Sorry, I want to separate from You.

Ana POV

When I was seven years old, my brother Andres and I were playing hide and seek behind the house, I ran so fast and hid so well that it was difficult for him to find me, my parents didn't notice my absence and the worried Nana called the police, two days later they found me, in the same place.

That day I learned that our parents completely ignore our existence, that they don't even notice when we are not there.

Andres decided to leave home and mom only found out five months later, because the police called her to say that my brother was in jail.

The irony of life is that for some reason or another we did not leave our parents in this cold home.

We don't have the best relationship and only sometimes wish we could be heard by them.

I have seen families, being unity and loving, I can only feel envious, my head is filled with many thoughts every morning and I wish I was born in another home and with another family.

The sun coming through the window created a heaviness in my eyes, which made it a little difficult to open them, I was sure that at night I had closed the curtains, but mom always came into my room, she did whatever she wanted and entered as she pleased, a slight sigh left my lips and I hid my face under the soft pillow.

I remained still while I let myself be embraced by sleep again, until I heard voices and screams coming from the room next to mine, plus a horrible sound of a door slamming and the screams of my mother makes me lose the minutes of peace, it was the most beautiful moment of my life and I lost it because of the fights of Andres and my mother.

Something that always happen and lately more often.

"You are a bad son, you don't love your father and much less me, who have given everything for you and your sister, I don't waste my time with you anymore and go get yourself killed in those bad neighborhoods, because that's what's going to happen if you don't come to your senses, Andres."

Mom screams really loud and I get ready to go see what was going on, I can feel the sentiment in my mother's words pretending she doesn't care, but I know deep down she loves us. I want to believe that.

Because all mothers have to love their children?!

Andres is a rebel without a cause. His bad meetings with two other boys from the surrounding community make his behavior problems increase and they end up in jail at the police station, where my father has let him spend more than a week in detention, and not that dad or my own brother cares much, but I think sometimes he tries to get their attention, being the worst way and which does not work since they do not care; the truth, I think Andres will not change and they are not going to be better parents.

Living in the high society, as our parents call it, has taken us away from the real world, from the poverty, scarcity, hunger, the pain that many people can suffer in what mom calls, the real world of the poor and my brother prefers to be in that world, the world where everyone works to survive. Andres loves that world, he prefers to live with them, he says there is more love and trust, that they are good people.

I have never gone to the communities where he lives, but the truth is that I would like to feel a little of what my brother calls home and where he practically lives, I know that the only reason for his way of being, is that there is something there that we do not have at home, it is Love.

The love of people who even knowing that they just know you want to give the best of themselves, for you in good times and bad.

I turn with heaviness and sit on the bed, I put my feet down to find my slippers, I get up and drag myself to the door of the room still with my eyes closed, I peek my head through the door, opening my eyes with much effort, but I find no one in the hallway, so I close the door and head to the bathroom.

Even though my brain says that all is not well as my parents paint it, my heart is hoping that this blissful surprise, that daddy talked so much about at dinner yesterday, is not really a very bad surprise, because they never prepare anything that is good for their children.

Because with my parents you never know when you are going to laugh or cry.

Andres and I know very well that these events happen very often.

My father sent a text message in the morning, it clearly said that I could not be late for dinner, which would be held at my favorite restaurant and this intrigue was driving me crazy, mom left home very early and dad spent the whole morning at the company, texting orders every second, that the makeup and clothes had to be perfect.

Dad was never a father who noticed these details. There could only be one reason and that was the new partners.

He had been talking all week about his new partners and how well we were going to get along with them, which was new because we had never been invited to meet any partners.

When I went down to the dining room I found Andres, from the way he was eating his food with his fork, poking the plate hard while keeping his eyes fixed on it, I knew he had something going on deep inside his mind and I knew he had someone special, that's why he refuses to leave the communities he attends.

My brother has always been someone who is reserved, including me, and this is something that has always bothered my mother, because she seems to hate it, she does everything she shouldn't, instead of me, I'm the stupid one who has to follow my parents.

And before she thinks I want to interfere in her life or give my opinion about her, I decide to leave the dining room, I go to get my bag to leave the house, I find Rafa, the family driver, he is as always kind and with a slight smile opens the car door to let me in, both he and my aunt are very kind people, since we were raised by them in the absence of our absent parents.

Arriving at the mall, I set out to do what I do best.

Spend my parents' money, and why not? They do with our lives as they please, and we often had no say in the matter.

When I arrived at the restaurant and greeted the staff, whom Andres knew very well, I noticed that at my parents' table was a young and handsome man, next to two gentlemen who I assumed were his parents.

So I faked my best smile, as I was used to doing, and set out to behave as my parents expected.

"Sorry I'm late, you know how women are, they always want to leave the house looking beautiful and take more time than usual," my father said and my smile gradually disappeared, he himself asked me to be a little late. "May I present my daughter, Ana Maldonado."

"Nice to meet you," I said and held out my hand politely, which the handsome man ignored and I thought was a bit rude of him.

His father presented himself as Gabriel Smith.

Just for a second his eyes locked with mine to leave a trace of fear in my heart, his gaze was so penetrating that my body bristled, but he also focused his attention on something else.

It was as if everyone at the tables didn't exist, I was so fascinated by his behavior that I could only watch him a little longer.

And then I lost it when I heard Mr. Smith speak.

"Then we can talk about the wedding."

Fear grew in me, I quickly looked for Mom's eyes, but they were lost on the plate in front of her, and Dad, this human called Father, had only a disgusting smile of victory on his face.

Ana POV

Oh, my God!

What are you doing to me, Father?

What wedding?

"Ana, we are here today, at this dinner, to inform you that you are getting married, in two weeks there will be a wedding that will unite you in marriage." I stared at my father and burst out laughing very loudly, attracting the attention of the other people at the surrounding tables, who turned to look at us, a tremor in my hands was not long in coming and I felt like I couldn't breathe.

"Tell me you're kidding, Dad," I blurted out, still laughing. "Tell me it's a lie?" I said with a voice that was somewhere between clipped and soaring.

"I'm sorry Ana, but your mother and I have talked about the two of you, you're both of marriageable age and I think it would be best.... Besides, you're single, so is he, and the two of you can get along."

Dad's smile was the ugliest I have ever seen in my life, did he even know the pain he was causing me? Because I doubted it.

"No, the only thing going on here is that you are selling me to a rich family, Dad, are you crazy? I'm your daughter, you can sell the shares on the stock market, you can get more offers for the company, I... I really don't think this is the solution," my tears threatened to come out and I held them back, "You're crazy, dad! How can you sell your daughter to save a company? Why don't you sell Andres?

"Ana, stop being rude, you are a young lady who has been taught education and respect, you are making me look bad in front of my partners, this is a decision I have made, you will do what I say," said my father. "Excuse her bad upbringing, she is not supposed to behave like this."

They had gone mad, really mad, the truth.

"Mother, say something." A choked sob escaped my throat. "Mother, don't let her do this." I clung to her hand.

"I'm sorry, Ana, just do what your father says." No, that was a lie, my father wouldn't sell me, would he?

But then why didn't Mom want to look me in the face?

"Mom..."

Mothers protect their children, but mine didn't, my mother always supported whatever my father did or said, she was like a puppet with no sense of belonging who could only follow in the footsteps of her adored husband.

I could no longer watch them sell my life to another company, because it was no secret to anyone in this country that Maldonado Construction was bankrupt, many of the investors pulled out because Dad was buying second hand materials and some people died due to the collapse of a building in the middle of the city.

They were looking for a way out of their financial problems by using their children as bargaining chips.

I got up from the table because I felt that my life was going to collapse in the middle of my favorite restaurant and in front of many people.

They were all so calm, as if they had been prepared to see how I would react, it was obvious that this had been planned for a long time and I, like a fool, was not even aware of it.

Well,' Andres said, it was our time to flee because later we were going to regret staying.

I do regret it.

"I can't. I don't want to get married. I... I'm sorry." I run out of the restaurant as fast as I can, not knowing what to do or where to go, I run as far as I can until I reach a small park and drop my body on a bench as I cry.

A wedding in two weeks was crazy.

Was I dreaming?

It had to be a lie, they were playing with me, why didn't they do that to Andres, the creature who only knew how to humiliate the family, to do God knows what shit with the people he hung out with in the dirtiest neighborhoods of the city.

"Can I sit down?" a hoarse voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and when I saw who it was, I jumped. "Ana, I'm not going to hurt you, I just want us to talk, I want you to know that it's a surprise for me too, Dad came to the company a few days ago with this crazy idea and I'm not the one to stand up to him." Gabriel speaks in a calm and paused way, it made me think, I didn't see him worried at all about what was happening.

He talks to me about accepting a marriage without love, in the year our parents think we are, these things only happen in Asian countries and nowadays these things don't happen anymore.

"You're not going to reject this madness, are you going to accept a marriage without love?" I don't pretend to smile and even less that I'm happy to see him worse, I'm still bothered by his serenity in facing this situation his and my parents have trapped us in. "I don't know what our parents are up to, but everything is going their way and you have to help me find a way to talk some sense into them." I wipe all traces of tears from my face because I don't want to show my weakness to the enemy, and right now this guy is my worst enemy.

As if fate was playing a trick on me, my phone started ringing with a call from the last person I want to see right now.

Because I don't know with which face I should face Lían.

What would I say to him?

Lían, my beautiful friend, called and I didn't know what to do or say, because telling the truth was the last thing I would do.

I decided to ignore the call, the phone in my hands began to shake until it fell to the ground and Gabriel picked it up even though the call was active.

The phone stopped ringing, but before I could take it out of Gabriel's hands, Lían's name, which I had as a contact, and the picture of us embracing were clearly visible.

Without knowing why, I wanted to explain to him who Lían was, but I remembered who I was with and who he was, so I preferred to observe in the same way, appearing calm and serene, which in reality I did not have.

"If it's a boyfriend or a special friend, whatever you have with this guy who makes you so nervous just by calling you, it's not right, you know that can bring us a lot of trouble." Her face was completely calm. "Both with your father and with my father."

Gabriel's way of acting made me believe that all this was so normal for him, what's more, I think he was already aware of it, because at the table when they were talking about performing the wedding, he was so calm, the only stupid one who didn't know what was going on was me.

That's why dad told me to be a little late, and made up that pathetic excuse about me being a girl who likes to go out well-groomed and be late to waste time.

They were agreeing all the time in the restaurant, while I arrived, plotting how to ruin my life in a loveless marriage.

Wow, Mom and Dad hit the jackpot as the best parents in the world.

"Ana, marriage is not based on love, it is a business where both parties win, and your parents really win a lot, let's say or do something, our parents will marry us anyway, I am not in a position to oppose the wedding because I will lose a lot, Ana, I know it will be difficult for both of us, but then we have to get along, live together." Gabriel said it and made it look so easy, "Ana, in time we can be friends and I know you will be able to cope with what will be our new life from now on." One of his hands rested on mine and dropped the phone. "Ana don't mind because if it's not me it will be another man your parents will marry you off to."

"'Friend'?" I said in a mocking tone. "Gabriel, I don't want to marry a man just to be his friend, I always thought I would marry the man I would love and he would love me as well, I would live happy and quiet like in princess stories, you and I both know that when we get married most likely in less than five months I will want to separate from you because we will be clear we will hate being next to each other, I know because we are strangers."

"We just have to prepare ourselves, Ana, this is something we will not escape and you know it very well, your parents are like mine and no one will stop them, I want you to take it calmly, don't worry, we just have to put up with it for two years and then you can be free.

How could I be sure it would be two years? How could I be sure he wouldn't back out? Why wait so long? My head filled with so many unanswered questions that it began to hurt.

"Do you swear to give me a divorce in two years?"

"I promise, Ana, for now go and end whoever you are in a relationship with and I have things to do, because I understand you, it's not just you who is crippling your life with this." His hand gave my shoulder a light squeeze, and then he got up and walked away from the park as if counting steps.

I began to think he was as lost as I was, but maybe that's just my imagination.

Walking around the city didn't help me to distract myself, even less after the afternoon I spent hiding from Lían without answering his calls and messages, because there was no point in avoiding the tragedy, it didn't matter if I left him today or tomorrow, my mind kept reminding me of what my parents had done to me, I just couldn't understand how two people who claimed to love their children could leave them in the hands of anyone and everyone for money.

I wanted to believe that Mom didn't agree, that maybe the fear of standing up to Dad had made her submissive, and that at any moment Mom would react and beg Dad not to do this monstrosity to me.

I decided to go home on my own, without the driver, so I took a cab home. When my mother, who was sitting on the couch, saw me at the front door, she got up quickly and approached me with a light smile that hid hours of worry, because I know that she loves us in spite of everything, I am sure she does, our eyes locked for a few seconds as she reached out and put her arm around me, stroking my hair.

I didn't want to hate her, because I wasn't to blame for anything, I just wanted to go far, far away into the arms of just one person.

Lían.

He will hate me for the rest of his life.

My beautiful love

The only refuge where I, like my brother, found the love and affection that we lacked.

"Ana," my father's voice came from the living room, I broke away from my mother and wiped away the tears I was shedding at the thought of all this stress, but to my surprise, Gabriel was standing next to my father.

What the hell is he doing in my house?

"Mmm." I lifted my eyes to both men.

"Good that you're here daughter, Gabriel, he came with us, his parents were worried about their future daughter-in-law and asked him to come home with us." I sighed heavily, this man would be my shadow and I know it's not his fault or mine, just our parents. "Where have you been?"

"I went for a walk and got distracted," with a forced smile I rested my eyes on my future husband.

Dad was watching me with his piercing eyes and I knew he didn't believe me at all.

"I went to Natalia's house, I wanted to go over some things with her and tell her the news about the wedding." I pretended to smile.

I know he doesn't believe me, Dad is very good at pretending when it suits him and he won't make a scandal in front of Gabriel because it doesn't suit him to look bad in front of his new partner.

"You should call her to help us with the wedding, I'm sure she'd be thrilled," Mom said excitedly, as if we'd been planning this blessed wedding for years.

"No," I quickly denied, yes, I had told her I was getting married, but not when, let alone the reasons.

"Why not Ana?" said Dad. "I don't think it would be bad that Natalia would help your mother and you, that girl loves parties big or small, besides your mother will only invite your friend and some acquaintances, the other guests are from Gabriel's side, there is no time to do many things in 2 weeks and it would be helpful for your mother."

"You're right father, but Natalia will ask questions about this surprise wedding and I won't know what to tell her, I told her that I'm getting married, but I didn't tell her when," I said because I was hoping to come home today and all this was not true.

"It's okay, I'll tell him about the wedding myself, but... you can tell him the truth, she's your friend Ana, we like that girl," Mom said, "she's a good girl and she won't say anything bad, nor will she create rumors that will hurt Gabriel.

It's just that this guy and I are the only ones that matter, what mom doesn't care if people talk bad about me or this rushed marriage, they might even think I'm pregnant, God why does all this have to happen like this.

"Your mother will take care of it," Dad finally said. "Besides, the wedding planner is coming tomorrow for the wedding dress fittings."

They were making the decisions in my life, they were making my opinions shitty, and it was just the way he wanted it.

Dad.

I started to hate you.

For about half an hour I listened to Dad and Gabriel talk about business and finances, boring stuff that I didn't understand at all, many times I pretended to be interested in the subject and another mother would change the subject.

Nana came into the dining room with a worried look that set off my alarm, what else could happen tonight?

"I'm sorry... But there is a young man outside looking for Miss Ana," the look she gave me said it all.

Because if anyone knew a lot about me and Andres, it was this woman.

"Who is this young man, Ana?" my mother said.

"Send Rafa to tell him to come another time," my father said.

"No," I stood up and spoke quickly. "I... I just want to talk for a moment."

"Then let's see who the man is who is looking for you," Dad got up and left the room so fast that I couldn't follow him in time.

The four of us went to the door, and when we left the house, Lían was there.

And to add to my misery and hateful fate, he was being grabbed and screaming my name along with other things I couldn't make out.

Dad was angry and Mom was nervous.

"Ana... love, let's talk," Lían said.

He slurred his words and staggered.

"Who is this man, why does he call you 'love', Ana?" dad shouted, looking for an answer in my eyes.

I stepped away from the door and approached Lían, taking the empty bottle he held in his hands.

"Father, come in the house," I begged Dad. "It's one of Natalia's exes, for sure he got confused."

"Since he's coming to my house, let him go to her, Ana, get him out."

And I know he doesn't believe me, but he pretended to.

"Yes," I pushed Lían's chest and slowly walked him to my car door, opened it, sat him down in the passenger seat and listened to his stupid pleas.

As I was about to close the door, Gabriel grabbed my arm.

"I told you to leave him alone, he was getting us into trouble," he said in a cold tone full of anger.

I'm sorry, I tried, but Gabriel, it's not easy.

"Get in the car, I'll drive," Gabriel said before he climbed into the driver's seat.

After a moment's thought, I took Lían and put him in the back seat of the car and got in with him.

Ready to talk to him.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing going home, you want daddy to kill me?" I shouted angrily as I grabbed his face so he could see my eyes.

"You can't leave me, Ana. I love you," Lían's voice cracked.

"How did you find out?" I said, holding back a sob.

I was going to hell for hurting her.

"Ana, I work at your parents company, the rumor was all over the halls, a lot of people were invited to the wedding, do you think I wouldn't find out, for God's sake Ana, I don't believe that story about the perfect wedding and the bride and groom who love each other, I made love to you 3 nights ago, fuck, I let you scream my fucking name and how much you love me and I find out you cheated on me, what the fuck is this?" I kept quiet because I remembered those nights very well, "Come with me to Brazil, I will give you everything you ask for, you know they pay me well, Ana, I told you that the new job offer will help me a lot if it is about money".

God, how did he stop this madness?

And for a second I thought about telling her the truth.

But I couldn't.

She watched Gabriel, but he wouldn't take his eyes off the road.

"Do you love him, Ana?" Lían's question surprised me. "Do you love him more than me?

"He's my life and I want to marry him, if I didn't tell you it's because I didn't know how to tell you that I didn't love you anymore."

Each of these lies hurts.

"What about him, does he love you as much as I do?"

"Yes, he loves me madly, so much that we're going to get married and be happy, I'm sorry, but no more talking about it," I said with a lump in my throat, trying not to look ahead and let my shame tell Gabriel what a great liar I am.

"You're killing me Ana, it's not 3 days of boyfriend, love, we've been together for more than 2 years, why didn't I know there was another man?" by his tone of voice it was very clear to me his feelings towards me at this moment, Lían could be filled with hate. We couldn't continue this pointless discussion, especially when he was drunk.

So I decided to ignore his words completely and made the decision not to drive him home and put him in a cab instead, I knew he would find out one way or another and I also knew that Dad would make sure the news was all over the office.

Dad played dumb, pretending he didn't know about my relationship with Lían, but he was always on top of everything, he hated that I was dating a simple employee with no future to become rich in the next few months, for Mom and Dad the perfect boyfriend must have been born in a cradle of gold.

"Can you stop here?"

He nodded.