Chapter 6
I was afraid Fred would cause a scene here, so I took him to one of the studios inside the
art room.
He immediately wrapped his arms around mine, eager to kiss me, but I shoved him away forcefully and said, “Don’t touch me. I think you’re filthy.”
He gave up, his eyes dimming. “Is this your way of getting back at me?”
“Letting me lose face in front of the whole country, having my bride run away on our wedding day!”
I let out a self–deprecating laugh. “Fred, after all this time, you’re still thinking about your own pride.”
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I said angrily, “What’s the difference edetween me and those women?”
“Luna, you’re not like them! You’re there woman I’ve cherished in the palm ofamyny hand!” Fred yelled.
His expression turned desolate, a silent t frustration in his eyes. He continued, “I “I insisted on marrying you, despite my family’s’s opposition, because I love you. I wanted toto give you the proper, honored place in the e Garner Family”
“And then become your little bird in a gilded d cage?”
“Luna!”
“You keep saying you love me, but on the night before our wedding, you’re with
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another woman. Is this your idea off love? If that’s love, it’s cheap.”
“You can’t be with Nevo either! Don’t you know who he is? He’s a cold, ruthless mafía don!”
I scoffed. “Why do you care who I’m with?“”
I tried to leave, but he grabbed my wrist. “Luna, it’s been four years. Four whole years. Don’t you feel even the slightest bit off attachment to me?”
I’d never seen him so out of control, but I wasn’t moved in the least.
“It’s because I’ve endured for four years, Fred. I’m truly exhausted, fed up, and disgusted.”
I pulled my hand away from him and left,
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walking back into the art exhibition. My assistant, Tamia, informed me that Nevo had bought the painting Caged Moon. His offer was generous and quite substantial. I asked, “Has anyone else shown interest in the other paintings?”
Tamia replied, “Luna, you won’t believe this. A Mr. Ulises from Canada has taken a liking to two of your paintings. If he really buys them, Luna, your work will skyrocket in value, and your reputation will be completely transformed.”
I was taken aback. “How would Mr. Ulises even know about this exhibition? And how did he see my paintings?”
How could a new, budding artist like me catch the eye of someone like Mr. Ulises?
Tamia explained, “Mr. Mills recommended
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ad
- d.
er
ly
yoyour paintings to Mr. Ulisésedeleveven ser enemail introducing your work totoi him.”
I wawas puzzled. Why would Nevevbdielp me
HeHe had indeed done a lot for me..hehe weredding of the Garner Family had turnered intinto fa fiasco, and gossip reporters, whichba ondace relentlessly pursued me, suddenlyly stopoppled mentioning me. Nevo had spentra consididerable amount of money to keep the presesquiuiet.
He hadaskskillfully used public relations toto help theheromors dissipate, and the negativ impact o’nomene gradually faded. The world ic always hadadevew, juicier scandals to focus and people soooon lost interest in the so–call wedding of the eccentury.
Two months laterembenet Mr. Ulises. He praised the brilliancecef of my work and said
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was grateful to Mr. Mills for introducing him
to me.
A wave of gratitude stirred in my heart,and!! wanted to properly thank Nevo.
But I still didn’t understand why he wass doing all of this for me.
Including paying off the debts I owed Fred from those four years.
I recalled how, every time we were togetherr in bed, he would ask me to gently trace the scar left by a burn. But whenever I asked him about it, he would stay silent, as though playing a game of charades with me.
I once asked, “With today’s advanced technology, why don’t you get the scar treated? There are such good scar–removal treatments now.”
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He smiled and said, “Are you repulsed by the scar?”
“No,” I replied.
He turned over, gently pinning me down on the soft bed. He caressed my cheek k and said, “Luna, I’m waiting for the day youu remember.”
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