Humiliation

Lilibeth

It's been several days since I returned from the hospital, and in all this time, I haven't seen that Charlotte woman again. I asked Mia about her, but she claims she had to leave because of what happened, although truth be told, I doubt that. Still, it puts my mind at ease not having that woman around me. However, I don't want to be an easy target for anyone else who might try the same thing, so I decide to ask Massimo for something during dinner.

“I want to go back to my old rented room.” I address Massimo, and for a moment, I notice that he's surprised that I'm talking to him, since I've completely ignored him since the incident with Charlotte. Talking to him is the last thing I wanted to do, but I truly need something from him.

“You can't go there, you know you can't go back there.” He responds indifferently.

“I need the things I left there, all my clothes and documents. You can't deny me that.” I shout and stand up from my seat.

“One of my men can take you to buy all the clothes you need, and as for your papers, I have them. We'll pick them up a day after you arrived.” I bite my tongue to keep from insulting him for what he did, but I still need to ask him for something else.

“I guess thank you. I need something else; I want you to get me a personal trainer.” I cross my fingers hoping he'll agree. “I think it's the least I deserve for taking care of Alex.” He frowns when I say this and looks at me evaluating my request.

“Why do you need a personal trainer?”

“I want to learn how to defend myself. I don't want what happened last time to happen again, and don't tell me your men will be there to protect me because they were nowhere to be found that day.” I preempt him before he refutes my request by suggesting the latter. “And also, I'd like to defend myself from him and kick his ass,” but if I tell him that, obviously, he'll refuse.

“Well, you're right about that. I'll get you one. Now, continue eating; tomorrow you can go buy what you need.”

“Thank you.” I murmur and continue eating.

The next day, Mia accompanies me, along with Alex (I tried to leave him, but it was impossible; he started crying, and Massimo let me take him with me) and Franco, my new bodyguard, as well as several of his men, whose names I don't know. After many days, I feel free, even if I can only leave this house for a few hours.

We arrive at a shopping center called La Fiumara; the place is huge, and there are several clothing stores, which, by the way, are very expensive. I'm not used to shopping in places like this; when I lived in Mexico, I taught languages and didn't earn much money, so when I'm faced with shop windows like these, I feel a little uncomfortable.

I enter several stores and buy some jeans, sweatshirts, blouses, jackets, and shoes, not to mention sportswear that I'll need in the following days, as well as underwear and sleepwear. I also buy some very nice clothes for Alex; even though he's not my son, this baby is the only thing that keeps me sane after so long of being locked up.

After a few hours here, I decide to look for a place where we can eat and find a place called Fattorie Garafalo. I ask Mia and Franco to sit with me, and I also address the other six men who have come with me to sit and eat, but they refuse, claiming they are on duty. I don't like eating while they just watch; it makes me feel bad, so I tell them it's an order to sit down and order whatever they like. I can see how surprised they are (I must assume no one has done this for them), and without any other objection, they sit at another table near ours to eat.

We finish our meals, and we're almost about to leave the shopping center when two women approach me.

“So, you're Massimo's latest mistress?” One of them shouts, tall, with a good body, dark hair, and light eyes, but the tone she uses is anything but friendly. Her friend just looks at me with hatred.

“That's none of your business. I don't know you, and I don't have to answer to you.” I try to keep walking, but she grabs my arm and pulls me towards her, causing people passing by to stop and watch the scene.

“Do you think by taking care of his son, he'll make you his wife? Dream on, that will never happen. After he beds you, he'll forget about you.” She continues, then throws her drink in my face. I can see Franco next to me wanting to approach this woman and make her pay for what she did. I raise my hand to signal him to stop and not do anything.

“You know what? I don't care about getting into his bed. I'm not as low as you are. And something else, I don't think he'll take you seriously, especially dressed like that, you look like a streetwalker.” I move closer to her and whisper so no one else can hear, “I'm not giving you a slap, which is what you deserve. You're the one who's making a fool of herself with the scene you caused. Meanwhile, I look like a poor woman who's been humiliated by a scorned woman.”

I let go of her arm and continue on my way. In the van, I clean my face and take off the sweater that got dirty. While I tried to keep my head held high all this time, pretending not to care at all, the truth is, I felt humiliated by the treatment I received. The only thing I'm thankful for is that Mia had Alex in her arms; I wouldn't have liked him to get wet because of me. I take him in my lap and hug him to contain the tears.

As soon as we get home, I see that Massimo has visitors, so I'm about to go up to my room to take a shower and change clothes, but the woman with him in the living room stops me, and it's not that she's talking to me, but her question annoys me.

“Donc elle est le nouvelle femme de chambre quoi vous avez embauché pour prendre soin de votre fils?” (So she's the new chambermaid you hired to take care of your son?) She asks. I turn around and stand in front of them, looking at her with a furrowed brow. Now that I see her well, she's the woman I saw with Massimo the first time, and I understand that she may be very beautiful, but she's extremely arrogant. It annoys me that she says all this in front of Mrs. Marion, and even though I know she's saying it because of me, I can see how she looks down on her.

“It's better to be a maid, which is not a bad thing, it's an honorable job. As you can see, they work very hard in this house to not depend on any man, unlike you, who wants an easy life, at the expense of being one of the many women he sleeps with.” I gesture towards Massimo, who looks at me with clenched fists. “Maybe if you agree to take care of his son, you can be his main lover and let me leave this house.” I turn around and quickly run upstairs to my room with Alex in my arms. I don't want the idiot of his father to force me to apologize to that woman. I've had enough humiliation this afternoon to do it in front of this other woman. Before going upstairs, I caught a glimpse of Mrs. Marion smiling at me in approval, and I know that at least I made someone happy with my comment.