CHAPTER 45
The tension in Don Ramon’s study was like a thick blanket enveloping the room. Two elderly men, best friends for decades, sat on opposite ends of the couch, the distance between them like a wide chasm threatening to engulf them all. Friends fight once in a while and they were not the exception to the rule. But when they did, they always came out stronger, their friendship, tighter than ever. They were brothers by choice, not by chance. And they would weather this storm as well, still the best of friends, no matter how painful the outcome would be.
As of now, both were lost in their own thoughts, wondering what would happen when the subject of their current rift walked into the room. Three soft knocks brought both men out of their private hells. It was time to face the music.
“Yes, come in! Come in!” Don Ramon said, absently looking askance his companion, who remained stoic and unmoving in his corner.
The door slowly swung open and Gabriel walked in, Louisa closely behind him. He nodded at Ramon in greeting and cast a furtive glance at his father’s stoic form.
Louisa let go of his hand and moved to greet Don Fernando. The older man got up on his feet and threw his arms wide open to receive Louisa’s greeting. As Louisa tiptoed to kiss him on the cheek, Don Fernando gathered the slim figure in his arms. Bitter tears stung his eyes. It would really be hard to let go of this girl, the daughter of his heart. But there’s still a slim sliver of hope that things would work out in the end.
It would, however, be entirely up to her, if she was strong enough to fight the tide of destruction rushing at them.
“Buenos Dias, Tio Fernan. What brings you here at this early hour?” Louisa asked after being released from Fernando’s unexpectedly emotional embrace.
Fernando turned to look at his best friend, who was still wearing a scowl that brooked no argument.
“Well, hija. I think you better have a seat, there are things we need to discuss.”
Louisa nodded, her eyes darting back to Gabriel. Her fiancé must have seen the anxiety in her eyes for he quickly moved beside her, his hand sliding behind the small of her back as he led her towards the couch opposite the two men.
As soon as they were settled in their seats, Don Ramon stood up and went to the mini bar at the corner of the room. He poured himself a shot of brandy, gulped it down in one go then poured himself another. He was about to repeat the action when he changed his mind and put the glass down, settling himself on the tall bar stool before facing the others.
“Well, Fernan, why don’t you do the honors?” Ramon said.
Fernan sighed as he ran his fingers through his salt and pepper hair, a gesture Louisa was familiar with, having seen both Gabriel and Angelo doing the same.
“Okay. I think there’s no way to avoid this any longer. I’d better go straight to the point,” he paused to get ahold of his rising temper. After a couple of deep breaths, he plunged on. “I hope that you’ve already told Louisa about your current dilemma, Gabriel. Heaven help you if you haven’t, son.”
“Yes, Papa. We’ve already talked about it,” Gabriel replied, glancing at Louisa’s father.
He recognized the undisguised anger behind the older man’s eyes, and he wished he could shrink into the size of a peanut. Never before had he seen Louisa’s father look anything less than amiable and it was disconcerting to see him sporting such a malevolent stare. Considering the situation, however, he fully understood the man’s position. He would’ve been raving mad, too, had his daughter been subjected to what he was putting Louisa through right now.
“Then, I suppose what I would say next would no longer surprise either one of you.”
“Have you spoken to Isabella, Papa?” Gabriel asked, holding his breath.
Don Ramon was shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Gabriel prayed he would not give in to the urge of punching him in the face. Had he been in Don Ramon’s place, Gabriel would not have hesitated.
“Yes, I have. And it was a very revealing talk,” his father said, eyes skewering Gabriel with an unblinking stare.
“Gabriel, Ramon decided to call off the wedding. He has asked that your engagement to Louisa be dissolved this very minute.”
Although his father delivered the news in a calm, collected voice, devoid of any inflection, to Gabriel’s ears, it still sounded like an ax slamming down his neck.
“W–wh–what? Wait! Wait! Papa, Louisa, and I have already agreed to—”
“It’s not your call anymore, Gabriel! You’ve always known that the bride-to-be has the prerogative to back out of the engagement.”
“But Louisa is no—” this time he was cut-off by Don Ramon’s eerily calm voice.
“Louisa has no say in the matter, Gabriel. Fernan and I made the arrangement on behalf of you two. But as the bride’s father, as the head of our family, I have the final say in this…. fiasco!”
Gabriel and Louisa bounded up from the couch at the same time. “But, Papa! I want to marry Gabriel!” Louisa cried, her hands grabbing onto Gabriel’s arm.
“And I say you can’t because he’s apparently gone off and married someone else!” This time, her father’s voice literally boomed inside the room, rattling the hanging lamp and anything that was made of glass.
Hot tears began to sting her eyes. This can’t be happening! Not now! Gabriel’s hold tightened, making her look up at him. He didn’t like the direction this meeting was taking, either.
“I did not marry Isabella, Tio Ramon. She’s just claiming that I did,” Gabriel said.
“Then why does she have proof of your marriage?” Don Ramon retorted. At Gabriel’s silence, the older man shook his head, dismay written on his face as he downed his drink in one swift move. He then turned back to the bar and poured himself another drink. When he swiveled back to face them, his expression had changed to pain and disappointment.
“I’m sorry, Gabriel. I didn’t mean to bite your head off like that. I don’t hate you…I’m just…very, very disappointed.”
No one could’ve been more disappointed in Gabriel at that moment than Gabriel himself. He’d messed up big time, all because of his foolish pride and misguided ego. Had he been a more dutiful son, none of these would be happening right now. He could not even hate the people pulling him and Luisa apart. Both Don Ramon and his father were just doing what was right under the circumstances. Neither could he blame Isabella. Although she’s the one causing all this commotion, it was not entirely her own doing. He was a willing participant in everything that happened between them. Isabella did not approach him, he approached her, courted her. She did not force him to make love to her, nor did she force him to take part in that mock wedding. It could be said that she had some ulterior motive behind it, but he still took part with both eyes open.
“I’m sorry, Tio Ramon. I never meant for any of these to happen,” Gabriel said.
Louisa’s hand slipped into his, squeezing it gently, assuring him of her understanding and forgiveness. Gabriel glanced down at his fiancée. There was a myriad of emotions blazing through her eyes, but what remained, in the end, was her unspoken promise of love. He wanted to lean down and kiss her soft lips if only to assure himself that she wasn’t just a figment of his despairing brain. However, he could not risk raising Don Ramon’s ire any further, so he just squeezed Louisa’s hand back and smiled down at her.
“We all know that, Gabriel. But we cannot go on as before. There are too many complications to this situation,” Don Ramon replied.
“Gabriel, we have to consider what people would say if word of this gets out. It will be a total scandal and I don’t want Louisa’s name getting dragged down with ours,” his father said, the underlying anger not lost on Gabriel.
“But must we dissolve the engagement, Papa? I’m already taking steps to verify Isabella’s claims and I’m sure I would be able to prove them all false,” Gabriel said.
“Be that as may be, we still cannot risk such a scandal. By dissolving your engagement to Louisa, we will be assuring Isabella that her claim is being considered and not coldly brushed aside. It could prevent her from doing anything to further damage our reputation.”
“Tio Fernan, we can make it look like we’ve dissolved the engagement, just to pacify Isabella. We don’t need to actually do it, right?” Louisa pleaded and it broke Gabriel’s heart anew.
Don Fernando sighed and said, “We could do that, hija. But your father has decided to make it true and official.”
Gabriel caught the sudden intake of breath from Louisa as her hand tightened around his. She was simmering inside and he feared she would say something she’d later regret.
“Tio Ramon, we don’t have to dissolve the engagement. Just give me a little time and I’ll bring you proof that all of Isabella’s claims are just fabrications.”
The older man hesitated, his eyes darting between him and Louisa. However, he was not to be swayed from his set course.
“I’m sorry, Gabriel. I can’t abide by such deceptive maneuverings,” Don Ramon said, shaking his head as he turned back to the bar and poured himself another shot.
“But Papa—”
“Enough, Louisa! My decision is final.”
“Tio Ramon, please. I’m sure Isabella’s claims are false,” Gabriel said.
“You’re sure? Then look me straight in the eye and tell me there is no way you’re married to this Isabella! That it is impossible for her to be carrying your child!” Don Ramon retorted, the fury he’d been trying to rein in now fully evident in his eyes and ragged voice. At Gabriel’s silence, the older man turned away from them and downed his waiting drink in one gulp.
“Papa! Isabella’s claims aren’t true! She’s just making it all up!” Louisa cried.
Her father quickly swiveled back to them, his face contorted in anger and pain. “But what if they are, Louisa? What if she’s really married to Gabriel? What if Gabriel is really the father of her child? What then, huh?”
What then, really?
All she had was Gabriel’s assurance that Isabella’s claims were just fabrications. She knew she should trust Gabriel. And she did. She believed he was telling the truth when he said he was sure Isabella was only lying. Because that’s what he truly believed!
But what if he, too, was wrong?
What if Isabella was able to maneuver Gabriel unwittingly into trapping himself? What if she was able to dupe Gabriel into complacency when all the while she was plotting all of these? What if Gabriel, too, was deceived?
Her heart skipped a beat. Aside from the things Gabriel told her about Isabella, she really knew nothing about her. How then could she fight an unknown opponent? Because that’s what Isabella is to her now, her opponent, her nemesis, her archenemy!
Perhaps, it’s time that she learned more about Isabella, other than her name and her treacherous nature. Forewarned, forearmed, she always said. She must know Isabella like she was her own shadow.
Enough wallowing in self-pity, it’s time for her to take an active stance on this fight for her happiness, for her love, for her very existence.
And she would make sure that, if it ever came down to a real battle between her and Isabella, she would come out victorious.