Page 66 of Broken Bonds

“Who said we are going to fight about money?”

“Because you have no problem spending it and I prefer to be cautious.”

“What I said is…” he starts but I’m already going up the stairs, ignoring whatever he’s going to say.

I don’t want his money. Period.

In the middle of this, there is something I haven’t been able to forget. Lionel hid from me who he really was, his financial situation. He had his reasons, now I have mine for not trusting that if I receive something, it won’t come back to me like a boomerang and hit me in the face when I least expect it.

“You’re so stubborn, Stella,” he complains as soon as he catches up with me. “Tell me, did you bring an evening gown in your little suitcase, because you’re going to need one.”

Oh yes, and what for?

“I don’t plan to go to any party, thank you very much, so a dress isn’t necessary. And you know very well I don’t have one, I barely packed enough shirts when I came here, my mind was all over the place when I found out what happened.”

I turn to answer but I get distracted, he’s looking at me with his hands tucked into the pockets of his shorts. He looks so good with them and a simple cotton T-shirt on.

The man certainly won the genetic lottery.

“Are you not planning to go to the party Alexandra Conrad’s company is throwing for her clients?” he asks smiling a little.

“No, it wasn’t in my plans. I’m not her client.”

“But I am,” he adds. “Well, my company is, but I’m the CEO. The invitation was delivered last week, and I wouldn’t attend without my wife.”

That leaves me speechless. When Alexandra ordered the soaps, she never told me we would also be there, so I made no plans for it.

I’ve been definitely living one day at a time lately, not knowing what the next day awaits for me. Someone hand me a GPS, please. It would be good to know where the next stop is in this crazy race my life has become.

“You have your resources, I have mine,” I say, ending the discussion. “My suitcase is like Mary Poppins’s bag, surely I will find something appropriate in it.”

I keep walking along the narrow cobblestoned alley without paying much attention to the stained-glass windows. There are people around, some very stylish, shopping at designer stores, others just hanging out and taking photos. They all look so carefree, for a moment I feel envious of them, to be able to walk and just enjoy the moment. But immediately, I remember nobody’s life is perfect. Sometimes we keep quiet, put on a good front, and move on, not letting ourselves be defeated by life’s crazy circumstances.

I sit down on one of the benches that are surrounded by flowerpots in the middle of the alley and I close my eyes for a moment. I need it. To calm down, compose myself, and gather my strength to deal with Lionel again.

Many people think that because I’m a small-town girl, who hasn’t had the opportunity to see the world, I’m stupid. On the contrary, never judge a book by its cover, because appearances are deceiving. I’m a pretty quiet girl, but I know how to stand up for myself.

And it’s time to stand my ground.

“Hvezda.” I hear him call me by the nickname he gave me and although I don’t admit it, I love it. It is unique, our thing. “It seems I always mess everything up…”

“Not everything,” I say without opening my eyes.

“Listen.” He puts his hand on my leg, approaching me. “I can’t help wanting to lay the whole world at your feet, to share everything I have with you, share who I am.”

“I don’t need your money and you know it. I can manage on my own perfectly.”

“What is the use of having a lot of money in my bank account when I can’t share it with you?”

Now I open my eyes and turn around, ready to face him in more ways than one. His beautiful brown eyes look at me with a mixture of concern and angst reflected in them.

“Oh, yeah? Since when? Because until a few weeks ago you asked me for money to pay your expenses, not only that but every expense of the house you made me rent because you were saving your money to buy the vineyard. Now I think it was another lie. Tell me, Lionel, since when do you want to share everything with me?”

In the end, money is the least of our problems, what really bothers me is the mistrust. Why not sign a prenup before the wedding to protect his fortune? Why did he do everything in such a strange and inexplicable way?

“Motherfucker,” he growls under his breath.

I remain silent, waiting for him to think about his defense. After a few seconds, he opens his mouth and starts. “I don’t want to lie to you, Stella, there are things I can’t explain because right now I don’t have the answers.”

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