Chapter 5

• Chapter 5 Sounds like a joke!
• Madison Point of View
• Maximilian remained silent, his gray eyes fixed on me. I tried to meet his gaze, even as my eyes began to dilate with emotion. How crazy all this felt! Inside, I was a whirlwind of conflicting feelings. On one hand, I wanted Francisco to suffer, and if marrying his uncle was the way to achieve that, I was willing to do it. On the other hand, my values screamed against such an aberration. He was the uncle of the man with whom I had shared a bed countless times; they shared the same blood, and the idea of becoming intimate with him was overwhelming.
• "You’re very pretty!" Maximilian finally spoke, breaking the heavy silence. His compliment took me by surprise. I swallowed hard and shook my head.
• "Excuse me?"
• "Yes, you are very pretty to have been engaged to my nephew’s fool," Maximilian said, leaving me perplexed. His words made me nervous; perhaps he was just speaking out of compassion. The suffering etched on my face was evident to anyone who looked.
• "What can I say, Mr. Ferrer? I..." At that moment, my voice faltered, and I struggled to find the right words.
• “You don’t have to say anything,” Maximilian said. “For now, you need to go and get everything you require. In a week, we’ll announce our engagement and go to my father's house. I’ll introduce you as my future spouse.”
• “It must be a joke! Just one week?” I thought, feeling overwhelmed.
• “What?” I said aloud. “That’s such a short time. My engagement with Francis ended less than three months ago.”
• “And?” Maximilian replied. “He announced his engagement too, but I’m certain he won’t marry that woman. He’s just using her to keep my father’s inheritance.”
• I felt a touch of sarcasm seep into my voice. “You’re using me too, sir. This is just a contract.”
• Maximilian fell silent, his gray eyes fixed on me. I felt I had overstepped.
• “Excuse me, sir, it’s just that…” I stammered, feeling embarrassed. But Maximilian responded with a warm smile, revealing his perfect white teeth.
• “Be careful, Madison,” he said gently. “It’s true that this is a contract, but the difference is that I’ll give you everything you ask for. I’ll pay you a salary and make you happy.”
• His words left me confused. How did he intend to make me happy? After all, not everything in life can be bought with money.
• “Well, Mr. Ferrer, I hope we have a successful arrangement.”
• “I already told you not to call me sir,” Maximilian said, his expression turning serious.
• “Oh, for heaven’s sake! I’ve only seen you a few times; getting comfortable with this is too complicated.”
• “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it. We have only one week before we go to the Ferrer house and I introduce you as my fiancée,” Maximilian said, his eyes brightening at the mention. “Thank you for accepting my proposal.”
• I should have been the one thanking him, considering I didn’t even have enough to eat.
• “Thank you, Maximilian. So, when do I start?”
• “Today. We’re going to buy everything you need. From now on, you’ll be living here.”
• “What? No, I need to go back to the hotel to collect my things. I can’t just move in here right away; I have a life.”
• Maximilian raised an eyebrow and looked at me intently.
• “I understand you only have your clothes with you since you sold your savings and your apartment to pay for the wedding with Francisco, who couldn’t even contribute a single peso. How pathetic, given that the Ferrers have dollars in abundance.”
• Maximilian shook his head. If he intended to make me feel better, he was failing. His words only fueled my frustration.
• “Well, these are the sacrifices a woman in love makes, but it’s never too late to start from scratch,” I replied, trying to keep my tone steady.
• “I understand. It’s never happened to me before, but I understand. Shall we go?”
• I nodded and followed him, feeling like some sort of lapdog.
• The flashy limousine was once again parked in front of us. I climbed into the back seat, my hands trembling. The luxury and eccentricity surrounding me made me feel insignificant. It felt like a joke, a dream, or perhaps a nightmare, and I was bracing myself for the inevitable wake-up call.
• Maximiliano took out his phone and started checking some things. Out of courtesy, I turned my gaze to the window, avoiding what he was doing. In the end, it didn’t matter who he really was; he was Ferrer, and that had to be more than enough.
• We entered the heart of Manhattan, the city’s most exclusive area, surrounded by hundreds of shopping centers and stores filled with clothes, technology, and countless other things.
• The limousine parked in one of the lots. Maximiliano instructed his driver to stay with the car while we shopped. He got out first and, with a touch of chivalry, extended his hand to help me out.
• “Thank you,” I smiled as I took his hand.
• “Let’s go. We need to get you ready to be Maximilian Ferrer’s fiancée,” he said assertively.
• We walked through the crowded aisles of the mall. I eyed everything around me and began to ask for things without hesitation. If my eccentric uncle-in-law wanted to indulge me, I would let him. No one had ever done anything like this for me before, and I intended to make the most of it.