Arranged Marriage: To Hear Your Voice

Ferdinand clutches the paper that show the evidence of fabrication. Anastasia is alive. His heart wanted to jump out in excitement. She closed it. She was nearby he can feel it. But what he couldn't accept was how this all happens. For years, Sabrina suffered and never speak. What did Ezekiel Mondragon do? 

It was his fault anyway. If he didn't hide things from Anastasia this will never happen. But it's still useless if he keep blaming himself. He has to find his wife and bring her back. It took a while after thorough inspection of the corpse. He demand for three tests and it shows the same result. Now, he must find out what happened. 

Then Sabrina's incident happen that made him lost his focus. He can't lose his daughter now that he found out that Anastasia is alive. He waited in the villa and when Sabrina look well, he couldn't help himself but to hug her tightly and kiss her face checking if she got any scratch or something. But Sabrina ignore them. 

He stopped and watch her went upstairs, did she remember everything? What happened?

*** 

Allison was washing the dishes while Mark is watching her. He pull out the box and was about to kneel. What the heck, what is he doing? He stopped and just put the box back into his pocket and then hugged her from behind and smell her hair. 

"I'll finish this first." She knows what he wanted because the evidence is just behind her back poking her in her spine. He lean his chin over her shoulder as he bow a little to reach it. 

"How many kids do you want?" 

"Two." She answer. 

"Hmm, not three or four or five?" 

"Just two." He reach her stomach and rubbed it. It's been more than a month since their first contact without protection but she's not pregnant yet. "Uhh, do you want to go back to the Philippines?" 

"I am fine here." 

"But we have to go back." He said with pouts. "I will buy a house for us, isolated and you will surely enjoy it.

She finish the last plate and put it in the dryer. She reach the hand towel and wipe her hands. After wiping her hands, he pull her up and carried her to the sofa. Allison open her mouth and accept him gratefully. She pull his shirt and he ripped the one that she's wearing. She gasped and shudder a little from the suddenly coldness but it was immediately replaced by his warmth. 

Their mouth work like unison and they touch each other's body. Mark let her unzip his pants, she stop and reach the velvet box in his pocket. She was about to put it away but he hold her wrist and kisses her hand. 

"Open it." He said. 

"Can it wait?" He shook his head boyishly and she open it and stare at the diamond ring. The diamond is shaped into a snow flakes and the light reflects on it giving it a shining appearance. "Why do you have a ring?" She asked. 

"Let's get married." She close it and put it on the coffee table. 

"We only met for a few weeks and we are having sex because I need a sperm donor." He got off from her. 

"You aren't pregnant yet." He said and took his shirt. "I know that you can pay me a big amount of money but I don't need it. What I need is for you to be my wife." 

She still doesn't get it. Why does he need a wife? He look at the ring that he bought it only cost him half million dollars. But she was quizzical and still in a deep thought thinking why he wants to marry her when he can go to another woman that has what he wanted? 

"Put it on when you have decided. Let's not have contact for a while." Brandy left her and went to the room that she used to lock him up. 

It was hard for Allison to decide. She put her clothes on, took the velvet box as she went to her room. She put it on her study table and sit on her swivel chair as she stare at it thinking deep. But she knows what she wants. She want him to give her a baby. This is the hardest decision. 

She turned on the television in her room and watch lots of romantic movie all night. Just to contemplate on her feelings. Then without any sleep, in the morning, she change her clothes and drove to the library as she pick up romance books, erotic or not. She pick it all. Then she pick up some about marriage but then she hesitated. Marriage wouldn't work. If it works, then why would her mother leave with another man? 

However, she took it and went back home. She smelled breakfast but she ignored it. She wasn't hungry at all. All she had in mind was to solve the problem that Mark gave to her. She locked herself in her room and starved herself. But since her mind didn't think about food, she don't feel hungry at all. She start reading and taking notes. 

Mark stay in the dining room and look at the chair with a plate in front already settled. What have he done to her? He can't sleep last night and he check on her multiple times. She had no sleep, no food and she left to buy books. He wanted to smack himself for torturing her. Was it too much to ask her to marry him? 

He stood and went to her room to call her but she didn't answer. It's like she wasn't there. He reach a wire and pick on the lock and he peek on her. She's frowning as she read the book and she turn the pages so fast as she read it all. He was standing there for few minutes and watch her finish a single book with probably over 200 pages and put it on the left side and then pick another. 

Was it too much to torture her? What is she contemplating on? He let her finish one book and then strode to her and took all of the romance books and throw it away. She was surprised at his actions and then he took the ring and put it in the trash bin. 

"Don't stress yourself over this. I know that we don't probably love each other but I know what I want, Allison and once I set my mind to it—I never let go. It might be too rushed but I want to marry you." He grabbed her arms and look at her dry lips. He sigh and wanted to really bump his head on the wall hard. "I don't want you to torture yourself like this. I won't ask about marriage again." 

"Marriage don't work, Mark." She said. "My mother left us for another man. My father became alcoholic and pursued me to join military." 

"What happened to your parents won't happen again. It is their decision and it's for you to decide what you want. Okay, I've thrown the ring away and I am not going to ask you about it again. I just—I feel crazy and my heart can't stop beating this fast," He reached her hand and placed it on his chest where his heart is located. "Whenever I am near you. My heart would beat like telling me that I love you. Alli-babe. You drive me crazy." 

"I drive you crazy?" She asked. He exhales and kiss her dry lips. 

"What I mean is I love you and I don't want to be with anyone else but you." 

"How are you certain?" She asked him. "I am not certain of my feelings towards you." 

"I am a hundred and one percent sure and it doesn't matter to me if you don't love me back. But let me take care of you, until we have kids, and grow old. Forget about marriage or wedding or whatever it is. Just let me be with you." 

"Okay." That's what she only said. "I don't want you to leave me so soon." She said. It was enough for him to know that Allison felt the way he felt for her. 

"Then I won't leave. You will be with me anywhere I go and I will be with you anywhere you go." He pull her into his chest and kisses her top head. She wrapped her arms around him and stared at the trash bin where he had thrown the ring. "You have to eat and sleep, okay? I don't want you to get sick."

"Okay." 

Mark was sure now. With or without wedding, he will stay with her. The thought of leaving her pains him and it was a big pain that he can't handle.