Chapter 4 - Alice

“This farm is still as… Rustic and old-fashioned as I remember.” Kendra grunted, as if she wanted to use much less gentle words, as the Dawseys' limousine parked in front of the steps leading to the front door of Massimo's country estate "Now, what are the rules?" she raised an eyebrow, staring at Alice and Millicent with pure disdain.

“We don’t meddle in anything. Don't create any problems... And don't bother Massimo.” Alice repeated everything her mother had been repeating in her ears since that terrible night, two days ago.

“And this girl? Did you teach her too?” she pointed at Millie, causing Alice to hold her even closer in her lap “I don't want to hear a single word in high society about the Dawseys putting a messy brat in the house of a Bianchi who killed his patience until he got even more sick..."

“Millie would never do that!” Alice growled “Then stop right now!”

“Who do you think you are, to talk to me like that...?” Kendra was clearly ready to start a fight when a hand appeared in front of her face.

“Take it easy on the girl, Kendra. Alice is reacting much better than you would if you were about to live with a man like Massimo.” Roger Orwell, the man who Alice had long ago realized that it didn't matter if she called him father or not, said, as always with his eyes glazed over the screen of his smartphone “And, you, Alice, don't worry. He'll probably treat you badly for a few days, but then he won't even be able to get out of bed. Just be a good wife and wait until he dies. It shouldn't take long...”

“Thanks... I guess.” She sighed, although not for a second did Roger look up to her.

“You are too nice to her. That’s why she ended up like this.” Her mother grunted “Oh, finally someone seems to have noticed we're here. Staying in a car for so long waiting, on a hot day like this... What do you think you're doing standing there? Get out of the limo and get your things out of the trunk quickly! The last thing I want is for Massimo to realize we’ve arrived and come over here and ask about Amber.”

"Good luck darling." Roger spoke the moment Alice opened the door, still glued to his smartphone “We are proud of you. Not every woman would accept being with a paraplegic man who will require as much care from you than a child...”

In a hurry, Alice got out of the limousine quickly, not wanting Millie to continue there, listening to that kind of nonsense. However, once she found herself in front of that gigantic mansion, ancient and imposing like a medieval fort, Alice couldn't help but hesitate for a moment, overcome by memories of all the times Massimo had told her about that place. So many times she had dreamed of going there, even if it was on a day when he was only bringing Amber, and she would be the nosy older sister who was disturbing the couple...

And, now, there she was. Officially his wife, but not knowing how to feel about it.

“Hello.” An extremely friendly female voice caught her attention and, just then, Alice noticed an old lady standing there next to them, with her gray hair tied up in a bun, an apron covering her almost from top to bottom and a huge smile on her face “You must be Alice... And this must be Millicent, right?” She tilted her head to try and meet Millie’s gaze, but all Alice’s daughter did was hide further in her arms, embarrassed “Oh, what an adorable little angel! It's so good to have children again in this place, after so many years...” the woman sighed, with a mix of joy and melancholy “But, oh, you two must be tired from the trip here. Come on, let me introduce you both to the mansion... I mean, some parts of it. My name is Thea, by the way.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Thea.” Alice smiled sadly, knowing that kind housekeeper probably didn't even know that Massimo had already told Alice a little about her, a long, long time ago “I'm just going to get my suitcase and we can go.”

“Oh, don’t worry, honey. I'll ask someone to bring your luggage to the mansion..." Thea was in mid-sentence, until the sight of the huge trunk completely empty, after Alice took out her single suitcase, seemed to make the housekeeper at a loss for words "Only that?"

“Uh... Millie and I didn't want to bring too many things. Here is just what is necessary.” Alice lied “Now, please, let's go in. Millicent is eager to see everything, isn't she, dear? Why don't you take Hoppy out of your backpack? I'm sure he must want to see his new home, too.” She encouraged her little one, finally getting Millie to lift her face from her shoulder and, even if hesitantly, take her small school bag off her back and take the cute stuffed bunny out of it.

“Oh, she looks like…” the housekeeper’s eyes widened for a moment, making Alice’s entire body freeze as she realized that she seemed to be seeing someone else in Millicent’s face “Actually, forget it. It must be my imagination. I'm just so happy to have a little one to brighten up this gloomy mansion again... And your bunny is so adorable.” Thea praised “Would your little friend like a cookie? Or a piece of cake?”

“Uh... Yeah...” Millie nodded shyly, hugging her stuffed animal tight “Me and Hoppy really wanted to see the horses, too.”

“Of course! Once you're all settled in, I'll take you to all the stables we have here. So, let's hurry, so that you can rest and do this as quickly as possible.” Thea smiled, starting to climb the stairs to the mansion while the limo took Alice's parents far, far away, without even a last wave of goodbye.

“Mommy, I’m not tired.” Millie murmured “Can we see the horses now?”

“No, honey. The people who work in the stables must be there now. We don't want to disturb them, do we? Besides, we still need to eat the snack Thea offered us...” Finally, she took a step across the threshold of the huge front door and, immediately, her breath was stolen “Oh... It's so much bigger than I imagined..." Alice looked up, at the ceiling meters and more meters from the floor, and then at all the equally large windows, but completely covered by thick curtains, which did not allow even a single ray of natural light to enter "And a lot darker, too.”

“These are... Orders from the boss.” Thea sighed sadly “But I guarantee we keep the lights on inside very well at all times.”

“I... I didn't mean to...” Alice tried to explain herself, but Thea had already walked over to one of the tables nearby, taking something out of a drawer.

“Here. The boss asked me to deliver these papers for you to sign as soon as you two arrived.” She spread a thick sheaf of papers in front of Alice, and, quickly scanning the lines, there was no doubt what it was: a prenuptial agreement. Or postnuptial, perhaps, since Kendra had said the marriage papers were already duly notarized.

“Of course.” Alice sighed, placing Millie's suitcase on the floor gently “Stay here for a moment, honey. I’ll just sort this out and we can continue seeing the house.” Accepting the pen that Thea had held out, she began writing her name for pages and pages, while the housekeeper sighed.

“I know you might not think so, but... All of us who still work here are happy that you married Massimo... I mean, the boss. He is going through a delicate moment right now, but, who knows, the presence of a wife and a child as adorable as your daughter could be good for his health.” Thea smiled hopefully.

“His health condition... Is it that bad?” Alice hesitated, with her heart sinking.

“That’s a topic I don’t think the boss would want me to share.” The old lady hesitated “But... I'm sure he would be touched if he knew you were worried about him.”

“Massimo spent a lot of time at my house years ago. I guess you could say that, for a while, we almost became... Friends.” Alice bit her lip “Despite everything that happened between him and my sister, and how strange this situation must seem to you... I really care about him.” She admitted, as she finally put her name on the last blank line between the documents.

“That's sweet of you, but... I don't think it would do much good if you questioned the boss about that kind of thing.” As gentle as Thea's words were, Alice immediately understood that it was a warning and not just simple advice.

“Of course. The last thing I want is to meddle in his affairs.” She stated, handing the prenup back to Thea “Now, honey, let's go...” Alice looked down, but found nothing but the dark floor, with no sign of her daughter.