Three

"I'm sorry, Baby."

Paul tried to touch Mariana's hand, but was immediately ingested by the woman he so loved. Mariana still didn't look back at all. Her breath was racing, her tears welled up in the whistle.

"I didn't want to hurt you at all," Paul says. "If only you had listened, I would never have hurt you. Please, Mariana, we've decided to live together, so cherish me as your partner as I once did for your ex-husband."

"We're not officially married, Paul." Mariana's answer sounded cold and cold.

"Therefore, I want to get married quickly, Baby." Paul took a deep breath and then leaned his back against the bench. "Once you are married, nothing can interfere with you. Including the people out there who keep telling you shit, they're not gonna talk. Of course they won't be able to say another word. Trust me on this. Therefore, accept my proposal."

"Paul," Mariana turned and looked intently at the brown-haired man. "I recently divorced today, are you not sufficient to empathize with my feelings?"

"Honey?"

"People hate me not because I'm a widow, but I leave my husband to die. Can you imagine, if we were engaged immediately, what would they say to me? They'll come to believe that I'm a bitch who doesn't deserve to be loved and loved."

"That's not true."

"Do they care and want to know about it?" Mariana's tears trickled down her rosy cheeks. "All they know is I'm a slut now."

"Who told you that?" Paul raised his voice. "Let's find out who it is now! How dare you say that about my future wife."

"Not everything can be solved by violence, Paul! "Mariana demanded. From her breath it was perfectly clear that Mariana was stifling the lock in her chest.

At the same time, the car that took them into a yard with an old European style gate. Paved streets with high trees on the right and left as well as a remote view of the blue sea. The three-story house on the top of the hills is more likely to be called a palace. Very red, rich and charming.

"Please, Sir, Madam!" As soon as they arrived, Paul's personal driver stepped out of the car and opened the door to his employer.

"Thank you, Rodrik." Mariana took this to heart, while Paulino as usual just walked in, not considering the help of her employee at all. She took Mariana's hand and went inside the house through the main door.

In this big house, Paulino lived with his mother, his brother, and his two sisters. A real house is too big. Because before the Paulino purchase, this building was a private castle belonging to a high-ranking nobleman. Honestly, considering Paulino's past, Mariana didn't expect this guy to be able to afford a house this big.

"What's taking you so long?" Mrs. Janet, Paulino's mother greeted them in the living room unkindly. "The guests are almost here. Do you want to embarrass me?"

Paulino walks up to his mother, kisses the old woman on the cheek. "Mom, I'm sorry. We're running a little late, but it'll all work out."

Mrs. Janet rolled her eyes, as if not interested in the words of the son. "Why do you have to have a divorce party for him? I mean, it's a waste of money. It's his divorce anyway."

"It's Mariana's divorce that I have to celebrate."

"Whatever, kid!" Mrs. Janet glanced at mariana intently, as if she were going to stab him with a knife. "I can no longer understand what's inside your head anyway. Of the millions of women in the world who you can certainly want to mate with, why does this woman? Why is she the one who's obviously married?"

***

Why Mariana?

Even Mariana doesn't know why Paulino would do this to her. Even when they were growing up, when they were still in high school together, the two were not very close. Even though they hardly ever talked to each other... Mariana did see Paulino often. Paulino, who was known as a diligent kid who made a list of high school achievers, even went to the podium at the celebration of class increases to encourage other students. But, why would a kid like Paulino change?

"How? Is it done?"

The two young women in charge of dressing Mariana's things in the room shook her head as the well-dressed Paulino came to check on her work.

"Do your jobs well, don't rush because I want to see my future wife as beautiful as possible." Paulino didn't even appreciate Mariana and saw her as an object. When it is obvious that the only person who gets to decide how he is is the body, where Mariana is. Ironically, Mariana actually lost herself a long time ago. Long before this divorce happened. "Honey, I'll wait for you outside."

Mariana nodded.

"Which dress do you want to wear, Mrs. Mariana?" The short-haired woman pulled two dresses out of the closet. One was red, the other was black. Beautiful nightgown, fashionably simple.

Mariana replied, "I vote black."

"Shall I help you with that?"

"I'll wear it myself," Mariana replied. She went into a small corner cubicle, but instead of taking her clothes off, she pulled her phone out of her pants pocket. He couldn't resist calling the front. "Hold up, Franda! Lift up!" She mumbled.

"Mrs. Mariana? Are you finished?"

"Or do you have trouble wearing it?"

"Want us to help you?"

Mariana replied by Shouting, "no need!" Trying to contact Franda, Mariana placed her phone on a small corner table and took off her clothes and pants before wearing the black dress. That dress somehow made her into a different person. Because during her marriage to Kevin, Mariana never wore a dress so expensive.

This dress was actually on the Mariana dream list. She even set aside some of her monthly bills for this, but she never could raise them because she had to use them for Kevin's treatment. Yet somehow wearing this dress cut Mariana's heart. It's not the same as she dreamed.

- Ting!

Mariana jogged her phone when she heard an incoming message. However, her slippery hands pushed her bottom to the table, making Mariana unable to squat to grab it. It was just that before he could reach back for the phone, the door in the back was suddenly ripped open.

"What are you doing?" Paulino was standing behind her.

***

To be honest, Mariana decided not to go down the hall and meet the guests. Because after what happened Mariana was a little bit suspicious about what she was going through. People's view of it, especially after it went viral in the media.

"Take it easy, Baby! "Paulino said as he took Mariana's hand. "Come on, we're expected!"

As the two walked down the stairs, almost everyone in the hall turned and looked. Both are the center of attention. Paulino smiled wide-eyed, standing proud while Mariana froze, looked down, and avoided contact with anyone.

"Good night, everybody!" Paulino greeted the guests. "Thank you for being here, Mr. Ruth."

"I should be the one to thank you, for inviting me on the party."

"Mr. James!" A handsome black man in a fancy suit said hello, and immediately embraced Paulino, like they were old friends. "It's nice to finally come to your show."

"Oh, Robert!" Paulino patted the guy on the shoulder. "You're always busy. Hardly ever came to every event that I conducted."

"You know, I have a lot to do. You know '? I argued with my wife before I came here. I told her it's DMC's birthday and she's finally letting me come."

"She came here?"

"Yes. Gather in front with the other women."

"By the way, who is this?"

"My future wife."

"Oh, it's beautiful!" Robert praised. "Nice to meet you, ma 'am!" He kissed the back of Mariana's hand as a gesture of courtesy. "You must be a special girl so my best friend chooses you."

Mariana smiled a little. "Thank you, Mr. Robert."

"My Dear, will you follow my mother to the women's table? I still have business with my colleagues."

"All right."

"There was also my wife," says Robert.

Mariana simply smiled again and then walked to the spot where the men wanted her.

The women's table is actually not a table, but a corner of the program where the wives gather. As soon as Mariana entered the area, against her shadow, she was greeted by the women there very well. Though her speech was far from what Mary could have imagined.

"Do you like the drinking party, Mr. Mariana? "Asked Robert's wife. She was a bloody English woman with blonde hair and rosy skin. But she hadn't been to England in a long time, because her mother and father had been traveling to America since she was a child. "I usually hold the women's meetings. If you want to join us, prepare yourself.

"We wives like to hang out together too." Mrs. Wong answered. "A vacation to Bali, for example. We've been to Bali together many times."

"Ah, I don't think Mr. James would mind if you came along."

Mariana didn't flinch, as she realized that the look on the end of her mother-in-law was very uncomfortable. Obviously she hated her. Don't like it.

"So, when are you going to marry with Mr. James?"

"Definitely not in the near future!" Mrs. Janet answered coldly. "She can't marry my son as long as her problems remain unresolved. I won't let my son marry a girl like her. I don't want to, at least until the girl's good name comes back, she becomes my daughter-in-law. Or the reputation that my son worked so hard for will simply be ruined."

Hang on! Why is it here like Mariana was chasing Paulino? She sounds like a terrible temptress. But, Mariana can be what? She was silent, silent. Because he knew that dealing with Mrs. Janet would present only a larger problem.