13

MARIELA

"Will you be here all night?" I wanted to know. Damian was falling asleep in the chair.

"If necessary, yes," he yawns, "I can't risk going out and someone seeing me."

Voices were heard outside, as if people were passing by.

"Don't do anything stupid, Mariela," Damián sentenced me.

"I didn't mean to. I just want to sleep," I replied. I was ready to put me to bed but the people who were talking went into the next room and I could clearly hear what they were saying.

"Alexander, you are a very handsome man," said a girl. I froze when I heard Alexander. Is Alexander there with her? It just can't be. I heard laughter. "Make love to me like never before," she asked him.

I felt dizzy at that moment, I don't want to be here and listen to how Alexander and that woman made love. I got up and went to the bathroom, I looked in the mirror and splashed water on my face, I'm tired, very exhausted. I just want to go home, but not home to my parents, but to a place that is truly home.

ALEXANDER

When I opened the door I met a guy...

"Damien?" I was surprised to see him here. I had known him for a long time, he is the son of a cook from Natasha's family. "What are you doing in Natasha's room?"

“I…”

“Dear!” Natasha appeared behind me “What are you doing here?” She practically took me out of the room “Let's go” she closed the door, she looked very nervous.

“What is Damian doing in your room?” I wanted to know.

“It is a long story. He was left homeless and since I've known him since he was a child, I told him that he could stay here as long as he wanted. Despite everything, I appreciate him.” she answered. I was surprised to learn that, sometimes I thought that Natasha didn't care about anyone but her. But apparently it wasn't like that, the girl had feelings.

"That's a nice gesture of you," I replied. However, before entering that room, I would swear I had heard a woman's voice and that voice sounded like Mariela's to me.

God, I'm going crazy. I am listening to Mariela everywhere. I need air.

"Let's go to my room," Natasha says, stroking my arm seductively.

“Did you know? I have something urgent to do” I left her alone and left there. I went downstairs, leaving Natasha's house. I got in my car and left, I can't stand being one more night without her. I can't stand it.

•

When I got home I grabbed a bottle of liquor and started binge drinking like crazy. I put music at full volume so that my self was more justified. I have my eyes closed, thinking of her. Will I ever see her again? Maybe not. The cell phone vibrates in my pocket, I didn't answer the first time it rang but it vibrated again and again so I took it and answered:

"Alexander, are you there?"

Again it was my friend the prosecutor.

“What happened?”

“Alexander, we found something in the car that might be of interest to you” he murmured, he seemed serious “It's a woman's scarf, I'll attach a photograph.”

The cell phone rang and I looked at the photo. A channel brand scarf was there, how many people could have had that scarf? I thought, thought and thought and the only person nearby who had seen it was... Natasha.

"Alexander, are you there?"

“I'll call you later, I have something urgent to do.”

•

MARIELA

I left the bathroom when I thought I heard Alexander's voice but there was no one else except Damien.

“What happened?” I wanted to know.

“Nothing, it seems that the party is over” he stood up, the door opens and Nastaha appears, she is furious.

"You're stupid." He slapped Damián. My jaw dropped at what she had done. "How can you think of leaving the door unlocked?" Alexander walked in and could have seen her! Inefficient” now he turned to me” According to you, it is no longer safe to have you here” he took me by the arms and led me out of the room.

“Where are you taking me?” I wanted to know.

“Where no one will ever find you, Mariela.”

When we went downstairs I did the only thing I could do at the time, I punched Natasha in the stomach causing her to let go of me and I ran away.

"Don't go one more step, Mariela!" I heard she fired. I stood still in the same place, near the front door. "Or I'll shoot you without thinking."

"Do it," I turned, "finish this once and for all."

Damien appeared behind her.

“Natasha, don't do something you might regret later. If you do, Alexander will never marry you,” he tried to convince her.

"If no one finds out that I killed Mariela, there's no problem," she answered.

“The police can investigate and no one can save you, Nat, think about it.”

Natasha seemed to hesitate.

"Tie her up because we're leaving here," she ordered Damián. Damien approached me, he tied my hands but I was surprised that it was a poor tie, I can undo it at any time. I looked at Damián and he only gave me a complicit look, then I understood that he was on my side and that he would help me. We were going to go out but the sound of a car made us stop. “Now what?” Natasha leaned out the window “Shit! It's Alexander, he came back.”

"Do you think he already noticed?"

My heart beat faster knowing that Alexander was here.

"I don't think so, take her to the basement," he ordered. Damien took me to the basement, it was very dirty down here and dark too.

“I don't know what Alexander is doing here but I have a feeling it's not good. Stay here, I'll keep an eye on Natasha." he told me.

Damien went upstairs and closed the door. I was left in the dark here, he scared me so much because I hate the dark. I backed up until my back collided with the wall, here I stayed to wait.

ALEXANDER

When I got to Nastaha's house I knocked on the door. She opened to me right away.

“Alexander, what a surprise to have you here again.” She smiled at me.

"Where is she?" I wanted to know bluntly. I still can't believe that she has lent herself to Natasha's game, she's incredible.

“Where is who?” She became the one she didn't know.

“Don't play it, I know perfectly well that you have Mariela here, don't hide her anymore” I went into the living room “Mariela, where are you?! Do not hide from me!”

"Alex! What are you doing? Why are you looking for your fiancée here? You said she was in Chicago.”

"Stop lying now, Natasha." I went up the stairs and went to the room where Damián used to be, when I opened it there was no one. I looked at the bed, at the clothes on the floor until something I knew perfectly well: it was an earring, they belong to Mariela. I put the earring in my pants and continued looking. My heart beat faster at the thought of her being here. However, there are other things that caught my attention, there were ropes, tape, dirty food dishes, the window was sealed. It made me think that if Mariela was here it wasn't because of her will, in these conditions, locked up... it made me realize that Mariela didn't escape but that Natasha kidnapped her.

“So you already realized” Natasha's voice behind me made me turn to her. “What a pity that it had to happen like this, but things never go the way you want.” Damián appeared behind with Mariela. I felt enormous relief to see her close to me again, I thought I would never see her again. I smiled and wanted to get closer to her but Natasha pointed the gun at me. “Don't take another step, Alexander, and don't get close to Mariela because I won't hesitate to shoot you.”

"What the hell are you doing, Natasha?"

"It's your fault, Alexander, for always changing me, for making me feel worthless to you." Now Natasha took Mariela hostage and pointed a gun at her. "Do the police know?"

"No," I replied, "no one else knows."

“Well, then what we will do is the following. We'll both go to your lawyer and you'll have your entire fortune in my name, Alexander, it's either that or Mariela dies,” she threatened. Natasha is crazy if she thinks I'll give her all my money. For Mariela I would even give what I don't have but I can with Natasha and her friend.

“Why would you do that?” I got closer little by little “if the one who will marry me will be you and not her.”

Natasha looked surprised.

“That's right, in the search for a wife I didn't see you. When Mariela disappeared and you were there, I realized that you are the only woman who has always been with me, through thick and thin, Natasha. What happened to Mariela and I was only the product of a contract, nothing more.”

"So the stupid woman was telling the truth," she muttered. "Alexander, are you serious?" She smiled. "Will you marry me?"

“Of course, if you want to.”

I could see how tears were coming out of Mariela's eyes. Now she was no longer looking at me, she was looking at the floor. She looked down, she had dark circles under her eyes, it hurts to see her like this.

“I...” she released Mariela “…I accept” Natasha threw herself into my arms “of course I accept.” She kissed me, I took the opportunity to take her gun away from her and point it at her herself. “You cheated on me! Do something Damien, you are an idiot!”

"I'm sorry, Natasha, but you should be nicer to me." Damian helped Mariela to her feet and untied her.

"They're all idiots!" Natasha took out a short sharp object from her purse and buried it in Mariela's chest.