Chapter 6

"Marionne! Wait!"

Ava couldn't let her sister marry someone she doesn't love because of their father. She has to do something. Maybe, regardless of what happened between them in the past, he would listen to her.

"Marionne!"

Ava tried to call him again, but he chose to ignore her. He continuously walks towards his car.

"Damn it! Marionne, will you stop!"

At last, Marionne stopped walking, but he kept his back on her.

"Marionne, please, talk to me," Ava begged.

"What is it, Ava?" Marionne asked her blankly.

Marionne turned around and faced the very first woman he loved and broke his heart. It's been twelve years since they last saw each other.

"What do you want, Marionne? Why are you doing this?" Ava asked in an accusatory tone.

"Oh! You think I'm here because I wanted to? I have my own company to manage, Ava. You and your family's drama is the last thing I need." Marionne responded in a contemptuous tone.

"Then why are you doing this?" Ava asked again. She's thinking that Marionne is planning something against her family.

"Why? Do you think I'm here revenge?" Marionne said playfully. "Why would I do that?"

Ava looked at his captivating eyes. Those eyes confused her twelve long years ago. And his lips, those lips that made her yearn for him.

"I'm not doing anything, Ava. Your father asked for my help." Marionne said before finally leaving. But before he got into his car, Marionne said, "But I'm interested in your sister's offer."

"Take me instead. I will marry you. Just leave my sister out of this." Ava desperately offered. But Marionne just laughed at her face.

"Desperation doesn't suit you, Ava," Marionne said in an insulting tone. "But I'm sorry, I have no interest in marrying you. You're sister, on the other hand, she's beautiful, she's young, and she's a willing participant. I think I can work with that." Marionne suddenly received a phone call from an unknown number.

"Yes?" Marionne smiled meaningfully and looked at Ava. "We have a deal, then. I'll marry Sophia." Ava looked back at the house. She knew who called him. "So?" Marionne asked innocently. "I have to go, I have a wedding to plan."

Minutes have passed, but Ava is still standing in the same spot since Marionne left. He's so much different than the last time she saw him. The night that his father almost died on their property. She knew then that Marionne would never forgive her for denying their relationship. She was too afraid to be tagged as a low class by her friends and classmates.

"What happened to you, Marionne." Ava quietly asked herself.

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On his way home, Marionne continuously cursed himself. He almost broke again in front of her. It took everything inside of him not to burst out all the anger he feels towards her. He was supposed to be stronger now. He is not supposed to feel this way.

- Flashback-

"Marionne! Wait!"

Marionne heard Ava calling his name, but he decided to keep on walking.

"Marionne!"

He wanted to make her feel that he's no longer the same Marionne who would follow her around and lick her heels like a lost puppy.

"Damn it! Marionne, will you stop!"

But Ava seemed intended on talking to him. So Marionne finally stopped but kept his back on her.

"Marionne, please, talk to me," Ava begged.

"What is it, Ava?" Marionne did his best to keep a blank expression. But in truth, his heart was beating so fast it's almost as if he couldn't breathe.

When their eyes met, the memory of her looking at him like he was the disgusted human alive flashed in his memory. It was the night she denied ever having any connections with him. The night his father almost died.

"What do you want, Marionne? Why are you doing this?" Ava asked in an accusatory tone.

"Oh! You think I'm here because I wanted to? I have my own company to manage, Ava. You and your family's drama is the last thing I need." Marionne responded, trying to be contemptuous.

"Then why are you doing this?" Ava asked again. She honestly thought Marionne was there planning to do something to them.

"Why? Do you think I'm here revenge?" Marionne said playfully. "Why would I do that?" He learned how to act from years of experience. Of rejection, struggles, and heart-shattering experience.

Marionne didn't want to but hid eyes landed on Ava. Those expressive eyes can tell a thousand stories. The very part of Ava's body that captivated him. They're different now. No more hint of self-importance. Not even happiness.

"I'm not doing anything, Ava. Your father asked for my help." He couldn't take it anymore. He knew that if he stayed longer, he could no longer contain his emotions. "But I'm interested in your sister's offer."

-End of Flashback-

"Maybe I should. After everything, you put me through. Maybe should I have my revenge? Maybe we should play the same game you played on me." Marionne thought to himself.

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At the Castello Estate, Crisanto and D.A are both in the living room waiting for Marionne. He was not answering their phone calls or responding to their text messages. His father, Crisanto, is already worried to death. It wasn't like Marionne not to update his father if he's going home late.

"Sir Marionne's car just arrived, Sir Crisanto." One of their maids announced. Crisanto let out a sigh of relief.

Few moments later, Marionne arrived at the door. Crisanto immediately noticed something's bothering him.

"Son, are you alright?" Crisanto asked him.

"Yes, Dad. I'm fine." Marionne replied. "Why are you still awake?" He remembered to asked. It's already late for him to be still awake. Then his eyes caught D.A starting at him with scrutinizing eyes. "And what are you doing here?"

"I was worried about you," Crisanto explained. "You're not answering my phone calls. You're not responding to my messages." Crisanto explained to his son.

Marionne sighed. He forgot to inform his father not to wait on him. "I'm so sorry, Dad. I had an important meeting I had to attend." Marionne explained apologetically.

"What important meeting?" D.A asked as if trying to catch him with a lie. "You're was clear today."

"Dad, have you eaten already?" Marionne asked his father, temporarily ignoring D.A's question.

"Yes, son. Now that you're home safe, I can finally sleep." Crisanto announced. "Talk to you again some other time, D.A." He said.

"Sweet dreams, Tito." D.A bid Marionne's father a good night. "Something you want to share with me, brother?" She finally asked him. D.A knew Marionne for a very long time, and she can tell something is bothering him.

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Marionne and D.A found their way to the garden, glasses and a bottle of Tequila Ley .925 Sterling in Marionne's hands. D.A found a sit in one of the metal chairs near the swing. At the same time, Marionne remained standing and poured himself a drink. When D.A saw how anxious his best friend is, she did the same.

"I was at the Rothschild's." Marionne finally said. He let out a loud sigh after admitting where he's been—sipping his tequila consecutively.

D.A, who was about to sip her tequila, was caught off guard. Mouth agape, she looked at Marionne with confusion. "What did you did say?" She stared at him, trying to find any indication that he was kidding, but there was none.

"Antonio Laurencio called me, said he wanted to meet. I had no idea he was with Gregory." Marionne explained. "The bastard is trying to sell his daughter in arrange marriage. Antonio, not knowing our pasts, thought I'd be a perfect husband for one of his daughters."

"You've got to be kidding me. Did he remember you?" D.A asked, concerned about what might have happened. She knew too well how Marionne hated the man. She was afraid he'd done something stupid.

"No, he didn't. But Ava did." Marionne looked at D.A. She saw all kinds of emotions flashing in his eyes—hatred, anger, sadness, and love. No matter how hard he tried, his true feelings always show up. Maybe his facade works around people who don't know but not with D.A. She knew Marionne too well to be fooled by his brutal acts.

"Tell me you declined. Please, please, please tell me you refused." D.A was hoping that her best friend is not stupid enough to agree. Being around the Rothschilds will only bring back those memories that he was supposed to let go of.

"Ava, being the eldest, was the one he offered to be. But I refused." Marionne smirked. But his eyes were telling a different story, and D.A can see it all. What Marionne said made her worry even more.

"No, you didn't." She responded, already having an idea of what happened next. She can already see the ending of what Marionne is planning is to do. She knows in her heart that she has to do something to stop him.

"He offered me his youngest, Sophia," Marionne said while smiling ominously.