5

Chapter 5 Sounds like a joke!

Madison Point of View

Maximilian remained silent, his gray eyes fixed on me. I tried to meet his gaze, even as my eyes began to dilate with emotion. How crazy all this felt! Inside, I was a whirlwind of conflicting feelings. On one hand, I wanted Francisco to suffer, and if marrying his uncle was the way to achieve that, I was willing to do it. On the other hand, my values screamed against such an aberration. He was the uncle of the man with whom I had shared a bed countless times; they shared the same blood, and the idea of becoming intimate with him was overwhelming.

"You’re very pretty!" Maximilian finally spoke, breaking the heavy silence. His compliment took me by surprise. I swallowed hard and shook my head.

"Excuse me?"

"Yes, you are very pretty to have been engaged to my nephew’s fool," Maximilian said, leaving me perplexed. His words made me nervous; perhaps he was just speaking out of compassion. The suffering etched on my face was evident to anyone who looked.

"What can I say, Mr. Ferrer? I..." At that moment, my voice faltered, and I struggled to find the right words.

“You don’t have to say anything,” Maximilian said. “For now, you need to go and get everything you require. In a week, we’ll announce our engagement and go to my father's house. I’ll introduce you as my future spouse.”

“It must be a joke! Just one week?” I thought, feeling overwhelmed.

“What?” I said aloud. “That’s such a short time. My engagement with Francis ended less than three months ago.”

“And?” Maximilian replied. “He announced his engagement too, but I’m certain he won’t marry that woman. He’s just using her to keep my father’s inheritance.”

I felt a touch of sarcasm seep into my voice. “You’re using me too, sir. This is just a contract.”

Maximilian fell silent, his gray eyes fixed on me. I felt I had overstepped.

“Excuse me, sir, it’s just that…” I stammered, feeling embarrassed. But Maximilian responded with a warm smile, revealing his perfect white teeth.

“Be careful, Madison,” he said gently. “It’s true that this is a contract, but the difference is that I’ll give you everything you ask for. I’ll pay you a salary and make you happy.”

His words left me confused. How did he intend to make me happy? After all, not everything in life can be bought with money.

“Well, Mr. Ferrer, I hope we have a successful arrangement.”

“I already told you not to call me sir,” Maximilian said, his expression turning serious.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake! I’ve only seen you a few times; getting comfortable with this is too complicated.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it. We have only one week before we go to the Ferrer house and I introduce you as my fiancée,” Maximilian said, his eyes brightening at the mention. “Thank you for accepting my proposal.”

I should have been the one thanking him, considering I didn’t even have enough to eat.

“Thank you, Maximilian. So, when do I start?”

“Today. We’re going to buy everything you need. From now on, you’ll be living here.”

“What? No, I need to go back to the hotel to collect my things. I can’t just move in here right away; I have a life.”

Maximilian raised an eyebrow and looked at me intently.

“I understand you only have your clothes with you since you sold your savings and your apartment to pay for the wedding with Francisco, who couldn’t even contribute a single peso. How pathetic, given that the Ferrers have dollars in abundance.”

Maximilian shook his head. If he intended to make me feel better, he was failing. His words only fueled my frustration.

“Well, these are the sacrifices a woman in love makes, but it’s never too late to start from scratch,” I replied, trying to keep my tone steady.

“I understand. It’s never happened to me before, but I understand. Shall we go?”

I nodded and followed him, feeling like some sort of lapdog.

The flashy limousine was once again parked in front of us. I climbed into the back seat, my hands trembling. The luxury and eccentricity surrounding me made me feel insignificant. It felt like a joke, a dream, or perhaps a nightmare, and I was bracing myself for the inevitable wake-up call.

Maximiliano took out his phone and started checking some things. Out of courtesy, I turned my gaze to the window, avoiding what he was doing. In the end, it didn’t matter who he really was; he was Ferrer, and that had to be more than enough.

We entered the heart of Manhattan, the city’s most exclusive area, surrounded by hundreds of shopping centers and stores filled with clothes, technology, and countless other things.

The limousine parked in one of the lots. Maximiliano instructed his driver to stay with the car while we shopped. He got out first and, with a touch of chivalry, extended his hand to help me out.

“Thank you,” I smiled as I took his hand.

“Let’s go. We need to get you ready to be Maximilian Ferrer’s fiancée,” he said assertively.

We walked through the crowded aisles of the mall. I eyed everything around me and began to ask for things without hesitation. If my eccentric uncle-in-law wanted to indulge me, I would let him. No one had ever done anything like this for me before, and I intended to make the most of it.