~Agathe~"Seduce an old codger with heaps of money so that you can, at long last, fund your mother's surgery."Settling down the emptied platter of highball glasses on the countertop, I glanced at Grazie to show her my baffled expression. "You are in desperate need of cold cash, aren't you? It's all over your pretty face."I looked down, choking sorrow radiating from my sapphire eyes. Grazie must have detected that something was rattling me ever since this morning.My mind is in utter shambles. I received a call from the sole hospital in our village.The chief doctor told me that my mother's condition had gotten worse. Her medications aren't working anymore and she needed to have her surgery as soon as possible. And, it must transpire tonight or it would be too late for my poor mother. The sole complication was, I still don't have the ready money."I don't know what else to do, Graz." I muttered, and a lone tear fell from my eye. I hastily wiped it. Working in a teensy restaurant l

~Gunther~"Could you clarify that for me? I don't think I understand, Atty. Schneider."I was having a light breakfast on the front porch of my villa together with my deceased grandmother's most trusted lawyer, Atty. Spencer Schneider. It has been two months since my grandma passed away at the age of eighty one. It was a very grim moment for my family, especially for me. It took me weeks to recuperate. Mind, body and soul. The most unbearable time to bounce back to my old self after my cherished Abuela had crossed the Styx. Under those circumstances, Atty. Schneider had been patient with me. He had been dying to read me my grandma's last will and testament. "You heard me right, Gunther." Atty. Schneider took a sip of his piping hot coffee. Panting merely because I just finished working out, I rested my head on the back of my seat. I was sweating hard, in spite of the frosty weather. "I can't claim my inheritance if I am not married. Yes, I heard you. Loud and clear, Attorney."

~Gunther~"Sadly. I don't give second chances to people who wronged me, love." I couldn't care less if she was an important key for me to claim my inheritance. She slapped me, she is deserving to shuffle off this mortal coil. No woman had ever put me to shame like that. That, my bruised ego couldn't forgive. Cocking the hammer of my special revolver, the sound of the cylinder rotating is like music to my ears. I stared back at the woman kneeling in front of me. "Any last wishes?" She closed her tear-stricken eyes as if uttering a prayer to her God. Holding my horses, I waited for her. Until I got bored. "Nothing? Alright, then." Positioning my revolver near her head, I was about to pull the trigger, almost. But, she murmured something that had me blown away. "Can I get a kiss?" Flabbergasted, I asked. "What?" She opened her eyes and gazed directly at mine. "Kiss me, Mr. Silvestri. That is my last wish." What the fuck? What is she playing at? I lowered my gun and contemplate

~Agathe~"After we get married, you are not allowed to go back to Snowflake Village for the time being. Furthermore, you are not allowed to see your mother. You will be staying at my side. Rain or shine, day and night for the next three months." The nerve of this guy. How could he have the pure talent to annoy the hell out of me? He is so good at this. "If you're asking why? We have to make our setup much more believable to my parents and my grandmother's attorney. Any more questions?"My hands nearly dropped the pen he provided for me. I was right. From this moment on, I am his prisoner.It would be sealed once I sign this marriage contract."Nothing at all, your highness."My voice was hardened by sarcasm, and could not even conceal my resentment. Upon scribbling my signature above my name on the document, I tossed the paper and pen back on the table. It was his time to sign it. I watched him do it like a hawk, his hand gracefully moving up and down. When he was finished, he de

~Agathe~I can see my mother in front of me. She seemed healthy and lively. The signs of her illness had vanished from her eyes.She was dancing in a yellow sundress as she stood in the middle of a glittering field of vibrant roses. The sun shone brightly above us. Never before have I witnessed her in such joy.'Mama?' I attempted to approach her. But, each stride I take pushes me further away from her. What is going on? 'Mama!'My voice began to shake with fear. Especially when everything around us turned completely dark.All of a sudden, the field of roses began to disappear, and my mother was nowhere to be found. The once-beautiful scenario abruptly changed into a nightmare.'Mama!'It was strange that my voice kept echoing back to me. I kept turning around, only to find no one but me. 'Mama! It's me. Agathe! Where are you?' Until I opened my eyes and gasped, realizing it was all a dream. My eyes were filled with tears, a pounding headache is on its way. "Mama. ." I brushed