Chapter 8

• MARGO SANCHEZ POV
• Everything was finally mine and as I stared at the documents in my hand, I couldn't help but grin. Mr. Oregon had tried to drag it out as long as he could, but as weeks turned into months, he'd had no choice but to transfer all the assets under my name and pronounce me as the new heiress and owner of the company.
• The whole process had been so wonderfully epic, I couldn't help but squeal every two seconds in excitement, and just like I'd predicted, Eve's body was forever gone and never to be found. She was dead and that was the end of that page in her tragic little story.
• I smirked, tracing the edges of the files. It felt good to win, it also felt awesome to be an heir with lots of money that I probably would never be able to spend. And on that thought, maybe I should get a new ride or something... That would only be befitting for my new status right?
• I turned to face my Mom excitedly but paused when I saw the displeased look on her face. I inhaled in exasperation and glared at her until her eyes refocused and she noticed me.
• "What's wrong? Why aren't you happy? We got what we wanted right"
• She scoffed. "We got everything we wanted?" She repeated in a disbelieving tone. "Don't kid yourself Margo. We have nothing. Sanchez's money, his business, heck the billions in the banks, they won't help us or do any good now that the Batista has us in their sight".
• "Why will they have us in their sight Mother? That is utterly ridiculous! How is it our fault that their favorite son is a rapist"
• "That's just it Margo! The bastard denied it to the very end that he had nothing to do with Eve and that it was your boyfriend who raped her... Of course, the evidence against him made it hard to dispute his guilt, but I think his parents believed him... they are going to get revenge on Margo. I know what they are capable of"
• Mother looked really worried and the fear in her eyes made me furious. We were supposed to be happier now that we got everything we ever wanted, but it was still the same old thing.
• When the hell were all our problems ever going to be over?
• "I don't believe they can do anything to us. The amount of money and connection we have is no joke Mom, Stop underestimating our wealth"
• "I am not underestimating our wealth, Margo. We do have money but not enough connections. The Batista family rules this city, Margo and we sent their only son to a correction center, I don't think they're going to overlook that"
• "But they should overlook that, those piece of shit. Raphael got off the whole case with a slap on the wrist and who even knows if he's at a correction center right now... He might be somewhere other than the correction center right now just having the best time of his life. They only put up that bullshit show for the press so that they'll be seen as role models"
• "And they are because we both know Raphael had nothing to do with what happened to Eve"
• "The photos said otherwise, Mother. Are you seriously going to turn on me at this point?"
• "I am not, but if we want to enjoy this wealth we have gotten, we need to have more power, more money," Mother said and I focused my attention on her.
• "What do you want me to do this time Mother" I asked, because I knew the look she had in her eyes only meant that she'd already figured out a way for us to be happy forever.
• "You have to marry Miguel. With our businesses combined, no one will ever be able to go against us. You have to make sure that you two get married" she said and I stared at her incredulously.
• "What the hell are you asking me to do right now mother, in case you forget, I am still in freaking high school and I am still considered a child under the law, and I know Miguel, he'll never agree to it"
• "He will agree to it! My God Margo, I am not asking you both to get married this very minute, I am just telling you to make sure Miguel never falls for anyone except you. You have to do this for us. You already killed someone, what's marriage to make sure you enjoy what you've gone to such great lengths for" she said, her hand reaching out to grab me. "Threaten him if you have to. Miguel has to marry you"
• I swallowed, wincing a bit from the pain of her nails digging into my arms.
• "Tell me you'll do it. Tell me" she urged, shaking me a little.
• "Yes! Oh my gosh, enough" I yelled wrenching my arms from her grip. I glared at her, but she looked unapologetic for her actions. I walked out of the room, not knowing whether I hated or loved her. I was only seventeen, and now she was pushing me to get married. But it was all good. Miguel was mine anyway. Even if Mom hadn't said anything, I'd have done everything I could to make him mine. Miguel loved me, and I was a hundred percent sure I wouldn't have to threaten him to agree.
• ******
• "I want nothing to do with you" Miguel snarled, grabbing my wrist and shaking me a little. "You fucking killed someone, and now, you want us to get married. What sort of freaking psycho are you?" he said, and let go of my wrist as if it burned him.
• His words hurt, more than I thought they would, and I felt my vision fog up, but I held back the tears. I was a psycho, he was right, but he was worse than a psycho, and he had another thing coming if he thought he could ever escape me.
• "I had to kill her because you raped her" I got out and watched as he quickly looked around us in alarm.
• "What the hell Margo!" He hissed, his voice dropping low and menacing. "Why don't you go to the fucking press and confess huh"
• "You're the one who didn't know how to watch your mouth in the first place, so why are you pissed I followed in your lead"
• He sighed, dragging his hand through his hair. "I don't have time for your bullshit. But get this into your thick skull, Margo, We are never getting married. You and I, we are nothing to each other" he said and turned to go.
• "Those pictures you gave me, I still have them you know," I said and that got him to stop. He turned to face me and I could see the start of a storm brewing in his eyes. My gaze flicked to his clenched fist. "But we both know that is not the only thing I have, right?" I asked and he roared, his hands pulling back and rushing toward my face. I managed to flinch but his fist never connected. He heaved, staring at me as if I was a monster and I felt a painful tug in my chest.
• "You fucking psycho" he spat. "I knew I should never have trusted you. What are you going to gain from this... I don't fucking love you"
• "Liar! You told me I'll be the only woman you ever looked at"
• "I did, but that was because you had me by the neck... You were going to freaking ruin my life and now you want to seal our fate forever. What the hell do you think marriage is" he roared, his hands reaching for me, but stopping mid-air, every intent to shake me until my teeth chattered glaringly obvious in his gaze.
• "I guess that would forever be our dynamic then. Me threatening you to get what I want, because you'll never willingly agree. But don't worry, even though our tragic story started like this, you will learn to love me"
• Miguel turned away from me, roared, and punched the wall, his chest heaving, the look in his eyes screaming murder. "We are already in this together Miguel. I protected us. I killed her for you"
• He whirled to face me. "No, you didn't. You killed her because you wanted to. My God Margo, do you even feel an ounce of guilt for what we did" he asked, his eyes searching mine.
• It was a good question but if he knew the answer to it, he was probably going to freak out more than he already was.
• "Of course I did!" I got out incredulously. "Just because I put on such a brave facade, do you think I am okay? My nights are haunted by her memories... I have known no moment of peace since that day..." I choked on a sob and felt tears trailing down my cheek.
• Miguel watched me, then took a step toward me.
• I shook my head, telling me not to come near me. "Do you think I want to get married, but we have to do this if we want to survive, Miguel? Raphael's parents will only back off if they see that we have joined forces, or did you think they were just going to sit back and do nothing after what we did to their son" I sobbed, then burst into tears, covering my face with my hand as I wept bitterly. "Why am I the villain when everything I've ever done was to protect us, to protect our family"
• Warmth surrounded me, and then Miguel was pulling me tight against him.
• "That's enough! That's enough" he said, patting my back, his voice gruff but soft. "Let's do it then. Let's get married, and once everything blows over, we can get a divorce" he said and I hugged him tighter, a smile stretching my lips as I pretended to sob into his shirt.
• He was delusional and I didn't care. Once we tied the knot, there was no going back for us.