Episode 29.
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Ximena hesitated for a while before knocking on the door. Then pushed it open. Tony stood in front of a portrait of a very beautiful woman. It wasnt Alice so she thought perhaps it was his late wife.
‘honeypie,’ she called softly.
Tony turned to her, she was clad in a sexy pink robe that exposed her cleavage.
‘hi Ximena, not asleep yet?’ he asked coolly.
‘i couldnt sleep. I was worried about you. I knew you wouldnt be fine’
Tony smiled sadly ‘i’m alright’
‘no you are not,’ she held his face with his hands ‘you are worried about Alice, i know. Its written all over your face’
‘i’m fine’
‘you are lying to me Tony and i know that’
‘okay fine,’ he went to sit on his bed ‘i’m not fine, i’m worried. I dont know what to do to prove her innocence. Deep within me i feel it that she is innocent. Alice is not like that Ximena’
‘i thought you said there were five witnesses who testified against her, your maid inclusive’
‘thats true’
‘so how can you be so sure that she’s innocent?’
‘i trust her’
‘oh come on, lets forget about trust and see the truth. She had every reason to want to kill your daughter, because from what you told me Maria was against her. Come on now’
‘and i love her. If you truly love someone, you will learn to trust that person with all your heart’
‘you are too trusting Tony. Sorry to say. Remember, you trusted me so much you never believed the rumor that i was dating Elvis until i told you the truth myself. If you had listened to Vanessa then, you would have known before i told you. But you loved me and trusted me so much you were blind to see the truth’
‘Alice is not like you Ximena’
‘i know that. But you are being so blind and its infuriating me’
‘then leave! Pack your bags and leave. Go back to Mexico where you came from’ Tony was furious now.
‘i wont leave you Tony. Like it or not i will always be by your side because i love you’
Tony blinked twice ‘you love me?’
‘i do love you. I never stopped loving you for the past twenty years’
‘seriously?’
‘yes’
‘you loved me and yet you cheated on me?’
‘i told you then that i was foolish. I didnt know what i want. I thought attention, kisses and romance was everything’
‘whatever!’
He stood up and went to the window. Ximena stood up.
‘i know you love Alice so much. You loved me too in the past. But Alice just proved to be a murderer. I just cheated on you. And call it immaturity. Believe it or not Tony, we were meant for each other, i swear it’
Tony didnt reply so she continued.
‘i regretted my mistakes. Havent you made mistakes in the past that you regretted so much. I was just 16 then, i knew nothing. But i’m 36 now. I’m wiser, much more wiser than ever’
‘good for you’ he replied coldly.
‘i now know what i want. I love you Tony. I never loved Elvis the way i loved you neither did i love Fabian the way i love you. I loved you when i left for Mexico and i love you now’
‘shut up and leave my room this instant’ he said without turning back.
Ximena sobbed ‘you dont understand how i felt then and how i’m feeling now. The love in my heart is at bursting point. I love you my baby, my honeypie, my childhood sweetheart’
Tony turned to her ‘i cant believe you are saying this. I’m in love with another’
‘and that person is a murderer! She tried to murder your own daughter, dont you understand?’ she said with her voice raised, Tony was sure the security heard her.
‘Ximena you are sick, you need a check up’
‘yes i’m sick. I’m sick of love, love for you’
‘then you deserve a more qualified doctor. Ximena, i’m going through alot right now. My daughter is in coma right now and now my fiancee are locked up in the police station for what she knows nothing about. And now you want to add to my problems?’
‘i want to help you reduce them my love’
‘then leave my room, Ximena, if you truly care about me’
Ximena loosed her robe and it fell to the ground and there she was, standing before him, stark naked.
‘i love you Tony’
*
To be continued
