Chapter 1
Marco de Silva was in the mid thirty, and he was a talented actor. He had one big mall in the State and one was in Dubai. Three Spanish restaurants in the North America, two were in London and three were in Barcelona and Catalunya. He was originally from Spain and his family migrated to Rhode Island when he was five years old. Marco was charming and rich, sophisticated and urbane. He was wildly attractive to the opposite sex. With his athletic build, thick dark hair and intensely masculine aura, Marco could have had any woman he wanted. He met Stella McBride in the Festival Film at the Cannes for the first time. His heart was thumping when their eyes looked deeply that night on the red carpet leading toward the gorgeous Scandinavian building. How lucky David Schmidt is, damn it! I have to get her. She is mine!
Stella was an International model. She was in the mid twenty, young and tall with a slender figure and had bright beautiful blue eyes. She was wearing simple cream silk dress and her shining chestnut hair cascaded around her shoulders like poured molasses. She smiled at him and Marco smiled back at her. “Hi, Stella McBride, I am Marco. You look so gorgeous; you are different than the one that I saw in the magazines.”
“I know you, Marco de Silva”, Stella smiled and said “you also look so different than the one that I saw you in the movie” …oh by the way, this is my fiancé, David Schmidt.”
Marco extended his hand “hi, David, yes, I know about you. You are the most talented architecture in town. Nice to meet you!”
David shook Marco’s hand and smiled “Thank you, Marco; it’s an honor to meet you here. I hope, you will get one of those awards!”
“Thanks”. And well, it’s my great pleasure to meet you both, and I hope you enjoy this honorable and the most precious night, and… see you around!”
***
A month later….
A delicious scent of ham, seafood and apple baked wafted through from the kitchen.
“Hmm…what a delicious dish you cook, sweetheart?” Marco wrapped his arms around her from behind, pressing his body against her back.
“Oh, honey, please stop it, I am cooking,” Stella was giggling when Marco was licking her ear.
“You are the most beautiful woman that I have ever known in my life, don’t you know that?”
Stella smiled and released his arms and pulled out the apple pie from the oven and place it on the table “Voila!”This apple pie is for our dessert, look! Does it look so good?”…“And this is Pulpo a la Gallega and Rabo de Toro, your favorite dishes!” She blinked her eyes and smiled.
“Wow, what on earth do you know how to cook these?”, he kissed her lips warmly.
“I’ve learned from the expert!” she smiled and kissed him back.
“Te ves guapa!”, he kissed her lips again. “Te amo”, Stella.
“Yo también te amo”. They stared each other and kissed passionately. Marco’s hand cupped her breast and unbuttoned the blouse. He sat her on the edge of the kitchen table and took off her blue jeans. She was a half naked now. Stella moaned when he entered her. They made love.
“Oh geez, the foods are getting cold now!” she jumped off the table and grabbed her underwear.
“It’s alright, sweetheart, as long as your heart is not cold, that does not matter to me”, he kissed her again before he pulled up his pants.
***
“Jess, look at this! Isn’t it beautiful?”, Stella showed a blinking glass like a crystal around her finger.
“Gosh!” is it a diamond?” Jess looked at it surprisingly.
“What you think? You think it’s only a glass?”, Stella gave her a big smile.
“Gorgeous!” You deserved it, my friend…oh Stella, I am happy for you”, Jess kissed her cheek and hugged her.
“Thank you, Jess. You are my very best friend and I am very happy to have you. I love you!”
“Love you too”
Jess looked at her friend for a moment and said “Stella?”
“Yes?”
“You think it’s just too early to accept his propose, sorry…I mean…you have been with him for like six months, right? And you know…that he is…
“I know!” Stella snapped her. “Sorry, Jess…yes, I know about Marc, he is a kind of people think like a-a womanizer, right?” But I don’t care what people say about him…I mean, he is so good to me, loving and caring person. He is always there for me, you know...Remember when David tried to kill me?”
“Do you think that David really wanted to kill you?”
“Well, you know, tell me if I am wrong. K? What was the reason that David grabbed the scalpel from his pocket and pointed at me?”
“But the time David did that, Marco was showing up, right?”
“Look, babe! Whatever the reason, what David did by caring the scalpel was not a good idea and it’s a crime, O.K?” and Jess, please, do not talk about it anymore. I made the right decision by leaving David, not for Marc but he is a psycho! “
“O.K, Stella. I am sorry. And I just want you to be happy and whenever you need me, someday, somehow, you know how to reach me, right?”
Stella nodded and hugged her, “thank you”.
***
Two month later….
He looked so nervous. He turned around and looked back the crowd people in the church. He looked at the father Gregory Mitch was standing next to him.
“Relax, my son. You looked so nervous”, Gregory looked at him with genuine pity. How terrible it must be to be so much in love.
“You think, she is coming, father?”
“Just believe that she is coming, son” Gregory tried to calm him down.
“No, I know she is not coming. She’s changed her mind”, Marc was feeling sick in his stomach.
“Just relax, and keep praying, okay?”
“Marco nodded. And he looked at the crowd. Most of them that people that he knew. Celebrities. And Jess, and …David Schmidt. Hang on, why David is here? Did Stella invite him? And a few journalists standing behind in the corner. He tried to smile, but he knew that his heart and stomach were now in the sinking feeling. God, please, send her to me. I love her so much.
The worry lines deepened on Marco de silva’s face. He looked at the watch. The invitation. They also looked so worried. Marco did not want to get the humiliation in front of them. He wiped the sweat on his forehead. Looked at the father and whispered “What about if she is not…”
He stopped, unfinished sentence. There, silhouetted in the church doorway, stood Stella McBride. The sunlight blazing behind her looked almost like a halo, as if she was an angel sent from heaven. Marco’s heart soared. Stella’s slender figure was shown off to perfection in a white silk dress, and her hair was tight up …. Stella was changeable beauty, which accounted for part of her success in the modeling.
“Hi, sweetheart, Marco de Silva, I am sorry, I am late”
“Don’t apologize, darling.. You are far too beautiful for that”, said Marco.
And they looked at each other’s eyes and smiled.
Father Gregory Mitch interrupted grumpily, looking at his watch. “I think we can start now?”
He had a baptism to perform in an hour. He wished these “tiresome” couple would get a move on. The explosive made Father Gregory deeply uncomfortable. As if he were committing a sin just by standing next to them. They exchanged the ring. And Marco kissed her passionately on the mouth.
Father Gregory coughed loudly “Please, Mr. Marco de Silva. Restrain yourself! Se encuentran en la casa de Dios. This is a place of worship. You are not yet married.”“Sorry” Marco grinned and looking at her. And Stella smiled at him.
***
A week after the wedding…
¡Mírate! Happy, eh? cómo es su luna de miel, amigo?
Marco ignored Thomas who was teasing him about the honeymoon. “You got the price?” Dónde está el mío?
“Take it easy, buddy!”..Hey, do you love her? Tell us the truth, Senor Marco!”
“Does it make a difference, if I do and I don’t?”
“Hey, you know the deal, eh...’
“Hey, Brett, remind him about the deal! I think he must have forgotten. Look at him! Looks like a sex machine!!!” Thomas laughed out loud.
Brett. That was his name. He was tall and big. He had a snake tattoo in a colorful jungle setting.
“Well, sex machine, I-
“No, it’s okay, I know about the deal. I am not supposed to love her, right? And you know what? I don’t!” If you don’t trust me, you will see….I’ll divorce her tomorrow!
“Well, well...well…, of course I trust you. You are my man! Now, take that money and enjoy your life, Marc!
Fifteen minutes later…“Jess, can you come to my place, please?”“What’s wrong with you, Dave? Are you alright?”David was sweating. His lips were trembling. “David?”He went quiet, his labored breathing the only audible noise. He swallowed hard and said “yes, I am..No! Well… I-I don’t know, just come over here, it’s important. It-It’s about Marc. I saw him in the bar and I followed him”, “What? D-did…“Jess, p-please... I-I can’t explain here…come now!”“O-okay…I’ll be right there in a minute”***“Oh Lord, I-I can’t believe it!”, Jess’s lips were trembling, tears welling into her eyes.
“I feel sorry for Stella. Jess, I love her so much, you know that, right?” he held her shoulder. And she nodded and said” I’ll tell her”
“Don’t! It’s not a good idea…Just wait, Okay?”
The next day, in the evening time….
“I really wanna kill him!!!”
“Really and how?”
“What you mean, how?”
Jess looked at Stella and worried “look at you, babe, you are thin and he is big! Your fingers do not even strong enough to strangle him if you want to do that way!”
” I’ll catch him. Chop and fry him…just like a chicken nugget!!!” Stella was staring at Jess and said “Let’s see, babe?”
Jess’s mind was not even there. She was thinking about something else, wondered who the hell telling Stella about Marco. Did David tell her.? He promised that he won’t tell her. I had to pretend that I know nothing! Poor, Stella.
“Calm down, Stella. What on earth, did Marc do to you?”
“What?! You asked me to calm down?” How could I calm down when I caught my fucking husband having sex with two women at once in our master bed? H-he is so disgusting. H-he has lipstick smeared all over his face and neck. A-and…” Her heart was thumping hard enough to press against her ribs. Tears streamed down on her cheeks. Her hands were shaking.
Jess shut her mouth with both hands. She stood up frozen for a minute and hold Stella’s shoulder. “I-I am so sorry for what happened. I-I could not believe what I’ve heard and what Marc-“
“I really wanna kill him. I should have listened to you before I got married”, she cried loudly. Her body was shaking.
Jess hugged her and said “I am sorry too, Stella. And I am here for you!”
***
At seven o’clock in the morning…
Stella was grabbing the remote T.V with the coffee on her hand. She turned it on and watched the news. “The chunky body was found scattered on the street in the Beverly Hill area. And ten minutes later, the LAPD found a head, which was belong to the famous and talented actor “Marco de Silva”. It was hanging in the clothes line at the backyard.”
“Oh my God!”, Stella’s mouth opened. She sat on the white sofa and her eyes were staring at the TV screen. Marco. She bit her lips. Her hands were trembling. And she grabbed the phone. Her mouth worked. “J-jess…?”
“I knew, Stella. I am watching now”
Again, her voice trailed off and her tone was clipped. “W-who did this?’ w-who killed my husband?”
There was a silence.
Jess was trying hard to manage her emotion and asked “d-did you kill him?”
“N-no, I-I did not…yes, I wish him in the hell!
“Tell me the truth, Stella. It’s okay. He hurt you so much and he deserved it. He deserved to die!”
“N-no..I did not kill my husband”
Five hours later….
The LAPD finally has caught the murder of Marco de Silva. One witness saw him entering Mr. De Silva’s house in the Beverly Hills and the police also found his fingerprints on the wineglass and Mr. De Silva’s jacket. The bloody shoe prints found crisscrossing the white carpeting up and down the long hall. David Schmidt. He was one of famous architectures in the world. And he was an ex fiancé of Stella McBride. A very famous model who is married to Marco de Silva.
“Bastard!”, Stella’s face was tightening and she bit her lips. “How could you kill him? I know that you were still angry with me! You are just fucking jealous, Schmidt!!!!”, Stella threw her glass to the TV screen.
“Hey..Hey…calm down! Calm down! , Jess tried to grab her.
“You remember when he was trying to kill me?” with a scalpel? Now you know what I said is right!
“Stella, calm down, okay?” David is a good man. It must be a mistaken.
“What?!! W-what did you just say?” a good man? Why, Jess? Why?”She could not control herself and screamed. “Why did you always “defense” him? Why, Jess?
Silence.
“D-do you like David?” Are you fallen in love with him?” tell me the truth, Jess. I’ll be fine.
Silence.
Stella pressed her lips and bit her teeth. “You are my best friend, right?” so please tell me the truth? Have you fallen in love with him?...
Silence again.
Stella threw the standing lamp toward the wall and screamed “tell me what’s going on between you and David!Tell me the truth!!!!”
Jess’s hands were shaking, couldn’t get her words out. Took about five minutes for her to calm down enough to get the story out. Tears brimmed in her eyes. She finally said “he did not kill your husband. David did not kill him, but I did!”
“W-what?”…what did you say?”, Stella stared at her.
“David loves you so much, Stella. He’s bought everything to you and planned to marry you. He is a very good man. He knew about Marco. And he does not want you to get hurt by marrying Marco de Silva. Marco was married with a Spanish woman a long time before he was famous. He had three kids back home in Catalunya. And he was married with three rich women secretly. He is a womanizer. He spent a lot of money for drugs and women. He bought everything for a woman he liked. He did it in the entire of his life and did not realize that he had no money anymore to buy drugs. He is very addictive. The drug’s seller lent him the drugs. But then he did not realize that he had to pay it back. No money. Brett, the “Boss” made a deal with him. He has to marry with rich women, but no love involved. Three times marriage secretly and with you openly. He married with you just to get your money. That time, David saw him in the bar. And he followed him afterwards. Marc met Brett and the gang. David heard everything and he called me. I wanted to tell you about it but David said no. He knew that you were not going to believe it. David did not try to kill you with a scalpel. He tried to warn Marc as he saw him showed up, right?
David did not kill Marco, Stella, he loves you so much. You got to remember this”
Stella wiped her tears and sat next to Jess. “W-why did you kill him?”
“I love you, Stella. You are my family. I do not have anyone in my life only you! And I will not let anyone hurt you. I just want you to be happy. That’s all that matter!”
Stella hugged her and whispered “What are you going to do now?”
“I will surrender tomorrow”
“No! Please, Jess. Please don’t do that!
“I have to, Stella”
“No. Please. The police did not find your fingerprint. They’ve caught David already. You stay here, okay?”
“David is not guilty. And I want you to be with him. Love him. Marry him, Stella”
Silence.
“if I marry him, would you stay here with me? And no surrender, you promise?”
“Yes, I promise. No surrender”
They kissed their cheeks and hugged, “Thank you, Jess.. I love you too…”
By seven in the next morning…
Stella woke up and looked at the watch. It’s seven o’clock. She was walking towards the guest room in the downstairs. “Jess?”, she knocked on the door. “Jess, what would you like me to cook for the breakfast?”
No response.
Stella opened the door. She saw Jess still lying on her bed. And she smiled and said “you sleep like a baby”.
She looked around and saw a bottle of whiskey and an empty small jar with some of tablets scattered on the table. And she saw a piece of paper.
“Dear my best lovely friend “Stella”,
I keep my promise to you that I will not surrender. You have learned from your past. Your mistake. David is a loving and caring person. I knew that deep down inside that you still love him. One thing that you should know that I always want you to be happy and that makes me happy too. I am going now, Stella. I cannot leave with a guilty. David is free now. You deserve the best, because you are my family!
Take care,
Love and kisses,
Jessie McLaughlin
***
