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 toy.

“Uh?” He raises a brow at me, trying to play 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, controlling and pushy, but there seems to be something about this entire event 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. I’m torn between feeling sorry for him or kicking him in the freaking butt 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 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; it fucking hurts!

I pull away from him and his arms around me tighten and I 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 he grits his 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 much attention even if I raise my voice. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you from home. I knew 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 apologising is not enough,” I reply and yank my arm from his hold. I’m about to walk out when I see a man in his late sixties approach us and he seems to be familiar with Keenan with the way he speaks to Keenan.

“You seem to have a handful of a 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 scolding eyes. “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 surprise, “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 Gates.”

I finally return his smile as we shake hands, “It’s a pleasure to 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, although 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 heart fixed on him, whom I may never have.

My cheeks heat embarrassed a little and I shake my head, but before I can say anything to dismiss his word, the man continues to speak. “I should leave you two lovebirds alone.” he nods formally at me and taps Keenan's shoulder before leaving.

Keenan leans closer to whisper, “You hear that? We've carried out our roles as actual 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 by 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 get interrupted by who I’m guessing as Rory and Taylor before I can say any more words.

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

How complicated it must be for Keenan to love 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 is a little long and its locks fall over his face. He has green eyes, shiny and hot, that can melt the coldest heart. Taylor is wearing an elegant, long, black, handless gown with white diamonds on its hip side. The dress seems to fit yet perfectly and her full curves show with the outlining of the dress. She has a pair of green eyes that are almost the same as Rory's, except hers has 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 blue.

My gaze drops slowly because as I stare at her, I understand why Keenan still isn’t over her. She is 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 finds 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 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 says 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 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 gazes distorted.

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

“How did that happen? When? Where?” Rory asks, with his mouth still agape in shock and his eyes not breaking from Keenan’s.

Keenan just chuckles and moves to wrap his arm 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 gaze 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 talk in teasing manners in Italian and while I do not understand what they are talking about, I take my time to enjoy Keenan's arms around me and I don’t 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 like 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 radiant smile before saying, “Welcome to the family.”

As the party comes to a close, we say our farewells to the soon-to-be-married couples, Rory and Taylor. We 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. Instead of meeting my demanding gaze, he takes my hand and brings them up to his lips and kisses them.

This gesture warms my heart like none other. Having him treat me lovingly in the face of others is too much for me to take. 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 finger to my face and slowly leaves a small caress on my cheeks. My lips part and my eyes close. All I want to do now is stay in his arms forever and have him kiss me, but he speaks 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 minutes?

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

“Keeping you with me when you want nothing 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 want you to be happy. And I know you never will be while you're trapped with me. I cannot find out your happiness. I want you to live your life the way you would if you didn't marry me, because from now on, you have your freedom to do anything.”

“What have you done?” I ask the most obvious question about his long speech that doesn’t seem to end. I know I asked, 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 away from him, “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 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 point.

I turn around and there is Levi, standing afar off in his short-sleeve and faded blue jean trousers. His face is bright despite the night. His eyes happy and longing and right there my heart melts on seeing him fine and well and I can’t help the smile that crawls into my face as he smiles at me. My stomach flips with 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 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 sexual feelings on him, show him how truly nasty you can be. The side of you I got to see on our wedding night, but I think it is he you should show it to.” He says, before walking off towards the car.