The Arrogant Duke

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Edward had thought that Marcela's wish was the most ridiculous request he had ever heard off. It was an idea that he could not even stomach. He felt sick thinking of Grace's reaction, but he felt great guilt and pity to the dying woman waiting for answers.

He had been silent for a long time, and Marcela patiently waited for him.

"I ... I need time to think." Edward stumbled with his words. He had been utterly speechless, really.

"Time?" Marcela asked, irritated with his reply. "You are mocking a dying woman, Edward! You are telling me to wait as if I own all the time in the world."

"You are asking for too much!" Edward retorted. "You can have everything else that I am in possession of, Marcela. But forcing me into marriage is unheard of. Even in death you are trying to cheat me!"

Tears had been forming, listening to Edward's angry plea of escape. "I am not trying to cheat you, I promise. All I ask is a little of your time, care and attention -"

"And I can give you those." Edward said. "You can stay here for as long as you want, for as long as you have even. But marriage?"

"Why can't you just love me?" Marcela asked in tears. It hurt too much to see and hear the only man she'd ever dedicate herself to throw her away. "Is it too much to ask for you to give me just an ounce of what you've given her?"

"It is not that simple," Edward reasoned.

"What's so complicated about love, Edward?" Marcela asked. "What is so special about that woman that I don't have?"

"I do not love her because she's special. She is special because I love her. She has my heart." Edward confessed. "I tried to love you, Marcela. I really did. But I couldn't even fool myself to love you, to accept you."

"You could have fooled me instead, then. I would have been the happiest woman in the world just to have you by my side, just to know that you chose me."

"I'm sorry," Edward told her sincerely. "That I have been brutally honest with you, but lies will only have hurt you more."

Marcela was quiet.

"I will leave you to rest." Edward broke the pregnant silence and turned for the door to leave Marcela to rest, and to leave her to think about what she had been doing. "I simply hope that you truly are making yourself happy, and not just satisfying your greed."

Marcela had repeatedly asked herself if she had been too much. Too much of a pain. Too much of a bother.

She had let go of herself, her pride and her life, all for Edward, but he could not see it. All he thought were negative ideas of her, and Marcela could accept that.

She knew that she had been cruel, and her attitude had been rotten as she looked back in her past.

"The sins of yesterday are the tragedies of tomorrow." Marcela realized to herself.

She gently laid her head on the pillow wet of her own tears and drifted to sleep.

Morning came, and Marcela had left herself with an option to please her aching heart, and decided to talk to Grace herself.

She felt filthy and low for doing so, but she'd willingly do anything now for the happiness that she craved so much.

It was the most nerve wrecking thing that she will ever be doing.

She had left in secrecy. She knew that Edward was drunk in his study, and no one would be checking on her for another hour or so.

"Why are you here?" Grace asked cautiously. She had been caught off guard when Marcela showed up on her doorstep.

Grace felt ominous at the sight of her.

"I came to talk to you." Marcela said calmly.

"But we have nothing to talk about," Grace replied kindly. She was not to disrespect a woman whom she felt was cheated. "You may refer to Edward for anything about your, or our relationship."

"I came to say that I've asked Edward to marry me." Marcela said hastily.

It was unheard off to say that a woman had asked for a man's hand in marriage.

She looked at Grace who stared at her back. "He declined, obviously."

"I cannot force him to marry you." Grace told Marcela. "He doesn't -"

"Love me?" Marcela asked. "He told me the same thing. That his heart belonged to you."

"Why are you here, then?" Grace asked again.

"I told you, I said I asked Edward to marry me." Marcela repeated herself. "I do not have a lot of time to be explaining this to everyone."

"If you are asking me to go away, and leave Edward again, then I'm sorry. I am taking the risk and opportunity to be happy again."

"That is what I want as well," Marcela cried. "It is what I need. Happiness that only he can give and provide for me. It is my last wish, Grace. Tell me that I can at least have it before I die."

"What are you talking about?" Grace asked confusedly.

"I am ill, terminally so." Marcela admitted. "The cancer has spread throughout the course of my body. I feel as if though I am a walking time bomb. The doctors have told me that the most I'll live is a year."

"Oh, God." Grace exclaimed. She had not expected this. "But you seem so young, strong and healthy."

Marcela grabbed Grace's hand and lifted it to her breast. "Can you feel it?" she asked. "Those lumps are destroying the life inside of me."

"You should not be here." Grace felt pity for the woman. "You should be by your family's side. With doctors to look after you."

Marcela shook her head. "No, I have given up on that to be happy. If I chose to spend the rest of what little time I have lying on a bed while my family grieves for me, then I might as be dead as well. That is no longer living anymore."

"And you're here -"

"Because I want to be happy." Marcela continued the thought as she wept. "And the only way I know is if I spend the remainder of my life with the only man I have ever loved."

"But will you take the chance of happiness even if you're seeing Edward miserable beside you?" Grace asked.

"Please, I beg of you." Marcela pleaded, as she fell to her knees. "All I ask is a little time to spend with him. The last of my time. Can't you give me that, even if it is out of your mercy and your pity? After I am dead, then be happy with him. It is not a lot to ask of you."

Marcela continued to cry on her knees, but the pain she had feeling could no longer be bore by silence alone. Her body collapsed on the floor and she willingly allowed the darkness to claim her to sleep.