Chapter 3 - Alice

“Did you take my money?!” she gasped, horrified, but that only seemed to make her mother and sister even more arrogant.

“You have to agree that you were the only one stupid enough to hide cash, little sister.” Amber laughed.

“I only did it so you guys wouldn’t convince Dad to clean out my accounts again, like you did before!” Alice started to raise her voice, but Kendra quickly cut her off.

“You forget how merciful I have been to you since you were born, especially in the last four years. I could have thrown you out of this house for being a slut who doesn't even know who got her pregnant, but did I? No! Did I let you continue here, creating a bastard and dirtying our family name, charging only a symbolic amount of rent so that you could learn your lesson? Yes! The money you had in that can? It were nothing more than compensation for the 23 long years I raised you, receiving nothing in return but disappointment and ingratitude. But once again, Alice, I will be kind and give you a choice.” Even though Alice was looking at the ground, completely astonished, she was still able to tell that her mother was approaching, because of the sound of high heels “You can stop trying to be a problem for attention and accept becoming Massimo's wife... Or you can stay here and suffer all the punishments I still have to inflict on a stubborn child like you.” Kendra finally stopped by her side, muttering that last part against her ear.

“How… How could you do something like that?” Alice tried to count the tremor in her voice and the tears accumulating “I... I'm your daughter too, you know?”

“I’ll tell your father to finish the papers.” That was all Kendra replied, with contempt in her tone “You better in his office early tomorrow morning to sign them so we can send them back to Massimo. And give it to me.” She roughly snatched the candy bag from Alice's hands “You brat stole an apple from the kitchen this morning. Thank her that your debt has increased this month.”

Unable to even react, Alice stayed exactly where she was, frozen in the middle of the living room, while Kendra began to walk away towards the stairs, but not before Amber also passed by her sister, with a clear smile in her tone of voice.

"Don't worry. Hopefully, he'll remember me a little when he looks at you and won't be so hard on you and my niece. Or, who knows, Massimo will do the opposite, knowing him... Anyway, congratulations on the wedding, sister.” She leaned on Alice's shoulder "I hope you can attend my and Casey's wedding soon, too." Amber laughed softly, seeming to find the whole thing very funny, finally starting to walk in the same direction as Kendra had left.

Alice, however, remained there. Maybe for a few seconds or many hours. She couldn't say. In fact, the only thing that made her know she was crying was when, between her bleary eyes, she could see several drops of water beginning to wet the perfectly polished floor. And, as if finally all the remaining strength in her body had abandoned her, she fell to her knees on the floor, scattering the bouquet's petals across the floor, holding her own head in her hands, while that suffocating despair in her chest seemed to be spreading like poison in her veins.

All her money, her only prospect for the future, all her hopes of giving Millicent a better future... Has all gone, with nothing she could do about it.

What... What could she do, now?

“Mommy?” A sweet, little voice brought her out of her terrified thoughts and, at the same moment that Alice looked up to find the little girl hiding behind one of the furniture nearby, she quickly began to wipe her face.

“Hey, honey.” She smiled at her daughter, clearing her throat to hide the crying in her voice “Sorry, mommy's really late for our movie night, isn't she? I'm very sorry. I promise I will make it up to you…”

“Why are you crying?” Millicent asked, running towards Alice, her big dark green eyes full of concern “Did Grandma say something that made you sad again?”

“No, my love. I’m just… Tired.” Alice sniffed, keeping a smile on her face “Yes, that's just it. Today was... A very tiring day.” a sob of sadness threatened to escape, but she swallowed it down, not wanting her baby to have a terrible day too, just because her heart was broken “But, what are we doing here? You want to watch Beauty and the Beast again, don't you? Come on, we have to take a shower and have dinner before that...” Alice stood up, picking up her daughter, although clearly Millie wasn't convinced by her word.

“Will Casey watch with us today?” she asked, placing her little hands on Alice’s face with a worried expression, almost as if she already knew something was wrong.

"No, dear. Nowadays, Casey and Mommy... We are no longer special friends. I’ll explain this more to you later, okay?”

“So he won’t marry you one day?” Millie asked, disappointed “But he's still going to look for a new house with us, isn't he?”

“No, Millie... He won't...” Alice bit her lip almost to the point of bleeding, refusing to cry “And... About our new house...”

“When we move, can I get a pony?” her daughter’s face lit up with an adorable smile that only made her heart hurt even more “Oh, and a fruit bowl in the room, too? I promise I will always eat everything! I asked one of the girls in the kitchen for an apple today, but she didn't give it to me. She said they couldn't waste food on someone like me. But I didn't want to eat just one piece and then throw it in the trash. I pinky promise.” Millie lamented.

“I... I know so, my angel.” Alice had to close her eyes to compose herself for a moment and be able to smile again “I was thinking... Is there a place where we can live in a farm with lots of horses and eat as many apples as you want. What do you think about that?”

“Horses?” Millie repeated, delighted “And where is it? Can we go there now?!”

“In two days, we will be able to. And, there will also be a man that mommy can marry, just like you always wanted.” Alice tried to sound excited, but her daughter obviously managed to see right through her.

“But does he like you? And do you like him?” Millie tilted her head to the side and, if the circumstances were different, Alice might have even laughed at how complicated those two questions were and impossible to answer with just a yes or no.

“He is... A friend of your great-grandfather. And I... I trust him to have a home where we can both live well.” It was all she could respond, although her heart was tight as if she wanted to disappear “In return, we both just need to be... Silent. You see, he's sick now and needs to rest as much as possible. So, what do you say? Would you be happy if we moved in with him... For a while?”

“Would you be happy, mommy?” Millie asked innocently, and, to hide her reaction, Alice hugged her to her chest.

“Of course, honey. As long as you can have a better life than the one we have here... Nothing could make me happier.”