THE DEAL: Novel (25 page)

I know you probably don’t have any assets or money, so I'm willing to give you £1,000,000 to sign the agreement and divorced in 6 months tops"

The surprises kept coming and this one was like a bomb to Carolina's ears.

How had he come to the conclusion that I have no assets? I know he doesn’t know my past, but draw conclusions like that, it was not fair too.

But she was in no mood to argue against it, she said only:

"Don’t worry I don’t want anything of yours, I’ll sign whatever it takes to give peace of mind for both. But why do we have to stay six months married?!"

He sighs of relief trying to hold her hands and she takes her hands so he can’t touch it.

He steps back on the couch and continues:

"I was hoping you were going to say this, I have the necessary agreements here for you to sign already. I was able to have a meeting with the judge to move on with divorce for tomorrow and we must go together with the lawyers. We have to be six months married to link the veracity of the prenuptial agreement that we signed in good faith and to show that no one were forced to anything with any agreement of good will between both”

She felt coerced yes, and definitely humiliated once again reduced to dust, but she didn’t care now, she just wanted to end this divorce as quickly as possible and never have to see him again. She was so tired of everything right now and leaned over to get the bottle to refill her glass, JP did the same while her hand arrives to the bottle, he puts his hand over her, she feels the electricity shock that lasts a second and takes her hand slowly. He holds the bottle, filled her glass and pours the rest into his glass. They drink wine in silence looking at each other. JP gets up and fetches the documents for Carolina to sign. Carolina reads and signs without any objection placing the documents back on the table. He hands her a copy.

"Send me a message with the time and where is it to talk with the judge tomorrow"

Rose starting to walk toward the stairs to go down, she was a bit dizzy because of the wine, and felt its effect on the whole body, burning with desire and hatred for him.

I have to get out urgently of this house as it was no good for me
- thought while she hurried down the stairs.

He followed her down after her, the last step made it with his hand to the front door preventing her from opening it, she surprised looks at him without knowing what to do or say.

"Stop these silly games and let me go. You already have everything you need from me."

"I have almost everything."

He puts on of the front door and approaches her, she takes a step back without realizing that she could not go back more, there was a wall, and she is between the wall and him. He comes closer, so close and gently pushes with his body her body against the wall. She has no reaction to ward off his hands. She should, but the power he exercises over her is too strong for her to fight. His essence hits her nostrils giving commands to the brain to continue still, mesmerizing her.

His body against her ignites a volcano inside her about to erupt, palms facing him remaining downturned next to the hips and he continues pressing his hips moving against her and her against the wall looking at her with his intense blue eyes putting the palms of his hands against hers. Making her slightly shudder, he gives her a smooth and lingering kiss on the neck. Looking thirsty for her lips, kissing her and then they lost in the kiss. She wants to hug and grab his hair, pressing her hands and nails in his body, she needs to feel him, and she misses him so much. It is a mixture of wanting with hate and hates begin to win and she tries to set herself free, but he intertwines his fingers on hers and takes her hands above her head holding them with his hands, and his arms against her.

She felt the pressure of his hips dancing against her and of his erection, firm and hard against her belly, she knew she couldn’t escape again as she had no strength to fight against it this time. Carolina and JP’s breathing becomes faster, panting of desire for one another, the kisses become intense and carnal with the urgency of belonging to each other completely. When he relieves the pressure on his body, and stops the kiss taking a step back, he grabs her hand and leads her up the stairs.

While going up, Carolina can recover her presence, she decides to drop her hand and runs down the stairs as fast as she can, and he confused stands still for a moment and goes down after her. But she had already gone out the door. Carolina goes on apace without looking back. It couldn’t be, she couldn’t give herself to a man who didn’t deserve her, he didn’t feel anything for her except sexual attraction, and she couldn’t give in to temptation anymore. Now on the way home inside the taxi she wants to think only about what they spoke about the divorce and on the agreement, but only if she could forget the kiss, let alone wanted to try to forget, it was just the only thing she remembered, a long, delicious kiss remaining his scent clinging on her lips, in her body, in her hands.

If she didn’t know from him that he doesn’t feel anything for her, she could swear that in other circumstances a kiss of those was the mixture of two people who feel the same chemistry and the same desire for each other. He only wants her as a sex object and that’s why she can’t give her to him anymore. That must be why he keeps trying, he feels if he keeps pressing the right buttons on her that she gives everything he wants.

At home, she calls the locks store and asks to go change the lock of her apartment putting extra protection on the door. She needs a distraction from the last hours and cooks a nice and tasty meal and this was a great alternative for distraction.

So she decided to put it on to work for a couple hours.

Another surprise

The next day JP sends early in the morning a message with the address and the time to be present to the judge to deal with the divorce to her. She gets there five minutes earlier, JP and two lawyers immediately after. They all went into the judge's chambers. JP lawyers explained to the judge what had happened and they needed a divorce as soon as possible because everything had been a joke of bad taste made by friends, but they didn’t intent to sue them, however they needed the divorce as it was a mistake and they never intended to get married from the start.

Judge looks from one to another and asks:

"Who wants a divorce?"

"We want both the divorce sir"

Said JP a little bit hesitantly and without realizing the reason for that question, the decision should be theirs and not from the judge.

"I need to hear your opinion"

Addressing to her and waiting for an answer. She looked at his hands, she was tense and nervous, and the love for JP betrayed her voice, so she shook her head as a yes.

"I need to hear from your mouth"

"Yes"

She said finally, with her voice half missing.

The judge said he would be talking to the lawyers and would give a decision at the end of three weeks latest. JP and Carolina left the judge's chambers, and in the hallway he says:

"What was that in there? Why did you hesitate when he asked you if you want the divorce?"

He asks softly, knew he was looking for a small sign that she still wanted him, and didn’t know why he couldn’t be angry with her, he was somehow happy with it.

"I was just nervous, it's not every day we talk to a judge and ask for a divorce"

She said fixing her gaze at infinity.

"Look what happened yesterday was a spur of the moment, I'm sorry, I don’t know what came over me" trying to apologize JP.

"You are excused. Now I have to return to work. Please let me know when you have any news of the result of our meeting with the judge”

She says continuing walking without stopping, reaching the door, walking away without looking back and without giving him a chance to continue talking, she pulls from the phone and tried to look busy on the phone.

With all that was happening in Carolina’s life, she had completely forgotten about Nils, she saw missed calls and messages on her mobile phone from him.

The first one saying: Are you alright?

The second: Please explain what happened?

The third one: I don’t want to believe, is it true you got married?!

And the fourth: Why did you marry another man when you accepted marry me?

And last: You owe me at least an explanation!

She couldn’t talk to him right now because she didn’t have the strength right now and she decides to send an email instead with a request for read e-mail notice to explain what happened to her in detail. It didn’t take long for Carolina receives the message that the email is read. She even waited for an answer, but he never replied. Carolina hated the way they had finished everything, but after all what had happened, she couldn’t explain herself, because neither it had a logical explanation if someone had told her the same story she wouldn’t believe it, she couldn’t blame him.

The next day at work she sends a courier to deliver to Nils’s office an envelope with the engagement ring inside, the ring he had giving her, she even written a small card with an apology. Carolina, liked the ring very much and was given by Nils, but she didn’t felt good with herself if she kept Nils ring, because it would make no sense at all. Nils never contact her again. In the following weeks Carolina and JP didn’t also contacted each other. She had no courage or desire to talk to him because it was already enough they were going through a divorce for a marriage that they never remember happen. Although as in all divorces, when they reach a certain stage there was nothing to say. A few days later Carolina while she was at work, she receives her father’s call to inform her that he would be coming for a few days to London on business, he would like to see her and would like to see his grandchildren, because he needs to talk to her and the boys. They agreed to go to Nobu restaurant for dinner in his last night he would be in London.

Nobu was a very trendy and busy restaurant, a place where famous people would like to be seen and the food was quite nice, as in all well known restaurants these restaurant was no exception was very expensive. Carolina’s sons loved the place more for the environment to see all the famous people more than the food itself. Carolina had missed her father, but since her mother died, his affection towards his daughter had died with his wife, giving himself completely to work and it saddened Carolina deeply, making her stay away.

Carolina went to meet with her father in the Ritz Hotel where he used to stay when he was in London, the Ritz is one of the most glamorous and expensive hotels in London, from there was only a 5-minute walk to the restaurant. They arrived at the restaurant and as usual the atmosphere was frenetic, on the ground floor there was a bar where they served great cocktails, and Carolina went to the bar with her father to serve herself with a great Bellini while waiting for the table. The boys were more interested in cokes with ice and lemon, leaning in a corner to see who was in and out of the restaurant. Carolina sat on a bar stool and when she turned back to talk to her father, she saw JP with a group of friends sitting in the couch area, the girls had all the look of being models under 30 years, they were so thin, they looked anorectic, with long blond hair, big eyes, full lips, fake eye lashes and nails. They all had tiny little dresses, standing out never ending long legs with killer heels. Her heart stopped for a moment looking at the kind of women he liked to be seen with, she tried to compose herself mentally but she was inevitably shaken by seeing him.

JP didn’t see her.

Carolina’s father began to talk to her as if she were a business partner rather than trying to talk to his own and unique daughter. She is used to her father to talk that way with her, he doesn’t bother trying to listen carefully to what she wants as a daughter, but tonight she couldn’t concentrate on his conversation, she thought only of JP and every time she looked at him, there he was all cheerful with his friends and the girls almost jumping into his lap, offering themselves to him, almost wanting to have sex there with him.

Carolina felt nauseous just to watch them.

Her father told her their enthusiastic latest news in his business venture, which he was negotiating a business in London and that negotiations were going well. He needed to talk with her and the boys about that particular business, because he wants to give those business to Carolina and her sons, since they are already in London, it’s time starting to take over his business, he wants to start thinking about retiring slowly and decreasing work. Carolina never heard her father talking about retiring, it was a first. But until there, she knew she would have to start thinking taking over his business, something she was avoiding for years, but she knew it was needed at some point she needed to think about her sons, about their future. She thanks her father and they agreed to talk better about everything soon. Her father never talked about how he felt, how he was going in his personal life, Carolina never knew if he came back to have another woman or women, he never  talks about his private life, and she never had seen him with a woman after her mother died.

When they were finally called to go to the table for dinner, she stands up and goes the steps to the first floor in the restaurant area, Carolina’s father says that he had seen a few people he knows and that he will very quickly greet. She waits for him in the beginning of the stairs and watches him going to the group where JP was and saw her father greet JP and another man who was in the group.

What was that? Now they know each other as well?

She had no drop of blood at that moment, she just looked stunned at the scene from the stairs to the bar area where the group and her father was. She didn’t want to believe what she was seeing.

How did they meet each other?

She couldn’t just ask them how they knew each other for sure they have met for business, but she didn’t want to give too much importance because she was one step to a divorce with JP, there was no need to let them know the truth about her, or that they have a link which is she. In other circumstances it was different, she even thought it would interesting to introduce her father to his son in law, which would be fun to watch each other’s face.

But there was no need.

So she went up the stairs and meets the boys who were already seated with one eye on the menu and the other eye on the table full of hysterical girls in tied dresses with too much pronounced necklines, where fake boobs jumped out, Gucci bags and Louboutin sandals were in order.

When the 3 weeks time passed by, JP contacted Carolina to say that the judge wanted to see them both the next day. They got in the judge's chambers again, accompanied by two lawyers. They sat on front of the judge and he begins to talk.

"As you know we are here today to give you my opinion if I will authorize to give you the divorce before six months or not. In my experience there are those couples who aren’t worth trying reconciliation and then there are others that there is hope"

He looked at them, to make sure that they were following what he was saying.

"Okay, so you are living apart, why are you living separately? Do you argue? Don’t you understand each other? Can’t you stand each other? Don’t you love each other? What is your real problem?"

Carolina and J.P. looked at each other confused.

JP responds only:

"We want to divorce for irreconcilable differences"

The judge looked at him and then at her, and said:

"That's all very nice, but doesn’t please me. I will give you a divorce in six months, validating the documentation given to me and signed after the wedding, but with one condition: that you have to live together, you need to live under the same roof. In six months we will meet again and if after six months you still want a divorce, I will give it to you. Until then, you have to make the effort to live together. If you want a divorce now, the agreement signed is null, being obliged to proceed with the division of assets 50%/50%.”

Carolina and JP were convinced they were going to have the divorce today, and now the judge decides that they have to live together for six months to obtain a divorce.

I will go crazy living with him for six months. The judge must be high or drunk to propose that kind of condition. He can only be!

Her thoughts were a whirlwind. In complete silence both went out of the room not knowing what to say to each other, they were completely in shock.

"I think there is a bar next door, would you like to go there? I need a drink with alcohol"

Said JP.

"I am also in need of a drink urgently"

She confessed to him. The bar was right next door, they went inside the bar, as it was mid-afternoon the bar was practically empty. They sat in two on the comfortable couches, face to face and asked for two vodkas with ginger ale and lime. She asks after drinking a long sip and feeling the cool drink slipping her throat.

"What follows now?"

Looking at her from aside smiling he said:

"We can have lots of sex. After all we are really married and we have to make the most of the situation while it last"

He blinks his eye giving a laugh in her direction, causing her to regret the question:

"Stop it, this is serious. I was referring to what shall we do from now on, if we have to put up with this and live together. How will we do this? Isn’t there an alternative?"

Asks him afraid of the answer, she wasn’t ready to take JP to her house with her sons.

"I don’t think there is an alternative. We will need to stick together for a while, I can’t jeopardize and put in panic my partners, the shares of the companies to go down dramatically, we can go into technical bankruptcy and I don’t want that of course. Will you help me with that?

I don’t know how we will live together, but we have to think fast, I suggest you talk to your sons first and then decide what to do. You can come and live with me at anytime because you’re most welcome”

He told her as if guessing her thoughts.

"The judge's proposal to give the divorce only after six months just for us to try to understand each other, because face it that’s the bottom line that he intent to achieve. I confess that the idea is interesting. As I told you we could enjoy ourselves for a little bit. To be honest I miss having sex with you, miss being inside you, and possess you as on the island. I miss ..."

And he didn’t continue the sentence that ended in confession at all, while approaching his couch next to her and she reacts jumping from her couch, puts on her feet saying she needs to go.

"I'll call you as soon I talk to my boys"

She told him already walking on the way of the door. Carolina wanted to know the end of the sentence, but she couldn’t say aloud what she suspected
that he missed her.

He would never admit it.

She thought.