Chapter 20
??? Next Morning???
Very early in the morning, the maids rushed in and prepared a warm bath for Rosana. Carmencita had instructed them to take care of her because she was still sick and couldn’t take care of herself.
“Your bath is ready, My Lady!” One of the maids announced and she sat up on the bed, rubbing her eyes. She couldn’t sleep the whole night because she kept having nightmares.
She only pretended to sleep so that Carmencita would go and have some rest too. No matter how much assurance she gave to her, she wouldn’t go away. The older woman had been determined to stay with her until she fell asleep.
Rosana got down from the bed and slowly walked into the bathroom to meet Viola waiting for her. Everything had been prepared for her bath. She just had to strip and Viola would wash her hair and body.
“You do not have to…”
“You are still weak, My Lady. Please, let me take care of you” She sighed and gently took off her nightgown. Then she got into the bathtub and sat as Viola got to work.
Rosana sat in front of the mirror after her body was taken care of. The next was her hair and the maids took time in styling it perfectly. They applied light makeup on her face to conceal the dark circles under her eyes and to brighten her face. But it couldn’t change the sad look in her eyes.
What was the need of wearing make-up when all she’d do is stay inside the room? She asked herself. Before, she’d wear light make-up whenever she was heading out to the office, or the cinema, or on a date with…
She closed her eyes and shook her head, clearing out the thought as quickly as they came. There’s no way she was going back there. She had finally decided to give up and also bury them. She had decided to move on and forget them like it never happened.
“We are done, My Lady!” One of the maids announced.
Rosana nodded and without glancing at the mirror, she stood up and walked toward the wardrobe in search of what to wear. She picked out a black gown and went ahead to choose matching gold accessories.
When she was done dressing up, she went and sat down on the bed. “Breakfast, please.”
“I am sorry but you will be having your breakfast at the dining room”
No, she wouldn’t go there. She didn’t want to step outside or see anyone else. She just wanted to stay inside the room.
“I do not want to.”Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.
“The Don is waiting for you” She blanched on hearing that and her heart stopped in her chest. The… The Don?… Sergio was waiting for her?!?
Her breath hitched in her throat, her heart racing. She was terrified even when he wasn’t near her. “I… I…”
She had turned white already and Viola was afraid she might pass out. She quickly rushed over to the table and poured a glass of water for her. “Have a drink, My Lady”
Rosana got the glass with a trembling hand and took two hard gulps of water before returning it to Viola. The latter rushed over to the table and dropped the glass off. Then she returned to stand beside the bed.
“I could inform him that you are sick, My Lady…”
“No!” She blurted out and stood up from the bed. “No, you cannot do that. He will… He will punish me. Get my shoes”
Viola nodded and dashed off to find a pair of shoes that would match her dress. When she returned, she helped her to put them on.
“I… I can do this!” She kept assuring herself as she walked out of the room.
?????
Sergio looked up at the frightened figure, standing at the other end of the dining table. She seemed lost and he watched her fidget nervously with her fingers while looking at the different seats, contemplating where to sit down.
She didn’t try to look up at him as she avoided his gaze at all costs. Now, where does she sit? She kept asking herself. If she sat at the other end of the table, directly opposite him, she might melt from his intense gaze. And the last thing she needed was to make him angry. Taking a deep breath, she finally decided to take the seat on the left side of the table. Just beside him.
“Good morning!” She greeted, her voice raspy and laced with fear.
Sergio didn’t reply. Instead, he kept staring at her like he was seeing her for the first time. Her slender brows stood above velvety long lashes. She had a dainty nose and pouting pink lips which she dragged between her teeth whenever she was nervous. And despite the sadness in her blue eyes, her beauty was breathtaking.
Why was he looking at her like that? Rosana wondered as fear trip-hammered through her heart. Her breath caught in her throat and her steady hands began to tremble. A voice in her head started screaming for her to run but she couldn’t make a move. It suddenly felt like she was glued to the spot.
Sergio looked at the small distance between them and moved his hand under her chair. That action alone nearly caused her spirit to jump out of her body.
“Relax, Bambolina, I am not going to hurt you”
Her stomach clenched on hearing his deep voice and her heart started pounding violently. Slowly, he dragged her seat closer to his and she gulped hard. It didn’t help matters that his masculine scent wafted past her nostril, leaving a trail of shivers running down her spine.
“Let’s eat!” Munika walked out of her room, humming her favorite song. She was in a good mood and everyone could tell because of the smile on her face. Vicenta got out of her room just in time and they started walking toward the dining room together.
She was also excited about how everything had turned out. That b*tch named Roslie or Rosebud or whatever was finally gone and she could now have Sergio all to herself once again. She couldn’t wait to carry his seed. Oh, she just couldn’t wait.
“I am not so happy. My happiness can only be complete once you are carrying my grandchild”
Munika’s smile was the first to disappear as she halted at once. Vicenta looked up and instantly turned pale as all the blood vanished from her face. She turned to look at Munika who was now standing with her mouth wide open and her eyes dilated in shock. Surely, they had not expected this.
They couldn’t even understand.
Was this real? How could it be possible? Munika wondered, still staring at the couple with wide eyes. They were eating quietly. The only sound that could be heard was their cutleries hitting the ceramic plates.
Vicenta turned immediately and walked away. How could she still be alive? Munika had said… She paused and huffed. That old w*tch! She had deceived her. But when she remembered the shocked look on her face, she immediately concluded that Munika must’ve gotten it all wrong.
The w*tch was growing older and could be having problems with her ears. And why would she even believe what had been said without getting any proof? Oh, damn that stupid old woman. She had gotten her hopes raised for nothing.
Back in the dining room, Sergio sensed a presence at the doorway and looked up immediately to see his mother staring at them. He then turned to Rosana who was eating in tiny bits. She still looked frightened and wouldn’t look at him.
“Do I need to feed you, Bambolina?”
She shook her head. “No!”
When he dropped his lousily cutleries on his plate, she nearly jumped from her seat. “Look at me!”
She bit her lower lips and begged silently. “Please…”
“Cazzo guardami, Rosana!” [F*cking look at me, Rosana!] He ordered, his deep Italian accent dripping out of every word.
That was the second time he was calling her by her real name and both times, he was angry. But why does it make her insides squirm, hearing her name from his lips? The thought of that made her shiver as she finally forced herself to look at him.
“Stop biting your lips or I will be forced to do it for you” She gulped and released her lower lips between her teeth. What now? She wondered.
His eyes were dark and cold, it caused shivers down her spine. So instead of staring into them, she decided to look up at his inky dark hair. It was perfectly styled, giving him a killer look.
From his hair, she skipped his eyes and stared down at his incredibly well-defined jaw. He was so hot. So dangerously handsome in different ways.
Her eyes roamed to his pink plump lips. They looked tempting and so… Inviting, Rosana thought. He was a smoker and should have darkened lips from years of puffing smoke, yet they looked seductive. Irresistible and clean.
She didn’t realize she had been drooling until he moved closer and asked. “Why stare at it when you can just kiss it, hmm?”
He was so close, his hot breath fanned her face. Her body started reacting to him instinctively and she fought hard to remain in control. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t even look at him without remembering how hard he had made her c? m on his fingers over and over again.
“I… I should go!” She mumbled and tried to stand up but she couldn’t. Her body was against her once again. It betrayed her.
“Then what are you waiting for?”
She shuddered and squeezed her eyes shut. Damn her body for reacting so badly to his voice. Damn him, damn his masculine scent that slowly hypnotized her, damn his closeness, damn his lips she wanted to taste so badly, damn everything.
Just when she was about to make a move and kiss him, he pulled away and picked up his cutleries. “Eat!”
Her eyes snapped open and she glared at him. Eat? Was he seriously asking her to eat after setting her soul on fire? Her n? pples were already so hard like tiny rocks, they started hurting. And her underthings were a pooling mess. Now he was asking her to eat? She screamed in her head.
Damn him! No, damn him even more!
All this while, Munika stood staring at them with a heart filled with hatred.