Chapter 9: Will you be the mother of my children in the future?

"No, Rian!" I said shaking my head.

"But why? He needs to know every single detail of you and in your life."

I chuckled just to hide the new surges of pain that crept inside my chest.

"Do you think he would care? He would listen? No, Rian! He doesn't even know my full name. Your brother is made up of stone!"

"No Belle, believe me. He's not that cold when you happen to know him more."

"He doesn't smile, all he knows is to smirk, glare at me and insult me!"

"Well, I agree with you regarding his smile. It's precious as diamonds. But Belle, you're going to live with him for one year under one roof. You need to tell him, at least be friends----"

"No!" I shook my head as I looked at her seriously. "I only agreed to this agreement because your mom told me that your brother needs a 'trophy wife', to get the contract from their biggest investor. And because I need a place to hide until I get solid evidence to prove in court what that bastard did to me. He deleted all the CCTV footage after that incident. And there's only one person who can be my witness, their maid who saw everything. The problem is, she suddenly disappeared after that."

I formed my fists into a ball that almost made my knuckles turn white.

"Last month, I saw him in the mall. I can't believe that after all these years he can still affect me, Rian! I buried all those horrible memories but when I saw him, those memories hunting me again!"

"W-Wait.. how did my mom get involved with your engagement with Dani?"

"She's one of my students in my ballroom and Zumba class. And she happened to see everything. How that bastard harassed me again in the parking lot of the mall. She helped me with her bodyguards. And believe me, I didn't know that she's your mom. She asked me what happened, and I told her everything. My struggles in life after leaving Italy including what that bastard did to me. And she offered help----"

"And that help is for you to marry his son?" she finished my statement.

"Yes. I just need to use someone's last name to hide my status. So when Joseph knows that I'm married to your brother, he will hesitate to harass me or to get close to me again."

"Belle..."

"Can I ask you a favor, Rian?

"Y-Yes. Anything."

"Can you please keep these things to you? All that you know about me and my past, especially my reason for marrying your brother?"

"But Belle...."

"Please, Rian. Until I solved my own problem. Please?" I took her both hands that rested on top of the table.

"But you need help, Belle. Why don't you tell everything to Dani. He will help----"

"No Rian, you don't understand. If Joseph knows that this marriage is not real, he will try his best to get me again."

"But Dani is going to be your husband. He would surely listen to you."

"No." I said shaking my head

"Why don't you report this to the police, they would-----"

I laughed at her in a sarcastic way. "Police? Report this to the police? Are you sure they would listen? They would believe me? I don't have any evidence in me, Rian. The thing that's left was the memory of his touch! Of his filthy hands, of his disgusting saliva over my body! And the only person who witnessed the whole story was missing.. until now. And I don't know how to find her!"

Tears are now blurring my vision. How is it so difficult to hold these horrible memories inside my head?

"Belle..."

"And do you think your brother would listen? The only thing he knew was to judge me and accuse me of marrying him because of his money! He would never believe my story, Rian. Why? Because my own father never did, so what would I expect from other people?"

"But I do believe you. And I did since you shared with me your story. And my mom, she also believes in you."

"Because you and your mom were different, Rian. You would easily understand because you're also a woman."

"Ysabelle..."

And I can't help it anymore. Tears started to fall down on my cheeks. I wished I also had someone behind me. I wish I also had a mother like her, I wish I also had a brother who would protect me and a father not like my father who never believed in me when I needed him most. The only family that I had that time, my father. But the same person who left me hanging miserably with my horrible memories.

I felt arms wrap around me and a hand rubbing my back.

"Promise me, Rian, please?" I looked at her with tears still flowing on my cheeks. She nodded.

"I'll promise. But I'm hoping someday you will open up these things to him."

After our moment outside the terrace, we both decided to go downstairs and back to the party. But not after telling me that she's going to help me with her brother's behavior.

When we were back at the venue, she immediately walked towards her husband. I saw how they shared a sweet look and how Alex looked at her with pure love and adoration in his eyes. I know in my case and my situation, I would never experience those things. But somehow I wish that after all of these struggles and problems I have right now, I can also find my own prince charming. The man who will hold me in his arms while looking at me like I'm the only woman that exists in his world. The man who will understand me and never judge me for who I am and for what happened to me in my past, but the man who will love me unconditionally and eternally.

I closed my eyes when I saw the two kissing in front of the people around them. I sighed and silently wished that whatever the consequence I have to face after this marriage, will give me freedom and peace from my not-so-good memories in the past. And a lone tear rolled down my face, but I'm not in the mood to wipe it out.

And because I was still in closed eyes, I didn't notice the stares that my fiance is giving me. He also walked in front of me and I was shocked when I opened my eyes, he wiped that lone tear. He took my hand and pulled me towards the center of the venue.

He gave his glass to the waiter as we stood in front of the people who were now watching his moves. And without even saying a word, he dropped down on his knees and showed me the white diamond ring on his hand.

-'What the f*ck?'- I asked silently still in shock with what he was doing.

"Sophia, I know what we have right now is an overwhelming story, but I don't want to let you go. Not now, not ever."

-'Gosh! What a good actor you are, Daniel Kelley!'-

"Sweetheart.."

-'Sweetheart? Where does it come from? Haha.. what if I kick your balls, sweetheart?'-

"Will you be the mother of my children in the future? Will you be my best partner in crime? And will you give the honor to be the happiest man alive by marrying me?"

I looked at him directly but his face showed the opposite of what I was thinking. He's smiling at me. But the back of my head instantly came to a response.

-'Idiota! Certo che sta solo recitando, questa è solo una finta festa di fidanzamento! ( Idiot! Of course, he's just acting, this is just a fake engagement party!)

"Please say yes!" I heard the shouts of his parents, and I wanted to laugh when I saw the look on Daniel's face. I'm sure he's now silently killing me inside his mind.

"Yes, 'sweetheart' I will marry you." I emphasized the endearment he used to me twice this afternoon.

He smirked.

-'See? He's just acting!'-

He slid the diamond ring on my finger and stood slowly. But what I didn't know, I will be surprised by the next thing he's planning to do.

He cupped both of my cheeks and a pair of lips which was owned by him, captured my 'virgin' lips. I felt the world swirled around me as the butterflies inside my stomach, started to dance with the loud beating of my heart.

I needed to close my eyes and gripped his shoulder for support, as my knees buckled with this sudden feeling and sensation he's giving me through his kiss. I felt his hand around my waist and down to my lower back. He took both of my hands and encircled it around his waist before he let go of my lips. He hugged me after that and whispered in my ear.

"I bet I was your first, sweetheart."

-'F*cking shit!'- I muttered to myself and my eyes turned wide like saucers.