Chapter 29 Cohen, You Use Me
MADISON POV
Hi my love, you're safe now.
When I felt Cohen's arms wrapped around me, I realized how scared I was; my body wouldn't stop shaking.
"What's going on here? Who are they?" I ask, looking around.
There were several men and women in strange uniforms, some with weapons on their belts, which made my eyes widen.
Calm down, I'll explain everything.
I'm not what you think I am, Madi.
That's it, I already figured it out — I stammered.
Cohen smiles and tells me to sit in the same chair I was in before.
"I'm an FBI agent, our organization has been investigating the nightclub and its connection to the trafficking of girls.
They put me on the operation two years ago, and it wasn't by chance that I contacted you, my love.
It was all planned so I could be close to you and to catch them."
I put my hand on my mouth, unable to believe what I had just heard.
This can't be true; I feel like I'm in a movie, literally.
Nothing I imagined came close to what he was actually telling me.
Look, I know it's difficult, but I'm going to get you out of there, Madi, and you're the key piece in getting our hands on them.
I'm overwhelmed with so much information, so it was all a lie to begin with?
So was everything we experienced together all planned? I refuse to believe I'm being used.
Wait a minute, you knew everything about me?
Absolutely everything.
I investigated your every move before and after the nightclub incident, I have a document with all that information.
"So you knew about Dimitri all along?" I ask, hoping he'll say no.
He lowers his head and then nods in confirmation.
Madi, I brought you on this trip to get closer to you.
At the nightclub, I couldn't get you to talk; you wouldn't trust a man who only goes there to sleep with you.
So I brought you along under the disguise of work, It wasn't that hard to convince Rose; all I had to do was give her what she likes so much.
"Money," I said, finishing his sentence.
Yes, and when you met Dimitri here, I already knew about your relationship, but I wasn't worried because he's married but I was completely wrong.
If you had chosen him Madi, everything would have been for nothing.
My head is a whirlwind of doubts; the more he talks, the more certain I am that it was all a lie, that it was all an illusion, and that nothing he told me was true—it was all a plan to make me talk.
Don't worry, we'll protect you.
My love, I'll be with you, but you need to pretend that you knew absolutely nothing.
It's as if I were a renowned businessman and you were my escort; we need this charade.
I... I need to think.
I understand, let's go back to the hotel and you can rest and think about everything.
He runs his hand across my face with a smile on his lips.
If it were an hour ago, I would have melted in his arms, but now I didn't feel anything.
I will protect you, you can be sure of that.
If there's one thing I'm not sure about now, it's that, I can't trust him again.
Cohen reaches out to kiss me, but I turn my face away.
If everything is a lie, why should I kiss him?
He doesn't feel anything for me, I was a fool to have believed him, to have believed it was real.
When this operation is over, our relationship will go with it.
Two hours later, we were already in the hotel, I went to the bathroom to think.
I was under the shower, crying for everything I've lived through all this time, all the beatings, all the humiliations, all the promises made that were not kept.
I lean against the wall and feel my tears mix with the water that runs down my body.
When I get out of the shower, Cohen is in bed shirtless, working on his laptop.
The sight of him so relaxed makes me realize how wrong I was.
How can he be so calm, so normal?
How can he pretend so well?
Madi, why didn't you call me?
We could have showered together.
I needed to be alone.
He shakes his head and comes closer to me, lifts my face to look into his eyes.
Do you want to tell me something?
You've been acting so strangely since I told you everything.
I thought it would be easier for you, that our relationship would improve even more.
"What relationship, Cohen? It's all a lie, everything you said, all the kisses and hugs, all the promises, it was all a lie.
You don't need to lie to me anymore, it's all clear now."
Cohen doesn't seem to understand and stands here looking at me for a few minutes, and when he comes to his senses, he pulls me into his arms.
No, Madi, you misunderstood everything.
Please don't talk like that, my love, my feelings are genuine.
He continues to hug me tightly, holding me in his arms.
No, you did all this to get information from me, please don't fool me anymore, I've suffered too much already— I sob.
Madi, listen to me.
I don't want to hear anything more, I've heard enough for today.
After you get what you want, I want you out of my life.
"Please don't do that," he pleaded.
No Cohen, not anymore.
I get dressed and leave the room, walking down the street.
I automatically feel an emptiness in my heart; I just hope this all ends so I can finally be free.
When I got back to the hotel room, it was already night.
I don't talk to Cohen, and he looks at me sadly, but I know it's all an act.
He's afraid I won't help him and that his work will be in vain.
I lie down on the bed and sigh, thinking about everything that happened after I was sold by my father, but I'm snapped out of my thoughts when my phone rings.
Dimitri's name appears on the screen, with more than 50 missed calls.
I've completely forgotten about him.
Hello, Dimitri?
Madi, where are you? I've been calling you all day, we need to talk.
I didn't want to talk on the phone, but I filed for divorce.
That completely surprised me, and this information, along with the others, is making my head spin again.
Why did you do that, Dimitri?
Madi, there's one reason for everything: I want to marry you.