NOT GIVING UP ON FOREVER

Chapter 89

A minute later, a waiter came out on the balcony with a glass of vodka, which Mark, to the surprise of both Anna and the waiter, drained for a split second without wincing.

"It will be much easier for me to listen to all your nonsense now, Anna." He smiled, motioning the waiter to repeat.

"What do I do now?" Anna sighed, wiping away her tears with her already wet shirt sleeve.

"Go to your Randall and be happy. What else is there to do?"

"Randall doesn't want to know me. He's gone, doesn't even want to talk. I never found a way to talk to him after my trip to Milan. He severed all contact with me."

"Delirium," Mark stated, draining another glass of vodka the waiter brought.

Anna raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you drinking?"

Mark signaled again for more vodka and turned to Anna:

"I'm getting married soon, remember?"

"I remember, but..."

"I'm so happy," Mark said with a sarcastic note in his voice. "Me and Emilia. Aren't we a match made in heaven?"

Anna frowned.

"There!" Mark snapped his fingers. The shots were beginning to get into his head. "And I think so, too!"

"What?"

"There!" he opened the door ajar and gestured toward the table, where Emilia had been waiting for them. "My bride! My beautiful Emilia! Isn't she beautiful?"

"Very," Anna nodded suspiciously. "Mark, you're getting drunk, and I don't get why."

"No, I'm sober." Mark approached the girl. "But I still can't wrap my head around how you can suffer all this delirium, Anna. I can't get any of this into my head!"

"Mark..."

"What are you doing here, anyway?"

"What?"

"Why did you come?"

"What?" Anna sat up." I have a job here!"

"Really? From all over the world, you chose exactly where I moved to poison my life?"

"What??"

"Do you think I'm a fool, Anna?"

"I'm sure you are!" cried the astonished girl.

"You came to torment me!"

"What are you saying?"

"You have come to drive me mad with your presence. You know that I love you and suffer for you, yet it is not enough for you. That's who you're taking revenge on, Anna! Here is your most insidious plan! You plan to ruin my whole life!"

"That's crazy, Mark! What thoughts you have in your head!" Anna covered her face with her hands in horror. "How can you think all this heresy?"

"I tried to live every day, killing the hope that one day you would forgive me and come back to me. I regret every day of my miserable life the day I didn't dare to take you with me, but I was afraid. I was a coward. I didn't want to have what I dream about now. I dreaded the thought of marriage then, and every morning I think how beautiful my life would have been if you had been my wife instead of Emily. I..."

"Mark!"

"I have prayed to God to turn back time, but it is impossible. I'm getting married to Emilia just because she's my last chance to touch the strings of your heart. Even if I don't feel anything for her, I..."

"Mark!!" Anna cried again.

"I'll finish. You should know that."

"Mark! Stop talking! Emilia's here!"