Chapter 8 It Will Be A Legal Marriage

• Silvia was moved by the tenderness of these two children, but also surprised by the request they made: they wanted a little sibling.
• And probably, if she slept with this man, one would come, although she would be very careful not to get pregnant by a man she didn't love.
• It was too beautiful to have these two sweet angels as her children. They had been without their mother for so long that now that they had her, they didn't want to let her go.
• No matter what happened between Hafid and her, she would never abandon these children, until they could understand that she had never carried them in her womb.
• Silvia hugged them tenderly and led them to the playroom. They had already seen the white dress on the bed and asked her about it.
• "Mama, don't you like the dress that daddy gave you?" Amira asked.
• "Why do you think that?" Silvia said. "And what dress are you talking about?"
• "The one on the bed," Farid said. "It's beautiful, mama! Why don't you like it?"
• "The dress on the bed is to wear at a party that daddy and I will have tomorrow," Sylvia said. "And of course I like it, I like it very much."
• "We thought you were fighting because you didn't like that dress," Amira said.
• "We will also go to that party!" Farid exclaimed.
• "Yes, mama!" Amira said. "We also have new clothes to wear to the party. Do you want to see them?"
• And with action matching their words, they took Sylvia by the hand and led her to their rooms, showing her the beautiful outfits they would wear to the supposed party.
• "When did they buy you such beautiful clothes?" Silvia asked.
• "Before you arrived," Amira said. "Daddy told us, 'Mama is about to arrive and we will have a party to celebrate,' and then he took us to buy these clothes."
• "You will look very beautiful!" Sylvia said. "Even more than you already are, my beautiful children."
• She felt completely in love with these children and thought, "So Hafid had full confidence that he would find a mother for his children and a wife for himself. Silvia didn't understand what story this man had lived."
• He had a temper like a thousand demons, but he was very mistaken if he thought he could subdue her like a slave.
• Hafid had been in a meeting with his partners for over two hours after his argument with Silvia. She waited patiently because she needed to talk seriously with him.
• At one o'clock in the afternoon, everyone gathered in the dining room for lunch. Besides Hafid, there were four other men who sat at the table, and Silvia and the children were already there.
• Hafid entered with his air of importance, his imposing figure, deeply dark eyes, and lips twisted in bitterness. He turned and looked at Sylvia, saying:
• - "Gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to my wife and the mother of my children," Hafid said, pointing to Sylvia. She inclined her head in a gesture of courtesy, with a stern expression and a cold gaze.
• Everyone nodded their heads, and Hafid smiled ironically at Sylvia's stern face. The servants began to serve, and everyone ate in silence.
• Even the children were very still, while Sylvia helped them with their food.
• Hafid was a man who traveled the world, and obviously she didn't know much about him. She only knew that after the wedding, they would return to the United States.
• Sylvia had never traveled before, or rather, she had only known the orphanage in a small county in England.
• Hafid always traveled with his staff everywhere he went, and he had houses wherever he arrived, which they occupied.
• Once they left, the doors were closed and only attended to by a couple who took care of keeping them clean and habitable.
• He never said when he would arrive, so those who worked for him were very reliable and responsible.
• In the United States, Hafid's parents lived in the state of Illinois, where he was born.
• Sylvia would meet his mother and sister when they traveled, and they obviously knew that Sylvia was not the biological mother of the children. Hafid's word was law, and whatever he said had to be followed against all odds.
• The more Sylvia thought about it, the less she liked the idea of being the wife of this imposing man. She felt fear and at the same time her blood boiled. She had never detested someone so much in her life.
• After saying goodbye to the gentlemen, Sylvia went to put the children to bed. They always took a nap for an hour every day to rest. After tucking them in, she kissed each one and returned to the room.
• There was Hafid, sitting there waiting for her.
• "I was waiting for you," he said. "You bit me hard."
• "And you, you squeezed my arms tightly," Sylvia complained.
• "I don't usually apologize," Hafid said, "but I want to make an exception today. I apologize for my brutality."
• Sylvia looked at him for a moment and then said, "I accept your apologies, Hafid." Her voice sounded sincere. "When I knocked on your door, I needed to clarify certain points."
• "What about?" Hafid asked.
• "First, I want to say that the children heard our argument," Sylvia said. "I wouldn't like to fight with you for the sake of the children. Let's keep the peace."
• "You're right," Hafid said. "I don't want to be a bad example for them."
• "They see you as an angry man," Sylvia said.
• "I will talk to them," Hafid promised. "What did you want to talk about?"
• "About the so-called wedding," Sylvia said.
• "It's not a so-called wedding, Sylvia. It will be real," Hafid said.
• "Why does it have to be real? Everyone will believe what you say," Sylvia said. "If you tell everyone that we're married, they will all believe you."
• "You want me to deceive my children, Sylvia," Hafid said.
• "Are you no longer deceiving them by telling them that I am their mother? What difference does it make, between that and this?" Sylvia said.
• "There is a very simple reason," Hafid said. "At some point, my children will grow up and find out the truth about their mother, there is always an imprudent person who reveals it."
• "I'm listening," Sylvia said.
• "The mother of the children passed away when they were one-year-old babies, so they don't remember her," Hafid explained. "They have a maternal family."
• "I still don't understand," Sylvia said.
• "Since their mother died, I haven't returned to the United States," Hafid said. "For them, you have been with me since I became a widower, you have raised the children, you are their mother, even though you didn't carry them in your womb."
• "Even so, you can say that we are married and they will believe you," Sylvia said.
• "If you're right, but I don't feel good about deceiving the children by saying that you are their mother," Hafid said. "I would like this marriage to be real, that's why Sylvia Smith, that's what I want, for you to be legally my wife."