"Oh, you are so daft, really, really daft.Anyway, it was because you aren't educated, that's why you think like a fool. What was I expecting?"
Then she gave a little laugh.
" Its a lie." Annette said." Raphael won't do such a thing,he is coming here tonight."
"And who told you that Raphael is coming back tonight?"
Annette wanted to reel back in shock, but she held herself
"He is going to come back tonight because today is our wedding anniversary. "
"Or you mean to say, he is going to divorce you today ?" Roxanna spilled out immediately, she smiled and shook her head slowly, still waving the card in her hands.
"Divorce ?"Annette stuttered as she began to shiver, the bouquet she was holding fell out of her hands.
" Don't lie to me."she said, picking the scattered flowers up.
"And why should I ?" Roxanna said in a small sweet voice.
"Look, you think I'm wicked, but I'm the only person who is looking out for you in that family. "
Annette's heart tightened painfully as she kept staring at Roxanna with big round eyes.
"This is a sick joke. You are trying to make me angry because Raphael loves me, you are just plain jealous. He can never divorce me. "
Roxanna said nothing. She kept on staring at Annette with a wicked smile on her face.
"That was what many people said before they got a divorce, but anyway ..." She said, tearing the wrappings and took out a piece of paper.
"The love of your life Raphael left a note for you. "
She said, glanced through it and threw it over the table at Annette, who picked it with shaky hands as her eyes flew through the words in black ink as tears began to roll down her cheeks.
"You can read so well now, right ?" Roxanna said.
"See, I'm not lying. I know it hurts, you should move on, he never loved you in the first place. "
"That is a lie." Annette said, her voice shivering, and she wanted to explode with the pain in her heart which was leaving her breathless.
" He told me to tell you that he doesn't love you."
"You devil." Annette quickly jumped to her feet and almost plunged herself at Roxana, who was quick to hold her hand.
"What do you think you are doing ?" Roxanna spat.
"You are a liar." Annette cried
"I am not a liar, Raphael is not coming back."Roxanna said and pushed Annette lightly, but she almost fell but held the chair to steady herself.
"Raphael loves me so much,he won't run away." Annette cried.
"And did anybody tell you that he hasn't been planning to do that all this while? Move on , Annette." Roxanna said.
"Stop it,stop it." Annette cried." You are lying."
"Will you just calm down and listen to me?" Roxanna said." I didn't come here for both of us to fight, I came here so that we can find something to do about this."
Then Roxanna paused and bowed her head in shame.
"I know I'm so sorry about what Raphael did,just move on."
But tears had already filled Annette's face and had ruined the little makeup she had taken hours to do.
The ground was scattered with flowers and the envelope which held her grades.
"I came here not to tell you about this but to beg you to forgive me for relaying this news to you. Call me a witch, call me whatever you choose. I deserve it, I deserve all your hate." Roxanna said in a small voice as her eyes began to water.
Then she stopped and looked around, using the tip of her finger to clean the tears that were threatening to fall.
"Tell me about what?" Annette said.
"But you just wouldn't believe me." Roxanna said and threw her hands in the air.
"I wanted to tell you way before the wedding, but then I would look like a bad person."
Then she paused and sighed.
"Raphael is not who you think he is, he doesn't love you ."
"Look at all that, how do you think he loves you ? He's just trying to play with your emotions ."
"What? " Annette said and began to choke on her words. Her heart tightened, making it impossible for her to breathe.
She felt herself spinning, her eyes rolling in her head and she tried to steady herself again as she held onto the table. One of the wine flutes fell on the floor and broke into pieces.
"Yes,I knew ,I just want you move on and forget about all this.I also found out that he had a family in Milan,that's is the reason for his frequent absence claiming he is going on a business trip."
She shook her head slowly. "Raphael will never come back, he won't. "
Annette died a thousand deaths that instant,she saw her world rumbling into pieces as tears rolled down her eyes.
Then she turned to Annette, "Let's take a walk. There's something I want to tell you. I don't want to say it here and after that I can give you whatever I have so you can start life afresh."
"I already planned on helping you ,so you can start life afresh , because I know how hurt you are ."
Annette kind of calmed down, and she looked into Roxanna's eyes and all she saw was a repentant woman, someone who was ready to amend her ways.
Annette felt so sad and she kind of pitied Roxanna. She was a good person, and she had had the wrong impression about her.
They walked out of the restaurant and began to take a walk, the fresh night air hitting their faces, bringing comfort.
The restaurant was just a twenty minute walk to a flyover bridge, and they got there quickly.
Annette stood staring at the road below.
"Why did you bring me here?" Annette asked. She still hadn't recovered from the shock of what Raphael had done.
"Because it will be easy for both of us to speak here." Roxanna reached for her purse and took out a cheque
"I don't know if Raphael will ever come back. Maybe he had gone to another country but because you are a nice person and I want you to have a nice life, so take this. "
Annette needed someone to pinch her, it felt like she was in a dream. Never would you ever think that Roxanna was such a nice person.
She would even swear with her life that such a thing would never happen, but here she was with Roxanna, whom she thought hated her.
Now she was offering her a shoulder to lean on and being so nice.
"I'm sorry for thinking you're a bad person," Annette said.
"It's fine." Roxanna nodded a little as Annette took the cheque and her eyes bulged at the figures.
"You gave all this to me ? Aren't you doing too much ?" Annette said and sighed.
"Thank you so much Roxanna."
"You don't have to thank me," Roxanna said and opened her arms wide.
"I would like to take my leave now, but before that, let's take a hug and remember this day."
Annette smiled.
"I bet you will never forget this day in a hurry, "Roxanna said to her as Annette rushed into Roxanna's open arms.
As Annette hugged her, Roxanna's eyes closed into a slit, and she whispered into Annette's ears.
"I thought you had common sense. Now I know how daft you are, you should be given an award for being so stupid. "
Annette recoiled and looked at Roxanna with surprise in her eyes.
"What are you saying?"
"So you think I will allow you to dance your way into the family wealth?"she said, and before Annette knew what was happening, Roxanna grabbed her
"Have a blissful journey to the afterlife." Roxanna said as she pushed. Annette down the bridge