CHAPTER 5

                            LEO

I never meant a word of what I said, but I had to convince my mom that I was truly married to Sarah. She stormed out of the house, disappointed in me. But I couldn't let Sarah go. We needed to keep up the charade or my mom would never give me a moment's peace.

"I have to go, we're not married anyway. I have a job to get back to. Thanks for everything," Sarah said, breaking my heart.

"You can stay with me at my place if you don't have anywhere else to go. Unless you want to go back to your old man," I begged, desperately trying to convince her to stay.

"Thank you, but I can't," she objected, her voice filled with uncertainty.

"What would you tell your parents when they found out it was all a lie? You can go to work from my place, I don't mind," I pressed, trying to sway her.

She fell into silence, and it seemed like I was getting through to her. "Fine," she finally acquiesced.

*****

We left for my house at noon. Sarah was unusually quiet during the journey, only speaking up when something caught her attention. Finally, we arrived at my house. I led her inside, and she marveled at the surroundings.

"Oh, look at that flower!" she exclaimed and rushed over to get a closer look. But in her excitement, she slipped and tumbled to the ground.

"Oops!!!" I heard her voice, and before she hit the floor, I swooped in, catching her in my arms. She looked embarrassed as she quickly got back on her feet.

"Be careful, this isn't a playground," I teased, trying to make light of the situation.

"Hey, I wasn't playing!" she fired back, rolling her eyes at me.

I handed her a bag I had been carrying. "Here," I said.

"What's this?" she asked, peering into the bag.

"Check it out after I show you your room. Follow me," I instructed, leading her to one of the rooms in the house.

As she settled into her new room, a room that once belonged to my deceased sister, Eva, I retreated to my own room to clear my head.

*****

                      SARAH 

I stood in awe as Leo showed me the room I would be staying in. It had everything I needed: a king-sized bed, an empty wardrobe, a bathroom, and all the essentials. As I admired the room, my phone rang. It was Raya calling.

"Raya, what's up?" I answered.

"I'm fine, Sarah, but your parents are going crazy. They're demanding to know where you are and who you're married to," Raya said, concern evident in her voice.

"What did you tell them?" I asked, curious about Raya's response.

"What could I tell them? I have no idea where you are or who you're with. I'm really worried about you. Maybe you should come back home," Raya suggested.

"No, I can't do that. If they find out the truth, I'll end up with Anthonio," I objected, frustration creeping into my tone.

"I'm back in town now. I'll send you the address later, but don't say a word about my whereabouts to my parents. I'll go see them tomorrow," I decided, determined to face my parents on my own terms.

"Please be careful, Raya. You know how my parents can be when they're angry. I wish you weren't involved in all of this, but I'm glad I have someone like you who cares about me," I confessed.

"I appreciate everything you've done, Raya. I don't know what I would do without you," I said gratefully.

"You're my best friend, Sarah. I would do anything for you," Raya assured me. 

We laughed and shared silly jokes, momentarily forgetting about our troubles. But Raya had to go back to work, and our call had to come to an end.

I turned my attention to the bag Leo had given me earlier. Inside were new clothes, toiletries, and a pair of slippers.

"Wow, how thoughtful of him," I smiled to myself as I placed the items in the wardrobe.

Exhausted from the day's events, I climbed into bed, hoping for a little rest. But just as I began to relax, a voice pierced through the silence, making her jolt upright.

"Not again!" I muttered, recognizing the voice. Curios, I followed the sound, slowly making my way downstairs.

There, I witnessed a heated confrontation between Clara and Leo. Clara was furious, accusing Leo of betraying her by planning a wedding while knowing he was going to marry someone else.

"Did it look like I planned the wedding? You were the one who orchestrated it along with my mother. So don't play the victim," Leo defended himself. 

Clara pleaded with Leo, professing her love and begging for another chance. But I couldn't stand by any longer.

"What's going on here, honey? Who is she?" I interrupted, putting on my best acting skills.

Leo caught on and played along. "This is the woman I told you about," he explained, wrapping his arm around me.

"What woman, Leonard? I am your fiancée, you idiot!" Clara scoffed, her gaze shifting from Leo to me.

"Listen to me, I was first his woman" 

" And I am now his wife! There's a big difference darling!" I fired 

"Leo, please, I'll do anything, anything to have you back. This woman has bewitched you." She tried to be calm

Leo drew me to himself, making me stand in front of him.

"I love my wife, and I'd love to remain bewitched by her." He said, and planted a soft kiss on my lips…..