Flash Marriage: Shrewd Wife, Devious Husband
Chapter 41: [Bonus - ] Her Question

Chapter 41: [Bonus Chapter] Her Question

Tony saw Marcella looking to the side. She was pitying him just a moment ago and he thought that was the worst she could feel for him but then he saw the distance in her eyes.

"When did you find that out?" she asked.

She wanted to hear from his mouth and see his expression as he told her the story before deciding on her own. She had a knack for seeing through a person’s intentions the more they speak.

But she had failed with Tony every time. She thought he shared her feelings but he had proved time and time again that it was not the case.

She could fail once more. But she decided to try.

First love... It was painful. She wished she never fell in love with Tony.

"Very later in my life," Tony took in a deep breath. She was meeting his eyes and he could breathe again. "Around the time you left your home...Till then I never knew my parents were alive. Grandma...bless her soul, she never talked to me about them. I knew she was my mother’s mother. I never asked more as it hurt her to talk about them. I thought they were dead..."

Tony bowed his head and looked at his palm. A lot happened around that time, after the prom. A lot, lot. If he had the guts to talk to her then and explained himself, she wouldn’t have left. Their relationship would be entirely different now. She is not an irrational person. She would have understood.

Even after knowing that she truly loved him and him alone, he couldn’t bring himself to be open with her. He was that ashamed of himself.

And then the truth about his birth was revealed and... he didn’t think that he had the right to stand beside her. He let go of his chance.

And now...

"You must have been shocked," Marcella said. He looked sad. She wanted to leave everything, rush to him, and hug him. She wanted to tell him that it was okay.

But something stopped her.

"I was..." Tony cleared his throat and looked at her.

She was the moon of his life and she had left. With the truth about his parents out, he felt so abandoned. His mother had abandoned him, he had angered the Don so much he asked him not to come looking for him anymore, his grandmother fell sick, and his father tried to sabotage his scholarship because he feared he would tell everyone that he was his son that he abandoned.

"It was a tough time, definitely..." Tony scoffed. "I ignored it all thinking I can forget it. But like a rot, it was nibbling my heart. You weren’t there and..."

He cleaned his throat. He didn’t mean to be that open with her. But he knew. No matter how tough things around him were, had she been with him, he would have breezed through the troubles.

What felt like a brutal stab to his already festering wound was when he learned that she was with Aiden.

Aiden... Aiden of all men out there!

"Andrew reached out to me. I... He was a great man. A free spirit..." Tony smiled rubbing his palm with his fingers. "He didn’t let me go. He pulled me closer each time we met. He was a lot like my grandmother and maybe that’s why I could love him the same..."

Marcella saw Tony looking to the side. His eyes were misty. She saw the smile on his face was so genuine. He must love his brother very much. If he could fake that smile, she could only say that he was an outstanding actor.

He might be faking, her mind said.

Her heart, however, leaned toward trusting him. There was this bursting feeling of... something that pushed her to go near him and at least hold his hand. He’s been holding his hand as if he needed support.

"Andrew was a great man," she said. "Mellissa was lucky..."

She knew that. She rarely meets beautiful souls like Andrew. She was not saying that just because he took her side but because everyone who knew him would say the same about him. He had a heart of gold.

"And that’s why, Marcella..." Tony walked to her. "I want to give back his love to his son. I’ve gotten this perfect chance thanks to you and... It would hurt me if you are skeptical about my love..."

He kneeled in front of her. Marcella took a step back. She didn’t think that he was talking only about the love he has for the baby.

She really was not ready for such blanket statements.

Did her heart skip a beat hearing him say that? Yes. He’s the man she had a crush on for years. It was hard for her not to think about him. She had to get used to not thinking about him.

That man is in front of her, kneeling in front of her. How come the hinges of the frozen door to her heart not be moved?

But...

Marcella casually patted his shoulder. That kind of relationship is enough between them. No other kind of feelings is necessary. "Please, stand up. I am sorry I was doubtful that you might hurt Joey. I am in no state to trust anyone. Now that you’ve talked to me about it I won’t~"

"Marcella," Tony held her hand and pressed his forehead on it. "Please... Listen to me. I have something important to tell you..."

He was relieved she believed him regarding the baby. He wanted to use this chance to confess his love to her.

"Tony," Marcella’s voice went deep. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat. She knew what he was going to talk about.

"Before that, will you answer my question?" she asked.

Tony looked at her.

"Did you have me arrested because you already knew those people needed me in exchange for Mellissa?" she asked. That question had everything she wanted to know about him.

Tony’s hold on her hand loosened. Kneeling on the floor, he bowed his head. He can lie easily, but not to her. And the truth is not going to build a bridge between their hearts. It’s going to split them apart further.

"I’ll take your silence as an affirmation, then," she said. She waited. He was not looking at her. He just looked defeated. Was he feeling bad for himself because he was outed or there was some other reason?

She cared. But he was not going to answer. She walked out.

That night, Marcella stayed in the nursery, beside the crib. She feared if she was in the other room, she might not wake up if the baby cried.

As she struggled to change his onesie, she couldn’t control her tears.

"I’m sorry, Joey... I’m sorry your mother’s not here. You would have been better with her... I’m sorry..."

Outside the room, Tony fisted his hands to balls. A drop of tear rolled down his cheek. It was apparent she could never forgive him for saving her instead of her sister.

Did I lose her forever?