Lucia
“Here, he sent this for you. He wants you to meet him in an hour,” Estelle informs me with a tight-lipped smile.
She holds out a large bag from the Dior couture. My eyes widen as I take it. I’ve never had anything from Dior before.
I don’t know what this is, and I didn’t know I was going to be going out tonight.
“I’m going out to meet him?” I check.
Her brows knit together. “Apparently.”
“Where does he want me to meet him?”
“At work. Marcello will be ready in half an hour. I suggest you get ready. The traffic at this time can be quite bad.”
“What about Mia?” It’s not time to finish working yet. We were about to sit down for dinner.
“I will take care of her.” She juts out her chin, and her dark eyes stare a hole into me. “Alejandro thought it would be a nice touch for me to spend my next two nights with her. I’m sure that will give him more time with you.”
Since that night weeks ago, she’s kept her opinions to herself. I’m sure Alejandro spoke to her like he said he would, and she wouldn’t have liked anything he said.
Her displeasure has been clear in the amplified looks of revulsion she gives me every chance she gets. Like now.
It’s the last Friday of the month, and she leaves in two days. I guess she had to take one last dig at me by making some snide remark.
They all know I’m sleeping with Alejandro, and while he might not care, I’m here during the days with Mia, getting all the hushed whispers and looks of curiosity. It’s only Marcello who’s nice to me.
As with every time Estelle is rude to me, I ignore her. She’s minuscule in comparison to my worries.
How can I worry about this woman’s revulsion toward me when I haven’t seen my father in over a month in a few days? I’m screaming inside for someone to help me find a way to save him and myself, so I don’t have time to pay attention to her shit, especially not when she’ll be out of the picture in two days’ time.
“I’ll get go ready,” is all I say and give Mia a kiss on her forehead before leaving the dining room.
Mia is so absorbed in the new cheesy pasta I got for her that she doesn’t fuss for me to sit with her like she usually does.
When I get up to my room and open the Dior bag, my jaw hits the floor.
Alejandro bought me the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen in my life.
It’s light pink with a slight shimmer to the silky material. The bodice is strapless and has a slight gather to it that oozes style. A flowing A-line skirt that should catch my knees adds more character, and I imagine some runway model wearing it at this season’s Fashion Week.
“My God,” I mutter, holding it up.
I can’t believe he got this for me and he wants me to wear it tonight. Where are we going?
I look inside the bag again and reach for the shoe box. Inside are a pair of diamante pumps to die for.
I feel like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman or, maybe like Cinderella.
I smile at the beautiful gifts I’ve been given. As soon as the smile registers, though, it disappears when I remember I’m still stuck in a dark fairytale and my prince is the one who needs saving from me.
Today’s call from Red was just as awful as every other week I’ve reported to him. He keep pushing me and pushing me. When I push back, he threatens Dad.
I don’t have anything more to tell than I already have, and I understand the frustration.
In the same breath, I’ve had to force him from my mind to focus and stick to my own plan of acting normal.
The problem with that plan is that acting normal opens my heart.