5. The Wedding Party

My father slowly approaches me, and when he is two steps away from me, Lucas takes my hands between his. "Daughter, what is all this?" my father asks, confused and somewhat dissatisfied.

I want to answer and shout the whole truth, but if I do it, nothing I have done will have been worth it. I look at my father silently.

"Mauricio, I can explain," Lucas interrupts with his arrogant tone that I dislike so much.

"I would appreciate that Lucas," my father replies in a tone that is practically a claim, and I understand his attitude perfectly.

"I understand that you are confused, but the night that your daughter and I have met at your house, it wasn't the first time," he says, and I don't quite understand what he is about to plot.

"How is that possible?, Would you like to explain to me how this ended in a marriage?" He demands, and I have a panic attack here.

"Sienna and I met when she traveled alone to her frustrated honeymoon in Capri," he starts saying, and now I'm scared.

How did he know about my trip to Capri? Has he followed me? This is crazy.

"Is it true daughter?, Why hadn't you told me?" My father inquires, and I would love to shout the whole truth at him, but I must pretend.

"I didn't want you to be afraid that the same thing would happen again as with Ramiro,"  I improvised and felt the idiot's hand that is my husband's rubbing my back right now.

"Is that why you have married in secret? For fear that I would oppose?" My father asks.

"That's how it is, Mauricio. I didn't know how to explain to you that I had fallen in love with your daughter when I first saw her walking in that white dress on the beach" he improvises, but the worst of all is that the dress's color is not an invention.

Lucas has definitely followed me.

"In that case, I can only congratulate you," my father says with a huge smile. " I would like to be aware of everything. Still, I won't be angry with you about this either. Sienna is my only daughter. I don't plan to walk away from her for anything," he answers and then hugs us.

According to Lucas, I can't help thinking that  I would not be his only daughter if Luca's sister and her baby had not passed away.

"Thank you for understanding, Daddy," I say, and I cling myself to him as if it was the last thing I would do in my life.

I want to ask him about Lucas' sister, but I bite my tongue to avoid doing so.

[...]

The Academy would have to give me an Oscar for my excellent performance before the guests. I have pretended with my best smile to have become Mrs. Sandonini proudly.

The unknown but seemingly famous master of ceremonies announces that it is time for the first dance between the brand new spouses, and Lucas' gaze is fixed on me as he offers me his hands to go to the dance floor. I must continue with my theater.

I take his hand and walk like this to the center of the dance floor, where he grabs me by the waist, and we start dancing to the rhythm of the waltz.

"You're doing very well," he says in my ear as we keep moving.

I hate this man, his sarcasm, and how self-centered he is.

"How did you know about Capri?" I ask, changing the subject drastically and trying not to hang him with my own hands in these moments.

I hear the sound of his triumphant laughter in my ear, and I would like to raise my knee to hit him right at that point where I know I will leave him lying on the floor in pain.

"I've told you before. I know what I need to know," he repeats.

"What do you want from me?" I dare to ask him, and I panic, waiting for his answer.

"I don't want anything from you, or maybe yes," he says, confusing me and the fingers of his hand on my waist keep rubbing against my back.

"I will never be yours," I warn him.

"Don't worry, I have no intention to get laid," he says, making me feel worthless. "You're not my type. I would never be with Daddy's spoiled little girl who without makeup and her expensive clothes is nothing" that hurts, but I can't seem weak in front of him.

"Even better," I answer, and I am grateful that my father comes to dance with me, rescuing me.

I cling to him as if my life depended on it. "Daughter, I would have liked you to tell me about Lucas," he tells me.

So I try to investigate everything that happened with Luca's sister—Daddy, we don't always tell each other everything. I imagine you don't tell me about the women that you date, do you?" I ask him, and I need him to tell me about her.

"No, but it's not like I'm marrying anyone either," he replies.

"So if you've had been with someone?" I ask firmly.

"Daughter, this is not the time to talk about this," he sentences, and now the doubts consume me.

"But we will talk about it," I say when my new husband comes back for me.

"Honey, I think it's time to leave," he tells me in front of my father, and I want to kill him right now.

"But, the party has recently begun," I replied.

"Yes, but the plane leaves in three hours," he explains. I don't know what plane he is talking about.

"Which plane are you talking about?" I ask, showing my confusion.

"The one that will take us to Italy to meet my family," he replies.

"And the contract you would sign with my father?" I ask with fear. I could have done this for nothing.

He opens the tuxedo sack and removes a few sheets of paper from the inner pocket. "Mauricio, here is the signed contract. Start with everything, and I will take Sienna for a week to Italy. When I come back, you give me an update of everything", he explains. After saying this, Lucas practically forces me to say goodbye to my father and leave with him to start with all this farce he has almost caused me to belong.