Chapter 31 – Alice
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“Don’t worry, Mr. Bianchi.” Lucy’s voice didn’t change that much, but Alice knew her best friend well enough to know that she was trying very hard not to cry “I would never think that.”
“Uh… Millie? Why don’t you go with Massimo inside and start organizing a party with your dolls, just like we always played with Aunt Lucy?” Alice suggested, making her daughter instantly euphoric.
“Come on, Massimo! You can help me prepare the tea party!” She walked over to him, seeming completely oblivious to his intentions of resting, especially when she placed Hoppy on his lap and darted off into the mansion alone, forcing him to follow her.
“I… I confess that he seems friendlier than I imagined, after all those rumors.” Lucy murmured, even when Millie and Massimo were already a good distance away from them And Millie seems to be very close to him. You… You by any chance….”
“No.” Alice quickly denied it, not wanting the subject to go on for even a second “And I will never do that. I don’t think any time will be right.” a
“It’s okay…” Lucy consoled her, just as she had always done, since the day she accompanied her while Alice took her pregnancy test “But, is he still being rude to you two? Do you think you are safe here? I know how Christopher is, but right now he’s traveling more than ever, so if you guys want to stay at my place until we can sell some of my jewelry and find you an apartment…”
“Don’t worry.” Alice hugged her friend, resting her head against her shoulder “I’d be lying if I said it’s been the bed of roses, but… Massimo is hurting inside. Sometimes he explodes and makes me think that the man I was in love with is gone, but… Most of the time, I can see him, like he’s caged and refusing to be released, after what happened in that accident.” She admitted, feeling a little lighter about being able to talk to someone about it “I feel like he’s opening up a little more since Millie convinced him to become her friend. He’s a little less refusing to take his medicine and see the doctor, even though he hasn’t agreed to physical therapy yet, but… It’s still painful… Seeing them getting so close like that.”
“Are you sure you’re going to be okay, here?” Lucy questioned again, worried “I mean, if he is willing to take care of his health… Then he will soon recover and it is impossible to know how exactly the marriage between you will end…”
“Yes, I’ve thought about that too. But, I’ve been through so many worse things before. I’ll be able to handle the end of this marriage too, no matter how it happens.” Alice stated, although not even she herself was sure “Now, I want to know about you. And what that jerk did to make you upset again.”
“Why am I not surprised that you noticed…?“. Lucy whined, her bottom lip quivering “You always know.”
“It’s another woman again, isn’t it?” she growled, still feeling like punching Christopher since the last time one of hi
mistress had discovered Lucy’s phone number and started
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sending her dismissive messages.
“Yes… But not like other times.” Lucy sniffled, her eyes filling with tears “Damn, I don’t even know why I’m crying. I always knew it would be a terrible marriage from the day my parents said I had no choice but to marry his business partners‘ son, but… Now it’s different. I’m not like this just because I feel humiliated and rubbish, like other times, but… I’m really scared that he’s going to end the marriage this time, and my parents are going to want me to drag myself at his feet to prevent this from happening”
“Why do you think that? I mean, Christopher is an idiot in many ways, but I doubt he would have the courage to face his parents‘ anger because of a simple mistress…”
“Not if that woman is a millionaire.” Lucy revealed, causing Alice’s eyes to widen “I guess the only silver lining is that finally the talk of the party has stopped being your marriage to Massimo and has become Mr. Griffin’s return from Japan. Most of the patriarchs speak ill of him behind his back, but they are more than interested in his money and his technology empire. But, he brought with him a partner who intends to find some more partners to establish a headquarters here, and…” she sniffed “And I don’t even know that she’s reciprocating Christopher’s flirtations, but I heard him talking to friends a few weeks ago. Her name is Ruby Bennett and he clearly said that, if she accepts him, he would plant false evidence to end the marriage and leave me with nothing, which would be my parents‘ worst nightmare. I’ve never heard him talk about a woman the way he talks about her and… I… I have to agree. I saw her at the last party I went to. And she is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life.” Lucy blushed, embarrassed.
“That bastard…” Alice growled, enraged “And, do you think there’s any chance she’ll reciprocate? I’ve never seen Mr. Griffin before, but everyone says he’s a genius, but also a pretty sensible man. I don’t think he would have a partner on his side who would have an affair with any man and stop doing her job, right?”
“I… I don’t know. We both exchanged a few words and she seemed extremely intelligent and interesting, but…” Lucy blushed more than ever “I don’t know. I… I can’t imagine what kind of men she likes.”
“Listen, if she really is smart, then the last man in the world she will want to get involved with is your husband.” Alice sighed, hating to see her best friend sad like that “But, you know what? If one day you wake up and realize that that son of a bitch has completely crossed the limits of your patience… Millie and I can convince Massimo to allow you to stay here. It would be the last place Christopher and your parents would look for you to try to force you to get back together with him…”
“No. I don’t want to risk destroying everything you managed to do here.” Lucy abandoned the idea easily “I… I’ll be fine, I promise. Christopher has done so many worse things to me during these three years of marriage… Even though he and Stra. Bennett ends up having something, hopefully it won’t go too far, like all his other lovers. This way, my parents will continue to be happy and continue to leave me alone. But please, let’s forget about that, okay? I just want to enjoy seeing my best friend finally.” She leaned her head against Alice’s “So, please, let’s go inside and play with Millie for a bit. I miss you two too much to waste our time together
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Chapter 31–Alice
talking about Christopher.”
