Does She Know?

The children really did seem like they were having fun. They chatted up the many celebrities like it was nothing and also enjoyed walking around. Edward, who was extra worried because he couldn’t be here in person, had sent a pretty large army of bodyguards to guard me and his children. To be honest, I felt like they were more like over-paid babysitters instead. This event already had plenty of security and Zak never turned up to these events without an army of bodyguards of his own.

“Yes, thanks to you and congratulations on another movie!” I said happily as I smiled at Zak.

“Thank you, Madame,” Zak said teasingly as he took my hand in his and squeezed it.

After Madame Francesca was arrested and things had quiet down somewhat, Zak and Annie finally got married. I had hoped, not for my own sake but for Zak’s sake, that perhaps the engagement would be called off because of the scandal around his mother but that clearly was not the case. Annie, I found out later, was persistent and adamant about marrying Zak.

She refused to marry anyone else besides him and so the engagement was maintained, and they got married soon after. Unlike Zak, I didn’t have the mental capacity in me to turn up to his wedding like he did for mine. Instead, I called him to congratulate him in my own way and apologized for not being able to make it to his wedding. He didn’t say it out loud, but I was sure that he got my message.

Looking back on it, I guess it wasn’t because I wasn’t over Zak. I was as over him as I could possibly be in this life even if that meant that he will always have a special place in my heart. The main reason was because I couldn’t bring myself to show support for Zak entering into a loveless marriage as if it were a plain business contract, which by the way, was what his marriage was.

I never truly understood at the time that the marriage was even worse than a loveless one. That was because, Annie was one-sidedly so in love with Zak…

After a whole lot of convincing from Zak, I decided to meet him for dinner. After much debate, we decided that it would probably be best for Zak to come over to my house for dinner. Edward was surprisingly open to the idea and was considerate enough to give us personal space to dine alone, excusing himself for business for the evening.

“You know, you have to get over it, Natalia. You’re married and all…” Zak said casually as he swirled wine in his glass.

“Get over what? That you’ll be locked up in a loveless marriage?” I asked incredulously. I found all of this so ridiculous. How could Zak say that to me with a straight face like his life meant nothing?!

“I’m completely fine with it if you ask me,” Zak said without a care, and I found his attitude towards this the saddest part of all.

“How can you say this without a care? What about Annie?” I asked desperately.

“Nothing comes for free, Natalia. I’m a Rosenhall, we don’t get to choose who we marry. It’s that simple. Annie wants to marry me. So, it’s all good for her,” Zak said emotionlessly before sipping his wine.

“Does she know that you don’t love her?” I asked, trying to make my point.

“Yes, I told her,” Zak replied with a shrug like it wasn’t his business and that he was just talking about someone else.

“Does she know that you probably won’t ever fall in love with her…like…ever?” I asked, skeptically.

“I don’t know. I never told her,” Zak replied, sounding bored. Clearly my point wasn’t getting across or if it did, he didn’t care about it.

“Let me rephrase this, do you think your marriage to Annie will be successful?” I asked as I stared at Zak’s handsome face.

“In terms of business, definitely. That’s all we should care about, right?” Zak replied with another shrug.

“What about personally?” I challenged.

“Why are you asking something that you already know? I’m here to see you because I want to see you.

I’m not here to talk about Annie…” Zak replied, clearly annoyed.

“…just answer my question,” I said firmly.

Zak probably doesn’t know that it would hurt me more than anything to see him enter into a loveless marriage when I was married to a man that I loved. I wasn’t sure if my marriage would have a happy ending or if it would last and I didn’t dare hope, but at least, Edward and I love each other for a start. I worried about Annie; she’s going to get so hurt by this. She, of all people, doesn’t deserve this.

“Personally, it’s going to be a full-fledge disaster for Annie and a nagging annoyance for me. I have no interest in her as a person. This marriage is a business deal on paper only,” Zak stated emotionlessly.

Zak’s golden eyes, blond hair and angelic face did not resemble his mother at all. However, the way he was talking now, reminded me that he was indeed Madame Francesca’s only son, Zak Rosenhall.

“Does she know that?” I asked, once more.

“It’s not my job to tell her. It’s her lawyer’s and her father’s job,” Zak said, as he rolled his eyes at me.

“So, you haven’t told her…” I surmised.

“What do you want, Natalia? Should I get her to sign an agreement not to come within a ten meters radius to me? Just so we can be clear that we’re not going to develop any type of relationship?” Zak suggested, half serious and half sarcastically.

“That’s not what I meant. I can’t believe I’m saying this…Zak, I would prefer if you can develop a real husband and wife relationship with Annie if you’ve decided to marry her,” I said honestly.

There, I’ve said it. It’s time…Zak needs to move on, just like I have.

It was like time froze. I watched as everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Zak slowly removed the wine glass from his beautiful lips and put in down on the table between us with a loud thud. For someone with impeccable manners like Zak, this action showed that he was boiling with anger inside. I sucked in a deep breath and closed my eyes temporarily as I steadied myself for what was to come.

“Natalia…” Zak said my name and I opened my eyes to see him looking straight at me with a stern face.

“…yes,’ I replied before biting my lower lip. I clenched both my hands together under the table so that Zak couldn’t see how anxious I felt, although, nothing I did could fool Zak.

--To be continued…