Hell Of A Marriage
Chapter 16

"Though these words will never replace you, I hope that you knew I was thinking of you today.... and that I was wishing you every happiness. Love Always,

The girl you loved once. ~Ranata Suzuki

Once inside, I notice there are also notable men and women present and although Keenan is still yet to tell me why we are here, I hear small voices talking and putting two and two together, I know this might be an engagement party, not a special event like he made it seem like back at home.

"Whose engagement party is this?" I ask Keenan who has been pulling me along with him everywhere since we entered five minutes ago like I'm his personal toy.

"Uh?" He raises a brow at me trying to pay the confusion part, but I know better which gets me even more pissed off.

I roll my eyes and stare at him, "Don't you uh me! Speak or I'm gonna turn around and leave this very minute." I threaten with a serious look.

He breathes down slowly, and I know he wants to be stubborn and controlling and pushy, but there seem to be something about this whole even that keeps him in check. "It's Taylor and Rory's engagement party." He answers, looking anywhere but at me. My eyes drop as pain plague my heart and at this point, I'm torn between feeling sorry for him or kicking him in the freaking but for dragging me into whatever disaster is about to happen tonight.

"And I'm guessing you brought me here because you didn't want to appear like the losing or heartbroken one present." It hurt to admit it to myself that Keenan didn't bring me out because he wished to start something with me, he brought me here so he wouldn't be alone.

I'm used to being used by him at this point I'm surprised that I'm still surprised and hurt every single time. He uses me and it sucks and most importantly it f*****g hurts!

I begin to pull away from him and his arms around me tightens and I begin to struggle with him to get from his burning touch. "Don't act childish Vary, this is barely about me and I think you know it." he scolds coldly, his eyes finally lowering to look at me. I murderously glare at him, "Childish?" I scoff, "apparently you brought me here to parade me around like your property as usual and I'm the one with the wrong attitude!" My voice rises with my demand.

A few people standing around, turn and give us a weird look and grits teeth and I know I'm ruining his perfect and precious night with my acting out.

He possessively takes hold of my arm, "Calm down," he says, moving me with him to the side of the room so we wouldn't attract too many attention even if I raise my voice. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you from home, I knew that you would never come out with me so I had to avoid some certain truth." He looks into my eyes apologetically, "I'm sorry, don't be mad."

How does he keep doing this? How does he go from possessive and controlling to soft and apologetic?

"Sometimes apologizing is not enough." I spit out at him and yank my arm from his hold and I'm about to walk out when I see a man probably in his mid or late sixties approach us and he seems to be familiar with Keenan with the way he begins to speak to Keenan. "You seem to have a handful of woman Keenan," he remarks as he greets me with a warm smile which he doesn't see me return before he turns to Keenan with a scolding eye. "You don't drag someone around that way, especially when that someone is your wife!" My eyes widen and I think I'm the only one surprised until I hear Keenan's voice and I look up at him to see him with the most surprised look of all. "How did you-?"

He chuckles at our surprised, "Patrick told me and from what I see, he didn't lie." He gestures with his hand to both of us.

Keenan quickly recovers himself and speaks up, "No he didn't Mr Gate, this is my wife Varisha, Vary meet Henry Gate."

I finally return his smile as we shake hands, "It's a pleasure to finally meet the woman who has tamed Keenan's heart."

I don't think I will ever be able to tame the heart of the man beside me even though I secretly wish to. He's got his eyes and heart fixed on another even though he may never have her and I've got my hear fixed on him who me I may never have.

My cheeks heat up embarrassed a little, nevertheless, I shake my head, but before I can say anything to dismiss his word the man continues to speak. "I should leave you two love birds alone." he nods formally at me and taps Keenan shoulder before leaving. Keenan leans closer to whispers, "You hear that? We are finally carrying out our roles as real couples, convincing people that this," he flicks his finger between us, "is real."

Keenan leans closer to whispers, "You hear that? We are finally carrying out our roles as real couples, convincing people that this," he flicks his finger between us, "is real."

Nah that doesn't remotely sound close to us right now. I do not know what the man Henry Gates saw but we are a disaster, not a couple.

"We are not real, we were forced, blinded into this, it's obvious you don't want me and I don't want you either and I hate the charade already!" I ramble out in frustration and when I look at Keenan who seems to have suddenly gone mute, he's staring at me intensely and his eyes hold a wounded look.

We are interrupted by the presence of who I'm guessing as Rory and Taylor before I can say any more word.

I finally get to meet the famous duel Taylor Snowfall and Rory John Gates.

How complicated it must be for Keenan loving a girl that always belonged to his best friend.

Rory is in a black tuxedo and a red bowtie, unlike Keenan he keeps no single trace of beards on his face. His hair a little long and its locks falling over his face, he has green eyes shiny and hot that can melt the coldest heart. Taylor is wearing an elegantly, long, black, handless gown with white diamonds it's hip side. The dress seems to fit yet perfectly and her lovely full curves can be seen with the outlining of the dress. She has a pair of green eyes that is almost the same as Rory except hers have a flicker of blue. I remember Keenan telling me she had blue eyes so I don't know why she chose the contact lens that changed her eyes colour to brown.

My gaze drops slowly because as I stare at her, I understand why Keenan still isn't over her. She beautiful, prestigious and graceful and who wouldn't want that?

"Hey, Keenan I'm glad you could make it." He says, offering him a handshake and Keenan takes it and nods.

"I wouldn't have missed it for anything in the world." he replies and he turns to Taylor and gives her a small smile and then turns to Rory again, "Congratulation man, you both truly deserve it."

Rory nods at him, "Thanks. You know what they say, he who replaces a wife has found a good thing."

"Who is she?" Taylor demands out of the blue and it makes me look up at her and I notice the surprise in Rory's expression at her hard and a bit harsh tone and I can't help clinging to Keenan's arm for support and backup.

"Yes, man who is she? I haven't seen her around before." Rory begins to say in a much cooler, nicer and friendly tone, reducing the tension that seems to have built up between the four of us.

"Varisha, meet Rory John Gate and Taylor Snowfall, my good friends and Rory, Taylor meet Vary my wife." His reply is quick and direct and it surprises me that he doesn't waste any time or stutter as he answers their question.

My heart is hammering so hard in my chest at this point I'm sure that they can also hear it as well

"Your wife?!" They both exclaim and the few guests around who heard turn to us with their gaze distort.

When I suspected that tonight was going to be a disaster, this may have been what I saw.

"How did that happen? When? Where?" Rory asks with his mouth still agape in shook and his eyes not breaking from Keenan's.

Keenan just chuckles and moves to wrap his arms around me. "It's a long story bro, I've known Vary for many years and so it's not a surprise to me, but to most people," his eye wanders to Taylor who silently stares at me like she just saw me kill someone before I feel his gaze back on me and he tightens his arm around her waist possessively and pulls me even closer, "It might be."

"What can I say? I'm shocked! Really. So che non siamo così vicini, ma avrei dovuto notare qualcosa (I know we aren't so close but I should have noticed something!)"

Keenan and Rory begin to talk in a teasing manner in Italian and while I do not understand what they are talking, I take my time to enjoy Keenan arms around me and I don't try to complain.

"Ah! Bene, siamo stati molto attenti a non finire nelle notizie come ho fatto in passato. (Ah! Well we have been very careful to not end up in the news as I have in the past.)

"Beh, sei abbastanza famoso, vero? (Well you're quite the notorious one aren't you?)."

Keenan shakes his head, "Nessun dito puntato, entrambi abbiamo avuto una buona dose di dare ai blogger e alla TV di intrattenimento qualcosa di cui parlare in passato. (No pointing fingers, we both have had a fair share of giving bloggers and entertainment TV something to talk about in the past.)"

***

"Congratulation Keenan and Mrs Klean Hilton." Rory finally says, offering his hand out to me for a shake and I accept his hand for a formal shake and he gives me a happy smile before saying, "Welcome to the family."

As the party comes to the close, we say our farewells to the soon to be married couples Rory and Taylor we begin to make our way out like the other guests and Keenan unclasps his arms from around me, making me look up at him with a questioning look, but instead of meeting my demanding gaze, he takes my hand and bring them up to his lips and kisses them.

This gesture warms my heart like none other, having him treat me tenderly and lovingly in the face of other and it is too much for me to take and I can't take being in his presence and being treated like this and not start hoping for more even when I should not. "Thank you Vary for tonight, you turned out even better than I expected," he says and slowly lifts his left fingers to my face and slowly leaves small caress on my cheeks. My lips part and my eyes begin to close, all I want to do now is stay in his arms forever and have him kiss me, but he begins to speak again, and my eyes fly open. "what you said about being forced and blinded into this marriage, you were right."

Oh, come on! Can't I just have a good time for a good two minute?

My eyes open and I stare at him wanting anything but the look of certainty off his face. Yes I said that, but not for him to quote me on it especially in this perfect moment

"What are you saying?" I ask, my voice going hollow at the end of the question. A part of me doesn't want him reading into what I had stupidly said earlier as I fear the decision he will make may not be sound good.

"Keeping you with me when you don't want anything to do with me would be selfish." He continues softly.

I don't care, as long as I'm with you. I want to say, but I can't so I just stare at him mutely.

"I want you to be happy and although I act like a jerk most times I do want you to be happy and I know you never will be if you are trapped with me, I cannot ascertain your happiness. I want you to live your life the way you would if you weren't married to me, because from now on, you have your freedom to do anything."

"What have you done?" I ask the most obvious question for his long speech that doesn't seem to end. I know I asked the question but I dread the answer

"I called Levi and asked him to come and pick you up," he replies with one quick breath.

I pull my hands from his, "What?" I can't believe what I'm hearing, "Why would you do that?" Even if I want to see Levi, I know he'll never want to see me and Levi probably hate me and hate Keenan more.

I don't think this is the best decision. I missed Levi, but he was better off without me and at least he knew that a week ago.

Keenan who seems to be happy for me even if he shouldn't be, "Because I think for once you deserve to be happy and our marriage has robbed you of that and I want to give it back." He says, but I don't think there's any trace of happiness or joy on my face at this place.

I turn around and there is Levi, standing afar off in his short-sleeve and faded blue jean trousers. His face bright even in the night and his eyes happy and longing and right there my heart melt on seeing him okay and well and I can't help the smile that crawls into my face as he smiles at me. My stomach flips in excitement I didn't think I would have for him and all I want to do now is throw my arms around him.

At first, I didn't know how I would feel, but now seeing him brings back the uncontrollable emotions.

Why would Keenan even do something that ensures my happiness? Why would he even care?

"You are welcome." Keenan tells me, resting both hands on my shoulder and giving them a light squeeze, "If I were you, I'd make sure I take out all those pushed off s****l feeling on him, show him how truly nasty you can be. The side of you that I got to see on our wedding night, but I think it is he you should be showing it to." He says, before walking off towards the car.

***