Chapter 6

Ivona Pov

“Why was I suddenly asked or should I say more likely commanded to get back here?” I threw my bag pack on the couch as I glared at Alex who poured himself a glass of wine from my bar.

“Why? You seemed to be miffed off by the situation,” he took a sip from his wine as he walked towards the couch and sat on it with the glass of wine in his hand.

“Of course I’m miffed! Alex! Do you not understand this? I left your grandmom alone! so suddenly even though she told me to stay back a little more. Do you know how bad I was feeling at that moment when I declined it only because of you? For god’s sake, you didn’t even tell me the reason why you asked me to come back all of a sudden when you yourself had agreed to let me stay in there for a little longer,” I exhaled out the breath that I didn’t know I was holding.

“I feel like it,” was his blunt answer.

“You! You f-feel like it?” I asked flabbergasted.

He seemed to be lost in deep thoughts as he whirled his wine in his glass staring blankly at it.

“Alex!

“What?

“I’m asking you a question!

“And why do you think that I will be answering any of it?” he asked as all of a sudden he glared at me. Those grey eyes of his squinting at me with what seemed like hatred for a moment before he slammed the glass on the coffee table and got up adjusting his suit all the while maintaining the glare at me.

“Why do you do this?” I was surprised that today I found my voice to speak up.

I had just enough...

He narrowed his eyes momentarily before edging his head to a side which indicated he wanted to hear further.

“Why do you do this all the time? What have I done for you to hate me-”

“I don’t hate you Ivona!” he cut me off in the middle but that didn’t stop me from striking back verbally.

“And you don’t even like me either! Let’s be honest here...” arching my eyebrows at him I crossed my arms over my chest as I glared back at him.

It was true. There was nothing in between us. Even though we were engaged there was nothing in between us. We weren’t lovers...we were not even friends... I don’t even know what we were to each other. Our marriage was a part of a business deal which I was aware of from the beginning and from the day I met him...I thought we could at least get to know each other and at least let this work but every time I try to warm up to him...he moves away giving me the cold shoulder. For the world, we were just like some high profile romantic couple soon to be married off but it was far from the truth.

Mr. ALexadru Lascar who was supposed to be my future husband wanted nothing to do with me and I don’t know why but even though he had never agreed to this he has always tried to make it obvious to me...indirectly.

“Look! Don’t forget the situation in which we were both tie-”

“I remember! You don’t need to remind this to me every single time! I do remember! My grandfather made a deal with your father to marry off his granddaughter in order to pay the debt that your father provided to save my late dad’s company. I remember...” my voice lower down a little at the end and he seemed a little tense after hearing that.

“But I want you to remember this as well. This deal was made in order to save my company and your father agreed to deal because he wanted the company and now let’s be honest over here...aye?” his jaws clenched at my words but then he didn’t speak a word because he knew I was telling the truth.

Or was it something else?

I remember the time when I woke up in the hospital bed alone surrounded by IV’s and machines. My head was bandaged and I had a broken rib. But then I couldn’t recognise anything or anyone...let alone remember my own name. Then after being stuck up for two days finally Alex’s father showed up who reminded me of who I was. But then he told me that I was in a car accident with me losing some part of my memories. It didn’t affect me that much because I could barely remember anything...but then he told me my only family...my grandfather was also in the accident but unlike me, he lost his life.

The pain I felt was unbearable. It was worse than the broken rib because it troubled me that I couldn’t even remember the sole family member who has already passed away. I was sad and scared. I couldn’t understand what to do.

But then his father took care of me and slowly when I started to heal he told me about that he had made with my grandfather and that is how I met Alex. But at first, he seemed different. He used to smile a little and talk nicely but now...he has changed completely. Many a time I had assumed that he was forced into this or perhaps he has someone in his life whom he loves and I even tried to ask him all these wanting to sort things out between us. I don’t him to marry me being pressurized by the situation but like always he nodded his head no to everything I asked.

“You know my condition! And even though you deny it...I know that you are being forced into this. You don’t love anyone...you don’t love me...you don’t share anything with me...you don’t want things to work out between us nor do you opt out of this deal. I don’t understand you! You know that I’m in a position where I’m in debt and bound by the deal...but you! You are free! You can always walk out of this deal! So why are you always like this? I want to know the reason for your hatred towards me! Just tell me what is it already!” I huffed out air as I felt the corner of my eyes stinging.

“Ivona!

“Please? At least let me aware of my sin so that at least I could try to repent!” my voice broke out in the end and soon I was in a series of sobbing.

As I looked back at him hoping that today he would let it all out but to my extreme astonishment he wasn’t annoyed or irritated like the other times. In fact, he seemed a little down to earth as for the first ever time I saw concern and a little sense of remorse in his eyes as he saw me break down.

“You know what?” I asked in between my sobs.

“I am ready to face the consequences!” I said once I repeated the whole sentence in my mind practicing it for a moment.

“What?” he seemed little taken aback.

“I can’t just can’t do this anymore!” I cried as I looked at the ring that I was wearing “I will be the one who will be walking out of this marriage! You seemed to be under pressure but not being able to walk out of this deal. Hence, I shall face the consequences and I shall deal with money that needs to paid back to your father. I shall pay back my grand father’s debt! But for now...I’m calling this...” I placed my fingers over the ring ready to pull it off “wedding of-” but before I could do that he walked up to me and kept his hand over mine stopping me from removing the ring.

“Wait!” he breathed as he stared at the ring.

“You don’t need to-”

“No! Wait! Look! Forgive me. You don’t need to do this!” he said and looked into my eyes. His grey eyes boring into mine as I stood there paralyzed to my spot traumatized by the fact that he was actually opening up to me.

“Look! I understand I don’t involve you in my matters but that has nothing to do this with this deal. And for the last time let me make this clear to you...I am not forced into this nor I have anybody else in my heart! It’s just that I don’t know what to do!” he said as he withdraws his hands and raked a hand through his hair looking slightly red.

“What?” I muttered.

“You won’t understan-”

“Oh then, make me!” I said determined and that made me look straight into my eyes.

“You don’t me know me well!

“Nor do you!” as I said that he nodded and bit down on his lower lips staring at the floor.

“I have no problem with you!” he said and I arched my head to a side.

“Nor do I!

“Tell me the reason for dragging me back here. Your grandma must have been so upset!” I said once I remembered his grandma’s saddened look when I told her I needed to leave urgently.

“There’s no reason for that-”

“See? I told you! It won’t work between us. We should call this wedd-” he got hold of my hand and stopped me from removing the ring as he looked down to me.

“Fine! I get your problem!” he muttered as he took few steps back and shoved his hands in his pant pockets. I stared at his questionably patiently waiting for him to continue.

“Let’s get to know each other well!” he said and that instantly brought a smile up to my face as I smirked inwardly but gave him a small nod and smiled at him feeling happy all of a sudden.

It seemed the day just started.

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