Confronting the Truth

Ethan

Knowing the people in my social environment and the capacity they have to create situations just to lure the unwary into their traps, I understand this subject very well, probably Arthur didn't really take notice of the whole situation, but neither would I try to clarify anything for my rival, so I just spoke vaguely:

" If you don't know, I'm not the one to tell you " I hold the doorknob, opening the door " I came here only to warn you, and I've already done that. Mariana is no longer alone, and if you insist on trying anything with her, I will no longer be as cordial as I am now, and I hope you won't try to test my patience and goodwill. I possess neither.”

Arthur really doesn't seem intimidated by my words and remains steadfast in his determination to stand up to me.

"It's Mariana who has to tell me this, Ethan," he says, and his tone is calm as if I haven't said anything really important.

"She already has, but you don't seem to understand," I comment, "but I'll make sure it's clearer.”

We stare at each other, measuring our strength, and even though I wanted to settle everything with my arms, to punch my partner and former friend in the face, I have never been a fan of violence and many things were at stake, the main one being that Mariana knows how to defend herself and would hate me if she knew I went around smashing someone's face in for her.

But I needed to make my position clear to Arthur and since I had already done so, I thought it best to get out of that room right away before I went back on my resolutions.

I slammed the door, in a minimal attempt to vent all my anger and frustration, for I was not satisfied with my conversation with Arthur and would now go home to sleep alone when I could now be with Mariana in my arms.

I walked among the people without really paying attention to anyone, thinking about the irony of that situation, for when I had intended to bring Mariana to the nightclub that night, without having the slightest idea that the man who had bought her at the auction had been Arthur.

I was totally concentrated in my thoughts as I walked through the very busy place that night and if I hadn't been so angry, I would have thoroughly enjoyed it and even ordered a drink.

But today I was not up for that kind of distraction, and when I felt a hand grip my shirt, I turned my body ready to be very rough with someone.

When I realized that this person was Bruna, this desire became even greater.

"Darling! "I knew I would find you here today.

As if her completely clueless words weren't enough, she completes what she said by throwing her arms around my neck and trying to kiss my mouth.

"Let go of me, Bruna!" I say, trying to get her claws off me.

The woman is completely drunk and looks like a good glued to me, making me possessed by her behavior.

" I think Mariana will like to see this " Arthur says, stopping beside me and I notice that he has a cell phone in his hands, as if he were recording the scene, or something like that.

But I couldn't pay attention to my former friend, as I needed to get rid of Bruna's dishes urgently, and I held her more firmly, managing to get her hands off me and away, only to realize that she was already out.

" Ah, I think you have a problem on your hands... " Arthur says, pointing out the obvious.

I look again at Bruna's bitch, almost falling over me, and back at Arthur, who really deserves a good lesson for trying to mess with the woman I want, and then, a brilliant idea forms in my head.

"See to it that the client gets home safe and sound, after all, it is your nightclub.”

I put Bruna's arms around Arthur, and before he can emit any reaction, she is already sticking to him like a gooey slug.

"I'm not going to take care of this crazy woman, Eth…”

I didn't hear the rest of the sentence, because, besides the sound of the nightclub, I also walked among the people as fast as I could, not caring how Arthur was going to get rid of this big problem.

The only thing I want from Bruna is distance, and just seeing her makes me feel terrible, unable to accept the fact that I got involved with that woman, and even more so after what happened in Guarujá, where I had come to the conclusion that I had done Murilo a big favor by getting rid of that nuisance.

I left the nightclub without looking back, and even more convinced that Bruna is not my problem.

And already in my apartment, in my room to be exact, I looked at the extremely comfortable and huge bed in the center of the even bigger room, and I realized at that moment how Mariana had managed to make me act differently from what I was used to, and if I told anyone who knew me the least, they would not believe that I had had sex on a single mattress, too narrow for two bodies and that this same mattress was on the floor.

Oh, Mariana, you're driving me crazy!

Mariana

I always allow myself to wake up later on Sundays, after all, after a week completely focused on work, nothing more fair than giving myself a rest, it was totally deserved.

But that Sunday, the reason I was still in bed at nine in the morning was something quite different from that, and it was making me sigh heavily since I woke up with some parts of my body aching.

Remembering Ethan and how wonderful it was to have him inside me, left a taste of wanting more, something quite inappropriate, after all, he is an enemy and I shouldn't be feeling this way about him.

All that man wants is revenge, and I can't forget that for a single moment, I told myself, scolding myself for feeling desire for someone so inappropriate when Ethan is for me and I couldn't lie in my bed, remembering that vengeful bastard.

When I realized that I was all that time doing the exact opposite of that, still wasting my time thinking about Ethan Constantino, I almost slapped myself to stop being so silly.

I quickly got in the mood, got up, took a long shower, and went to find Aunt Celina, something much more interesting than thinking about that arrogant man who had created in his head an absurd paranoia against my best friend's fiancé.

I found my aunt in the living room, watching TV, of course.

"Good morning, Auntie." I greeted her with a kiss on her cheek.

"At last you're awake, dear," Aunt Celina says cheerfully.