I'm not someone who gets intimidated

It's been two days since I brought this woman to the hospital with Carlo, my personal doctor. He has been taking care of her all this time, and now she is doing well. On the first day, when she didn't wake up, I got really scared, but it turns out it was because of how weak she was. As soon as she woke up, she asked for Alexandre. She didn't even thank me for saving her, and she hasn't spoken to me at all during this time. She is discharged from the hospital, and once we're back at my house, I carry her to her room.

"I'm not going to thank you. It's your fault. If you had let me go, I wouldn't be like this." She says, shooting me a cold look, then turns away from me, which immediately makes me frown.

Lilibeth

The next day, I was awakened by a girl named Mia who had been hired to be my personal servant, although I believe they actually want someone to watch me all the time. She asked me to come down for breakfast, but since I didn't have any clothes —firstly because the ones I had were left in the room I used to rent, and secondly, I had lost weight due to my hunger strike— I decided to go downstairs in my pajamas, which consisted of satin pants and a blouse, and I put on a robe over them.

As soon as I went down for breakfast, I noticed Massimo giving me a disapproving look at my attire. He was impeccably dressed in a tailor-made navy blue suit with a white shirt and a tie matching his suit. I ignored him and directed my gaze towards the little Alex, as I called him.

"My beautiful Alex, you look even cuter than usual today." I said, giving him a tender kiss before sitting next to him to finish feeding him. Then, another girl entered the room, giving me a dirty look as she placed my plate in front of me. I tried to recall where I had seen her before, but couldn't place her until she was about to leave for the kitchen, and then I recognized her.

I quickly rise from my seat, catching a glimpse out of the corner of my eye as Massimo is about to reprimand me for not eating and skipping the meal. I grab my utensil and hurl myself at this girl, knocking her to the floor as she tries to get up. I sit on top of her, pinning her arms with my legs, but this proves difficult as she is taller and heavier than me. Still, I muster strength from wherever I can to keep her restrained beneath me.

“Damn it, Lilibeth! What do you intend to do now? Leave Charlotte alone!” I hear Massimo shout in such perfect English that I realize this jerk has been fooling me all this time. He understands me perfectly when I speak to him and yet he asks others to be his interpreters when it's not necessary.

“For once in your life, shut up, Massimo!” I shout, completely furious.

“Tell me, was it fun to throw me into the water, knowing that I can't swim? Did you think I wouldn't recognize you, you miserable person? Or perhaps you thought I would die there, and that gave you the guts to do it?” I deliver such a strong slap that it splits his lip. Charlotte tries to defend herself, but I continue hitting her with one hand. Pietro approaches me with the intention of lifting me and making me stop hitting this woman, but before he can do so, I warn the woman beneath me: "Next time, I won't just hit your face. The next time, I'll slice your throat. I'm not someone who can be easily intimidated." With that said, I bury the utensil in the ground next to her head and stand up.

"And you too, was it fun pretending not to understand anything? Well, you can go to hell, Massimo. I hate you, I hate you a thousand times! And don't ever speak to me again in your life. You're the miserable one! You're the one responsible for everything I'm suffering now.” Alex starts crying because of my shouting, so I pick him up and go to my room with him. Mia enters behind me, looking very scared by what just happened, just like the other women who work here. I like them all, they're very kind, and I don't want them to fear me later because of what I just did.

“Miss, are you okay? What was all that? What happened?” She asks, quite frightened. But I know deep down that she just wants me to tell her everything so she can inform Massimo. So, I tell her everything that has happened since I arrived at this house, up to my accident, and that Charlotte was the one responsible for my fall, not like everyone thinks that I threw myself.

Massimo

When Lilibeth enters the dining room, I can't help but think she looks very attractive, even in her pajamas. But in a matter of seconds, I remember why she's here, and my expression changes. I don't want her to realize what she provokes in me. She ignores me like she has been doing all these days, and to be honest, it annoys me. She only has eyes for my son, and that's a good thing because it prevents him from feeling the absence of his mother.

Charlotte enters to bring Lilibeth her breakfast plate. I can see how Lilibeth becomes thoughtful, and in a few seconds, she stands up. I suppose she wants to skip breakfast to convince me to set her free, but what she does next catches me off guard.

She lunges at my servant, and I shout at her to leave her alone. I forgot that all this time she was pretending not to understand her, and now that she realizes this, she yells at me to shut up.

I can tell she's out of control and starts yelling at Charlotte that she was the one who pushed her into the pool that day. Then she starts hitting her and continues to do so without Charlotte being able to defend herself. Despite Charlotte being bigger and heavier, she can't get Lilibeth off her. I gesture to Pietro to separate these two women when, without warning, she leaves us all frozen with what she says to my staff about slicing her throat if she ever does something to her again. Then she turns around and starts yelling at me, expressing how much she hates me for lying to her all this time. Alexandre starts crying, and I'm about to take him in my arms when she approaches, takes him, and walks away, leaving me feeling like a complete idiot.

This woman never ceases to surprise me. I considered her weak and submissive, never thinking that within her existed such a defiant and uncontrollable woman. She's like a little wildcat.

“Pietro, take Charlotte and bring her to my office. I also want you to check the surveillance cameras.” I can see the look of terror on Charlotte's face when I ask my man to do the latter, and I'm almost certain that what Lilibeth said is true.

“Yes, boss. Come on, get up, or do you want me to carry you?” He leaves with her, and I hear him instruct one of my men to keep an eye on her.

After reviewing the security cameras, I realize it's true. That cursed woman planned an incident at the main entrance to be alone with Lilibeth and push her into the pool, knowing she couldn't swim. I get up from my seat and head towards where she is.

“Who told you to do this?” She remains silent and avoids my gaze. I approach her until our faces are just inches apart.

“Damn it, speak, woman! You know what awaits you if you don't speak. My patience has its limits, and you don't want to find out what I'm capable of.” She lowers her gaze and then looks at me with such defiance that I don't recognize her.

“It was just a warning. You shouldn't mess with another woman's man.” So, this is the work of some woman, I think, but I can't figure out who it could be. Although I have been with a few women after my separation from Katherina, they haven't been many. Maybe two, and none of them were serious. They were just outings for dinner or parties, nothing more.

“Well, you brought this upon yourself.” I give her such a strong slap that for a moment, she seems about to lose consciousness. Then I order my men to make her talk, and if she doesn't, to get rid of her. I don't want traitors among my people. After they dispose of her, throw her body in the main square as a warning to whoever her boss is.