True Love
(Book 3) – Chapter 121

-Please don’t give me tears. I’ve seen a lot of everything in my years. And your crying won’t soften me.

-He’s so cruel to his own son, he’s a horrible man.

-I do anything for my children, only what’s best for them. Now what do you plan to do?

Zoe walked over to the table, picked up the pen and signed the damn papers… the tears came of their own accord. She couldn’t stop them. When she finished, she stood up and the old man imitated her. He took the papers but left the wad of money.

-I’m sure my son promised you more. But since things turned out this way you must be content with that. Ah! and you brunette, this same advice goes for you too, stay away from my son. I will never allow a union between the two of you.

The old man left, leaving Zoé in tears in the arms of her friend….

-I’m so sorry, my friend.

-It hurts so much, Maya.

-Zoé, have you fallen in love with Jean?

-Yes. Damn it, I fell in love with that idiot. She said between tears and sobs.

-Oh, my God!

In the meantime. Jean was oblivious to what was going on in his brother’s house. His head was spinning, thinking about where he could look for Zoe. He couldn’t let her leave him without explaining himself.

He threw away the documents he was trying to read but couldn’t concentrate on anything. When out of nowhere his brother enters with more folders in his hands. He rolls his eyes.

-I’m not in the mood for more work.

-I’m sorry, but you have to sign all this.

-Leave it over there.

-What’s the matter? It’s because of her… brother why don’t you just face it, you like Zoe. In fact I dare say you’ve fallen in love with her.

The blue-eyed boy glares at his brother… clenches his jaw and doesn’t even utter a word.

-You’re talking rubbish…

-I don’t think so. He smiles. -I can see you’ve got a crush on her.

-That’s enough, Adrien.

He stands up and walks to the window of his office… he was very stressed, but above all, he was worried about not having her around, was it true what his brother said? At that moment, the blond hears his father’s voice. He closes his eyes as he stings his eyes.

-I’m glad you’re both here.

-We can’t say the same. Jean replies.

-I’ve got something for you, it’s important.

The old man throws a folder on his son’s desk… when he hears the noise he turns around to look at the documents, he picks them up with a frown.

-What is this? He looks at his father in confusion.

-Your divorce!

-What?

-I’ve had that stripper you got as your wife sign it, freeing you from having to share your money with her. I’ve already signed it, so all that’s left is for you to sign it. You’ll be free the quicker you do it, so you’ll marry Adelaine. That’s who you should have married.

-Did you see her? I asked incredulously.

-Yes. She was hiding in Adrien’s house.

The blond looked at his brother who seemed more surprised than he was… I suspect he wasn’t aware of that.

-I didn’t know anything about it, I swear. It had to be Maya’s doing.

-Oh yes! That girl, you won’t see her anymore either, Adrien. She’s a common prostitute. I’ll never let you marry that woman. Neither of us!

-You’ve seen my wife, and all you’ve done is make her sign a bloody divorce. -Oh, yes! One I don’t know about.

-I did you a favour, I got that woman off your back. -I did you a favour. It’s not worth it, you come here to cheat on me with that woman. You only hired her so I’d sign over my power to you. But that won’t happen.

-I’m tired of you meddling in my life Antonie. And if you think I’m going to marry Adelaine, you’re dead wrong.

-Sign the damn paper. And get it over with once and for all.

-I won’t give you the pleasure. -I won’t give you the pleasure.

-You should. -She signed it too quickly. The truth is, she didn’t care in the slightest. Besides, I’ll take a good deal of money in return. I think you should reconsider marrying a better woman!

The old man turns and walks straight to the door…

-I’ll arrange your wedding, so sign the paper Jean. He said walking out the door.

The blond, throws the papers on the desk, in those moments he didn’t feel anger for the idiocy that his father had done… but for the fact that she had signed those documents so easily, and by the way accept money in exchange.

-I don’t think so. Her brother says.

-They’re at your house.

The two immediately leave the office, leaving the work behind. As soon as they both took their cars they drove through the streets like crazy, until they finally arrived at the residence. But when they entered Adrien’s flat, the house was deserted.

Jean went straight to the rooms but there was no one there, and when he came out he found his brother with a note in his hands.

-They’re gone! Both of them…

-Give me that.

He takes the sheet out of her hands and reads the few words on the paper… in fact it was not addressed to him, but to Adrien. Maya was saying goodbye to him, telling him that she had left with her friend since her father would never let them be together.

-They left this. The blond shows her the wad of money.

-I won’t take it!

-Dad has completely screwed up. Says the youngest, throwing the money on the table.

-I’ll replace it! sentences the older one. -I’ll look for her and I’ll replace her.

Two weeks later…

-You will marry her and that’s all there is to it…” shouted Antonie to her son.

-If you care so much about uniting the family with these people, marry her yourself. Because I’m not interested.

-Adelaine is from a good family, I can’t allow her to have your son without getting married.

-That child is not mine.

-How the f**k are you going to say that? -How the f**k are you going to say that? Adelaine is a good girl, how can you say something like that?

-I don’t believe her, call off the whole damn wedding.

The blond gets to his feet and heads for the exit… he’s had enough of his father’s orders.

-If you walk out that door, I swear I’ll destroy you, Jean Pierre Dubois… you’ll live in the street.

-I don’t care. Do as you please.

The door is slammed with a bang, while Antonie Dubois is left standing in the middle of the room. Jean was uncontrollable, ever since he was a child.

Two weeks had passed and Jean had no idea where his wife was… even though she had signed those papers, he had not. Hiring a private detective didn’t help much, he searched for her every day but she seemed to have vanished.

And to make matters worse, he knew nothing about her past… Jean got into his car to start it. He was not going to give up looking for her, he swore he would replace her and he would.

Zoe was finishing her shift in the café of a small clinic where she had found a job, fortunately she didn’t have to know much French. She had been working there for a week, and so far she was doing well. The only bad thing was the hours, the night hours were a killer for her.

As soon as she arrived at the small flat she shared with Maya, she found the brunette getting dressed. She had found a job in a bookstore as an usherette.

-Hey, you’re home at last! How did it go?

-I’m exhausted. I’m beat.

-You should look for another job.

-I’ve tried, but I can’t replace anything.

After they left Adrien’s house, that same day they went looking for a job and a place to live. Luckily for them, the girls still had the little money they had earned from that last night’s work at the bar. And since good luck was on their side, Maya had found work first, then she had.

Knowing that the power of old Dubois was everywhere, the girls went miles away. Praying to the gods that they would not run into anyone they knew who would give them away.

-I must go now. The brunette says to him.

-And I’m going to sleep.

-I’ll see you in the afternoon.

-All right. She nods.

The girl lay her body face down on the soft bed…she couldn’t take it anymore, she was too tired to take a bath or eat anything. So she fell completely asleep.

Eight months later…

The flower arrangements were beautiful, real red roses everywhere. The path to the altar was covered with artificial grass of an almost bluish green… everything was ready and organized for the celebration of a society wedding.

Jean was waiting at the altar dressed in a black suit, a smile on his lips as he saw the bride arrive. The blonde was wearing a beautiful designer wedding dress. She looked radiant that afternoon…

-Zoe, are you okay? Maya woke her friend from what seemed to be a bad dream.