Chatper 3

It was late that night that Anthony reached Luisa's apartment.

To say hey was in rage was an understatement. He was beyond raged. It was even a miracle that he hadn't had an accident along the way.

But there was one more problem: how was he going to tell it to Luisa? How was he going to say that he was going to marry an another woman than her?

He didn't want to hurt her and he knew that it will be devastating for her.

He would never allow this marriage to happen at all costs!

Gathering the courage within all of him, he pressed the button of the bell ring and waited for the door to open.

So many questions were in his head: how will Luisa react? How will she feel? Will it be the end of their story?Horrified by that last thought of him, he felt goose bumps all over his body, he shake his head, not wanting to even a bit thinking about a life without Luisa, he closed his eyes and tried to relax, repeating as a mantra in his head that everything was going to be fine. Yeah, perfectly fine.

On the other side of the door was Luisa, already in bed. She was still reading some articles about the new fashions and all. She heard her bell ring and couldn't help but to wonder who could be that person that bothers her this late at night?

Already all warm and comfortable in her bed, she didn't want to move anymore but she had too.

Lazily getting of the bed, she took her upper to cover her body, wear her flip flap and went to open the door.

Anthony was about to press again the bell when the door open. Luisa was there, in her red night dress, standing all beautiful if telling sexy in front of him.

Automatically, he became less tensed and a smile take form on his lips.

A mere second, he forgot the reason why was he even coming there. Every time he would see Luisa, he would forgot all of his worries.

Luisa on the other hand was astonished. Why was Anthony there? In the middle of the night? He hadn't even warn her with his visit and why didn't he just enter the place? Anthony own it and has even the double of the key? She knew that something was wrong.

Indeed, every time Anthony would come there, he would always warn her. Yes, he was the owner of the place but he gave it to her and wanted her to keep her privacy.

Smiling at her, he bent down and give her a peak on her lips. Luisa just smiled at his action and get out of the way to give Anthony access to come in.

Can't wait anymore, Luisa asked immediately what was bringing Anthony there, this late, at her place while closing the door.

Instantly, Anthony stopped in his track, and tensed. All his muscles got rigid, his veins showed and even from his back, Luisa knew that something wrong...really wrong must have happened.

Anthony turned around, all tensed and nervous. If minutes ago he had managed to forget about his problem, this problem, at that moment he remembered it all.

Not knowing how to say it or most like not knowing how to say it without hurting Luisa, he took both of her hands, watching her directly in her eyes and and said calmly:

_"we need to talk."

That sentence, those just four words so simple to pronounce but held so much meaning in it, most of the time problems and Luisa's suspicion was more and more confirmed and she feared it. She knew that there was nothing good with it.

Seeing the fear that was in her eyes, Anthony couldn't hold it anymore and hugged her. She were so little in he is embrace. He wanted to feel that she was there, with him and that she was never going to go anywhere.

They stood there, in the middle of the room, hugging each other like theirs lives depends on it.

Getting apart, he lead Luisa on the couch that was in the room and sat there.

_"Before I start telling you what is happening, I want you to promise me that you will not leave me..." He began with a little nervousness. "...I want you to know that I love you and I will never, I say never will let you go or let you down." He finished the last part with so much confidence, and so much determination held in it.

Luisa saw it, Luisa new it, she just nodded at what he said.

Seeing it as an encouragement, Anthony took a big breath and began telling her about what happened.

All along, Luisa stayed silent, just listened to what Anthony was saying. Anthony didn't even glance at her once, he knew that if he did, he will not be capable to continue his narrating. It was only Anthony's voice that echoed in the room, sometimes with anger, incredibility and even with defeat. He said that he won't never let that marriage happen but deep inside him, he knew that there was something inevitable in it.

He dared only to rise his head and look Luisa eye in eye once he had finished his story.

He didn't know what to do nor what to say. He saw Luisa with an expression that he has never seen her with. It threatened him.

Panicking, he quickly get up and of his couch and came to Luisa. He took her hand and kneeled in front of her but she wouldn't want to watch him.

_"Luisa...look at me" he said with distress in his voice while shacking her hand."Luisa...look at me...I know that it is crazy and all but Luisa please, don't give up on us" he said more distressed and giving her hand many kisses"...I...I...promise you that I will never marry that...that...girl, you know I love you and only you, Luisa please, look at me...Luisa please?"

With his last word, Luisa look at Anthony and he felt relieved.

_"Luisa, we will never get apart, never." Anthony said getting up and rested his forehead on hers.

He closed his eyes for a brief moment and Luisa finally spoke.

_"Anthony, how?" She asked him. It was more like a whisper but Clear enough for Anthony to hear it.

Anthony opened his eye and come site next to her in a way that they face each other.

_"I told you, I will renounce to my fortune so that we can be..." Anthony didn't finished his sentence when Luisa cut him.

_"No Anthony!" She said will getting up and went standing in the middle of the room, "you will not do such thing because of me."

At his turn, Anthony stand up from the couch too and came near her.

She turn around and took Anthony's face in her hand. She caressed it slowly and said:

_"you can't sacrifice what you worked so hard to have just because of me Anthony."

_"I can and I will." He replied stubbornly.

_"you are worth than anything in this world, nothing matters more than you. If that will I have to sacrifice to be with you and I will."

Anthony was honest, he would not hesitate to give all of his money if that will bring Luisa next to him.

_"If I have once made fortune, I will again. You just have to stay by my side...that's all I need Luisa."

_"I know Anthony but..."

_"There is no but anymore..."

_"I can't Anthony, I will nor be able to support the fact that it was...is, because of me that your father disown you, hates you...I...I...can't bare that thought."

Anthony was just speechless.

_"Anthony, your father doesn't like me already and with that, he will hate me."

_"It doesn't matter! It is me that will spend my life with you, not him. You doesn't need him to love you. We don't need his approval." His said irritated.

_"It may not important for you but it is for me Anthony! He is your father."

_"But he doesn't act like one!" Anthony growled with rage.

"Which loving father would force his son to marry someone that he doesn't love huh?" He growled with rage"...in the 20th century?" He added with disbelief.

_"Anthony you know he loves you."but Anthony stayed silent, not wanting to respond. Anthony knew it, he knew that his father loved him and that man was the best father that he would ever wished in this world. It was just that this time, he didn't understood him.

_"there is one thing left to do Anthony." Luisa said while sighting.

At that in stand, Anthony's eye snapped at her, knowing, fearing what she was about to say. He watched here intensely as if daring her to continue.

Intimidated with his gaze, she tore her gaze away and continued telling him:

_"you need to accept this marriage."

And with that, Anthony lost it. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. How could she said that? How could she give up on them so easily?

He was angry, he was hurt, he was disappointed?

How was Anthony supposed to react after that?

He didn't know it.

There were so many mixture of emotion inside him like he wanted to scream to yell but just couldn't as if all the strength in him had vanished. He was angry yet hurt.

_"How can you tell me that' he told her as a murmur that held so much distress in it. But as he keep thinking about it, his anger took over little by little as he continued:

-"hell! How can you even think about it" he growled.

Anthony has always been someone lovable that took care of the person he love but mad, he can turn into a beast. He can be the sweetest person that someone could ever see or the most terrifying person that someone would ever fear.

Luisa was shocked by it. She has never really saw Anthony that angry as he was.

Anthony saw the fear in her and would regret instantly his action. But he couldn't help it, he was beyond mad. The girl he love suggested him to marry someone else! How was that even possible? Isn't she suppose to stay with him whatever happen? Isn't she suppose to go trough all that it takes them to be together? Isn't she supposed to be the one that will defend their love against all odd?But apparently no. She has given up so soon, too soon. She hadn't even tried to fight! It made him wonder if she loved him as much as she said to.

_"Anthony, listen to me..." Luisa said quietly trying to calm him."...I know it is hard but we don't have any other choice."

Anthony almost laughed at what she said. We don't have any other choice! We don't have any other choice! That sentence that stuck in his head.

_"We don't have any other choice? Huh?... I just gave you a solution about this and you said we don't have any other choice? Are you kidding me? Yes, we do have a choice but it is you who doesn't want it!"

_"Please, listen to me." Luisa pleaded but Anthony wouldn't listen to her.

After fighting for some good damned minutes, Anthony finally get his calm back and agreed to listen Luisa.

Luisa told him to get married and then after a year get divorced. She fought that his father would see how miserable he his with someone that he doesn't love nor love him and then will free him and agree with him to get divorced and it will be only after that they will be together again, with his father's consent.

It was smart thought Anthony told to himself. Luisa has always been intelligent and calm. She always knew what to do and she had always have confidence in her.So if that is what she want then be it. But there was something wrong with Luisa's plan: how would he manage to stay away from her during one year? It was impossible for him so and he was certainly not ready to do so.

_"okey, we will do as you say-Anthony said calmly-but at one condition."

_"And what is that?"

_"You will always stay with me. You will not get anywhere far of me. We will always be together even if I am married or not. You will only be the one that i consider as my love. That girl-he spite the word with such venom-would be nothing to me, she will be my wife but just on paper, nothing more." He said with determination, not wanting no for an answer.

In one word, Anthony asked her to be the other woman. He hate that thought but he didn't have a choice. That was the price for them to stay together. And even not knowing his future bride, he already loath her, for stealing the place, the right of the one he loved. For making her in such disgusting position.

So much for Anthony's relief, Luisa accepted his proposition.

Early morning after that night, Anthony went directly to his father saying that he accepted the marriage not any word less, not any word more. His father was enchanted with the news. A victorious smile appeared on his face.

It was after that his son confirmed the wedding to Arthur that this one called his friend Lucas telling him that the preparation of the wedding could start. And after that call, Lucas at his turn called his daughter to go back home.

She didn't need anything else to be said. She knew it. She already knew that the day she would come back will only be because of her wedding.

When her father told her first that she was going to marry someone that he had chosen, she couldn't believe it. She didn't wanted it. She has always wanted a love story. She wanted to get married but not to someone she didn't know nor she didn't love. She wanted to get married with the love of her life.

At first she didn't understand her father, accusing him of just selling his own daughter for the sake of his own company but deep inside her, she knew that that was false. She knew that her father loved her more than anything in this world. After listening to his father, she accepted. She wanted to throw away some burden on her father's shoulder. She didn't want him to worry or think to much. She didn't want him to sad or upset. She wanted him to be happy at all cost.

Her father were ill, she didn't wanted his health to deteriorate. So much worry and sadness was bad for him.

For the sake of his father, she accepted and after what happened to her, it only influenced her more to accept the wedding.

So there she was, in New York, ready for her wedding. But not in million years would she imagined that she was going to ruin someone else's happiness.

Everything was settled then: Anthony accepted, Sophia accepted. Anthony was going to marry her yet he will only devote all of him to someone else. He will marry her yet will be with an another woman.

Was Sophia ready for that?