Taming Mr. Cold and Arrogant novel Chapter 10

"Well, I agree with you regarding his smile. It's as precious as diamonds. But Belle, you're going to live with him for a year under one roof. You need to tell him or at least befriend---"

"No!" I shook my head as I looked at her seriously. "I only agreed to this agreement because your mom told me that your brother needs a 'trophy wife' to get the contract from their biggest investor. And because I need somewhere to hide until I get solid evidence to prove in court what that bastard did to me. He deleted all the CCTV footages after that incident. And there's only one person who can be my witness, their maid who saw everything. The problem is, she suddenly disappeared after that."

I formed my fists into a ball that almost turned my knuckles into white.

"I saw him at the mall last month. I can't believe he can still affect me after all these years me, Rian! I buried all those horrible memories but when I saw him, those memories hunting me again!"

"W-Wait, how did my mom get involved in your engagement with Dani?"

"She's one of my students in my ballroom and Zumba class. And she just happened to see everything, how that bastard harassed me again in the mall parking lot. She helped me with her bodyguards. And believe me, I didn't know that she's your mom. She asked me what happened, and I told her everything. My struggles in life after leaving Italy, including what that bastard did to me. And she offered me help---"

"And that help she's referring is to marry his son." she finished my statement.

"Yes. I just have to use someone's last name to hide my status. So when Joseph learns I'm married to your brother, he will hesitate to harass me or get close to me again."

"Belle..."

"Can I ask you a favor, Rian?

"Y-Yes. Anything."

"Can you please keep these things to you? All that you know about me and my past, especially my reason on marrying your brother?"

"But Belle...."

"Please, Rian. Until I solved my problem. Please?" I took both her hands that rested on top of the table.

"But you need help, Belle. Why don't you tell Dani everything? He will help you---"

"No Rian, you don't understand. If Joseph knows that this marriage isn't real, he will try his best to get me back."

"But Dani is going to be your husband. He would surely listen to you."

"No," I said shaking my head

"Why don't you report this to the police, they would-----"

I sarcastically laughed at her.

"Police? Report him to the police? Are you sure they would listen? Would they believe me? I have no evidence in me, Rian. What remains is the memory of his touch! Of his filthy hands, of his disgusting saliva on my body! And the only person who witnessed the whole story was missing... until now and I don't know how to find her!"

Tears are now blurring my vision. How hard is it to hold these horrible memories in my head?

"Belle..."

"And do you think your brother would listen? The only thing he knows was judging me and accusing me of marrying him because of his money! He would never believe my story, Rian. Why? Because my own father never did, so what would I expect from other people?"

"But I believe you, and I did since you shared your story with. And not to mention my mom, she also believes in you."

"Because you and your mom were different, Rian. You would easily understand because you're also a woman."