Hardship!

I knew I made a mistake by turning Emilio's proposal down. I was certain about my decision. I felt uneasy because I had no idea what awaited me in the future.

I couldn't stop thinking about what he said the last time I ran into him. "No Saintilia I found you." He seemed sincere when he said it. And I wondered if he knew who violated me.

For reasons unknown to me, Tina invited Emilio to have dinner for further discussion about his marriage proposal. It was none of my concern since she could not force me. I had already decided that I was not going to marry anyone and soon or later I would leave this village with or without Tina's blessings. I did not join them at the table so I was not privy to their conversation. At the end of dinner, I served them tea and Tina seemed a lot more relaxed around Emilio than the last time. They chatted for a while, and he then left without saying a word to me.