The legal things within this chapter aren't accurate. Be warned.
Isa's PoV:
Two weeks later:
Over these past two weeks, I had gotten extremely busy, since I finally gotten cleared and had decided to go back to work.
Cris and I had exchanged numbers, and had managed to stay in contact, never exactly acknowledging what happened the night of my father's remembrance, yet not exactly ignoring it either.
We had begun spending more time after that day, sometimes at his house, while other times at my mother's house.
My mother had decided she wanted to leave the country for some time, wanting to take time to herself to wrap her head around everything that had happened, and decided she would rather leave her house for me and my kids to live in.Which meant I now was left to the task of selling the house I had acquired before moving back to Madrid and moving all of the things into my mother's house.
Just before I had finished moving into the house, I received a call from my Uncle Charlie, informing me that Aro Baltazar had finally gotten in contact with him and wished for us to travel to Italy to speak to us.
We had already spoken in case this happened and decided that I would sign a form that stated that I wasn't interested in getting any form of money from the Masens'.
"¿Estás segura de que estás de acuerdo con hacerlo de esta manera?" My mother asked, concerned, as she watched me move around the room to pack. (Are you sure you are ok with doing it this way?)
I sighed and nodded in response for what seemed to be the umpteenth time in the last fifteen minutes.
"Si. Sé que esta es la única forma de que él entienda que no quiero tener nada que ver con él. Sé que hablar con él solo le hará pensar que todavía quiero estar con él. Sí, le he pedido a Charlie que le muestre los documentos que firmé para que se quede con todo. Entonces lo haré, porque no quiero que Natalia y Santiago vuelvan a ser lastimados por él. No me importa si tengo que disputar esa voluntad para hacerlo, lo haré. Ya estoy cansado de él y de toda su familia. Lo quiero fuera de nuestras vidas para siempre." I replied as I finished packing. (Yes. I know this is the only way for him to understand that I don't want to have anything to do with him. I know talking to him will only make him think I still want to be with him. Yes, I have asked Charlie to show him the documents I signed so he could keep everything. Then I will, because I don't want Natalia and Santiago to be hurt by him again. I don't care if I have to contest that will to do it, I will. I'm already tired of him, and all his family. I want him out of our lives for good.)
I knew it would come down to this. Though we knew something was up when we had been asked to attend a meeting to see if we could come to some sort of agreement outside of court, something told us that this was all a ruse and that we needed to be very careful.
Caius had advised me to leave my kids here in Spain, with my mother, for obvious reasons. But he had mentioned asking one of my family members to accompany me. I didn't want to bother them any more than I already had, so I declined to do so, and left by myself.
The trip was supposed to be three days, yet I had a feeling it would be closer to four.
Fortunately, I had been wrong, the meeting took one day, and it was over before it had even begun.
The place we met was an oven over-the-top, high-end restaurant. Which I was all too familiar with, and felt nothing but disgust towards. It was the very restaurant where Neasa O'Brien, one of the few friends I had here, had informed me of Edward's indiscretions, and everything else came to light.
I could tell that Edward and his family were trying to use this as an intimidating tactic and wouldn't be working on me.
Having decided to go alone, I hadn't expected my brother-in-law, Gio, and Cris to show up a few minutes on the fourth day after the meeting had begun to go south.
The room only seemed to grow tense as they walked in and sat down.
I can still see the furious expression on Edward, Jasper, and Alice's shocked expressions as they did.
"Che ci fanno qui?" Edward growled as they sat down on either side of me. (What are they doing here?)
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before slowly opening them and looking up to give him a response.
"Sono qui per il supporto morale, proprio come lo sono." I replied, calmly, gesturing towards Alice and Jasper with a stoic expression. (They're here for moral support, just like they are.)
Jasper and Alice flinched under my gaze, before Edward stood from the table, smacking his palms angrily on the thick table.
"Va bene, è abbastanza. Possiamo andare avanti con questo? O ti aspetti che si presentino più ospiti?" He seethed. (Alright, that is enough. Can we get on with this? Or are you expecting more guests to show up?)
Charlie and Aro looked over at him before turning to me in question. I looked at Cris and Gio in question, only for them to shake their heads in response, before I shook mine too.
"Il mio cliente desidera sapere cosa deve essere fatto affinché i beni vengano trasferiti a Masens," Charlie said, looking at Aro. (My client wishes to know what needs to be done in order for the assets to be transferred to the Masens.)
"Avrebbe bisogno di firmare un modulo in cui afferma che sta rinunciando volontariamente alla sua parte di denaro e beni." Aro stated as he started pulling out a few papers from the thick leather-bound folder, sliding them across the table for us to see. (She would need to sign a form which states that she is giving up her share of the money and assets willingly.)
Before any one of us could react Caius slid them in front of himself and began to scan them meticulously without a word.
Aro began to fidget in his chair, as Caius' stoic expression furrowed, before turning pissed.Something in my stomach clenched as I listened intently as Caius spoke.
"Il mio cliente non firmerà questo o altri documenti falsificati da te. Signor Masen, le suggerisco di iniziare a lavorare con un altro consulente legale... Come se non lo sapesse già, questo documento le dà il diritto di redigere un'istanza marziale all'insaputa del mio cliente. La mia cliente ha divorziato da te per un motivo, e sono sicuro che non desidera essere di nuovo legata marziale o legalmente a te. Questo significa indurre la mia cliente a commettere spergiuro a sua insaputa." He growled as he handed the papers to Charlie. (My client will not be signing this or any other document forged by you. Mr. Masen, I suggest you begin looking into working with another legal counsel… As if you already didn't know, this paper is giving you the right to draw up a martial application without my client's knowledge. My client divorced you for a reason, and I am sure she doesn't wish to be martially, or legally bound to you again. That is tricking my client into committing perjury without her knowledge.)
Edward turned to look me in the eye, as a glint suddenly appeared in his eyes. "Eravamo già sposati da tre anni. Cos'è uno in più?" He asked. (We were already married for three years. What is one more?)
I gasped, as I realized why Edward had begun to get agitated and asked for us to begin the meeting quickly.
All four men quickly jumped to their feet, angrily, before turning to look at me.
I looked at them with disgust before getting up. "No, te l'ho detto, non voglio avere niente a che fare con te o la tua famiglia. Questo è un errore da parte tua. Non tornerò più qui. I miei avvocati subentreranno da qui in avanti. Buona giornata." I replied making a move to leave, only to be stopped by the shock I felt. (No, I told you, I don't want to have anything to do with you or your family. This is a mistake on your part. I won't be coming back here again. My attorneys will be taking over from here on out. Good day.)
"Credo che questo incontro sia stato fatto per arrivare a una sorta di accordo, ma sembra che non ci sarà nessun accordo tra le parti, quindi ci vedremo in tribunale," Caius stated, stuffing the papers Aro had given us, into his briefcase.( I believe this meeting was made to come to some sort of agreement, but it seems there will be no agreement on either party, so we shall see you in court.)
Gio and Cris quickly followed me out the door and had had enough common sense to go and rent a car as soon as they arrived. I didn't bother asking why they were both here, only knowing that they were here was enough for me. I swiftly climbed into the back and buckled in without question, thanking my mother for telling me to pack the black slacks the day before.
As soon as we got into the car Alice appeared tapping the window rapidly, her expression showing that of annoyance.
Cris, who raised a brow at me in question, lowered the window.
"Devo parlare immediatamente con Isabella." She demanded scathingly, crossing her arms over her chest. (I need to speak to Isabella immediately.)
"Non ho altro da dire a nessuno di voi." I replied, coolly as I sat back. (I have nothing more to say to any of you.)
"Devi smetterla di essere così egoista. Questo andrà a beneficio di tutti. Anche i tuoi figli." She said, scowling and stomping her foot. (You need to stop being so selfish. This will benefit everyone. Even your kids.)
How? Isn't Edward still married to Thanya? How would polyamory benefit me and my kids? And who in their right state of mind would go as far as to commit bigamy for money? This family is beyond crazy. I had to get away from here. It had been a mistake to think they would be anything less than this, and their actions were starting to get to me.
"Alice, ci sono altre cose che nella vita sono molto più importanti dei soldi, lo sapresti se avessi qualcos'altro da fare oltre a spenderli. Ho già detto la mia pace in questo, e non cambierò idea. Odiavo essere sposata con tuo fratello, e odio la tua famiglia superficiale, assetata di potere e arraffatrice di soldi. Ora, lasciami in pace." I snapped before closing the window. (Alice, there are other things that are far more important in life than money, you would know that if you had something else to do besides spend it. I already said my peace in this, and I won't be changing my mind. I hated being married to your brother, and I hate your superficial, power-hungry, money-grubbing family. Now, leave me alone.)
Taking a deep breath, I turned to Gio before speaking. "Vàmonos." I whisper, closing my eyes in a poor attempt to calm down. (Let's go.)
I could feel their eyes on me as Gio silently asked me where the hotel was.
I told him the directions before closing my eyes in a poor attempt to hide my emotions.
We didn't speak again until we reached my hotel room.
"Que va a pasar ahora?" Gio asked, sitting down on the bed, and running his hands through his hair. (What's going to happen now?)
"No lo sé. Pero podrían irse al infierno por todo lo que me importa." I replied, sighing tiredly. (I do not know. But they could go to hell for all I care.)
"¿Tienes alguna otra razón para quedarte aquí?" Cris asked, as he sat down next to me, and took my hand into his, and used his thumb to rub small smoothing circles on the back of my hand. (Do you have any other reason to stay here?)
I shook my head at him in response, before letting go of his hands, and standing up. I ignored them and quickly began to go around the room picking up what little I had taken out the night before.
A/N:
More to come soon.
Stay safe. Make good choices.