“Are you sure he is fine Marc?” I questioned him as I do not want my son to suffer because of our separation and when he did not reply.” Okay leave it I will call the hospital myself.” and took out my phone to call the hospital. “What was I to think?” Marc said harshly and my fingers stilled not sure what was he trying to say. ” What would any man have thought? I returned home to find you in Taylor's arms and then later when I came back to the flat it was to discover that you had packed and left without a word. When you wrote to me telling me about the Child, I actually thought that Taylor was the father. I was still angry and hurt.” At his final words, I could not hold my temper finally and snapped at him as I was unable to rest my feelings any longer. “You make me sick, Marc Garcia! I said with hurt and anger. “How dare you come here pushing your way into my house with your accusations and threats? You are an unfeeling monster!" I continued with all the desperate anger that I had stored inside me for years pouring into the open. “You must be mad Marc!” I continued. “ I think you must be blind as well! do you truly believe I would be living here with my son, if I were the gold digger you take me for? Am I not so attractive that you think, I couldn't have been persuaded by some wealthy man to marry me if I wanted it that way? You never trusted me in the first place! I am your wife damn it! But you never trusted me. For you, I was just bed warmer and nothing else all you know is how to control me. I don't think you ever loved me, Marc. And I am glad it made me open my eyes as to what sort of a person you were.“ Tears of rage began to stream down my face and my voice was thick with emotion at the moment. “I only accepted your bribe to visit Milan for your sake as your mother had requested me and also because I wanted to see you for the last time as you might have forgotten about me but I did share some good moments with you but in the corner of my mind, I always wanted to tell you about Tio. I always felt guilty about it. I felt bad for Tio when his dad was not there to accompany him to his football matches and most importantly when he looked at his friend's father with longing in his eyes. I so wanted to pick up the phone and call you.” “Do you think I enjoy going out to work and leaving another woman to take care of my son? I love my son, Marc! But then you don't know anything about love, do you? You pretended to have loved me but in reality, you are talking about lust and your pride. Love involves trust and wanting the best for the other person you love. But did you really love me?” “You have even arranged marriage for Ria without knowing the first thing about her wishes. Oh yes,” I continued talking as Marc would have interrupted, “Fortunately for her side, she's in love with Drake but would it have mattered to you, if she had not been? Like I said Marc you don't know the first thing about Ria, did you know she would have liked to become an actress?” I continued relentlessly.” No of course you don't because you never thought of asking what her wishes were did you?” Marc raised his hand in a gesture of helplessness, his pale face looked very tired but I continued my attack without mercy as there were so many things I had to say to him. “Luckily for Ria, Drake is a very considerate man and he loves her dearly. He knows what she wants and she dreams for the future she has told me that he's willing for her to pursue her acting career after they are married if that's what she wants. She is more fortunate than I was, Drake would stand by her when she needs him. Where were you when I needed you Marc? Where were you when mom and dad had an accident and when I had to go to the hospital to have the baby? If you cared anything at all about me you would have tried to help them whether you believe the baby was yours or not. The way you rejected me made me realize that you never cared about me. I was just a woman with whom you had sex and nothing else.” “Oh, what's the use? You are a selfish arrogant swine and always will be.” I said turning away from him to wipe away the tears which were flowing down my cheeks. “Naturally you assumed that Blade Taylor was my child’s father, as even you were caught cheating on me, everyone else assumed that you were the father but you had other ideas. I think that says it all don't you?” I finished, draining out everything from my system. “I think you'd better go now, Marc. I don't suppose this is doing either of us any good. I am tired of arguing with you." I turned around not wanting to look at the face which I loved and hate at the same time as I am always helpless around him. “For the past six years, my hatred for you has helped me to guard against my other emotions.” Marc rose with authority and walked slowly to the window and spoke softly. “Then you asked for a divorce and suddenly you're back again in my life. I wanted nothing so much as to make you suffer as I had suffered. I asked mom to help me when I started regaining my memory so that I would be unable to obtain a divorce. I intended to state that we had resumed our marital relationship. No court would have given you divorce in the face of such evidence,” he said. “But then we met again and all my ideas which I had planned for you failed. You were more beautiful than ever and I wanted you. But you knew that didn't you Carmen? I made it very plain I think.” He began to walk towards me slowly and I retreated until my trembling legs were pressed against the kitchen cupboards. I panicked. “Don't Marc! Please don't !” “Carmen, just believe me he is fine,” Marc interrupted my thoughts. “ they said they will call us if there is any change in his condition and we will go to the hospital anyway.” He said calmly. “What did Tio say to you?” I asked in a trembling voice. “Well, it wasn’t that difficult for him to recognize me, as he had already met Mathias and when I came into the picture it did not take him long to conclude about my identity and I clarified the air for him.” He added with a shrug. “Did you talk to him for long……….?” I asked in a concerned voice. “Just for a few minutes. They were concerned that he should rest. He is still very weak. I have arranged for him to be shifted to a private ward and I have also arranged for us to meet his surgeon who did his surgery yesterday.” “Why did you do it? You don’t have any right !” “Oh………I have every right Carmen. Tio has my name and I assume that I was named as his father on the birth certificate?” He said with authority. I sank wearily into the sofa no longer being able to hold my unsteady legs. “You know that your name is there on his birth certificate? I informed your lawyer about it.” I said softly. “So you did Carmen and if you try to force your decisions on me, concerning my son again I have proof that he is my son." He said in a warning tone. “You will stop at nothing and have everything your way isn’t it Marc?” I raised my face anxiously and looked at his harsh face but saw his expression softening as soon as he saw me watching him, he turned away and hid his emotions. “Do you have anything to eat? As I am hungry.” I was busy looking at him and did not hear what he said so I asked. “Did you say something?” “I said do you have anything to eat or I will have to order it from the restaurant nearby. I have not eaten anything since last night and I am famished.” He said wearily. "That won't be necessary, I will prepare some porridge and omelet for you if that will be enough, even though I have not eaten anything since I arrived home.” I got up and walked towards the kitchen. “Do you want my help to prepare the food?” Marc asked. “No, not required, please wait for some time it will be ready.” “where are your parents? Don’t they live with you? Marc inquired. Looking around the house. “They are dead. I thought you knew about it.” I said taken aback that he was not aware of it. “I am sorry Carmen, I did not know about it.” He said guiltily. “I assume they were helping you with the upbringing of your son when you did not accept the alimony.” He followed me around the kitchen and gazed outside the window. There was a small kitchen garden I had made myself. It was something I love doing whenever I would get time. “Why did you not accept the money I offered then Carmen as Tio was mine or perhaps..." And knew that he was trying to be more approachable as I could hear the way he was stressing the words with gritted teeth. I did not say anything and busied myself with preparing the food but my attention Was focused on the words he had just uttered. “I don’t hate you, Marc,” I said finally putting the porridge on the pan, trying not to show any kind of feeling in my voice. “ Not now but I did hate you at first and refused to take the money because I was too proud. I hope you understand Marc. you know the feeling right?” He turned to watch me as I placed the eggs on the pan and tried to make the omelet with shaky hands. And its smell made my stomach grumble. “Did Taylor come to know that you were pregnant with my child and he left you?” he asked abruptly. “You could have contacted me it was not that late." “You will never understand Marc, will you?” I said wearily. I focussed my attention back on my cooking and flipped the eggs. “It doesn’t matter whatever, I say or do, you will always think the worst of me. there has never been a doubt about the father of my child as I had never allowed anyone to make love to me other than you.” I was so annoyed with the way his thought process went and there was no point explaining anything to him as he would make his own conclusion. “And you allowed me to think that the child was Taylor's! How dare you, Carmen !” I could see his angry face probing me. “I never said that it was you who made the assumptions about his paternity Marc. Here eat your breakfast, before it gets cold.” I said briskly. Trying to get some time to think about the conversation we were about to have after this. I placed the bowl of porridge and omelet for both of us and sat down to eat it as I was really hungry. “You never did try to correct my false assumptions, Carmen.” Marc shook his head helplessly. “I tried to tell you Marc but you were not ready to listen to me, actually you refused to listen to me.” I shook my head wearily. “But why did you leave our flat?” he asked abruptly. “What do you mean?” I said with a confused expression on my face. “you left Milan and I had no trace whatsoever to contact you? You went to Taylor, didn’t you Carmen?” Marc said harshly. “Oh, what is the use of my denying anything to you Marc, you will believe whatever you want to believe.” I cried out. “I was convicted and sentenced seven years ago. Now eat your food as it's getting cold. I think we should contact you about Tio’s future through our lawyers.” For a moment there was complete silence in the room as Marc gobbled his food down his throat with concentration. It seemed as if he was very hungry. “That was very tasty Carmen, you are a very good cook! What is the matter? Why aren’t you eating?” He said glancing at my half-touched food. “I am not feeling like eating. It must be a worry for Tio. I will eat later after I visit him in the hospital.” I said with a shudder of distaste. “I think you are also worried about the future, so shall we settle everything down before we go to the hospital,” Marc said flatly not giving me a chance to speak. “But tell me where did you go after leaving the flat?” “Please Marc, I don’t want to think about it, not now.” I said as I trembled slightly. “No, Carmen, you have to tell me now.” He said stubbornly. “I also remember that there was a gap for some time after you left the flat and your lawyer contacted me. I want to know where you go, Carmen?” "The maid must have contacted you, as I did not explain anything to her when I left.” I played with my mug nervously. “Can I have some more tea? And no the maid did not tell me anything.” I poured some tea for him waiting for him to explain. After drinking it for some time he said. “ I returned to the flat after you had left.” I took a deep sigh knowing what all assumptions he had made then. I poured some tea for him waiting for him to explain. After drinking it for some time he said. “ I returned to the flat after you had left.” “Did you return? I never realized that I presumed, you would send for your things later.” I said a little hesitantly. “I did not return for my belongings Carmen.” He said dryly. “Then why? I don't understand.” I raised my eyes to look into his disturbingly direct stare and I lowered my glance beneath his penetrating gaze. “ I think you understand very well.” I looked at him trying to understand what he was trying to say and then realized. “ I don't believe you, you're just trying to make me feel even more guilty. You did not have the smallest intention of returning to resume our marriage and even if you had,” I felt bitter and added rather sadly, “I've done nothing to be ashamed of. You have!” I pushed my chair away from the table and began to collect the dishes piling them into the sink. It was something to soothe myself, as I filled the pan with water and soap and began to speak more calmly. As I had to let it out so that he knows everything. “I received a call a day or two after you left the flat.” I was doing my work with concentration and then shook my head and said. “It doesn't matter anyway. The phone call was to tell me that mom and dad had been in a car accident and I had to come directly to Yorkshire to the hospital where they were admitted.” I glanced towards Marc before continuing but he was absorbed in his world listening to what I had to say. “ I don't know how I reached London but when I reached the hospital dad had already passed away. Mom followed suit, a few days after the accident." I shook my head thinking about the things that had happenedback then. I can still feel the pain of losing both my parents simultaneously. "Afterwards I did not have the energy to do anything. In fact I did not think I could not have coped at all without the help from aunt Beth who is my neighbor and particularly not when I discovered that I was pregnant on top of everything else.” “Fortunately dad had left me enough money to survive until Tio was old enough to go to kindergarten for a few hours. Then I took the secretarial course while I was pregnant, I explained quietly and I managed to find a job at the editorial office, as it fitted well as I could manage with the flexible hours and aunt Beth looked after him if I was late.” “Are you telling me the truth, Carmen? Marc said rather harshly. “Yes damn it! It's the truth Marc .oh, what's the use Marc what does it matter? it's all in the past and done with and you will never change your opinion of me, whether you check the story or not the only important thing now is Tio's future. I don't care about your opinion about me as you will always think what you had thought about me initially." Marc steered hastily into the chair. “Whatever the truth of your story it does not alter the fact that you kept my son away from me for six years. My son grew up without knowing his father." “No, Marc."I protested. "It was you! Your lawyer wrote and told you and you did not want to receive any further communication about the child if you remember?" I informed you.