Oh! Lord help me. I hope I am doing the right thing. My hands were getting sweaty because of nervousness and looking at Mathias's eager face I did not know how to begin with. Well, I think it's now or never.      Taking a deep breath, I said without stopping. “Mathias Tio is Marc’s son, not Blade Taylor's or any other men, whatsoever, Marc had imagined for that matter.”I saw Mathias’s face darken with surprise.“ I don't understand how can this be?"“There's no doubt about it, Mathias, you will be in no doubt about it when you have seen Tio as he is the exact carbon copy of Marc and you." I tried to explain.“Carmen, what are you saying? What have you done and how could you do that?" Mathias stared at me in shocked amazement.I lowered my eyes before his accusing stare, then raised them again and said bitterly. “Perhaps you should say those words to Marc and not me. I never said that Tio was not Marc’s son it was all in Marc's imagination. I did not have a lover Mathias, I never wanted and I never had anyone but Marc,” I added shaking my head.“He never trusted me! what was I supposed to do? I caught him right-handed with another woman and he blamed me for the infidelity, that he had done. I could not plead with a man who believed that I was a tramp. what if Tio had not looked like Marc? Would anyone of you believe me?”I met Mathias's shocked expression bravely speaking more fiercely now as memories of that painful time came back in my brain. “Tio would still have been Marc’s son, but I doubt whether he would have completely accepted it.“ I broke off. "He did not even listen to me in the first place when I had wanted to tell him through the lawyers. And so I decided it's better I don't disturb his life further and give birth to Tio."“What are you going to do Carmen?” Mathias said his voice was calm as he added. “ Are you going to tell Marc about his son?”“Yes, Mathias of course I must do it now,” I said with determination.“But I'm warning you Carmen it is going to be really difficult for you now, as you are in big trouble.” Mathias sighed a little desperately. "You know how stubborn Marc can be when he wants something right?"Well, now I was really nervous as I looked at Mathias helplessly. He rubbed his eyes with both hands and said. “ I will do what I can to help you but that does not mean I agree with what you have done. It was really bad of you to keep Marc away from his child all the way long. And I know this too that Marc was to be blamed partially for it. But do you understand that it was caused out of jealousy of seeing you with another man?”“But what about his infidelity,” I said desperately. I was not the only one to be blamed. “I don’t know what happened and I won’t judge both of you but do you know even after all these years of separation he cannot bear to see you with any other man, not even me, you saw that yesterday. I know he was disturbed when you insisted on going with me. And I can understand his point of view. You are truly an amazingly beautiful and kind woman Carmen and any man would be tempted to be with you. Marc is very possessive about his things and you are his woman so naturally, he behaved that way.”I raised my eyebrows in disbelief. "Don’t get the wrong idea, Mathias, he still considers me as one of his possessions, that’s all. He doesn’t love me anymore I can assure you of that.” “Why are you so sure about it Carmen? Mathias threw me a questioning glance. “ I think you are mistaken. My brother loves you.” “I thought so at one time,” I sighed, grinding my teeth. “But Bella Costa showed me my place.”“What do you mean? What did she tell you?” Mathias asked me with a confused expression. “Oh ,what's the use? You don’t know the whole story, Mathias. It is a very sad tale.” I added bitterly. “ Did you know that Marc had some hidden agenda to make me stay in Milan and persuade me to cancel my divorce proceedings?” I asked him enquiringly. “Yes, he did tell me this and surely this fact alone would point to a continuing interest?”“Oh Mathias, if only you knew! I laughed. “ He told me himself that he had no interest in me as a woman, although I did have some reason to doubt that statement at a later date.” I added with heightened color. “I'm sorry Carmen!” Mathias said drily. “I even began to hope that he was trying to get me back.” I broke off hurriedly. “But that’s the way it is. And the most important fact is that Bella had visited me after the dinner party the other day.” “Oh, I remember, Ada had told me about it.” Mathias interrupted. But she had come to speak to me for my good,” I added with a little laughter in my voice. "She said there was something I should know about Marc's plan for the future.” I paused for a moment and control my emotions amazed that Bella's words would still have the power to hurt me. “It would seem that Marc was planning to continue a marriage with complete pretense,” I said with anger in my voice. "It was his intention to make me fall in love with him again and then he would divorce me himself and marry Bella Costa. In that way, he would take his revenge on me.” “Did Bella actually tell you that?” Mathias exclaimed looking at me very puzzled “Yes!" I exclaimed flatly. “And you actually believed her?? Mathias questioned me again. There is no other reason not to believe that. Marc certainly seems to be very interested in Bella all the way long, and she was the reason that I had left him six years ago.” I said in a better voice. “And his behavior was totally different from the moment I arrived and apart from him having partial amnesia for some time. One moment he appeared to hate everything about me in the next well he was wanting to make Love to me. It hardly follows does it?”“You were not exactly trying to avoid him either Carmen you did respond to him back right? Does that mean that you had a similar scheme in mind?” Mathias reasoned it out. I lowered my gaze down before Mathias’s direct gaze. “I wasn't going to do any scheming against Marc not when he was so rude to me. Oh yes, I admit that I enjoyed his lovemaking and I would have been prepared to be friendly at other times, if only he was willing to meet me halfway.”“And what about Don?" Mathias asked softly. “ Don?" I gazed blankly at Mathias.“The man you are going to marry or have you already forgotten about him?” Marc asked curiously. I let out a long breath and said. “I had forgotten about him and you were right. I cannot marry him now. I have to tell him today when we reach the hospital.”Mathias shot me a glance. “So finally Marc succeeded with his plan then?”“What do you mean Mathias?” I looked at him curiously wanting to know what was he implying. He raised his shoulders expressively. “ You are still in love with him Carmen, hopelessly in love. Are you not ?” My heart was pounding so heavily I felt sure that everyone in the restaurant was able to hear it. you must promise never to tell Marc, please Mathias, I can't bear to know that he knows about it.” And tears sprang down my eyes as I added. “He and Bella would find it very amusing.” “You need not worry about that as I shall never give Marc a reason to laugh at you Carmen as I've always treated you like a sister." Mathias said placing a hand over my cold hand."I don't know how Marc will react to this news but I will give my nephew all the love he deserves," he said determinedly. “Now Come let's go out and take a taxi first, you will have enough time to decide on a future course of action when we have seen Tio.”