Regretful Divorce

Marion Reborn

MARION

I was with Gilberto talking about the old times. I had run into him at the senator's birthday dinner when I felt again that someone was watching me.

I looked up and saw Bruno in the distance. Our eyes met. A restlessness inside me made me feel uneasy for a moment. I didn't know if he had recognized me, but I didn't want him to see me anymore. I had to move.

"So you're back, Marion. I thought you wouldn't return to the city after your divorce." My friend said to me as I took a sip from my glass, nervous because Bruno wouldn't stop watching me.

"It's not that I wanted to come back, but they needed me here so I had no choice," I said without beating around the bush. It was true, I wouldn't have returned if it weren't for business reasons.

"And have you seen... "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?'''Gilberto asked me. I knew he was referring to Bruno, and he was far away in front of me.

"Unfortunately, yes. I saw him this morning in court, but fortunately, he didn't recognize me."

I really said it with a sigh of relief. It wasn't that I was dying to see him, although a part of me hadn't forgotten him, he was part of my past after all.

"You've changed too much. If it weren't for those olive eyes of yours, I wouldn't have recognized you."

"I couldn't stay depressed all the time. I had to do something with myself to cheer myself up," I replied bitterly. "I'll leave you for a moment, Gil, I'm going to look for Selene."

"See you in a bit," he said to me.

I went straight to refill my champagne glass, using the pretext to get away from there and lose sight of Bruno, hoping not to see him for the rest of the night.

I focused on looking for Selene, who apparently hadn't wasted any time, she was chatting and flirting with one of the guests. She moved away from her conquest for a moment when she saw me glancing around the place.

"Francis told me he might need your services," my assistant said to me very cheerfully.

"Francis?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. I gave her a mischievous look and she did nothing but blush.

"He's handsome, you can't deny it. Besides, he's a potential client. He was about to leave with Bruno Storm."

I felt a twist in my stomach at hearing his name. If I could take a client away from my i***t ex-husband, then I think I would consider giving Selene a raise.

"If you can set up a meeting with him and prevent him from going with Bruno Storm, you'll have my eternal gratitude and a possible raise," I winked at her as I walked away, seeing Bruno nearby.

"Count on it," Selene said to me with a flirtatious smile, returning to her date for the night.

It seemed it would be a long night trying to avoid running into my ex-husband. I had to blend in by walking next to a waiter to be able to pass by him without being noticed.

I ran into him again. He was tailing me everywhere like a bad penny. In a desperate move to avoid seeing him anymore and to reach the valet parking without anyone noticing, I greeted the occupants of a table and ducked under it, hiding behind the tablecloth.

***

BRUNO

It seemed that Marion was avoiding me, I had seen her talking to a woman in the distance and then quickly leaving when she saw me out of the corner of her eye. That confirmed my suspicions. It really was her.

Since when did Marion run away from me? She had always followed me everywhere and even looked for excuses to see me. And now... was she getting under a table? I couldn't believe how much she didn't want to see me.

I waved to the occupants of the table with one hand. I casually placed my glass on the table and slipped under it. While the guests didn't know what to make of our strange behavior, I hid behind the tablecloth, and there she was, looking like she'd seen a ghost that was chasing her to hell.

***

MARION

I couldn't believe my ex, the orangutan, had followed me under the table. In another time, Bruno would have just left me there, left to rot in oblivion, thinking I was just throwing a childish tantrum, yet his face showed surprise and curiosity.

"Marion?" He asked me in a low voice. I held my breath, thinking of a way to escape the situation once more.

I glared at him.

"I think you have the wrong person. Excuse me," I said, without another word. I started crawling to the other side of the table.

"You are Marion. I'm sure of it," he said, confident in his words. As if he had proof of what he believed.

He crawled after me, keeping me in his sights.

I emerged from under the table with all the guests' eyes on us. I brushed off my dress and adjusted my hair, continuing on my way with Bruno breathing down my neck.

"I don't know who you're referring to, Mr. Storm. I'm not the Marion you're talking about," I said without thinking.

" If you're not the Marion I'm looking for, then how on earth would you know I'm Mr. Storm?" He said mockingly.

I closed my eyes tightly, realizing the stupidity I had committed. I couldn't keep denying it. Such a silly mistake had cost me having to face him so closely.

He grabbed my arm firmly and pulled me to the bathroom nearby.

" Bruno, let me go," I muttered through clenched teeth, trying not to make a scene, forcing a smile for the guests.

"So you've finally said my name," he said triumphantly.

Fortunately, no one saw the moment he closed the door behind us and locked it. He pinned me against the wall, trapping me with his strong arms.

He looked at me intently, and I felt my heart race from the nervousness of having him so close. It was the second time in my life I had him so close, scrutinizing me with his eyes. The first time had been the night he asked me for a divorce, after making love to me so coldly.

I tried to push him away with both hands to escape his confinement, but he didn't move an inch. He took my hands and immobilized me. It was frustrating to realize I couldn't do anything but stare at the floor.

"I must say I'm surprised by your change, Marion," he suddenly said with a husky voice. "If it hadn't been for seeing you in court and recognizing your olive eyes and the mole under your chin, I wouldn't have recognized you."

"I couldn't spend my life lamenting how foolish you were with me," I dared to look him in the eyes for the first time. He looked at me with a certain curiosity.

"People change when they choose to, and I decided to look out for myself for the first time, as the world doesn't revolve around you because that's where you're wrong, sorry to disappoint you, and you're as arrogant as ever, you damn fool."

"Now it turns out you're treating me coldly. Before, you wouldn't even dare to respond to me," I felt his breath on my face. I couldn't back away because the wall prevented it, but I also couldn't appear weak, so I met his gaze, furious. "You seemed to be begging for my attention. And now look who's seeking me out,"I smiled mockingly.

"Don't think I care for you. My only question is why you're in the city. Why have you come back to town, Marion? I plainly told you I didn't want to see you," he said seriously.

"You and I are nothing to each other. So get it out of your head that I need to inform you of my actions. Just let me go," I said, trying to free myself from his hold.

"Just answer my question and I'll let you go," he insisted.

"I'm not going to answer any of your questions," I said firmly and confidently.

He looked at me for a moment, caressing my cheek. I felt the warmth of his fingertips; he had never touched me like that, nor observed me so closely. It seemed he couldn't believe I had changed, not just physically, but also in character.

He was the reason for all the pain and suffering. From his coldness, I had become stronger than ever.

"You weren't so headstrong and defiant before. What happened to the shy woman who trailed after me like a lost puppy?"

"She's gone." Unfortunately, I see that the i***t I once loved still does. I was tired of being trapped in that bathroom having a pointless conversation with him. "I despise you, Bruno," I repeated to him.

He looked me in the eyes, and for the first time, I couldn't read him.

" I doubt you even know what you're saying," he said, taking me by the nape, his fingers in my hair to steal a kiss, both cold and passionate.