10. CONVERSATION

And that marked the end of the jovial Luis who had performed all night. It was as if he suddenly felt compelled to rewrite our narrative. Throughout the evening, I caught him glancing at me, almost as if he relished this farcical portrayal of marriage. Thus, I continued the conversation—not out of interest, but because it seemed that by candidly discussing his lover, we acknowledged that we were nothing to each other. Absolutely nothing. And we never would be. I don't like him as a person, and even less so for how he has looked at me since this afternoon.

“You, girl? The blonde from the plane?” I ask, prompting him to continue.

“Yes, her! Who else would it be? Don't peg me as some incorrigible womaniser; she's the only one. If it weren't for your blasted inheritance, we'd be together,” he swears, but somehow, I sense a lack of conviction this time.

“And why blame me? You could have said no, but you didn't. So leave me out of it. You know perfectly well that if I married you, it was to escape my parents,” I assert, clarifying the boundaries of our relationship. “I couldn't care less what you do with your life or whom you're with, but Luis, you must ensure our parents don't find out.”

“Bella, stay out of my business!” he retorts, now shouting, which I think is truly out of annoyance.

“I'm not meddling; it's your life!” I reply and head to my room. But I pause and warn him, “I'm telling you this because you saw how Dad looked at you. And don't forget, as he said himself, who he is—let alone who my grandfather was.”

“I'm not forgetting, Bella—you don't need to remind me. But now you're my wife, and no one should interfere in a husband and wife’s affairs,” he declares with an air of bravado, as if that alone would protect him from any threat. “So their intimidations don't frighten me, nor do yours.”

“Me? Oh no, Luis, I'm not threatening you. I merely wish for you to remain in one piece,” I retort, resuming my walk towards my room with him trailing behind. “Moreover, I desire this sham of a marriage to conclude amicably, to the benefit of us both. You can wed your blonde, and I shall embark on my travels.”

“Travel? Ha! Do you honestly believe your mother will permit that?” he jeers, prompting me to halt and spin around to confront him. Unperturbed, he continues, “I'm certain your mother is already scheming your next union with some magnate to subsidise her lavish lifestyle.”

“Where did you hear that, Luis? Do you know something?” I inquire, a surge of anxiety coursing through me. I am well aware of my mother's capabilities and her penchant for manipulation.

“Really, you're naïve, Bella,” he says, approaching me and reaching out to caress my face, which I swiftly evade. “You haven't changed at all; since birth, you've been so innocent. How can you be so oblivious to the kind of mother you have?”

“Luis, do not speak ill of my mother!” I protest, feigning offence, yet deep down, a tremor of recognition shakes me. I understand what he implies about her. My mother's determination to maintain her status quo is something I've witnessed firsthand. Her machinations have nearly ruined my father, estranging him from his own parents even as my grandmother lies gravely ill. She has driven him to claim his inheritance prematurely.

“No, not unless I choose to,” he replies with a smile, observing my retreat from his touch. “In fact, she and I get on quite well, better than you and she ever did. And do you know why?”

“I haven't the faintest idea.”

“It's because we're alike; we both use people to our advantage, and you, my dear, are the perfect pawn.”

“Luis, stop spouting nonsense!”

“It's not madness, Bella. Believe me,” he insists, stepping closer until he's nearly beside me. He leans down and fixes me with an intense gaze. “Your mother will never release you, Bella! Heed my words; she'll never let you live in peace. You might even be better off spending your whole life married to me in this sham of a marriage to escape it."

“Don't even entertain the thought!' I exclaim, recoiling from him once more. “And enough with your absurdities. Father promised to grant me my funds and allow me to travel wherever I wish. He's a man of his word. He will grant me my inheritance during my lifetime as my grandfather did for him."

“Ha! You truly are innocent! The very thought of you stirs a mix of pity and a desire to protect you. Bella, Bella, Bella, in which world have you been living not to see your parents for who they are?” He draws nearer again, this time with a look that chills me. “Your father is putty in your mother's hands. Trust me, I had hoped he would stand firm until the end.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, dreading the answer I know is coming. His gaze is earnest, and despite the pain it brings, I can see the truth in his eyes.

"Your father initially rejected this marriage proposal; he flatly refused to let you marry me. I was banking on his continued resistance until the very end, but he capitulated. He didn't hold out and now, look at us—married!" he says, his voice a mix of disappointment and irritation. "Your father ultimately bent to pressure and handed you over to me!"

He tells me this, and I believe him. I don't think Dad wanted to leave me at his mercy. My mother must have said or done something to him to make him give in and let this sham marriage go ahead.. Is that why she was so insistent that I declare I had been infatuated with Luis since childhood?

"Why are you so ignorant of your mother's actions?" he asks, igniting my curiosity. "She left him and squandered his money in a casino for a month until he gave in. Your father is merely a pawn that your mother moves at her whim."

"That's a falsehood! Cease fabricating tales about my parents to frighten me! I neither understand nor care for your insinuations. If your intent is to sway my beliefs or intimidate me into remaining married, you can well forget it!" I retort with conviction, turning to leave before pivoting back to confront him. "But should there be any truth to your words, I have my grandfather's support, and I'm well aware that you know of his influence. If my father fails to act, my grandfather will uphold his commitments! Good evening, Louis!"

That was the last of our encounters. We continued on with our separate lives—mine filled with school, libraries, and time at my grandparents' house; Luis in his world of endless parties and women. Occasionally, I sensed his presence as he stormed up to his room or chastised the servants, never once seeking me out. Yet, I've noticed his appearances have become more frequent of late.

Luckily when I returned late at night from my school, he was gone. Well, his schedule clashed with mine. He sleeps until noon, I get up very early and go to school. I don't know how he works in his father's companies. Who starts work at two in the afternoon?

After the conversation with Luis, I was a little worried. I knew that Mom was capable of really planning when I separated from him, to marry someone else, I'm not going to allow that. I'll find a way to tell my grandfather. I am sure that he will use all his power to free me from that fate. Why would my mother hate me the way she does?

The other day Luis came early, he took me by surprise, because he had disappeared for a long time, and when he came to the house he did it at times when I was not there or late at night. So seeing him stopped in front of me when I opened my eyes because I had fallen asleep on the sofa made me scared. He didn't say a single word, he just looked at me, then turned around and left.

That day I felt him leave, I was really tired. I had never really bolted my room before. I just closed the door, I didn't feel afraid. However, I regretted it very soon, as I had the impression that someone was watching me. Although I couldn't see anyone, I felt it. It never crossed my mind that it was him.

Very soon I was convinced that it was. I had acquired the habit of locking my room, because another night I heard him enter and stop next to my bed. I could smell the stench of alcohol, but he did nothing, after observing me for a while he gave the turn and walked away. Luis was stalking me like an animal in heat! He had realized that there was a woman in me. It was a matter of time before he attacked me.

I had begun to harbour a fear of him, so I made it a habit to ring Mrs. Gisela, our housekeeper, before returning, to ensure he wasn't present and avoid an encounter. Yet, on that fateful evening, I had not called ahead. Engrossed in my work until late, it hadn't crossed my mind. I assumed that if he had come back, he would surely be asleep by then, which is why I didn't check what awaited me at home. And that was when everything transpired.

End of retrospective.