Runaway Bride

I run out of the room so fast, I fail to notice someone in the hallway in time, so I end up slamming into a muscular wall.

“Hey, sister-in-law! Take it easy. Where are you going in that beautiful handmade dress?” taunts Dawson.

I pull the fabric up to my chest; I think the sheet covers even part of my throat. I blush from head to toe. He’s the last person I would have wanted to meet in the hallway in this shape. I should have thought things through before I ran away. It’s all his fault, or at least partly his fault. It’s Dawson’s fault. If he didn’t have a twin with whom it was possible to confuse him, Darío would have believed me and trusted my words, or maybe not.

I don’t know who could hurt him so much and so badly that, even though the truth is before his eyes, he doesn’t believe in it. He does not listen, see or understand. He has shut down and blinded himself, not only physically because of his current condition after surgery, but because in his mind, heart, and soul, Darío no longer trusts anyone but himself.

I was a fool to believe that I could have a fairy tale happy ending. The man I lost my virginity to, the one who made love to me under the moonlight, and the one I loved without even seeing his face, is my own husband. I was so happy and so excited. It was a plethoric, almost orgasmic feeling. As I tasted his lips under the huge Flamboyán tree, he has planted in the garden. I foolishly believed that he reciprocated everything I felt for him. And in some ways, I know he does and that he loves me, at least desires me. Even if it is his body, he is not immune to me, whether his heart has an anti-love vest.

What good does it do me to provoke desire in him if I can’t reach his heart? Could it be that I am the most foolish and deluded of women?

Now more than ever, I need Tere! I’m sure she would know what to do.

“Hey, don’t cry,” Dawson comments, but I’m not crying, or maybe I am.

I don’t even know what to think about myself anymore.

I think my sister was right. I haven’t enjoyed my life, and I’ve trusted the wrong person twice. So something must be wrong with me.

I can’t raise my hand to check if I’m crying, but the thin cold touching my cheek tells me I am. Indeed, I wail.

“Get out of my way. I don’t want to see you or him. What’s more, I don’t even know which of the two I want to see less anymore.” He frowns as he doesn’t understand what I mean. “Don’t play dumb. I know about you and my sister. You’re a fucking abuser! She’s only twenty!”

“Tatiana...”

growl. My hands feel sweaty, and I clench them tightly; I feel my fingernails through the fabric

Did my brother do something to you? Did he...” he scrutinizes me, uncomfortable, and a blush appears

not! Darío’s not like that,” I defend him on automatic. “He’s your brother. How can you

the castle. Likewise, I need to seek refuge somewhere else, somewhere far away from the Magghio’s, far away from all this that I was forced to be a part of. I knew from the beginning that I did not belong here. I knew things were going to go wrong for me. This is not what I deserve, it is not what I need, and it is not what I want. I don’t have to be treated like any other, like a person of little credibility, much less do I deserve to be a wife who can’t be trusted. Even though I know that Darío will need the help of everyone around him right now to recover from the situation he is going through, I don’t have the strength to face him right now. The decision is clear: I need to leave the

with Arianna, but I assure you that’s in the past. If my brother decided to marry you, it’s because he’s doing his

what the hell he’s talking about, what does he mean? What does he

my chin up to let him know not to mess with me and give him a big smack

“You’re crazy!”

touch me!” I bawl.

both. I’ve caused enough pain.” He lets out an imprecation and shakes his foot. “Shit, woman! I was only trying to

as I feel the euphoria begin

I was thinking. I didn’t mean to hurt my

the pain on his face and

with Darío’s wife?” I question with

to leave with the sheet covering you because he told you his wife

have to do with me? It’s both of your

I saw you leave, and you said

It’s like being in the mouth of

know what to think

your brother’s