New Attempt
Rachel
What a hectic day! Besides all the confusion involving Thompson and the intricate revelations of the past that continued to surface in our lives, now there was this additional element, also classified as part of the "past." However, this time, it was Enrico's past, not my family's.
I had just answered the house phone, where one of the doormen informed me that Dorothy, Enrico's mother and Joseph's ex-wife, wanted to speak to her son. In a reckless impulse, instead of checking with him if he was willing to see her, I simply asked them to let her in, stating that I would receive her in the living room.
After ending the call, I looked at the closed bathroom door, feeling uncertain about what to do next. To be very honest, I wasn't even sure if I had taken the right action, after all, Enrico and I hadn't discussed that delicate matter further.
Our time together had been so brief until now, especially when we were all focused on the conversation Ryan and Kael would have with Thompson. Now, however, that matter was in the hands of justice, and we just needed to wait for it to be truly served.
At least we were all confident in that, especially after Ryan personally came to tell us all the events of that morning. We were extremely surprised that Thompson had still tried to flee. Luckily, he was stopped by the police because Kael and Ryan had someone watching him twenty-four hours a day, who alerted them to his intention to escape.
There wasn't much more to do than wait for the developments and carry on with our lives. The evidence had already been gathered, and now the American justice system would do its job.
Right now, I had something urgent to decide, which made me look uncertainly at the bathroom door once again. However, I quickly concluded it was better to go downstairs and receive this visitor at once.
Besides the mansion's staff, it's just Enrico and me at home, as Lindsay went out with Joseph for an appointment. However, they should be returning soon, and considering how he reacted last time his ex-wife was here, it would be better to act quickly and ask her to leave.
I didn't want any more disruptions in our family. Everything that had happened in the past few days was enough, and Enrico had made it clear to Dorothy that he had no intention of staying in touch with her. She just needed to accept that now.
With a bad feeling in my stomach, almost like an unpleasant premonition, I walked down the hallway. When I entered the room where Enrico's mother awaited me, she wasn't sitting as expected. Dorothy was pacing back and forth, looking quite anxious, and I didn't like the haughty manner in which she seemed to do so.
"Hello," I said, clearing my throat to announce my presence. "Dorothy, isn't it? Can I help you with something?"
The moment she heard my voice, she froze in place, her face displaying displeasure.
"Where is Enrico?" she asked in a condescending tone. "I came here to talk to my son, not to you."
I didn't expect such rude treatment and took a moment to absorb what had just happened in that room, and consequently, to formulate a response worthy of that unwarranted insult.
"I believe you wouldn't know, after all, you haven't been part of your son's life for..." I added a mocking tone now, I confess, "many years. But let me introduce myself nonetheless. I'm Rachel Mitchell, Enrico's fiancée. We're getting married soon."
I never imagined I would feel such emotion just saying that out loud, but that was exactly the feeling that overwhelmed me at the thought that, in a few weeks, I would be married to the man I fell in love with from the moment I first saw him. I was so lost in those feelings that I even forgot I was practically in an argument at that moment.
"What!? I was here just a week ago, and Enrico had no fiancée."
Dorothy not only countered my words arrogantly but also gave me a very analytical look, as if searching for something. Her attention focused on a specific point, namely my belly, which already showed a slight bulge. This focus made her furrow her brow with an expression of disdain.
"Don't tell me you're pregnant!" she accused, making me shrink back. "I can't believe my son would fall for such an old trick!"
"You have no right to come here and speak to me like this!" I said, entirely on the defensive, hating the almost pleading tone in my voice. "I won't accept you talking to me like..."
"Oh, you don't have to accept anything, girl," Dorothy interrupted with even more disdain. "I can recognize a gold-digger just by looking at her. And it's pretty clear that's what you are. Don't come at me with theatrics, because I'm not falling for your act."
I couldn't believe what was happening. I didn't even know what to say, as I never expected something like this when agreeing to meet Enrico's mother.
My intention was simply to politely express that it wasn't appropriate to seek out Enrico in this manner and to suggest finding other ways to approach him, as coming to Joseph's house would only cause more problems for everyone.
Now, I was speechless in the face of the accusations, and it was terrible! I tried to open my mouth several times to retort, but I didn't feel in control of my impulses. It was so strange!
"I want you to leave right now," I said, after a few seconds of deafening silence. "I'll have someone escort you to the door."
"I don't intend to leave here without talking to my son first."
The way Dorothy expressed her words left no doubt that she intended to do exactly what she was threatening, but I needed to take control of the situation.
"What's going on here?"
I never imagined that hearing Enrico's voice would one day be able to save me, but that's exactly what happened. At that moment, I felt a sharp pain in my stomach, and I had learned in the worst possible way that this was a bad sign.
"Son!" Dorothy spoke in a tone completely different from what she had used until then, something close to a plea. "I really wanted to see you, my son."
Dorothy walked over to where Enrico was standing, now in the middle of the room. Her hands tried to pull him into a hug, but he remained like a statue. She let go of him, looking sad and defeated. After witnessing her skills in action, I could assure anyone that she was putting on a very convincing performance, much like she accused me of doing.
"I've made it clear to you that there's no reason for us to have closer contact after all these years," Enrico said impassively. "I've also made it very clear that you shouldn't come to my father's house, Dorothy."
Enrico spoke harshly, and some might say he was being cruel, but after witnessing how deceptive his mother was, I wouldn't accuse my fiancé of such a thing. He was just acting as the situation demanded. And I could attest that he was still being very lenient.
"I need to discuss something very important with you, son," she insisted. "I promise I'll be brief."
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