Chapter 34 Chapter Thirty-Three

"Do you have a passport?" Diana asked. "I always have it with me when I'm in a strange country," Kelly added. "And lately it's been a hell of a strange country." Diana nodded. "My passport is in the bank vault. I have to get it. We need some money." After they entered the bank, Diana went downstairs to the vault and opened her safe.Take out your passport, put it in your purse, go back upstairs, and walk to the teller's desk. "I want to settle." "Yes. May I have your name?" "Diana Stevens." The cashier nodded: "Please wait a moment."

He returned to the row of filing cabinets, opened a drawer, and rummaged through the cards.He took out one, looked at it for a while, and then returned to Diana: "Your account has been closed, Mrs. Stevens." Diana shook her head. "No. There must be a mistake. I have—" The cashier put the card in front of Diane.It read "Account Suspended. Reason: Death." Diana stared at the card in bewilderment, then looked up at the teller. "Do I look dead?" "Of course not. I'm sorry. If you want me to call the manager, I can—" "No!" She suddenly understood what happened, and felt a little shudder, "No, thank you."

Diana ran to the door, where Kelly was waiting. "Have you got your passport and money?" "I got my passport. That bastard canceled my bank account." "How could they—?" "Very simple. They're KIGs and we're not." Diana mused for a moment. "Oh my God." "What should we do now?" "I have to make a quick call." Diana ran into a phone booth, dialed the number, and pulled out a credit card. A few minutes later, she spoke to a clerk. "The account is in the name of Diana Stevens. It's valid—" "I'm sorry, Mrs. Stevens. Our records show that your card has been stolen. If you'd like to report it, we can issue you a new one in a day or two, and—"

Diana said, "No need." She snapped the phone down and came back to Kelly: "They canceled my credit card." Kelly took a deep breath. "Now I'd better make a call or two." Kelly was on the phone for at least half an hour.When she came back, she was furious: "The octopus did it again. But I still have a bank account in Paris, so I can—" "We don't have time for that, Kelly. We have to get out of here right away. How much money do you have?" "Enough to get us back to Brooklyn. What about you?" "Enough to get us to New Jersey."

"Then we're at a loss. You know why they did it, don't you? Don't let us go to Europe to find the truth." "Looks like they succeeded." Kelly mused, "No, they haven't. Let's go." Diana sarcastically said, "How? My spaceship?" "mine." Joseph Berry, manager of the Fifth Avenue jewelry store, watched as Kelly and Diana approached him, offering his best professional smile: "Can I help you?" Kelly said, "I want to sell my ring. It's—" His smile faded. "Sorry. We don't buy jewelry."

"Oh. That's too bad." As Joseph Berry was turning to leave, Kelly spread his palms.In the palm is a huge emerald ring. "It's a seven-carat emerald surrounded by three-carat diamonds, set in platinum." Joseph Berry stared at the ring, his heart moved.He picked up a jeweler's loupe and put it over his eyes: "It's really beautiful, but we have strict rules here—" "I want twenty thousand dollars." "You mean twenty thousand dollars?" "Yes, in cash." Diana stared at her with wide eyes: "Kelly—" Bailey looked at the ring again and nodded. "I—er—think we can arrange that. Hold on."

He disappeared into the back office. Diana said, "Are you crazy? You've been robbed!" "Really? We'll be murdered if we stay here. Tell me, how much are our lives worth?" Diana was speechless. Joseph Berry came out from the back office with a wide smile on his face: "I'll send someone across the street to the bank immediately to get you cash." Diana turned to Kelly: "I wish you hadn't." Kelly shrugged. "It's just jewelry..." She closed her eyes. It's just jewelry... It was her birthday.The phone rings. "Good morning, honey." It was Mark.

"Good morning." She waited for him to say "Happy Birthday". Instead he said, "You're not at work today. Do you like hiking?" That's not what Kelly expected to hear.She was sadly disappointed.They had discussed birthdays a week ago.Mark forgot. "like." "How about going hiking this morning?" "Row." "I'll pick you up in half an hour." "I'm waiting for you." "Where are we going?" Kelly asked as they got into the car. Both were in walking clothes. "There are some very nice trails outside of Fontainebleau."

"Oh? You go there often?" "I used to go there when I wanted to escape." Kelly looked at him in confusion: "Escape from what?" He hesitated. "Lonely. I feel a little better there." He glanced at Kelly and smiled. "I haven't been there since I met you." Fontainebleau is a magnificent palace surrounded by dense forests, located in the southeast corner of Paris. When the beautiful royal manor rose up in the distance, Mark said: "Many kings named Louis have lived here, starting with Louis IV." "Oh, really?" Kelly looked at him and thought, I wonder if they had birthday cards back then.I want him to send me a birthday card.I acted like a little schoolgirl.

They reached the palace grounds.Mark parked the car in a parking lot. As they got out of the car and walked toward the woods, Mark said, "Can you handle a mile?" Kelly laughed. "I deal with a lot more than that every day on the flyover." Mark took her hand: "Okay. Let's go." "I'm with you." They passed a series of luxurious buildings and began to enter the wooded area.Absolutely just the two of them, surrounded by greenery of ancient fields and seasoned old trees.A sunny, flawless summer day.The south wind is refreshing, and overhead is a cloudless sky.

"Is it beautiful?" Mark asked. "It's so cute, Mark." "I'm glad you're free." Kelly remembered something: "Aren't you supposed to be at work today?" "I decided to take a day off." "Oh." They go deeper and deeper in the mysterious forest. Fifteen minutes later, Kelly asked, "How far are you going?" "There's a place I like up ahead. We're almost there." After a few minutes they entered a valley in the middle of which stood a huge oak tree. "Here we are," Mark said. "It's so quiet." There seems to be something shallowly carved on the tree.Kelly walked over to look.It has "Happy Birthday, Kelly" engraved on it. She stared at Mark, speechless for a moment: "Oh, Mark, dear. Thank you." It turned out that he had not forgotten. "I thought there might be something in the tree." "In the tree?" Kelly moved closer.There is a hollow at eye level.She reached in and found a small bag.It's a gift box. "what--?" "Open." Kelly opened, eyes wide. Inside the box was a seven carat emerald ring surrounded by three carats of diamonds, set in a platinum setting. Kelly stared at it, in disbelief.She turned around and hugged Mark's neck. "Too generous." "I'd give you the moon if you asked. Kelly, I love you." She hugged him tightly, intoxicated in a kind of happiness that she had never felt before.That's when she said what she thought she could never and would never say. "I love you, my dear." He beamed: "Let's get married right away. We—" "No." It was as if he had been whipped. Mark looked at her in surprise: “Why?” "we can not." "Kelly—don't you believe I love you?" "believe." "Do you love me?" "Love." "But you don't want to marry me?" "I want to—but I—I can't." "I don't understand. Why?" He studied her carefully, puzzled.Kelly knew that if she opened her mouth to tell him how hurt she had been, he would never want to see her again. "I—I can never be your real wife." "What's the meaning?" This is the hardest thing for Kelly to say: "Mark, we can never have sex. I was raped when I was eight years old." She looked at the indifferent trees and told her unbearable story to the first man she fell in love with. "I'm not interested in sex. The thought of it repulses me. It scares me. I—I'm half a woman. I'm a fake." She gasped, fighting back tears. Kelly felt Mark's hand on hers: "I'm so sorry, Kelly. That must be very serious." Kelly was silent. "Sex is very important in marriage," Mark said. Kelly nodded, biting his lip.She knew what he was about to say: "Of course. So I understand why you don't want to—" "But that's not what marriage is all about. Marriage is about spending your life with the people you love—someone to listen to you, someone to share your glory and your troubles with." She listened, dumbfounded, unable to believe what she was hearing. "Sex leaves us in the end, Kelly, but true love doesn't. I love you for your heart. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I can live without sex." Kelly tried to keep his voice steady: "No, Mark—I can't make you do that." "why?" "Because one day you'll regret it. You'll fall in love with someone else who can give you...what I can't give you, and you'll leave me...and that will break my heart." Mark stretched out his arms, took Kelly into his arms, and held her tightly: "You know why I will never leave you? Because you are the best part of me. We must get married." Kelly looked into his eyes affectionately: "Mark—do you understand what you're doing?" Mark smiled and said, "I think you can repeat that." Kelly laughed and hugged him. "Oh baby, are you sure you—?" He beamed: "I'm sure. What do you say?" She felt tears on her cheeks: "I said...OK." Mark put an emerald ring on her finger.They hugged each other for a long, long time. "I want you to drop me off at the salon tomorrow morning and meet the models I work with," Kelly said. "I thought there were rules and regulations that didn't allow—" "The rules and regulations have changed." Mark beamed. "I'll ask a judge I know to marry us on Sunday." When Kelly and Mark arrived at the salon the next morning, Kelly pointed up at the sky: "It looks like it's going to rain. Everyone talks about the weather, but no one lifts a finger." " Mark turned and gave her a strange look. Kelly saw the look on Mark's face: "Oh, I'm sorry. It's just a cliché, isn't it?" Mark didn't answer. There were five or six models in the dressing room when Kelly walked into it. "I have something to announce. I'm getting married on Sunday and I invite you all." Immediately there was a chirping sound in the room. "Is that the mysterious handsome guy you don't want us to meet?" "Do we know him?" "how does he look like?" Kelly said proudly: "Like a young Cary Grant." "Wow! When can we meet him?" "Now. Here he is." Kelly opened the door. "Come in, honey." Mark walked into the room, and the whole room suddenly became silent.A model looked at Mark and whispered, "Is this a joke?" "definitely is." Mark Harris was a foot shorter than Kelly, a plain, unremarkable man with a thin, matted head of gray hair. After the first shock passed, the models came forward to congratulate the bride and groom-to-be. "The news is fantastic." "We're excited for you." "You will be very happy together." After the congratulations, Kelly and Mark left. As they walked down the corridor, Mark said, "Do you think they like me?" Kelly smiled slightly: "Of course they do. How can anyone not like you?" She stopped, "Oh!" "What's the matter?" "I'm on the cover of a fashion magazine that just came out. I want you to see it. Be right back." Kelly heads to the model's dressing room.Just at the door, I heard someone say, "Kelly really wants to marry him?" Kelly stopped and listened. "She must have lost her mind." "I've seen her reject the most handsome and richest man in the world. What does she see in him?" A model who had been silent spoke up: "It's very simple," she said. "What is it?" "You'll laugh." She hesitated. "Say it." "Have you ever heard the old saying 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder'?" No one laughed. The wedding was held at the Paris Ministry of Justice, and all the models were bridesmaids.The streets outside were packed with people who got the news of the marriage of supermodel Kelly.Freelance photographers wait in full gear. Sam Meadows was Mark's best man. "Where did you honeymoon?" Meadows asked. Mark and Kelly looked at each other.They haven't thought about the honeymoon yet. Mark said, "Uh—" He said a place offhand, "St. Moritz." Kelly smiled awkwardly. "Yes. St. Moritz." Neither of them had ever been to St. Moritz before, and it was a beautiful place, with its majestic mountains and verdant valleys. The Badrat Palace Hotel is perched high on a hill.Mark called and made a reservation. Upon arrival, the manager greeted them: "Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Harris. I have prepared the honeymoon suite for you." Mark hesitated for a moment. "We—can we fit two single beds in the suite?" The manager asked calmly, "Two single beds?" "Er—yes, please." "Ah—of course." "Thank you." Mark turned to Kelly. "Lots of interesting things to see here." He pulled a list from his pocket. "Enga Museum, Divining Stone, St. Mauritius Fountain, Leaning Tower..." When Mark and Kelly were alone in the suite, Mark said, "Honey, I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable. We're just trying to gag people. We're going to live our lives together. We're going to share far more than Physical contact is much more important. I just want to be with you, to be with me." Kelly raised his arms and hugged him tightly: "I—I don't know what to say." Mark smiled: “You don’t need to say anything.” They had dinner downstairs and then went back to their rooms.The master bedroom has been fitted with two single beds. "Shall we toss a coin?" Kelly smiled. "No, you can sleep in whichever one you like." When Kelly came out of the bathroom fifteen minutes later, Mark was in bed. Kelly walked over to him and sat on the edge of his bed. "Mark, are you sure you can do this?" "It's the surest thing I've ever done in my life. Good night, my beautiful darling." "Good night." Kelly got into his bed and lay down, thinking.Reenacting the night that changed her life.Hush!Be quiet... If you tell your mother, I'll come back and kill her.What the devil did to her took control of her life.He had killed something in her life, made her afraid of the dark... afraid of men... afraid of love.She gave him the power to control her.I cannot allow him.Can't go on any longer.All the emotions she had suppressed over the years, all the passions that had accumulated in her heart, collapsed like a dam bursting. Kelly looked over at Mark, suddenly wanting him desperately.She threw off the quilt and walked to his bedside. "Get out of the way," she whispered. Mark sat up, taken aback. "You said you—you didn't want me in your bed, and I—" Kelly looked at him and said softly, "But I didn't say I couldn't sleep with you." While taking off her nightgown, she watched the expression on his face, then got into the bed and lay beside him. "Make love to me," she murmured. "Oh Kelly! Yes!" He started softly and gently.It's too gentle.too mild.The spillway was open, and Kelly needed him desperately.She made love to him furiously, she had never felt so joyful in her life. As they rested in each other's arms, Kelly said, "You know the list you showed me?" "Know." She said softly, "It can be thrown away." Mark grinned. "I'm such a fool," Kelly said.She hugged Mark and they talked and made love again until they were both exhausted. "I'm going to turn off the lights," Mark said. She tensed up and closed her eyes tightly.She wanted to say no, but when she felt his warm body close to her, protecting her, she finally didn't say it. Mark turned off the light and Kelly opened his eyes. Kelly is no longer afraid of the dark.she-- "Kelly? Kelly!" She woke up from her contemplation, looked up, and went back to the jewelry store on Fifth Avenue in New York, where Joseph Berry was handing her a thick envelope. "Please accept. Twenty thousand dollars, each in one hundred dollar bills, as you requested." It took Kelly a moment to recover her demeanor: "Thank you." Kelly opened the envelope, pulled out $10,000, and handed it to Diana. Diana looked at her in confusion: "What is this?" "Half of you." "What? I can't—" "You can give it back to me later." Kelly shrugged. "If we're still alive. If we're gone, I don't need it. Now let's see if we can get out of here."