Page 81 of The Genius
It was so tempting to say yes, and I almost did before I stopped myself.You’re a psychologist. Apply what you’ve learned.There is only one person who can stop your suffering. You’ve been obsessing over Marco and conditioned your brain to think of him all the time. What you need in order to heal is a clean cut.
My heart was screaming for him, but my brain kept arguing.The pain is real, so distract yourself and don’t think about him. Don’t drag out the suffering and wait for him to leave.
Before my heart could justify one last day in his arms, I changed my answer and stared at the words that were so opposite to how I felt.
“Marco, get ready for your tournament. I have the research I need. Take care and good luck with everything.”
A new message popped in. “Wow, that’s cold.”
It was followed by another message. “Just tell me one thing at least. Did you get your period?”
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath before I wrote a last big lie in a single small word. “Yes.”
With my tears falling and my heart breaking, I looked at the picture of Marco from our last chat and whispered a last “Goodbye.”
CHAPTER 17
The Tournament
Marco
This was madness.
I was risking my life to marry a woman whom I didn’t love or feel attracted to?
Not even the million dollars Louisa came with made me truly want to win this fight.
My opponent shouldn’t have been hard to take. The kid was twenty-two and too pumped and eager in his movements. Yet he’d gotten some good blows in on me and I was annoyed with myself.
It didn’t help that I’d spotted Lord Khan and Magni among the spectators just a second ago. As a former champion in previous tournaments, I was fighting in the main arena with a large audience that had to be wondering what the hell I was doing prolonging this fight when it should have been a walkover.
It’s because part of you doesn’t want to win,my subconscious whispered.
I want to be rich and respected.
My opponent jumped from foot to foot in front of me, his ebony-colored skin glistening with sweat and his chapped lips pursed in a confident smirk.
“You tired, old man?” he provoked me.
I was thirty years old. Strong, virile, and fast. My response to his disrespect was a clean uppercut. That should teach his bloated ego to keep up his arms to block.
Stumbling back, he narrowed his eyes before attacking me with uncoordinated fury.
This fight should have been over by now. The guy had such a weak defense and had given me ample opportunities to knock him out.
So why haven’t I?
It was almost like my fight was less against him and more against myself.
If only I knew for sure.There was a gnawing feeling in me that Shelly might have lied to me about her period.
What if she’s pregnant?
She’s not. She said she wasn’t.
But how do I know for sure?
“That million dollars ismymoney,” my opponent hissed at me as we danced around each other. “I’ll send you a thought tomorrow night when I pump my seed intomybride.”
