74

MIRELLA :

"It hurt, but it was worth it. It looks really nice and I'm sure Noah will like it. Especially because of the extra. I'm so excited to show him."

Not only is his mafia crest now on my skin, but the first letter of his name is right below it. I really want him to see that I love him, because I do.

Maybe they've known each other a lot longer, but Noah is still my fiancé and that won't change until we get married. I just hope this all works out between us and we can sleep in one bed again. It really hurts that he keeps his distance from me. At the moment I would do anything to get a hug from him, really anything.

"Mirella, please don't get excited too soon, okay? Maybe he's not even there." Shadow mumbles uncertainly.

What a crap. Where is he supposed to be? As we enter the hall, Demon walks straight up to Shadow and greets us.

"Where have you been for so long?" he asks, curious.

"Mirella got her tattoo done. She has been with us for almost 8 months now. It's a miracle you survived without it for so long." Shadow jokes, wrapping his arm around me.

"Where's Noah?" I ask Demon, smiling, looking around.

“Went with Catarina about half an hour ago. They went to eat. I can't stand them somehow, if I'm to be honest. She's such a clown and is starting to annoy me with her constant smile and batting of her eyelashes. In addition, she really goes for Noah, even though she is married. I have no idea what this crazy bitch has."

Now he's gone out to eat with her too...

Sighing, I walk past the two and head towards the room. I don't want to work so hard anymore. I thought I'd walk in here and show him my tattoo and he'd be super happy and now he's not even here. Why is he engaged to me when apparently he still has feelings for Catarina? He should just break up if he doesn't love me.

I cry, take off my dress and go to bed. I should have stayed with my parents. It looks like he really doesn't love me. Maybe he just used me... for whatever...

A FEW HOURS LATER... NOAH :

"I wonder when Fernando will be back." I murmur and look down at my watch. Catarina told him to come here after his errands... didn't she?

"He said he can't come yet. He still has a few things to do." She replies with a smile and sips on her glass.

I nod slightly and pull my cell phone out of my jacket to see if Mirella has texted me.

Nothing...

Why isn't she texting me? I sigh and put it away again and look back at Cat.

"Just forget her, Noah. Maybe she really isn't the right one."

If Mirella isn't the one, then who is it? I would do anything for her to show up and hug me, absolutely anything.

I don't know what's going on with her. At the ball she paid no attention to me and left early. That's why I slept in the office. I wanted to give her time, but now she won't even talk to me. I really don't know what's going on. I wish she would talk to me. Then I could do better and we would both be happy again.

"You don't understand, Catarina. I love her. I really do. I just don't want to forget her and I know that she..."

"She does not love you. She told me herself." She interrupts me and now the little smile I had on my lips today is also disappearing from my lips... well... that wasn't really real either.

"W-what do you mean by that?" I ask softly and look at her in shock.

Of course Mirella loves me. Cat's probably just joking around.

"Well, she told me, at the prom. She... said that she only does it so that she can be rich and have people to protect her. That's why she left... she got scared because I messed with her. I didn't tell you because I didn't know how, but I think it's important that you know what she's like."

My heart sinks into my pants when she says that. Swallowing, I look at her but have Mirella's smiling face in front of me.

So... was it all a lie? She does not love me ?

"But..." I slowly get up and walk out onto the terrace of the restaurant.

That doesn't make any sense... We're engaged. She stood up against her family for me. Those looks... they can't have been fake... right?

"Noah, it's okay... you find someone else." I hear Cat say softly next to me.

I turn my face to her and look at her smiling face.

I smile back at her and pull her into a hug. What would I do without her? It's good that she told me that even though she was scared.

"I think I should go home and talk to Mirella now."

"Yes, I think so too... You know where to find me..." smiling, she puts her hand on my cheek and comes closer to me.

Too close...

"What's that about?" I ask her softly.

"Oh, I think you know what this is about. You want that too, Noah. You've wanted this for a long time."

What ?

She gently presses her lips to mine, but before she's quite able to do that, I push her off and take a few steps back.

Has she gone completely insane? She has a husband, dammit, and that husband is my boyfriend.

"Are you crazy ? What's that?" I ask angrily, wiping my lips with the back of my hand.

Is she deserted by all good spirits?

"Come on, can't you see that I'm interested in you? I can get a divorce and then we can be together."

What the fuck is she talking about?

"Tell me, are you completely crazy? I don't love you and what you do to Fernando with it is the last thing. Damn it, what are you doing?" I hiss angrily and walk back into the restaurant. I pay the bill and then leave.

She is crazy. She can't just kiss me.

NOAH :

When I arrive at the hall an hour later, I can't wait to see Mirella. I haven't exchanged a word with her in almost two days. I miss you. She really does.

"Where's Mirella?" I ask once out loud and only hear "sleeping." by Demon.

Sleep ? We're only a little after nine. Why is she already asleep? Otherwise she always stays awake much longer. She must be really tired to go to bed so early.

When I enter the room a few minutes later, she is actually in bed and asleep. The dress she was wearing is on the floor and so are her shoes.

I sigh and pick it up and look at it.

Another such action and I spank her butt. Where did she get that thing anyway? She looked sexy in it, but not everyone needs to see that, let's be honest. I just don't like that.

Suddenly I hear Mirella say my name softly. I look up immediately and see her tossing and turning in dissatisfaction.

Is she having a nightmare?

I immediately take off my shoes and jacket and head towards the bed. I lie down next to her and pull her towards me and as she turns to me I discover something on her waist, ribs to be precise.

I carefully slide the blanket down and discover my mafia crest. She got it tattooed?

A smile immediately forms on my lips as I run my fingers over it. It looks beautiful on her. As I look further down, I discover a small N.

Catarina lied to me. I should have known something was wrong, but I was too focused on having her as a friend again to not realize how bad she was talking about Mirella. She wanted to put her down to have a chance with me, but what's the point? She didn't want me then. Why does she want me now that she knows I'm happy?

"Please don't leave me..." she whispers and snuggles closer to me.

They leave ?

"She is lying..."

"She does not like me..."

"She wants to break us up."

"You love her... and not me."

I hear her say in my sleep What did Catarina do?

"Shh... it's okay baby. I'm here. Go on sleeping. It's not happening, do you hear? I am here with you. I won't leave you." I whisper in her ear and hug her.

We have to talk about that. I don't want her to think that I don't love her. Mirella is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love her. I didn't ask her if she wanted to marry me for nothing.

For hours I look at her sleeping face and play with her hair. At a little after eleven, I fall asleep, right next to her in bed, cuddling up like it should always be.

When I wake up the next morning, Mirella is no longer lying next to me, but I can hear the shower running.

Is how angry at me? I could understand if it is her...but I don't want her to be mad at me or sad...let alone sad. A man should never make his wife sad. That's just not right and I'm sorry if I made her sad. That was never my intention.

I sigh and look at the bathroom door, thinking. Can I just go in there now? I don't think she wants to see me. On the other hand, we need to talk, urgently.

I get up unsteadily and walk towards the bathroom door. I open them slowly and see Mirella standing in the shower with her back to me.

I take off my clothes and walk without saying anything to the shower, which I enter.

I gently take her hand and notice how she tenses. She looks uncertainly over her shoulder and steps back to lean against me.

"I love the tattoo." I whisper softly in her ear and discover a smile on her lips. She nods slightly and turns to me.

I immediately press my lips to hers and cup her face in my hands. She returns the kiss and pulls me closer to her.

I missed that!

"I'm so sorry." I breathe into the kiss and notice how she shakes her head slightly.

"I'm sorry," she replies.

What are you sorry for? That she didn't talk to me? How am I supposed to blame her for that? It's all my fault. I almost broke us all because I was too stupid to see Catarina's actual plan. I'm such an idiot.

"I thought you didn't love me... and I was wondering what I was doing wrong. why does she hate me Shadow said she's jealous, but she has someone. Why should..."

"She kissed me..." I interrupt her and look uncertainly into her eyes.

In fact, my lips touched another woman's. I have to tell her, it's my duty.

"What ?"

"She kissed me and told me she wants a divorce and then we can be together.... What bullshit. Why would I want to be with her. I don't love her one bit, Mirella. The only thing that's on my mind 24/7 is damn you. You don't leave here, ever!" I whisper, pointing to my head.

She's on my mind 24 hours a day and my heart beats only for her.

"I love you Noah."

And i love her. Fuck I do so much.