Chapter 8 Engagement Party (Part 2)

Sophia's POV:

When Andrew joined our conversation, my eyes automatically turned around from where he came from and searched for his friend.

"He went outside." I glanced at him when he answered my silent question.

"I'm not asking for Daniel." I said in a defensive tone.

"Really? But your actions did. And don't worry I also wasn't referring to him." and he winked at me.

Jack is just standing in front of me waiting for my reaction, but I give none.

"I like your dress, Sophia. You looked more beautiful." Andrew said after a while.

"Thank you Andrew, you too."

"I also looked beautiful?" I rolled my eyes. "Just kidding."

We continued our conversation with Andrew leading the topic into music. And this captured my interest. Both Jack and I were just listening to his story and corny jokes. Jack also shared his love into music but the problem is, music doesn't love him back. Well, unlike Andrew who showed us some pictures of his musical instruments at home. But of course, I remained quiet and didn't tell them about my past job in college.

I also play different musical instruments, but the most I loved to use is my guitar. I was eleven years old when my Dad taught me how to play instruments. I dropped out in dancing school when I was ten years old, that's when my Mom left us, and I just focused on what Dad wanted me to do. And one day, he came home with a guitar in his hands, and he taught me how to play and use it, and that's when I started playing them.

I really love dancing back then, but I don't have a choice but to stop because I wanted Dad to be happy despite of my Mom's absence. I followed all the things that he wanted me to do, but somehow I called it a blessing in disguise. Because I used it as my part-time job back in college.

Andrew was in the middle of his storytelling about his guitar when I heard the familiar voice of a woman behind me. And the name she used to call me.

"Belle?"

I gulped as I slowly turned around to see Rian standing a few steps away from me. I blinked my eyes repeatedly and my jaws dropped when I realized that it's really her.

"Rian?"

Our eyes finally met and my mouth formed an 'A' then 'O' shape at the same time. It's really a surprising moment for me. We stepped closer to each other and hugged the life out of us.

"What are you doing here?" we both asked in unison.

She bites her bottom lip and I didn't miss the look that she gave to Daniel who's frowning behind her.

"You know each other?" He asked the two of us.

"You know him?" I also asked her moving my eyes from her then to Daniel.

"Uhm.. he's actually my brother."

"Ohh..." I said in a really shocked state.

What a small world we are in? My fiance and future husband is the brother of one of my trusted friend since college. The person whom I shared all of my secrets and stories is none other than the younger sister of the person whom I will borrow a last name two weeks from now.

All of us turned into silent. No one dared to talk, until Daniel asked the two of us with a raised eyebrow.

"How did you two meet each other?"

With his question, Rian suddenly smiled and take my hand.

"We came from the same university. She's actually my mentor and she's the one who introduced me to my band." She answered him smiling.. no.. smirking.

"Mentor?" Daniel's eyebrows almost kissed each other.

"Yes, it's a long story, Dani. And don't ask me on how, why and what because I know you're not interested."

She's calling him 'Dani', but that's not what catches my attention. It's her words 'you're not interested' and somehow deep inside me, I really don't need to ask what she meant by that because I already know the answer.

I didn't miss how they shared a look and how Daniel glared his sister, but Rian the same old Rian just shrugged her shoulder and turned to the other man whose standing beside her brother.

"Hubby, she's our dance instructor and the one I'm telling you the last time."

She completely ignored his brother but didn't let go of my hand.

"Really?" asked the man whom she called hubby. I also noticed the love and adoration on both eyes when he looked at her.

"Yes. By the way, hubby this is Belle my most beautiful mentor in singing and now in dancing. And Belle, this is Alex, my husband." She smiled as she introduced us to each other. Daniel is just watching behind her.

"Wow! You're so talented, Belle. Nice to finally meet you."

Alex offered his hand for a handshake and I gladly accepted it.

"Thank you. Nice to meet you too, Alex." I give him my appreciative smile.

"Belle, welcome to the family."

Rian said with a smile as she hugged me again. I know that smile, it's sincere but there's something hidden on it. Questions.

"Why are you calling her Belle?" Daniel asked as no one speaking to him in the group.

She rolled her eyes before she gives him a smirk.

"Ohh.. my dear big brother. Tsk.Tsk.Tsk. I'm calling her Belle, because that's her original nickname. And you know what is her real name? It's Sophia Ysabelle Del Mundo." then smiled sweetly.

I can't help my own smile that crept on my lips by how she talked back with her brother. I was about to add some comments, but my phone beeped and a text message coming from Craig appeared on the screen. He's asking about the happenings in the party. I didn't text him back, I just put it back inside my dress' pocket.

"You also love 'Spongebob Squarepants' Belle?"

"Huh?" I asked her back confused. Her voice was a bit loud and the boys around us also turned to her, especially Daniel and Alex.

"Uhm.. yeah. It's kinda cute." I answered her having no clue on what's going on inside her mind.

"Spongebob Squarepants.. uhmm.. yeah, it's kinda cute." She added a bit louder and I chuckled when I noticed the two men glaring at her. Are they having an issue or problem with Spongebob Squarepants?

"Belle, can I talk to you in private?"

Although I was confused by her reason why she suddenly wants to talk to me, I still agreed with her.

"Sure."

"I have a secret, and I want to share it with you."

I chuckled when the two looked at her with a different expression. Alex's face turned sour while Daniel's face looked so horrified.

"Let's go."

She pulled my arm but we stopped when the two shouted her name in unison.

"Rian!" her husband's voice.

"Arrianna Angela!" and the glaring Daniel mentioned her whole name.

"What's your problem boys?" she turned around with a scowl and put her both hands on her hips.

"I just want to talk to my sister in law in private! Do you have any problem with that? If you want you can watch TV and search for your favorite Spongebob Squarepants to lessen your foul mood!"

A loud chuckle escaped through my lips together with Jack and Andrew, before Rian grabbed my hand again and pulled me upstairs.

We entered in one of the room and walked outside the terrace. We seated at the outdoor coffee table across each other.

"Rian, why do you want to talk to me?" I asked her first, even though on the back of my head I already know what she's going to ask me about.

"Belle." she sighed before she continues. "I didn't know you're my brother's fiancee. You didn't mention it when we met last week."

And I was right. I give her a half-smile. "Yeah. I remember you told me before that you have a brother, but I never thought it was him."

"Yup. It's Dani, Daniel Kelley." she paused and took a deep breath before she speaks again. "Belle, could you please tell me your reason on why did you accept this agreement? And why are you marrying my brother?"

I blinked my eyes and avoided her gaze. Now I'm starting to ask myself if this decision on marrying her brother was the best way to see Joseph inside the prison, or is it even right?

"Rian.."

"Is it something about your past?"

I bite my bottom lip as I looked at her directly.

"Is it about Joseph?"

I closed my eyes just by hearing her mentioning his name. The memory was still fresh inside my mind, as if it was just happened yesterday and not six years ago.

"Belle, tell me the truth. Is this about that man, who tried to rape you six years ago?"

-'Oh God!'-

I nodded still in closed eyes. "Yes. It's because of him. It's because of that fucking bastard!" I said in a gritted teeth.

"Oh my God! Why didn't you tell Daniel?" that was the first question she asked me after telling her the truth.

"No, Rian!" I said shaking my head.

"But why? He needs to know every single detail of you and in your life."

I chuckled just to hide the new surges of pain that crept inside my chest.

"Do you think he would care? He would listen? No, Rian! He doesn't even know my full name. Your brother is made up of stone!"

"No Belle, believe me. He's not that cold when you happened to know him more."

"He doesn't smile, all he knows was to smirk, glared at me and insult me!"

"Well, I agree with you regarding his smile. It's precious as diamonds. But Belle, you're going to live with him for one year under one roof. You need to tell him, at least be friends----"

"No!" I shook my head as I looked at her seriously. "I only agreed to this agreement because your mom told me that your brother needs a 'trophy wife', to get the contract from their biggest investor. And because I need a place to hide until I get solid evidence to prove in court what that bastard did to me. He deleted all the CCTV footage after that incident. And there's only one person who can be my witness, their maid who saw everything. The problem is, she suddenly disappeared after that."

I formed my fists into a ball that almost made my knuckles turned into white.

"Last month, I saw him in the mall. I can't believe that after all these years he can still affect me, Rian! I buried all those horrible memories but when I saw him, those memories hunting me again!"

"W-Wait.. how did my mom get involved with your engagement with Dani?"

"She's one of my students in my ballroom and Zumba class. And she happened to see everything. How that bastard harassed me again in the parking lot of the mall. She helped me with her bodyguards. And believe me, I didn't know that she's your mom. She asked me what happened, and I told her everything. My struggles in life after leaving Italy including what that bastard did to me. And she offered a help----"

"And that help is for you to marry his son?" she finished my statement.

"Yes. I just need to use someone's last name to hide my status. So when Joseph knows that I'm married to your brother, he will hesitate to harass me or to get close to me again."

"Belle..."

"Can I ask you a favor, Rian?

"Y-Yes. Anything."

"Can you please keep this things to you? All that you know about me and my past, especially my reason on marrying your brother?"

"But Belle...."

"Please, Rian. Until I solved my own problem. Please?" I take her both hands that rested top of the table.

"But you need help, Belle. Why don't you tell everything to Dani. He will help----"

"No Rian, you don't understand. If Joseph knows that this marriage is not real, he will try his best to get me again."

"But Dani is going to be your husband. He would surely listen to you."

"No." I said shaking my head

"Why don't you report this to the police, they would-----"

I laughed at her in a sarcastic way. "Police? Report this to the police? Are you sure they would listen? They would believe me? I don't have any evidence in me, Rian. The thing that's left was the memory of his touch! Of his filthy hands, of his disgusting saliva over my body! And the only person who witnessed the whole story was missing.. until now. And I don't know how to find her!"

Tears are now blurring my vision. How is it so difficult to hold this horrible memories inside my head?

"Belle..."

"And do you think your brother would listen? The only thing he knows was to judge me and accuse me of marrying him because of his money! He would never believe my story, Rian. Why? Because my own father never did, so what would I expect from other people?"

"But I do believe you. And I did since you shared to me your story. And my mom, she also believes in you."

"Because you and your mom were different, Rian. You would easily understand because you're also a woman."

"Ysabelle..."

And I can't help anymore. Tears started to fall down on my cheeks. I wished I also have someone behind me. I wish I also have a mother like her, I wish I also have a brother who would protect me and a father not like my father who never believed in me when the time I needed him most. The only family that I had that time, my father. But the same person who left me hanging miserably with my horrible memories.

I felt an arms around me and a hand rubbing my back.

"Promise me, Rian, please?" I looked at her with tears still flowing on my cheeks. She nodded.

"I'll promise. But I'm hoping someday you will open up these things to him."

After our moment outside the terrace, we both decided to go downstairs and back to the party. But not after telling me that she's going to help me with her brother's behavior.

When we were back to the venue, she immediately walked towards her husband. I saw how they shared a sweet look and how Alex looked at her with pure love and adoration in his eyes. I know in my case and my situation, I would never experience those things. But somehow I wish that after all of these struggles and problems I have right now, I can also find my own prince charming. The man who will hold me in his arms while looking at me like I'm the only woman that exists in his world. The man who will understand me and never judge me for who I am and for what happened to me in my past, but the man who will love me unconditionally and eternally.

I closed my eyes when I saw the two kissing in front of the people around them. I sighed and silently wished that whatever the consequence I have to face after this marriage, will give me freedom and peace from my not-so-good memories in the past. And a lone tear rolled down my face, but I'm not in the mood to wipe it out.

And because I was still in closed eyes, I didn't notice the stares that my fiance is giving me. He also walked in front of me and I was shocked when I opened my eyes, he wiped that lone tear. He took my hand and pulled me towards the center of the venue.

He give his glass to the waiter as we stand in front of the people who are now watching his moves. And without even saying a word, he dropped down on his knees and showed me the white diamond ring on his hand.

-'What the fuck?'- I asked silently still in shock with what he is doing right now.

"Sophia, I know what we have right now is an overwhelming story, but I don't want to let you go. Not now, not ever."

-'Gosh! What a good actor you are, Daniel Kelley!'-

"Sweetheart.."

-'Sweetheart? Where does it come from? Haha.. what if I kick your balls, sweetheart?'-

"Will you be the mother of my children in the future? Will you be my best partner in crime? And will you give the honor to be the happiest man alive by marrying me?"

I looked at him directly but his face showing the opposite of what I was thinking. He's smiling at me. But the back of my head instantly came to a response.

-'Idiota! Certo che sta solo recitando, questa è solo una finta festa di fidanzamento! ( Idiot! Of course, he's just acting, this is just a fake engagement party!)

"Please say yes!" I heard the shouts of his parents, and I wanted to laugh when I saw the look on Daniel's face. I'm sure he's now silently killing me inside his mind.

"Yes, 'sweetheart' I will marry you." I emphasized the endearment he used to me twice this afternoon.

He smirked.

-'See? He's just acting!'-

He slid the diamond ring on my finger and stand slowly. But what I didn't know, I will be surprised by the next thing he's planning to do.

He cupped both of my cheeks and a pair of lips which was owned by him, captured my 'virgin' lips. I felt the world swirled around me as the butterflies inside my stomach, started to dance with the loud beating of my heart.

I need to close my eyes and gripped his shoulder for support, as my knees buckled with this sudden feeling and sensation he's giving me through his kiss. I felt his hand around my waist and down to my lower back. He took both of my hands and encircled it around his waist before he let go of my lips. He hugged me after that and whispered on my ear.

"I bet I was your first kiss, sweetheart."

-'Fucking shit!'- I muttered to myself and my eyes turned wide like saucers.