“I know my own body.” Massimo replied “I don’t need anyone for that. Especially someone who will treat me like I'll never walk again and need to live the rest of my life that way."
"Very good." Alice crossed her arms over her chest, very serious “That's a choice that's up to you, anyway. No one will stop you from continuing as you are or from improving, so you can be more independent and play with Millie every day, whether you are in a wheelchair or not.” He leaned back as if she had slapped him “However, I hope you know that every day you go without the definitive cure you seek, your body will become more weakened, you will be able to do even fewer things. for yourself, until the time comes when someone actually needs to put food in your mouth and wipe your ass.” She pinned him where she knew it would bother him the most and, as expected, Massimo's pride did
“There he is!” Thea’s celebration sounded at the same moment that Alice had placed the last dish on the table “Our man is full of health!”“Stop acting like I’m a kid who just got back from the pediatrician, Thea.” Massimo rolled his eyes, as Josiah pushed his chair over to the dining table “I just went to physical therapy. I’m still a long way from having regained the health I once had.”“But that can’t stop you from telling us what it was like.” Alice teased him, although she was more than happy that he had completed his first physical therapy session without leaving there early or cursing everyone around him “So? What did you think?”“I found it as painful as what I already do at home.” He rolled his eyes,
“I want this one, it’s a rainbow! And this one too, with teddy bears!” Millie jumped up, sitting on her bed, almost causing the fall of the gigantic decoration catalog that Massimo had given her.“I thought you already decided on the pink and blue with ponies.” Alice laughed, holding up the catalog full of samples of wallpaper, flooring and toys, before Millie ended up falling out of bed with that folder that was almost as big as her.“But these ones are so pretty too…” her lower lip stretched out in a desolate pout.“Well, you have four walls here.” Massimo, who was sitting next to them still wearing the colorful wrapping in which the catalog had come wrapped like a Christmas present, said “You don’t need to worry about anything. I should have
“Are you going to shave your beard?”“I'm going to pretend I didn't hear the relief in your voice.” Massimo mocked, making her blush “Now, could you make some space? I need to get my shaving kit and take it to my room to get a floor-length mirror where I can see myself.” His voice became more and more bitter, as it always did when he had to talk about some adaptation to his wheelchair.“That’s going to make quite a mess, don’t you think?”“What? Are you afraid that I won’t be able to do even that?”“No, you grumpy fool. I'm saying there's no need to leave your bedroom floor covered in foam and fur when I can help you with that.” Before he could respond, she began steering his chair
“Thea, Thea! Can we put this necklace on mommy?” Millie squealed, running with the jewelry case in her hands, the necklace, which was certainly worth more than all the houses of all the clients Alice had ever worked for, swinging unsteadily.“Be careful with that, Millie...” Alice begged, but, as had happened that entire day, the two just ignored her."Oh, darling! How can you be so smart? This is just the one I had thought of choosing while finishing your mother's makeup!” Thea praised, taking a moment just to gently squeeze Millie's cheek, before turning her sharp gaze to Alice again “Very well. This is the last touch before perfection!”“I already told you that you don’t need to overdo it, Thea.” Alice tried to convince her again, her butt starting to hu
Did you see, Massimo? Doesn’t Mommy look like a princess?”Once again, Alice was forced to look up at him, surprised when she realized that he had approached without her noticing. Now, he was right in front of her face, his once emotionless expression now seemed focused on her, as if he was unable to tear his eyes away from her.“You...” he finally spoke, his lips emitting a low hiss, as if he were out of breath “You look beautiful. Millie is right.”“Uh… Thank you.” Alice cleared her throat, struggling to act like she wasn't totally out of her comfort zone at that moment, especially since Millie was looking at the two of them like she was watching a Disney movie “But... Shouldn't we go? I think I've already delayed you enough...”
Alice had forgotten how uncomfortable it was to arrive at parties like those. Even though the Bianchi's ancestral property was completely surrounded by walls as high as any low-story building, there were always paparazzi waiting on the road. They always desperate for some photos or scoops that never appeared on conventional gossip sites, but that the High Society ladies would eagerly browse in their favorite magazines, where only people with more than nine figures in their bank accounts would appear.“Just six months away from this kind of shit and I can forget how unbearable it is.” Massimo echoed her thought, resting his head against the back of the seat as the gates of the enormous mansion opened for them, revealing the entire brightly lit facade and with several other limos and sports cars leaving guests there “If there's one thing that old mummy was right about me, it's that I've nev
“Thank you for your kindness.” Alice smiled, making all the men look at her with disdainful surprise, almost as if they didn't imagine that she knew how to speak “I'm very happy that you were attentive enough to realize that my husband would need a good environment to continue his amazing job. If you need suggestions for architects, please don't hesitate to ask. It will be my pleasure to help so that my husband can return to his position as quickly as possible, as I know you all certainly want that too. I mean, how could you not be, after the news I saw earlier today that the shares of the food company, which is part of the Bianchi Group, fell?” she smiled sweetly, as all of their expressions turned cold, a far away from the confidence of seconds ago.“You didn’t want to close the contract with that Russian supplier, did you?” Massimo rolled his eyes “Well, a
“So you guys plan to focus on the future and let a Bianchi with natural talent get away?” Alice asked, again earning several sideways glances from those old men “That doesn't seem like a good strategy. Everyone at this party knows that the reason Dante Bianchi wasn't unanimously chosen from the start is because he may be a good CEO, but Massimo is excellent. Him not being Emma's son made many want to put obstacles in his path, but he was able to overcome them all.""Weren't those partners who you said were worried, the same ones who begged Massimo to take over as CEO after seeing his results as a manager?" Alice continued to confront them "It's funny, because I perfectly remember my grandfather saying that there was a decision by the shareholders to wait for Dante to turn 18 to decide between him and Massimo, but this was ignored when Massimo continued the work that his father assigned hi