Chapter 2: Her Past

"Tell me what happened, Sophia. I promise to help you." Mrs Kelley said full of determination.

I smiled bitterly, lowering my head. We're now back in the mall and inside the restaurant. It's been a long time since I kept this secret. I haven't let anyone know about this since I started living in California. Well, except for my college friend, Rian.

I felt a hand over my hand which was resting on top of the table.

"I can be your mother, Sophia. I know half of your story about your mom and your dad, but you haven't told me about this story of yours. You can share everything with me."

Mrs Sonia Kelley, one of my students in my Zumba class. We've known each other for two years, and she's one of my loyal clients who always recommend me and my dance studio to all of her friends and colleagues. She's been like a mother to me ever since and knows all my sacrifices regarding my career. She's also one of our sponsors whenever we have an international dance competition.

I looked at her and took a long, deep breath before I started telling her about this horrible past of my life in Bologna Italy.

"Joseph De Luca was my ex-fiance. I was just eighteen years old when my father's company suffered from a financial crisis, and he doesn't know what to do back then. Until one day, he talked to me and told me that I was already engaged to a certain Joseph De Luca. I didn't even know that man. I asked him why, and he told me it's for my future.

And then one day, I overheard my father talking to his guest in the living room. They were talking about the money that his guest transferred to my father's account. He said I had to prepare for our wedding, and for me and his son become close to each other, they bought the vacant house and lot a few blocks from our house.

When I first met Joseph, I immediately felt there was something wrong with the way he was looking at me. But when I told my father about my observation, he said it wasn't true and Joseph was a nice and perfect man to be my husband. But I didn't believe him, so I tried to do some research about Joseph, with the help of my cousin. And then I found out that he was a computer science graduate, and the most shocking news to me that time was that I also found out that he's a drug addict, uses and sells drugs."

"Did you inform your father about that?" she asked with a horrified expression.

"Yes, I told him. I even showed him the research I did, but he just shouted at me and told me not to believe in fake news!"

"Fake news? But it's no longer fake news when you have evidence."

"Yup, I told him that, but he didn't believe me. Instead, he continued to sign the contract. And one day, I decided to talk to my future husband. I wanted to talk to him and beg to cancel the wedding. I went to their house. And Layla, their maid, was the one who opened the door for me. I asked her about Joseph and she pointed to his room. But before I could take a step, she grabbed my hand and told me to be careful if I intend to talk to Joseph in his room. I was confused at first, but I just nodded at her.

And the scene that came to my sight, shocked not just my eyes but my whole body. I confirmed my research with my own eyes. He's inside of his room with his two friends and they were using drugs. He's sniffing the silver foil while his friend was held a lighter in his hand. And when they saw me watching them, I ran to the door and went downstairs. We almost played hide and seek. I shouted for help and Layla came running from the kitchen, but with Joseph's glare she turned her back on us."

I blinked to control the tears but I failed. Because it already rolled down my face before I could wipe them.

"What about their other maids? The guards or someone inside the house? Didn't they help you or didn't they hear you when you screamed for help?"

"There weren't any people in their house at that time except  Layla and a guard at the gate, and I don't know why?"

"So, what happened after that? What did he and his friends do to you?"

"They pulled me back to his room and pushed me to the bed. He ordered his friends to go home because he said he just wanted me for himself. I screamed for help as I tried to push him but he was so strong. He ripped my blouse, my skirt and my underwear. I begged him to stop, but he didn't listen. He said I was his fiancee and I was going to be his wife, so it was his right to take what was his."

"But you're not yet married!"

"He didn't listen even though I told him to wait until the night of our wedding, he continued to undress me. And he was about to get himself inside me when we heard a knock on the door and it was soon opened. Because of his extreme lust and he was still high on drugs, maybe he hadn't noticed that he hadn't locked the door. It's Layla, I saw how her face turned shocked to pale due to nervousness.

I was crying and asking for help, but with Joseph's glare and shout, she turned away after saying that my father and Mr De Luca had arrived and were waiting for him in the living room. She looked at me before she disappeared and I get it, that's the only thing she can do to help me. And since Joseph was still distracted, I used it as an opportunity. I used all my strength to push him ang kicked him in the balls. I also tried slapping him with my diamond ring which was facing my palm, and it only landed on his neck, but it still created a deep cut on it.

I ran outside the room and downstairs, not bothering that I was just wearing a ripped skirt and piece of blouse. My father and Mr De Luca were both shocked when they saw me running downstairs. My father immediately wrapped me in his jacket and asked me what had happened and what I was doing upstairs, but before I could speak, I heard Joseph's footsteps behind me and he told the opposite of the story. That it was I who forced myself to him because of the money!

I tried to explain why I was there but they didn't believe me. He's bleeding, and they all believed in his fake story as he played the victim. He deleted all the CCTV footage in an instant and the other day, Layla suddenly disappeared from their house. She was my only hope but until now, I'm still trying to find her. And that's the reason why I left Bologna. My father didn't believe me. Instead, he accused me of seducing Joseph. And no matter how I tried to explain my real reason, he turned deaf ears. He was already blinded by De Luca's money.

My cousin helped me post it on social media, but after a week the news suddenly disappeared. They used their money to reverse the story and to make Joseph as the real victim. Then I decided to escape because I can no longer feel my worth and importance to my father. And after six years, the person who nearly ruined my life found me and threatened to continue his unfinished business."

I wiped my tears using my other hand.

"What about your mother? Where was she by that time?"

"She's in Seattle. She left me with my father when I was just ten years old. And I didn't bother to look for her. She now has her own family, she's already happy with them and I don't have the heart to ruin her happiness which I know she hadn't received from my father."

"But she's your mother. She has the right to know what's happening to you, or what was happened to you. Especially that Joseph guy is now here in California."

"I can do this on my own, Mrs Kelley. She has never visited me since she left. If she considered me as her daughter, she should've returned, she should've taken me with her when she left, but no! I lived on my own, without her and my father. So, I don't think I need her in my life right now!"

"Well, I can't blame you for that because of the struggles and pain you've been through. And I'm proud of you, Sophia. You've gone through all those problems on your own. You're one of the resilient people I've met. And I will help you."

I looked at her as I wiped my face with my hands.

"M-Mrs. Kelley?" Even my tongue doesn't know how to form words.

She held both my hands again.

"Marry my son, Sophia. Used his last name and all his connections to find her."

"B-But---"

"My son needs a wife right now and you are the best candidate for that."

I blinked repeatedly. "We don't even know each other, Mrs Kelley. And why does he need a wife, doesn't he have a girlfriend to marry?"

"No, Sophia, that's not what I mean. Just marry him for a year and after that, you can go and do whatever you want."

"But why do you want me to marry him? Please tell me the truth, Mrs Kelley?" I don't know but I feel there's something that she's not telling me.

"He needs a contract wife for a year to get the company's biggest investor. It's a European investment, and if they get that it will lead them and the company to the top-grossing company in the state of California."

"So that's the real reason why you want me to marry him?"

"At some point, yes, but since you shared your storey with me, it just added to the reason why I want you and my son to get married. Let me help you, Sophia. I know you're not struggling for money------"

"Oh, no, no... Mrs Kelley. If you're going to offer me a huge amount of money just to marry your son, I'm sorry. But I can't accept that and my answer is no."

"No, but if that's what you want, I'm not going to offer you any cents. Marry him and I'll make sure to find the only witness you can use to file a case against Joseph. And about my son, don't worry about him. He's a good man, Sophia. And if one day you learn to love him, then I will be the happiest mother and a mother-in-law in the world."

I chuckled with his last sentence.

"But you said, this is just a marriage of convenience. So, that means love and emotions are not involved in this marriage."

"Yes, and it's just a hypothetical sentence. So what is your decision?"

"I-I don't know, Mrs Kelley. This is a life-challenging decision if ever."

"Sophia, it's just for a year. After that, you can get a divorce paper to end your marriage."

"Does he know you're talking to me?"

"No, but I'll explain it to him."

End of flashback...

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