forced encounter

Every week I must take the time to meet my fiancée who always looks lost among the clouds.

We spend our short hours strolling or walking side by side without many words exchanged. I have come to know every movement of her face, every time she feels coerced she clenches her hands moving frantically, if she doesn't like something she frowns, but she is not the type to complain.

She feels insecure around me, I must seem like a bad guy in her eyes. Unlike the authority in my beloved's eyes, she knows exactly how to handle me.

I hate the fact that I am marrying such a weak woman. In this world where I live she will be dragged to hell. Looking at her refined clothes, such simple gestures, the kindness she shows to others is something different from what I am used to.

It makes me feel bad, I have always been surrounded by security guards at a big empty table eating the best food made by great chefs, at the age of 13 I took responsibility for a big business. I led groups of assassins, killed employees sent to annihilate me.

Her carefree face as she stirs the teacup in front of her makes me feel like I'm spotting a white rabbit. Her beautiful eyelashes move delicately on the light that reflects like a vast clear ocean.

I don't know anything about your life and I don't want to know you, but in these times when we are alone I have felt close.

" Sir, telephone. " says the security guard.

I get up from the table, leaving her alone, and pick up the phone.

"Are you with her? " Anabela.

" Anabela: Yes.  I light a cigarette, blowing the smoke away, the way I must keep this woman."

"Your grandfather has just removed me from my position," she says in a crying voice.

" He's crazy if he thinks I'll keep quiet. " I shout.

"I'm angry, my love. You know I never meant to hurt your fiancée, but she wants to get rid of me. Your grandfather did it for her, at her request."

• Say no more. " I hung up the phone.

"That manipulative woman is why she is always quiet around me.

I went back inside, exploding with hatred, I thought I was a pure white rabbit dragged into this situation. I wanted to avoid her suffering, thinking that we are both victims, yet I was wrong.

At the table with his ever saddened eyes he managed to fool me, furious I hit with all the force of my fist the order that the waiter had just left in front of him.

I smashed the cake that soiled his beautiful clothes breaking the thin plate.

" You are just someone I am buying for convenience, if you know your place, live like you are dead. " I threatened her.

My men brought a cloth and I wiped her dirty hands. She remained quiet in her seat, saying nothing, in the theater of being defenseless when she has the most powerful man in the country on her side.

That made me lose my mind, so I poured my tea over her head.

"I will never see you as my wife."

"Boris. * You called, my faithful fighting dog.

" You are very lucky. " I left, disgruntled.

Everyone in the restaurant was surprised by the scene, it must have been the first time in his life that he had experienced such humiliation. However, the moment she shrugged her shoulders in fear I wanted to console her and ask for her forgiveness. I walk out of the place to escape this lump in my throat that is forming.

I would rather she screamed or begged for forgiveness, but she held back, biting her lips in sorrow as if she were being coerced.

This victim role doesn't suit someone who comes from the same world.

" Benedicto. " I call him.

" Say master."

" Is she all right? " She covered her face in agony for worrying about her.

"Fortunately the tea was cold, but I ask you to be careful or she could have left in mourning."

" Take her home."

"Unfortunately I won't be able to comply with this order."

"Give me a good reason."

" She was no longer there, she also paid the bill and took a cab."

For a moment she had forgotten that she also has money.

"Let's go home. " I said, signaling the driver.

On the way I saw my fiancée get into a bus full of passengers. I immediately asked her to stop the car and got out after her, I don't know why I followed her.

Deep down I wanted to find something I could get rid of to punish her for. At a bus stop near the cancer hospital, she got off.

My heart was beating hard, for thinking about the possibility that she was ill, that would justify the change in her behavior. The woman entered a front café choosing full of sympathy a small cake. I felt pathetic for imagining she was sick, to have been worried about her, so I walked away laughing at my stupidity.

Back at home, I walked into my grandfather's office without knocking on the door screaming at him in hatred.

" HOW CAN YOU DO THIS?"

The doctor stopped the examination, gathering his belongings with an unfriendly expression at me.

• Master, please avoid any unpleasantness. " said the doctor arrogantly.

My grandfather laughed, signaling me to leave, the doctor took a deep breath and finished closing his briefcase as he left the office.

"What was this arrogant man doing here? Is he sick? " I ask worried.

"Doctor Harry has been taking care of my health for years, treat him well."

"I don't like him. Anabela..."

He interrupts me

" Always that woman. " He sighs.

" You liked her, what has changed? "I ask distressed.

The old man takes a deep breath.

"Get out, I need to rest."

"WHY ARE YOU SPOILING MY HAPPINESS? I AM DOING WHAT YOU WANT, YET YOU ARE TRYING TO TAKE HER AWAY FROM ME!"

"Boris, get out."

"WHAT THE FUCK! WASN'T IT ENOUGH TO LOSE MY PARENTS?"

" BORIS!"

I had to be quiet given my grandfather's intense coughing. I stayed by his side, calming his crisis for the first time, afraid of losing him.

"Are you really all right?"

"Go on."

Not even at this moment do you stop being the arrogant master of the family. I stormed out of the office to my room, blaming my fiancée even more.

The wedding day finally arrived, everyone from both families attended. The bride's family, full of arrogance, attended with all the glamour, looking at the others as if they were rulers, the eldest son of the family in an overbearing manner, coercing the innocent maids of the party, accompanied by two famous women in the music business; on his father's side a beautiful young woman whose head-to-toe jewelry left everyone jaw-dropped. Sounding more like the description given of the bride, I found it strange how perfectly she fits into the survey.