Chapter 8
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"Exactly, it was a marriage contract." Stated Julia "Then, he did what he had done. And the next morning, we had a deal to continue our marriage for so long, and left his house as far as I could. Now, I am pregnant..."
"So, you are still married up until now..."
"Yes..."
"Let me guess who that man was. My brother Samuel!"
"Yes!"
"And that was why he told me to get away from you. I do not think he would divorce you."
"Eh? Why??"
"He is a filthy sadistic man, so he will enjoy torturing you... I am sorry, but I will try my hardest to get you back... I promise…"
"Rafael and I are best friends, right? I… Rafael... I... I am sorry... I swear I did not mean it... it all happened so quick that I could not tell you... We are still friends, though, now you are my brother-in-law..."
"Julia… I love you… I wanted us to live a happy life together... I wanted to marry you and have a small family... I wanted to have you by my side for what last for eternity... I wanted to introduce you to my family as my bride and my best friend... I wanted to create lovely memories only with you... I wanted to get older with you... I really wanted you... All of you... Your love... Your hate... Your romance... Your fights… Your efforts... Your laziness... Your perfection... Your flaws… I loved all of them... I love you..."
"Rafael... I... I… I loved you!! I loved you too! Ever since I have met you, I have loved you!! But..."
Suddenly, a great tremor overtook her and tears raced down her cheeks. She could hold the heartbreak no longer and she fell to the floor in a disheveled heap as her grief poured out in a flood of uncontrollable tears. Then, he sat down and leaned her to his chest, comforting her and patting her hair.
He swiped at her eyes but the tears came any way. A flood of tears gushed down her ashen cheeks and her body wracked with an onslaught of sobs and moans as the sound of wailing and suffering echoed throughout the house.
He pulled her in nice and tight, brought her head towards his chest while stroking her hair, rubbed her lower back softly and would not let go for a long time, so she whispered in his ear saying, "but you have always told me that I am only your best friend… And that we would not be together..."
Neither of them held back as it was a moment of exceptional bonding, both completely melted to lose the tracks where their bodies started and where they ended, as if they became one. Her breath was taken away, not from the squeeze but from the realization that his arms were finally around her. Then, a great sob escaped her, and she covered her face with his strong body, she wanted the moment to last for forever. Only him, her and a baby.
She felt safe and comfortable in his arms as if, somehow, he took away her pain and made her feel safe. A moment in his arms felt like she could fly or maybe she was in heaven, so she started chewing on her lower lip and her eyes welled up with tears as an involuntary whimper escaped her lips. Then, she leaned in, her head rested on his chest and his body firmly held against hers, closed her eyes and all noise in the room stopped.
"Julia," started Rafael "please do not cry or feel depressed, you will hurt the baby, in the end I am her uncle, right?"
"Yes..." she replied
"I promise to try my hardest to get you divorced and then we will raise this kid together."
"No, Rafael... Do not… I am sorry… I have to be Loyal to Samuel…"
"What?? But you do not love him…"
"You are so late… I am sorry…"
"I have something I want to give you."
Rafael unwore a necklace from his neck and placed in Julia's palms. It was a silver necklace carrying small tourmaline stones with a pendant having his name carved.
"This is my deceased father's gift when I was born," he commented "so I give it to you, in order to have me by your side until you deliver your baby. I will always be with you if you carry this necklace, even if I was not around. It is a very expensive and important one, so take a good care of it, please.."
"Eh?" startled Julia "I.. I can not accept this gift, I am sorry!"
"Don't you want a gift from me?"
"It is not like this... But this is important for you, I can not take it…"
"You are the most important gift for me."
Rafael closed her palms hiding the necklace in, while Julia was only staring at him with eyes filled to the brim with tears. He tried to calm her again, but her complete hopelessness converted into tears that rain down her face at lightning speed.
She wished he would always stay with her and lift that heavy weight alongside her. His chin trembled, he looked away as his faced turn red, a tear was forming but he would not let it fall, a single drop of grief welled up from the corner of his eye and he sniffled quietly, tears threatening to spill from his eyes.
A solemn tear fell down his cheek; his body looked calm compared to how tangled his mind was. He wiped his eyes quickly as he refused to cry in front of her, so he patted her head and said his last goodbyes, to leave her and enter his car.
Julia could never betray her husband, he was kind to her and she promised to remain loyal to him…