Book III - 23

JULIA

It was an arranged marriage,” he began, then wiped his mouth with a napkin. We were sitting now at The Bistro.

“What happened?” I said, then ate a portion of my orecchiette.

“I was depressed back then because of Demi and Henry, and my father was ill as well. Bianca is the daughter of a family friend. They wanted us to get married for business, of course, and no questions asked—I married her. She was sweet and responsible, and she cared for me. Those were the times, I thought she was different. Though it was my father’s last wish, I married her because she also needed my help. She was broken like me. Her boyfriend left her when she was pregnant with his child. She couldn’t tell anyone about it.”

“Let me guess, you told them the baby was your child?”

He curtly nodded.

“Oh, God. That’s so heroic of you.” Every day this man never ceased to shock me with his revelations, and my heart sank knowing that he actually loved her. “Then what happened? Your relationship sounds like it was wor