...(๑˙❥˙๑) *Isabella* (๑˙❥˙๑)...
The cell phone vibrated on my desk and my heart skipped a beat, even though I already knew who it was.
Dona Eleonora Moretti.
I took a deep breath, preparing myself for what I would hear. It was already decided. I accepted this deal knowing exactly what I was getting into. But now, hearing the confirmation that I was about to become Lorenzo Moretti's wife still made my stomach churn with nerves.
I answered almost on the last ring.
"Isabella, dear, it's done. The wedding will be in a week," her voice sounded calm, as always.
I bit my lips.
Even expecting this answer, hearing the words come out of her mouth made it all more real.
"Okay…" my voice came out a little weaker than I would have liked.
"Don't worry, my dear. Everything is already planned. The wedding will be discreet, as Lorenzo demanded. Just a signature, no ceremony, nothing. And as soon as you comply with the agreement, I'll send you the promised amount."
He really had no idea.
He would sign those papers without even caring who was on the other side. For him, it didn't matter who his wife would be, as long as the media believed it.
But for me… it did.
"Are you okay, Isabella?" Dona Eleonora asked after a few seconds of silence.
"Yes, I'm just processing everything," I lie.
"It's understandable. But trust me, dear, this will be good for you."
I bit my lip again. Good?
Marrying a man who hates me and has no idea he's marrying me? That wouldn't be good at all.
"Tomorrow, the lawyer will take the documents for you to sign before the wedding," she continued. "Don't worry about anything. I've provided what's needed."
There was no need to worry.
Fate was already sealed.
When the call ended, I stared at the black screen of the cell phone.
In a week, I would be Isabella Moretti.
I didn't sleep well that night.
The memories haunted me, as they always did when Lorenzo's name came back to my mind.
The man who loved me, and then threw me away, without giving me the opportunity to tell him the whole truth.
He didn't even want to hear me. He never tried to understand what really happened. He simply discarded me as if I had never meant anything.
But now? In a few weeks, he would be tied to me.
If he had given me the chance to speak, if he had listened, maybe none of this would be happening.
But he made his choice. And I made mine.
The next day, a man in an impeccable suit appeared at the reception of my company.
"Miss Vasquez?"
I nodded.
"I am Dona Eleonora's lawyer. I've come to bring the contract for you to sign."
He opened a leather folder and slid the papers onto the table.
My heart raced when I saw the name Lorenzo Moretti printed there.
So many years had passed and, yet, my name would again be next to his.
"If you could sign here…" he pointed to the last line of the document.
I held the pen firmly, although my fingers trembled slightly.
Lorenzo signed without even knowing who the woman was who would be carrying his last name.
How ironic.
I swallowed hard and, without thinking further, signed my name.
"Great," said the lawyer, collecting the papers. "The wedding will take place in a few days, but, as requested by Mr. Moretti, you will not need to see each other before the ceremony."
Of course not.
He didn't want to know who the wife was. He didn't want to meet, or see, or waste a minute thinking about her.
If he knew it was me.
Would he have torn up that contract right then and there?
...(๑˙❥˙๑) One week later (๑˙❥˙๑)...
On the day of the wedding, I woke up early. The air was cold, the sky cloudy. A perfect day for a loveless wedding.
I dressed slowly, analyzing my reflection in the mirror.
Dona Eleonora sent the dress for me. Something elegant, but discreet. It wasn't a traditional wedding dress, because this wasn't a real wedding.
My only function was to sign a paper and become Lorenzo Moretti's invisible wife. I knew that this agreement would benefit me financially.
My hair was loose, as Lorenzo always liked.
Funny.
I knew he wouldn't see me today, but, somehow, I still wanted him to see me as I always was.
I got into my car and drove to the registry office.
When I arrived, an assistant of Dona Eleonora was already waiting for me.
"Good morning, Miss...."
"Isabella!"
"Miss Isabella. Come with me."
He led me to a private room. On the table were the final documents.
My gaze was drawn to his name once again.
Lorenzo Moretti.
"Has he already signed?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.
"Yes, earlier. He just came to sign, and left."
My breath caught in my throat.
Of course. Because for him, it didn't matter.
I signed my name.
With a single stroke of the pen, I became the wife of the man who hated me.
When I left the registry office, the cold wind hit my skin. The world continued as normal, as if nothing had changed. But for me, everything was different.
I took out my cell phone and sent a short message to Dona Eleonora:
It's done.
Seconds later, she replied:
"Welcome to the family, Isabella."
My fingers tightened on the phone.
"What have I done?" I asked myself, looking at the ring on my finger. A ring that I myself had put on.
I walked to my car, got in, and drove straight to the apartment where I live.
When I parked in front of the building, a black car stopped and a security guard got out before me. I opened the door of my car, he greeted me and extended his arm handing me a black briefcase.
"Here it is, Mrs. Moretti."
My hands trembled slightly as I took it. I already knew what was inside.
Money.
The payment for my wedding.
I swallowed hard and just nodded, squeezing the handle of the briefcase tightly. Without saying anything else, I went to my apartment, feeling each step weighing more than ever.
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