(9 years ago):
"Please, Sage, just this time. I promise I won't ask anything more from you ever again. Just help me this time," he whined.
She shook her head, silently laughing at his adorable behavior.
"But why are you asking me to do it?" she inquired, curiosity filling her voice. He suddenly felt guilty, as if he had momentarily forgotten how to speak.
He quickly regained his composure and explained, "You see, this would be the best solution for both of us. This girl, Emily, won't leave me alone and acts as if I'm her boyfriend. And your so-called 'best friend,' Damien, is clinging to you and flirting excessively. Don't worry, I know you're not even interested in him."
"What are you talking about? Damien is my best friend. Why would he like me?" she half-yelled.
"Sage, you're so naive. How can you not see that he's in love with you?" he said, almost holding back his laughter.
"Fine, fine. What do you want to do then?"
"Let's pretend to date each other, Sage," he said with complete seriousness.
"Oh my God, you like me? Oh my God, I didn't know. When did this happen?" she yelled now.
"What the hell, no! I don't like you, Sage. We're just going to pretend, you idiot," he clarified.
"Well, okay then, no problem!" she said happily, glad that he didn't have feelings for her.
"So, Miss Sage, we're dating now, huh?" he said, grinning.
"You mean fake dating?" she asked, slightly smiling.
He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and started walking, bringing her along. "Yeah, yeah, same thing, babe."
Flashback over.
WADE CALLAHAN
I heard her scream beside me, "What the fuck, Dad!" I was too stunned to comprehend what was happening. It came out of nowhere.
But one thing was clear: I wasn't happy. Why would her father do this to her when she clearly hates me? I know he values his mafia, but he values her even more. At least, that's how I see it.
I snapped back to reality as someone shook my shoulders. Sage's eyes were filled with sorrow and anger as she looked at me. "You didn't agree to it, right, Max? You didn't, right?" she said, her voice solemn.
"I didn't, Sage. Why would I do that? How could I ruin your life like this when I know you despise me?" I stated honestly.
"See, Dad? He doesn't want to marry me! Please don't do this to us, Dad. I beg you," she pleaded, tears streaming down her face.
It was agonizing to see her in this state. I could feel rage building up inside me towards her father. What is he thinking, causing such havoc in Sage's life? She has already experienced so much at such a young age, and now her father wants her to spend the rest of her life with someone who has shattered her. What the hell is wrong with her father?
SAGE SINCLAIRE
I'm at a loss for what to do. This cannot happen. My last glimmer of hope for ever being loved again has been shattered. I may not show it, but I yearn to be cherished. However, I have long known that it's not possible in the mafia, where marriages are arranged, or rather coerced or forced.
Husbands frequently cheat, while wives are powerless to stop them. In my case, it was my mother who cheated on my father, the one who truly loved her. But that will not be the case for me. I may not be the mafia queen, but I am in control. No one will bring me down. Not even my own damn father.
"Wade, listen," I said.
"What is it now?" he asked, his voice laced with anger.
"Let's get married, Wade."
In a calm but lethal tone, he asked, "Have you lost your fucking mind, you idiot?" He was baffled by her actions. Why was she trying to sabotage her own life by rekindling their relationship?
"No, Wade, I know exactly what I'm doing. In any case, I have to marry to save my father's mafia. I always knew this day would come, but I never thought it would be you." She emphasized the word "you".
"What's your reason for doing this, Sage? What's the point, Sage? Please don't waste your life on someone like me. You could easily marry someone else and find happiness with them. You could fulfill your desire to fall in love," he said, his voice filled with an unfamiliar emotion.
His words snapped her back to reality. She was going to get married, but not to just anyone—it was going to be Wade. Wade, who only cared about himself. The man who had destroyed her life, her family, her dreams of love, all because of his involvement with the mafia. He had taken everything away from her. Life was perfectly fine before he entered the picture.
But little did she know, life had different plans for her.
WADE CALLAHAN
"Sage, please don't overthink this. Okay? I know you don't want this marriage, and I don't want it either. Just tell your father no. He's your father, he'll understand. Just go now," I practically pushed her into the room as I spoke.
"DON'T TOUCH ME, YOU JERK! DON'T YOU DARE THINK YOU HAVE A FUCKING CHOICE!" she yelled, startling me with her sudden outburst. "Seriously, Wade? You always ruin everything. Since you entered my life 11 years ago, nothing has gone right. Why did you have to come back now? Just when I thought my life was getting better and I was starting to move on from the fact that YOU destroyed it, you come crawling back. You really need to know your place, and maybe you should just disappear. It would be better for everyone in this world, and no one would truly care," she said, not realizing how deeply her words cut.
I know no one would care, Sage.
No one cares anymore, and I know I'm the villain in all your stories. I know I ruined your life.
Before she could see the impact her words still had on me, I composed myself. "Well, why don't you go talk to your 'father' about it, Miss Perfect? Since he loves you so much, right? He might as well do something," I said, dripping with sarcasm.
"Fuck off, you piece of shit. At least I didn't betray the only person who ever loved me. Shame on you," she said angrily.
That was it. She hit a nerve.
"You know what, Sage? You're the one who should be ashamed. You didn't even bother fucking listening to me and just assumed I was supposed to kill you."
"Oh, so what were you doing exactly, talking to my mother, telling her how easily you made me fall in love with you and how easily you could kill me now? Now answer me, mister," she said, her eyes filled with pain and anger.
"Sage, can we please just talk like normal adults, for fuck's sake?" I said calmly.
"Babe, we're mafias. We don't do normal here," she smirked.
"Anyway, fuck off. I have no intention of marrying you. I'd rather marry Grayson than marry you," she said calmly, for some reason.
"Oh yeah, sure, go marry Gray—" I paused, hearing the name she said she would marry.
"WAIT, WHAT THE FUCK? NO FUCKING WAY YOU'RE MARRYING THAT GRAYSON. NO, SAGE, ANYONE BUT HIM, PLEASE,"
She couldn't marry Grayson, not him. He was the only one who had been there for her when I wasn't. He truly loved her, maybe even more than I did. I couldn't bear to see them together. It would destroy me. But she couldn't be with me either. I would only hurt her more. She hates me, for fuck's sake. How could I ruin her?
But I wanted to. I wanted to ruin her so badly that she couldn't stay away from me. I wanted her to stop looking at anyone else the way she looked at me. I wanted her million-dollar smile to be mine alone, the smile that could bring anyone, even a guy or a girl, to their knees.
I hated her so much, but I couldn't stop. I just couldn't.