Chapter 2

• George.
• I rubbed my face, the pain hammering in my head just from seeing the sunlight. My stomach burned, demanding that I drink some water so my throat wouldn't crack. I managed to get up and stumbled, holding onto the walls due to the intense dizziness that kept my hand on my temple.
• I made it to the refrigerator, took out a jug and gulped down as much water as possible. I was desperate, so much so that I almost finished the entire container. I let out a sigh.
• I thought. Gregory or Aiden were always with me. Even Tej would join in when work didn't absorb him and he disconnected from the outside world.
• "Mother of..."
• I spun around to see the woman dressed in white, her eyes fixed on me, with a bite halfway to her mouth and a look of not having slept.
• "Who the hell are you?" I asked defensively.
• "Why aren't you wearing clothes?" she asked, eyeing my bare torso without any disguise.
• "Because I'm in my house. Who are you and what are you doing here?" I added. She dropped her utensil and wiped her mouth.
• "You told me to stay here last night in exchange for a hundred dollars for my dress."
• "Oh, right. The dress." I actually had no idea, but I wasn't going to admit it to a stranger. "Why is it a wedding dress? Don't tell me..."
• "Oh, no. I was sober, plus I'm running away from a wedding, not getting married again." she laughed. "I was going to leave, but then I remembered that if I give you the dress, I have no way to leave. So, I'll pay for my breakfast and if you give me at least a tracksuit to wear, I'll give you the money back."
• "A negotiator?"
• "I'm the daughter of a good businessman." she laughed. "He wouldn't say the same as a father. But well, deal?"
• I examined her. She was small, with a smile that showed at every second. Shining eyes, medium build, and her short stature didn't help imagine her with anything from my closet.
• "It'll be huge on you." I said, releasing the almost empty jug. "But there's some clothes someone left behind, I think it might fit you."
• "Do you have a wife?"
• "Thankfully, no." I replied, heading towards the stairs.
• I indicated for her to follow me and she hesitated.
• "I won't do anything to you. Or wait here if you want, but whatever I bring you, you'll have to wear it and not have the option to choose, unlike if you come upstairs." she hesitated a bit. She seemed like a distrustful person, although I didn't blame her. However, I understood her reaction when I saw her grab a candelabra, remove the candles, and threaten me with it. "Crazy."
• "I'm smart. I'm smart. If you come closer, I'll break your head." she pointed the device. "And I'm not lying, huh?"
• I just turned my gaze. Despite the pain in my head, I went up to my room. I searched in the dresser until I found the one that contained the clothes Marlene had left, it was more with each passing month, as it accumulated with every time she stayed.
• "There you go. It'll still be big on you." I said. When I saw her hesitate, I stepped aside. She was more paranoid than I thought at first. "I'll take a shower, alright? You leave the dress and go."
• I shrugged. I didn't care that I was being pointed at with the candlestick, I ignored her and went into the bathroom, got rid of the underwear I was still wearing, and stepped into the shower. I wanted to forget the reason why I had gone to a bar the night before. I didn't want to remember, but thinking about how they had made fun of me turned my blood into lava.
• The time I spent under the water only served to clear my mind, reminding me that I had work at the construction company.
• I had breakfast, took a couple of aspirins, and looked for the car keys when I was already in my three-piece suit. On the bed was the white dress, covered in mud. I brought my hand to my head, remembering feeling a bundle of fabric fall on me. Her face so close and her lips moving.
• What the hell was I doing in the middle of the street?
• No one was going to answer that question, so I chose to leave the house and go to the construction company. There were plans to review, and that would take me hours. Just thinking about it made my head ache even more. Someone reached out their hand on the side of the road, it seemed familiar, and I stopped.
• "You?" the woman asked again.
• "Don't you have someone to call to take you home?" I inquired, rolling down the window.
• "For now, I don't have a home. Let the waters calm down, and then I'll come back. Although I doubt that will be quick," she said to the wind. "Can you take me to a friend's house? It's on your way."
• "You don't know where I'm going," I explained.
• "But I know the direction you're heading, and on that same side is Juliana's house," I sighed. "Please."
• "You just threatened to break my head, and now you're asking for help," I laughed as I watched her get into the vehicle. "Are you bipolar or something?"
• "When you have few options, you hold on to whatever is available," she fastened her seatbelt.
• "I agree," I started the car again. It didn't take more than half an hour for her to indicate that she was staying at a street intersection. She got out cautiously and looked around.
• She seemed confused, but I didn't think she would be so reckless as to stay if she didn't know anyone, but she pointed as if she wanted to let me know where what she was looking for was. A cafe.
• "Alright, now I'm leaving. Thank you..."
• "George," I finished for her.
• "Thank you for the exchange and your help, George," she closed the door. "If we meet again, don't hesitate to say hello. I'm Marina Torreblanca."
• I just nodded and massaged my head before watching her enter the place, while the car moved, taking me away from that place.
• My workday began, and for that reason, I took care of the plans that I reviewed on my computer with the measurements that needed adjusting because whoever did it didn't pay attention to the terrain or what the client requested.
• "My lovey-dovey!" that voice had never seemed so shrill to me, but I endured it and just avoided the kiss. It had a slight scent of her lover, which made me tighten my fists at her audacity. Disgusted even more by it. "Are you very busy?"
• "Too busy," I replied without taking my eyes off what I had in front of me. "You should take care of your own responsibilities too. Friday is your last day of work here."
• She slumped into the chair next to me.
• “It's true. On Saturday, I will be Mrs. Castelo, the wife of the most coveted magnate of our time," she sighed, looking at her hands. "I will be the envy of everyone. They will talk about me in every magazine."
• “That's for sure," I said, suppressing the contempt I felt.
• “Cousin, how good to find you. I was just looking for you," she said, the tip of the pencil she was holding broke against the paper on the glass of the desk. "The final documents for the signing of our partnership have arrived. We can..."
• “I don't have time today. Maybe later," I interrupted. "Leave it there, I will find time to review them."
• “Don't bother Zac," Marlene told him. "My fiance is very busy."
• They engaged in a conversation that had happened many times before, but I only paid attention to the details at that moment. They always understood each other; it wasn't just a fleeting thing.
• I decided to ignore the rest. Even when I finished with the plans, I focused on the three invitations I had to galas and society presentations. Anything was better than listening to them talk.
• Diheston-Torrenegro Wedding.
• That was the title on an invitation to a wedding. When I opened it and saw the date, I noticed that it had been the night before. Just a few kilometers away from where I had encountered the crazy woman in a white dress. The surname sounded familiar, so I started investigating on the internet and quickly found the event. The tabloids were talking about the groom who was left at the altar and photos of a well-known woman getting into a taxi, leaving her veil behind, which she claimed she had gotten off at a remote location.
• I thought, not taking my eyes off the screen, as a crazy idea emerged.
• The interviews with her almost-husband focused on the fact that the wedding only had a change of dates because the relationship was still intact. He was the only one who wanted to get married, as she stated that she didn't want to.
• As night fell, I went home, rejecting Marlene's offer to come with me. I didn't want her near me. But my mind wouldn't leave me alone. I wanted revenge, or rather, I wanted to do something foolish.
• *****
• “You won't do well with half shifts here," a woman with short hair told her. "You should withdraw money from your cards and stay in a hotel because I can't stand another visit from your fiance to this place. That old man is disgusting."
• “I know, but I can't go to an ATM without my cards. If I go to a bank, my father will find me immediately, and I still don't have a deal to offer in order to avoid getting married," she replied, taking out a notebook to take the orders of those who had arrived.
• I stayed there, watching her, and ordered a coffee with breakfast, which arrived quickly. It was almost obvious that I was just wasting time, as when everyone left, I was still sitting in my chair.
• I looked at her from a distance, hoping she would notice me. It took longer than I expected, but she finally saw me and smiled, recognizing me. She seemed friendly, not like the crazy woman who had threatened me.
• “Hello!" she greeted with excitement. "Would you like anything else? I can offer you several other options," she asked, looking at what was still on my plate.
• “I'm the one who wants to offer you something," I said directly. She furrowed her brow, confused, but after a second, she understood something and smiled again. She became curious and put down the notebook.
• "If it's a permanent or long-lasting job, I accept," he joked. He sat in front of me, waiting for the proposal he desired, but his proposition was nothing like I had imagined. "Tell me, George, what is this deal?"
• I was about to do something stupid. I knew it, but considering all the possibilities, it was the one that best suited my needs.
• "You sign a document, and with it, you receive a million per month, plus all the benefits that said document will give you," I blurted out. His eyes widened.
• "I feel like I'm selling my soul to the Devil," he laughed. He placed his arms on the table and let out a sigh. "What document is that?"
• "A marriage certificate," I said directly. The color drained from his face for a second. Then he composed himself.
• "No," was his firm and clear response.