CHAPTER 14: SELENE AGNELLI

Cullan talks to Father Fabian, Alynna's uncle, and asks for the priest's help to find his true love. Will Father Fabian help him?

Chapter 14: Selene Agnelli

 

Cullan stopped in front of the Santuario della Madonna del Divino Amore Parish Church. The church looks a bit more modern compared to the old churches in Rome, but it has maintained its holy air. The yellow-orange color of the walls is striking especially under the rays of the sun, and there is a statue of the Virgin Mary at the apex of the triangular roof. The statue is at the same level with the church bells, as the belfry is directly attached to the church.

Cullan walked from his car to the church, his leather shoes producing clicking sounds on the brick path. Few people come in and out of the church, as it was only 2 PM. Cullan strolled around, thinking: This peaceful place is where she grew up.

“Posso aiutarla? May I help you?” a clergyman asked Cullan politely. Cullan looked at him, and instantly knew that this could only be Father Fabian. His resemblance with Marcus was so evident, although Father Fabian is bald and a little thin. It must be due to the chemotherapy, Cullan thought.

“Good afternoon. I am looking for Father Fabian.”

“I am Father Fabian. What can I do for you?” the kind-looking priest said. Cullan moved closer.

“My name is Cullan Rothschild. May we talk, Father?”

Father Fabian was shocked. How can he not recognize his niece’s husband? He saw their wedding pictures before; he should have known that this very handsome and rich-looking man is the same man who took care of Alynna in US. Father Fabian coughed.

“Ahem…if you are looking for Alynna, I am sorry to say that she is not here.”

“I know that she is not here, Father. I just want to talk to you for a moment. Please.” Cullan insisted politely. The priest took pity on the man. The shadows under his eyes are proof that he is not even getting enough sleep.

“Please come inside.” Father Fabian finally said. Cullan nodded and followed the old man into the church, where they went to his little office. Father Fabian sat behind the desk, while Cullan occupied one of the wooden chairs in front of the priest. On the far side of the wall, Cullan saw a picture of Father Fabian and Alynna, taken when she graduated from college.

Father Fabian watched Cullan staring at his niece’s picture, and anyone can clearly see how much he loves her just by the look in his eyes.

“I understand that my niece left you. This must be very hard on your part.” Father Fabian began. Cullan nodded.

“Indeed, this is very hard for me, Father. Your niece killed me when she left me that morning.”

“I’m very sorry, child.”

Cullan wanted to know Alynna’s whereabouts through her uncle, but the kindness in his eyes, and his genuine concern, made him open himself up. He did not care; it was almost as if he is making a confession.

“I loved her when I met her. She gave me everything money could not buy. She showed me how to be happy…but then she also showed me how to have my heart broken into pieces. I honestly hoped that one day, she will forget her dream of being a nun and choose to stay with me for the rest of her life. Your niece showed me she loves me. But then, she never did.”

Father Fabian listened intently. Here is a man with a wounded soul, and what could an old man do for him?

“I had searched for her, but no record of a novice nun named Alynna Hall entered any convent. I even had her travel records tracked, and they said she never left Italy. Even the list of the names of the people hired for work, yet…yet I could not find her! I want to see her, so I can tell her how much she ruined my life.”

“You mean you want to see her so you can ask her to come back.”

Cullan looked into the old priest’s eyes. He might have been sick with cancer before, but he realized that this is a man who never lost in his fight with death, who may be bald right now, but was never diminished. He had never lost his sharpness and ability to know what the other person truly felt.

“Father…”

“Let me get some points straight, child. My niece, Alynna, had truly loved you. I bet she still does, until now. I am just wondering why you did not marry her again, for real, when she already asked for my blessing-”

“What? What are you talking about, Father?”

“You do not know? Alynna called, just weeks before she came home, and told me she does not want to be a nun anymore, that she has decided to spend the rest of her life with you. She never said it, but I know that she loves you very much. She wanted to marry you again…a real marriage rooted on real love.”

Cullan’s head was in havoc. Alynna planned to be married to him again? After all this time, she had given up on her dream for him?

“Then why the hell did she leave? I would have married her in all the churches she wants if she had just told me!” Cullan asked, forgetting not to swear. Father Fabian ignored it. He understood just how frustrated his niece’s husband must be.

“From what she told us, her sister Bella wanted you for herself, is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“And Alynna tried to help her by giving her a chance with you, isn’t?”

“Yes, she did.”

“Did you know that it was all planned by Marcus? Contrary to what the audited company reports reflected, Hall Enterprise was not only drowning in debts. After you had paid for the company’s debts, Marcus had the now-stable Hall Enterprise placed as collateral to a big Chinese money-lending corporation because he wanted to open up another giant enterprise that would merge with the DeWitt Group.”

“DeWitt Group? But that company is the Rothschild’s number one business rival!” Cullan exclaimed.

“Yes, and it was all what Marcus planned. He wanted to merge with the two biggest companies in US to gain more power. Of course, he knew that once you discover that he is merging with your rival, his grand scheme will fail, and he cannot use the Hall Enterprise to merge with the DeWitt Group as it was already merged to the Rothschild International Corporation. Thus, he needed another company to merge with the DeWitts. But funds are low and he needed more money. He intended to use Alynna to get all the money he needed from you, but he realized that Alynna will never do it.

So he tried to have Bella replace Alynna as your wife, because Bella willingly agreed to do the plan, added to the fact that the girl is obsessed with you. She played like a lovesick, suicidal sister so Alynna will divorce you. Alynna nearly fell for Bella’s drama, but then she realized that she couldn’t give up on you. She fought for your marriage, even fighting with Isidore in the process. She would never have clashed with her stepmother before.

Alynna tried to keep your marriage afloat, but when she discovered Marcus’ whole plan, she thought that the only way to keep you out of Marcus’ evil plans is to cut all the ties that link you to the Hall family. She knew that her parents will never stop harassing her, and they will not stop until Bella successfully replaces her as your wife. She cannot take the risk. She cannot place you in jeopardy. As long as she is your wife, they will never stop trying to use her against you.”

Cullan was silent. How didn’t he know that his wife had been suffering all this time? No wonder she looked down during the last weeks of her stay with him; she was forced to protect him and forsake her family in the process. And what did he do to repay her? Cullan remembered the cold treatment he gave her. How can he be so stupid and insensitive?

“How did she…how did she know of his father’s plan?” Cullan asked.

“It was her brother, Rhys Hall, who told her everything. Rhys discovered the family’s plan, and he was good enough to warn Alynna beforehand. Alynna told Isidore that she cannot help Bella, though she realized that her family will ruin you even if she refuses to be used for their plans. She was so ashamed of her family and feared for your safety. She did only what she knew will be the best for you. By leaving you, she ensured that her parents lost their backdoor connection to you. Of course, Alynna must be smart enough to warn you not to have Bella.” Father Fabian said.

“Yes, she did warn me.” Cullan answered, remembering what Alynna said on her last letter: Not my sister.

“She should have told me the whole truth. I could have stopped them from doing this to her. I could have stopped her sufferings!” Cullan blurted out. Father Fabian looked at him pitifully.

“You should know, dear child, that no matter what they did, they will always be her family. What would you do if you discover the truth? Put her family to jail? Ruin them in shame? Do you think that Alynna will let that happen?” Father Fabian asked. Cullan was silenced. Knowing Alynna, she will protect them even if she meant nothing to them. Cullan swore. He failed to protect the woman he loves. Instead, it was she who protected him.

“Also child, you will never find her name in the novices, because she did not enter the convent even when she left you.”

“Where is she? Where is Alynna?!” Cullan asked emotionally, his eyes teary with anger to himself. Why did he even judge Alynna before knowing the details?

“You might want to search for Selene Agnelli instead.”

“Who is-”

“If you want to have your wife back, find Selene Agnelli.” Father Fabian said with a smile, cutting Cullan off. The priest went out from his office, leaving Cullan perplexed. After recovering from his surprise on everything he discovered, Cullan called Secretary Wood.

“Secretary Wood, look for Selene Agnelli.”

Author's Note

Thank you for reviewing Marrying A Wannabe Nun! All reviews, feedback, and suggestions are welcome, although I am requesting that your review be published after finishing my book. Marrying A Wannabe Nun is on Goodreads too, if you want to drop by and post your review.