The Night in Paris|| A MewGulf AU✓

CHAPTER 22

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Gulf's POV

Everything feels like it is not mine—my decisions, my actions, and the words coming out of my mouth—at all. I'm like a puppet, following and letting the strings control me.

What can I say? I don't have the courage to do anything; even my own father wouldn't help me get out of these strings. He sold me. He. Sold. Me. In order to get his business going and get a higher income, I had to marry him. It was a shotgun wedding, with a literal gun. She points at me, ready to pull the trigger if I say no.

I remember it clearly: I stood by the altar with a shaking and trembling body. I couldn't breathe properly at that time, and the priest was also shaking but couldn't do anything to get both of us out of this mess.

It's been 5 years since I've been forcefully married to Valerio Gertiono. Now, I'm Gulf Gertiono. He removed my Thai name and remained in the Gulf. Dad was fine with it as long as Valerio continued to transfer money to Dad's company.

We went back here to Thailand two years after our forceful marriage. It's better than staying in a country and in a house that doesn't even feel like home.

"Mr. Gertiono! How nice to see you!" one of Valerio's business friends greeted me.

"The pleasures are all mine, Mr. Terrence," I responded. "Please, take a seat."

"Thank you," he said, sitting down and giving his orders to the waiter first before looking back at me and speaking. "So, how's the married life?"

Awful. "It's fine," I responded and sighed. "Though Valerio's always out for meetings and business trips, I never got lonely at the house."

Terrence smiled and took his glass of wine. "Is it because of the little princess?" He asked with a smile before drinking the wine.

I couldn't help but smile and nod. "Yes, that girl keeps the house lively, if you ask me."

"I'm sure she's very lucky to have a mother like you, Gulf," Terrence said with a genuine smile.

I gave back a soft smile and said, "Thank you"

"Well, I need to go and talk to my other friends," he said before standing up and waving goodbye. I just gave him a court nod and stayed in my seat.

.....

.........

Yes, me and Valerio have a daughter. If there was a forceful wedding, then there's a forceful mating. He didn't actually mark me that night, and he didn't actually force me to do it right after the wedding.

I only found out that I was pregnant with Eliza a year after our wedding. She's turning three this year. Though I hate Valerio with all my heart, I never regretted Eliza being born. She was never involved in her father's schemes; she has nothing to do with any of these things happening to me.

Let's just say that Eliza's the best thing that Valerio has given me. But I will never forgive him.

"Hon?" There it is; I heard his voice. I turned my head around and saw him walking towards me while holding our daughter's hand.

"Mama!" Eliza shouted as Valerio let go of her hand and let her carelessly run towards me, with Valerio assisting her.

"Aww, hello, my little heart," I said as I carried her and sat her down on my lap. I kissed her chubby cheeks dearly as she played with a napkin on the table.

I felt his hand gently hold the side of my head as he leaned down and kissed my temple. "The banquet will be taking longer than it should be; you and Eliza should go home first; I'll go back once the party is done."