ll be an uncle... again,¡± Dar¨ªo informs and kisses the crown of my head.


    I sigh and rx my body. He held his breath, and I didn¡¯t notice. He waited to blurt out that answer


    Dawson and I had been waiting so long for.


    ¡°Mother of God, you guys really don¡¯t waste any time!¡± I feel his arms around my back. Our bodies melt


    together, and I slowly calm down. ¡°You¡¯ll be the best parents in the world! How happy I am for you,


    brother!¡± he pulls away from us.


    I pull away from Dar¨ªo¡¯s chest a little to look Dawson in the eye and tell him what¡¯s on my mind.


    However, he interrupts me just as I open my mouth and reaches over to kiss me on each side of my


    cheek.


    ¡°You are an exceptional woman. I can¡¯t imagine my brother with anyone else but you. In such a short


    time, you have earned my trust and support. Count on me for whatever you need.¡±


    I clear my throat, confused and about to burst into tears again.


    ¡°Th-thank you, Dawson.¡± Again, the tears.


    Won¡¯t they stop?


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. You¡¯re my sister now. Thank you for this gift.¡± He wipes my tears tenderly with a smile,


    though his gesture doesn¡¯t quite reach his eyes.


    He had lost that glow, that electrifying color that made him so different from Dar¨ªo when I came into


    both of their lives over a month ago. Twenty-four hours have been enough to change the jovial Dawson


    Magghio.


    ¡°Don¡¯t force Teresa.¡± I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m telling him, but I have a desire to explode and ask him to go


    easy. ¡°Don¡¯t bore her with your questions, and don¡¯t fill her with pain. She¡¯s had enough. Go easy. Talk


    to her.¡± I sp his hands between mine and see him for the first time as a helpless boy who doesn¡¯t


    know what to do. ¡°If her love is strong, she will learn to trust you ande back to your side.¡±


    ¡°What if she doesn¡¯t?¡± he questions hesitantly after a long silence, where his heavy, cold hands pull


    away from mine and shelter in the pockets of his gray cloth pants. ¡°What if I can¡¯t convince her toe


    back to me? What if she won¡¯t let me protect her from that son of a bitch?¡±


    With a sigh, I let the heavy air out of my lungs. Dar¨ªo wraps his arms around my waist. My hand, which


    is attached to the hydration and heart rate counting machine, throbs and burns from how I¡¯ve handled it


    these past few minutes.


    ¡°You let her go,¡± Dar¨ªo answers for me. ¡°Let her be free. Let her fly away from you and her painful


    memory.¡± I nod sadly.


    Dawson ducks his head.


    I clench my jaw, and my teeth almost grind from the force I apply to him.


    ¡°But first, I¡¯ll make sure Lucian pays for what he did to her and that he neveres near her again.¡±


    Dawson raises his head, and that malicious re roars back like a phoenix from the ashes.


    ¡°We¡¯ll make him pay.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll regret messing with someone I love,¡± Dawson nods with a silent but weighty promise.


    He won¡¯t rest until he makes Lucian pay for what he did to my sister. I certainly won¡¯t stand in his way.


    Dawson leaves after saying goodbye to us. I stay in Dar¨ªo¡¯s arms for a while longer. His warmth


    soothes me and makes me think that nothing can go wrong in this world. However, I know I am wrong.


    So many things can go wrong because we are children of the damned destiny. Even though we create


    our path and destiny, the actions of others will y an important role in our life. As much as we may


    want to keep those decisions from affecting us, they end up irrevocably marking us.


    I lie down on the bed, and Dar¨ªo keeps holding my hand.


    ¡°Lie down with me, please,¡± I ask him and let out a yawn. I feel exhausted. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to leave.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m where I¡¯m supposed to be.¡± I move over and make room for him on the bed. ¡°Soon, we¡¯ll go home,


    and I¡¯ll show you how much I love you.¡±


    ¡°I already know that.¡± I kiss his cheek, his nose, and his forehead. ¡°You¡¯ve shown me already.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll never tire of doing it,¡± he whispers when our lips meet, atst, joining in a long, lingering kiss, full of


    absolute love and trust. ¡°You are my dragonfly.¡±


    ¡°It seems that¡¯s true,¡± I remember our conversation at theke the first night we spoke and when we


    made love as if tomorrow didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°What¡¯s that, princess?¡± He caresses the back of my neck.


    ¡°I asked you why I didn¡¯t meet you some other time.¡±


    ¡°And I answered you that it happened at the right time.¡±


    I smile. I see that face so full of peace and love, a reflection of what we both feel. No matter the


    adversities, I know he will be there with me. Without hesitation, I will be there for him.


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°And I love you, my beautiful dragonfly.¡±

 Chapter 35: Epilogue

    Chapter 35: Epilogue


    One monthter


    I smile as I see my reflection again in front of the full-length mirror. The dress Dar¨ªo asked Donate for


    is beautiful. He¡¯s like a madman. Crazy in love. It fascinates me and lets me know that everything will


    be fine. We will be fine, more than fine. In him, I have found a partner, a friend, and a true husband.


    ¡°Wow...¡± Dawson stands in the doorway and watches me with sad eyes. ¡°You are without a doubt the


    most beautiful bride I have ever seen.¡±


    I don¡¯t know what to say to him. I can almost feel his pain. He fell in love with my sister. And she...


    she¡¯s not ready to be with him.


    ¡°Come in and let me give you a hug.¡± Even though he¡¯s older than me, when I see him looking at me so


    sad, lost, and ruined, it makes me feel like I¡¯m twenty years older.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he tells me withouting closer.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be. You¡¯ll see.¡± I¡¯m not going to y along with his game of making me think he is.


    He¡¯s almost as stubborn as his brother. He doesn¡¯t like to show how much situations affect him.


    ¡°I am,¡± he repeats this time. At least his voice sounds more confident. ¡°How about my nephew?¡±


    ¡°Or niece,¡± I add, and a smile tugs at my lips. The pregnancy goes from strength to strength. I feel


    good, happy, and enormously grateful to life for putting Dar¨ªo in my path. ¡°It will be a long time before


    we know what it is.¡± I put my hands on my t belly.


    I know I¡¯ll be round in a few months, but that instead of scaring me or making me anxious, it just cheers


    me up and puts me in a good mood. A baby grows inside me. It is my own family. Dar¨ªo¡¯s baby is


    growing inside me, and I know he will be by my side forever.


    ¡°You really are in love.¡± He approaches and slowly enters my room.


    I set up, together with Donate, a kind of make-up studio where I can do my hair and dress without


    any problems. No one interrupts me. More than anything, I feel at ease.


    ¡°I am,¡± I affirm without hesitation. It¡¯s something you can tell. You can see it a mile away, miles away. It


    shows above my skin.


    He smiles for the first time in weeks. Even so, the gesture still doesn¡¯t impact his gaze.


    Oh, Teresa! What have you done with this man?


    ¡°It¡¯s good that my brother found a good woman who really loves him.¡± I sense he wants to tell me


    something else, but he stops.


    ¡°Dawson?¡± I encourage him to continue and walk toward him. I hold his hands between mine.


    My dress is almost princess cut; it falls as if it has a life of its own. It looks elegant and sophisticated.


    The fabric is magnificent. I can swear it is pure silk.


    ording to my mother and Donate, I must do it right this time, for love and feel good doing it. And I


    do.


    ¡°Do you want to tell me something?¡±


    He takes to looking at me with his gray-blue eyes, as clear as two drops of water. However, now


    because of the pain and anxiety that consumes him, they reflect more the stormy seawater.


    ¡°He¡¯s happy,¡± he whispers. I don¡¯t know if his personal pain from the separation from my sister is what


    keeps his voice from sounding as happy as it should. ¡°You make him happy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you know that. I love him, and I feel like he loves me. Even though our rtionship didn¡¯t start


    out conventional, I know he loves me. Despite what happened with Arianna, he¡¯s been strong enough


    to let me into his heart.¡±


    ¡°My brother has always been the best.¡± He releases my hands and slips them into his jacket.


    He is dressed in a dark gray three-piece suit. His shirt is white, and his hair is a little messy, just like his


    life.


    ¡°Here,¡± he hands me a letter, and I grab it immediately. I know it¡¯s not for me long before he tells me,


    ¡°It¡¯s for Teresa. Give it to her when the wedding is over.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you do it yourself?¡± I suffer for him and her.


    ¡°Because I¡¯ll be gone when you and Dar¨ªo get married.¡±


    ¡°Dawson...¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do about it. I need time to think. I... I tried, this whole month I tried.¡± He walks


    away toward the door and watches me glumly. ¡°I thought I could change her mind, but for some reason,


    she doesn¡¯t want me in her life.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just confused and hurt. Someone close to her tried to abuse her.¡±


    ¡°Still, she fell in love with me! Do you think I don¡¯t know that? She was happy by my side! Then, all of a


    sudden, she decided she couldn¡¯t go on. But I was already to the bottom. I¡¯m already at the bottom.¡±


    ¡°She loves you...¡± I whisper. I can¡¯t help but let out a tear. ¡°I know. She smiles just by saying your


    name.¡±


    ¡°Looks like this time, love won¡¯t be enough.¡± He clenches his fist and impacts it against the door frame,


    not so much to break it but to vent from his soul.


    I hug the letter to my chest as I watch my brother-inw walk away, devastated.


    I ponder how I can intervene to help them reunite, then I hear a muffled scream and run in terror to find


    Dar¨ªo. I throw the letter on the bed and forget about it for now.


    I find him kneeling on the floor. He has his suit on, and his hairbed back. He has let it grow a little


    longer, and I like this new version of him.


    I crouch down beside him; the tulle of the dress surrounds my feet.


    ¡°Love...¡± I ce my hand on his cheek. ¡°Dar¨ªo, honey, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on. He¡¯s all dressed up, dressed from head to toe. I even see the bow


    tie in his left pocket. He looks adorable, all prince-like. I can¡¯t help but love him as I do. In short, we are


    destined.


    ¡°Honey...¡± He doesn¡¯t speak to me. His eyes are closed, and his head is drooping.


    He usually despairs when he can¡¯t do something he did before he was blind, but seeing him fixed


    makes it hard for me to understand what could have shocked him like this.


    ¡°Dar¨ªo, you¡¯re starting to scare me. If it¡¯s because of the wedding, I told you there was no need for us to


    get married again. I know you love me, and it doesn¡¯t matter that our marriage was for convenience. I


    forgave my father for that. Besides, I will always be grateful because, had it not been for him, you and I


    would not be as much in love as we are.¡±


    ¡°Tati, my beautiful dragonfly...¡±


    ¡°Tell me what¡¯s wrong.¡± I¡¯m already sitting on the floor. I don¡¯t care about the dress and getting it dirty.


    ¡°I love your smell.¡± He looks up at me and wraps his arms around me. My face is left on his pristine


    chest, and I¡¯m afraid to soil it with the makeup I¡¯m wearing.


    ¡°You have a lifetime to enjoy it.¡± I snuggle into his chest and feel his heart pounding. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?


    Why did you scream like that? Talk to me,¡± I plead.


    If he doesn¡¯t tell me quickly what¡¯s wrong, I¡¯ll end up going crazy.


    ¡°I love your scent. I love everything about you, even that awful lipstick you put on that hide those lips I


    love kissing so much.¡±


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°This color is not horrible...¡±


    I pause for a moment.


    My heart begins to race.


    My throat closes.


    I pull away from his arms and raise my face to look at him.


    It can¡¯t be.


    It can¡¯t be!


    Oh, my God!


    ¡°Dar¨ªo...¡± I mumble.


    I know my makeup will be ruined, just like his white shirt and his ck three-piece suit.


    It can¡¯t be.


    ¡°Hello, beautiful dragonfly.¡± He tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear. He smiles without taking his


    bright eyes off me. I know he¡¯s about to cry, too. His bottom lip trembles, and he grasps my soft but


    sure hands. He shows me that he is here with me and that he will not leave. ¡°It¡¯s bliss to see you


    again.¡±


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