The Italian's Fake Fiancée

62

Finn, who was talking with his friends, tried to call her, but she ignored him and dashed out of the door. 

"Paige!" Finn called and hurried after her.

Immediately she stepped out of the reception which was held in the halls of a fancy hotel. Paige hurried to the nearest hallway.

On getting there, she rested her back on the wall, and closed her eyes, clenching her purse tight. Paige was trying to gather herself before Finn reached her. However, she was not successful. Because in the next second Finn's hands were on her shoulders and he was turning her around.

"Hey, what's wrong? Look at me," Finn said when Paige wouldn't look at him. Tipping her chin, he looked into her eyes. "Are you crying? Don't cry." Finn cooed.

There was something about trying to hold back tears and then someone offering sympathy that suddenly made the tears come faster. That was the case with Paige because immediately Finn cooed that word 'Don't cry.' Not minding she had despised coming here with him. She broke down in tears.

Seeing the tears on her face, Finn engulfed her in his arms and Paige tried to pull away, but he held her tighter and said, "Come on Paige, this is not a time to pull away. You need a shoulder to cry on." After a while, "You were totally fine before what happened?" Then "I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked."

After saying that. He pressed her face into his cloth so people would see her face. And murmured, "You can cry all you want." As if on command, Paige finally let down the last of her restraint and sobbed into his cloth.

"It's your boss. Isn't it?" His voice was grave.

Paige nodded her head but said no more. Grateful for having a shoulder to cry on. As though understanding she needed to be left alone. Finn left her like that. Occasionally patting her back until she was done crying and started to pull away, wiping her face.

"Are you alright now?" He asked, his voice edged with concern as he helped her wipe her face. One of his hands brushed her blond hair away from her face in a caress. His face still holding that concern.

"I think am fine," Paige muttered detaching his hand embarrassed she did get this way with him. But her frustration always got the best of her. She really should stop this bad habit of crying whenever she was frustrated about something.

She lifted her head to gauge Finn's reaction and instead met hot lips on hers.

Because Paige was unprepared, and because her defenses were down, she wasn't able to react on time. When she did, it was to pull away from Finn as fast as she could and slap him hard across the face.

Finn held his cheek and turned to her. 

"Not because I'm hurt, and sad..." Paige's voice quivered. "And you consoled me, which I'm grateful for, means you get to kiss me. That I will allow you to kiss me."

Finn held the affected cheek. His eyes unreadable. "I thought I did make you feel better. You were hurting from that jerk."

"Don't call him a jerk," Paige whispered. Not having the strength to argue.

He gave a harsh, bitter laugh. "I guess, even now, you still love him. Look, I don't the what the deal is between you two, but if I were him I will hold onto you with everything in me. And love you with all the capacity my heart will allow."

Paige kept quiet, and he gave another harsh, bitter laugh. Almost as though in disbelief. "So you are not going to say anything?"

"There is nothing left to say, Finn. Remember i said after today we wouldn't see eac..."

"I know what you said. There is no need to repeat it." He cut through her words, his voice harsh.

Paige's face scrunched up. She was dying to say something biting, but she held herself back.

The silence that followed was ominous.

And then.

"I love you, Paige." Paige raised her face and their eyes met. His voice softened. "But then i see you getting hurt by this other guy, being sad over him and I get furious, confused. Hurt. How about you stay with me? I can make you forget him, I promise."

So tempting were the words, but not enough. Paige lowered her head, biting her lips only to see him go down on one knee, and brought out a cute little black box with an equally enchanting ring inside. Paige's eyes flew to his face immediately. He can't be...

"Marry me, Paige. I know this isn't the right time to say this, and this isn't probably what you want to hear now, but i love you and if you agree to stay with me I promise to take your pain away. I will be good to you. I promise. In more ways than you can imagine. All you have to do is say yes and wear this ring."

Paige, who was yet to recover from the sudden eruption of her feelings, and then having this news dumped on her, felt this was too much for her to handle.

Why was fate playing such a cruel joke on her?

On one hand, she had Finn who loved her and wanted to marry her, but she did not love him.

And on the other hand, there was Leo who she loved but did not love her, but wanted to marry her if she became pregnant with his child.

None of those options were suitable for her. She did suffer in the two. Become miserable.

Does that mean she was doomed to be unhappy? How can the things she wanted and yearned for be offered, but by the wrong man? How can fate be so cruel?

Looking down at Finn, who was still holding the small black box in front of him, Paige didn't know what to say. 

This would have been a perfectly good opportunity to laugh out at the irony of the whole situation. However, even that laugh couldn't come forth from her lips.

"Well, are you going to say something?" Finn studied her, hope shining through his eyes.

"What do you want me to say?" Paige considered him. He didn't look all that confident kneeling before her. In fact, her delay was starting to make him lose courage. However, he refused to stand up from there without an answer.

Finn was a good guy in his own way, but for what it's worth, she couldn't marry him. However, she feels she has to reject him for a very obvious reason. If not, he would continue to pin after. Waiting around for the right time to propose again. 

So with that Paige muttered, "I can't marry you, Finn"

The look on his face suggested that his whole world had come crashing in on him. "Wwhy wwhy wouldn't you marry me?" he stuttered.

Paige rested one hand on her stomach. A sad smile came to rest on her face. "Because I'm pregnant with Leonardo's baby."

Surprised eyes landed on her stomach, and the small black box fell to the ground. "That can't be possible."

This time, the smile that came to Paige's face was genuine and warm as she circled her hand on her stomach. "Believe it or not, Finn, but i'm pregnant with my boss's baby."