He backhanded her so hard she fell to the floor. The puppy barked at him a few times, before moving next to her. She looked up at him, holding the side of her cheek.

"You always did know just how to hurt me," he said, coldly looking down at her.

"You're lying," she retorted sternly.

"To be transparent, you left me before we could get our marriage certificate. But we exchanged vows. Vows which you immediately broke."

She sighed in relief, trying to hide her reaction from him. If there was any truth to what he was saying, at least they weren't legally married.

"I guess you really did think marrying me would be so bad." The anger was clear in his voice.

Understatement of the year, she thought. However, things still weren't adding up.

"I'm guessing this happened during the years I don't remember after my accident?"

"Yes," he replied. "Four years ago."

"Now I know you're lying. Four years ago you were in Vancouver at University and I was in Michigan getting my bachelor's degree. When would we have time to date, let alone get engaged?"

Mila was certain she could catch him in a lie and prove his story false.

"We met in Paris four years ago at one of Salvadore's exhibit premieres. You've always been a sucker for his work. It's how I knew he'd make a great guest at the opera." He said. "Anyways, it must have been fate, because we both ended up flying to Europe to attend the same party." He sounded reminiscent.

"Paris?" She was confused. "I've never been to Paris."

"Yes, you have. We met in Paris at the exhibit and continued seeing each other months after, until we decided to get married."

"Did you hear me?" she said loudly. "I've never been to Paris, and if I had there would have been pictures, passport stamps, Facebook posts. Something!"

"That's what your friends and family would like you to believe," he said. "They never liked me much. Thought I was a bad influence. I can imagine they were grateful to have me out of your life after the accident. Better for me to have never existed."

He handed her a black and white photo.

Printed at the top of the photo were the words, "Galerie de l' avenir - Paris." Below it stood Alec, Salvadore, and an older man and woman she guessed were his parents.

"So," she said. "What does this prove?"

"Look closer."

Mila searched the photo more carefully. In the slightly grainy background, she saw herself. Her arms were crossed in a shawl, as she watched the group get their picture taken.

She was floored. "How? This... can't be real. This is a trick, it has to be a trick."

The evidence was proving otherwise.

*****

Alec Laurent remembered the first time he laid eyes on Mila Black. It was four years ago at Salvadore Clement's first and last winter premiere in Paris.

Art, sex, and love were the only things Parisians went out for in the winter, and Salvadore's latest exhibit, Discontent, promised all three. It explored what Salva described as 'The metaphysical dilemmas of being human,' and had attracted a diverse and international crowd. Guests who braved the cold huddled around the gallery fireplace, drinking in excess to stay warm.

"It's really wonderful," Alec paid his obligatory respects to Salva, who was rocking a bright orange suit and looking around nervously.

"You ok Salva?" He asked, curious why the typically poised man was so fidgety.

"Oh, yes," Salva replied. "Just waiting for someone."

Between Alec's jet lag and cocaine-free flight, he was too miserable to enjoy the party. His mother, who was living in their Paris flat with his father, had convinced/threatened him to leave school in Vancouver to attend the show. It was winter break, and Celine wanted to see him face-to-face, worried about him having a drug relapse.

"Please excuse me," he said, making his way to the bathroom.

It was all getting to be too much for him and he needed a boost. He couldn't pretend to be the 'perfect son' tonight. Before he boarded his flight to Paris, he found out he was failing out of school.

It was already bad enough he was one of the oldest students in the program. Getting kicked out would be detrimental to his financial future, and embarrass the family. If he got kicked out his parents would never allow him his inheritance money.

He removed the little bag of white powder from his pocket and laid out a couple lines on the sink's surface. It was a public bathroom, but it was Paris and nobody really cared. He took out his lucky two-dollar-bill and snorted the first line.

He felt much better as the rush hit his system. When he was about to take another hit, someone entering the bathroom bumped into him. Alec looked down at his ruined line and spilled powder on the floor.

"Sorry," the guy said, with a slightly judgemental look.

"Watch where you're going," Alec replied, as the man continued into one of the stalls.

Collecting the leftover contents of his bag, he snorted what he could restore off the floor. Fixing his hair in the mirror, he glanced at himself one last time before walking back into the party.

That's when he saw her. A girl standing alone in front of a painting. The spotlight from the painting hit her in such a way, she looked angelic. Her black dress contrasted the colors of the painting and the brick wall it hung on.

Despite his mother's efforts, Alec wasn't fluent in French. But he never let a language barrier stop him from 'getting to know' a woman.

"You like this piece?" He asked standing next to her.

" I do," she replied without looking at him. She adjusted her shawl to cover more of her shoulders.

"You're American?" He was surprised she didn't have a French accent.

"Brazilian-American," she replied with a hint of pride.

Her smile was...he didn't have words. He shook off his reaction and continued hitting on her.

"If you'd like to keep me company after the show, I can guarantee you a meeting with the artist. Salva is a family friend."

She turned and looked at him, her green eyes analyzing him head to toe. Alec was great at getting women, it was one of his favorite pastimes.

"Wow! Really?" She said excitedly. "You would do that for me?"

"For you...of course." He smiled at her with a cocky grin, certain he'd hooked her.

"No thanks!" Her smile fell, and she walked away.

By the time he was aware of her rejection, she had already gone. Disappearing through the many groups of people in the room. He navigated between them until he found her in front of another painting.

"Come on!" He said, "Don't leave me all alone tonight! I'm only in town for the week and could use the company."

She didn't break stride as she continued touring the exhibit.

"Let's assume I'm not insulted you thought I'd sleep with you for an artist introduction." she said. "But it's snowing enough outside, it doesn't need to in here as well."

He was shocked she knew he was high, and recently bumped cocaine.

"You party?" he asked excitedly. "I'm happy to share."

"I don't party like that."

Stunned she denied him again, he continued following her until they were at the painting where they originally met.

"Look, I'm sorry I came at you like that..." He held out his hand to her.

"Mila," she said shaking it. "Mila Black."

"Alec Laurent," he replied. "Nice to meet you Mila Black. Look, I'd love to take you out for a real date tomorrow if you're free. I'm happy to introduce you to Salva during exhibit hours."

He knew this girl would be hard to get, so he decided to play nice.

"Alec!" His mother called him. "Salva wants to get a photo with us, come on." She motioned for him to join them.

"Just think about it," he said, walking backward. "Stay here, I'll be back."

He joined his parents and Salva for photos and the photographer took a few shots from different angles. By the time they finished it was a couple minutes later.

When he looked for her behind him, he didn't see her. He searched the gallery and outside on the snow-covered street, but she was gone.

*****

As he looked at Mila now, it was hard to think of her as the same person from before.

"If you still don't believe me, why don't you call your mom and ask her," he replied. "See what she says."

He held out her cell phone. She took it and stood up from the floor.

"You can only ask her the one question," he said. "No funny business. Tell her you found a photo of you at a French gallery online."

Her heart beat steadily as she fumbled the photograph between her fingers, waiting for her mother to pick up the phone.

"Mila Black!" her mother yelled. "I've been calling and texting you for days and you haven't picked up. There is no excuse! How am I supposed to know whether or not you're alive!"

Despite her tone, Mila took a moment to enjoy hearing her mother on the line.

"I'm really sorry mom," she replied. "I just needed some time."

"Why did you break up with Evan? I liked him, he's a nice boy Mila."

"Mom," she interrupted. "I really need you to not talk about Evan if you want to continue this conversation."

"Alright."

"Mom, I need to ask you something," she said slowly. "Have I ever been to Paris?"

Melia took a deep breath and paused for a few seconds. Mila could tell she was obviously caught off guard by the question.

"Why are you asking me this?" she said in her softly. Her tone immediately alerted Mila. She never spoke softly unless she was backed into a corner, and her reaction said everything.

"Mention the photo." Alec mouthed.

"I found a photo of me at a French gallery online, mom," she replied.

Melia's tone lightened up. "Oh, I think you may have visited once while you were in school during winter break, but it must have slipped my mind."

She was lying, Mila thought to herself. She didn't want to hear anymore of her mother's lies.

"Mom, I've got to go," she said, cutting the conversation short. Her mind raced with questions. If her parents and friends could lie to her about something this big, what else could she have missed?

"Believe me now?" he said. "You're not as innocent in all this as you might think."

She looked at the picture again, still processing what it meant.

"You left me, and broke my heart," he said. 

Before she could react, he grabbed her hand and forced the ring back onto her finger. He embraced her, kissing her lustfully.

"And now, sunshine, you're going to make it up to me."

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Don't forget to vote ;-P

So, this was a fun chapter to write, and probably the most important I've written so far. It will come back into play later, so I hope you were paying attention :-) Next update will have more Alec and Mila time. Happy Friday, and don't forget to vote, comment, and add this story to your PUBLIC reading list.