Zoey p. o. v
My lashes fluttered against my cheeks as they blinked rapidly to clear my mind, my eyes widened in shock as I stared up at him. Quietly, sitting back down on the chair I once occupied.
Fake engagement? How does that work? I couldn’t seem to wrap my head around the staged engagement and how it works. Is he just saying it to calm me down?
I am torn between giving him a chance to explain himself and just walking, since its none of my business what he does with his life. But eventually, I remain seated, I’m more curious than angry.
Curious about how they manage to get to that stage and how they go about it. Why did he insist on being with me when he could have just been with his supposed fiancee?
“We have a lot to talk about,” I said bluntly. Stalling this won’t do us any good, even if I’m not certain of his reasons, I still can’t drag this out any longer.
“I know baby.” I look at him, studying his features and body language to predict if he’s going, to be honest. “I won’t promise that I will answer all your questions, but I will answer the necessary ones.” He added, my brows furrowed in distaste, but I decided not to comment on it.
I took a huge amount of air into my lungs to calm my nerves down.
“Why did you break up with me then, I still don’t know what happened, I’m still lost.” I shoot at him. I’ve been disturbed by this question all these years.
I fidget with my fingers, nervous about getting an answer to my long-term question. But I frowned when Marco remains silent.
“Marco?” I push, and he stares at me for another second before he responded.
“You were a target.” He started. “You and your family were in danger because of me, because of our relationship.”
At this point, I’m not that surprised because, with his family involved with the mafia, it will be extremely strange for their enemies not to be good after their close relations. That means I wasn’t excluded.
But what I was trying to figure out, is remembering any time when I had felt threatened. However I came out empty-handed.
“I broke up with you for your safety, to take the attention from you. That was why I had always kept you on a strict curfew and had always demanded you tell me first before doing anything or going anywhere. It’s not because I wanted to be a controlling freak, but that was my way of protecting you. My Father is too busy dealing with bigger issues that he has no time to watch out for you, my powers were limited at that time. The best option for me is to break up with you, especially when I was about to leave for the university.”
“But I remember ever feeling threatened,” I asked, still trying to wrap my mind around this whole thing.
“Because I blocked them off before they can reach you, remember those times you would see me limping while covered in bruises?” He held my hands tenderly and dropped a gentle kiss on it.
Flashback.
I stepped out of the school building, stopping briefly as I scanned the car park. Marco didn’t come to school today, it wasn’t the first time he had missed school. But each time he would come and pick me up after school.
A smile broke out, in my face when my eyes landed on his muscled but lanky form leaning on his black silk sports car. Looking magnificent and handsome, although he seemed restless as he kept glancing around the entire place.
He had seen me when I came out of the building but, unusual for him, he didn’t come to meet me half as I had expected. Instead, he was glaring around as if he couldn’t wait to get out of her.
“Hi.” I smiled at him, walking into his ever-opened arms. He grunts when I press too tightly.
“What? Are you okay?” I asked, pulling away.
“I’m fine, fucking get in the car.” He hissed, I silently did as told and watched as he limps his way to the driver’s seat. Hissing and groaning all the way, the car came to life and we speed off.
End of flashback.
“Yes,” I responded.
“That’s it, baby, I did the best I could to protect you until I failed to protect your dad.” He explained further, and my brain paused at his last words.
My dad? How come my dad got involved? He died in a fatal accident six years ago, right? Questions were running through my head until I paused for a while then it finally clicks.
“His accident was intentional, a smooth attack. Your mom was their next target as they wanted to break you, while I watched it happen. That’s when I decided the break-up was the best option.” My head was spinning from the information and I seemed to be fading in and out of consciousness.
After a while, I calmed down a bit from the remainder of my dad’s death, still trying to get over the fact that he didn’t die a natural death as I had thought but was killed.
“Your engagement with Rebecca, how is it staged.”
It took a moment before he replied.
“Rebecca and I met four years ago.” He started. “I was ambushed and left to die in an alley, she saw me and the condition I was and immediately understood I was involved in the mafia. She took to her home and nursed me back to health for two weeks, I am indebted to her for that. So, I vowed to pay her back by being her protector and her shield.”
By being her protector and her shield. The words keep echoing in my head, I felt a pang of envy stab at my chest. I know I’m being selfish for saying this, but I can’t seem to tolerate the fact that Marco cares this much for another woman.
I’m crazy and delusional for thinking he’ll still be mine after what she has gone through for him, it’s natural if he has fallen in love with her. She deserves it, I mean, she’s an angel for risking her life and safety to save a stranger. But I on the other hand, what meaningful and valuable thing I have done to him? Instead, I bring troubles for him, in other to protect me he got numerous injuries and scars.
“We staged our engagement two years ago.” He said, breaking me out of my thoughts. I wanted to ask why they staged it when they could just make it real since they care so much for each other, but I kept mute and waited for him to continue.
“Her parents died two years ago and her shares in their company were threatened, they shareholders in the company and her step-brother who wants to take the company from with the excuse of her being a woman. With me as her partner, has stopped the threat, or more like silent it. But I promise you that if you as much as breath an air about me ending the engagement, I will do it.” He affirmed, holding my gaze, I sat motionless, shocked and amazed at his last words.
He is willing to end their fake engagement for me? When, what about her? How do I believe he’ll do that to the woman who saved him? How am I convinced that what is between is just the fake engagement and not more?
I do not want to be the cause of two loved ones being separated, he’s just feeling guilty towards me for the break-up he caused and my dad’s death, nothing more. And I refuse to be in a guilty filled relationship, the past is the past and I can’t hold him accountable for my lose.
“please don’t break the engagement for me, I can see you care for her and your responsibility towards her. I wouldn’t want to be the cause of your separation from her, I will just leave you two alone.” I told him, even though my heart cracks with each word I produce, it will better for me to leave now than to be in too deep to leave.
“What the fuck do you mean? Yes, I care for her and I have my responsibility towards her, but that does not I have feelings for her.” He grimaced.
“Marco, I know you are feeling guilty of what happened to my family, and you want to make amends. But you can’t deny your love for her over guilt, and I would rather not be a guilty-filled relationship with you, it better we go our separate ways.” I am growing tired and frustrated.
The more I stay her, the more I felt heartbroken and hurt, I didn’t understand why I had allowed myself to grow feelings for him. Even I love him, I always get burnt in the end. I can’t keep hurting myself over him any more, I have to move on.
“The fuck, I have feelings for Rebecca. I don’t fucking love her, and so does she.”Marco roared, he was getting angry, but I couldn’t care less.
“How do I believe that, she cares a lot for you? She flew all the way from Paris down here, all because you left without telling her, and she wanted to take off your wound.” All these reasons and signs show how much she loves him, either he’s lying to me or he’s pretending to be ignorant of her feelings.
“She is only attracted to women, baby. I love you and you only.” He buried his face in my stomach, the action emitted butterflies in my stomach. His hands went around my waist, holding me in place.
“And I don’t feel guilty for you or your family because there’s nothing to be guilty of.”He stated against my stomach.
“What do you mean?” I frowned, confused.
“Your dad is not dead.” He said, bringing his face up.
I’m so sorry for the long wait, there’s a lot going on with me right now that I needed to sort out. Hopefully the chapter will help calm you guys down a bit.
Please Don’t forget to vote, share and most importantly please don’t forget to comment your thoughts on the book is far.
Love you guys.
Amirablessing.