Anna took All's hand and felt his grip. She began to talk about everything she felt at the news of his illness. She talked about what his son and his foreman had done to her, and then she talked about the house. Anna talked about the mansion so excitedly and with such wonder that she didn't notice Allister's gaze become dark and thoughtful, nor the angry line that formed on his lips. She only noticed his silence. “Something wrong, All?” He forced a smile. “No. I need a lawyer. I've called a reliable lawyer and she should be here any minute... Call my son.” “No. He doesn't like me, and that feeling is mutual. What do you want with a lawyer?” “I need to resolve some issues. It's business I want to get settled. You don't have to think about this bureaucracy.” “I don't know anything about business, but if it's something for me... Just release my father. There's nothing more I want.” Allister seemed to reflect on her words. “I want to ask you for something.” “You
Anna was happy again. This surprised her, as she had thought it impossible. Allister was now sitting down and spending even more time with her. He talked to her about things she didn't understand, but liked to hear anyway, and didn't ask her to leave when she had problems to solve, as he did when she was healthy. His son appeared three times. The look in his eyes was still cold, but there was no longer as much anger in them. His wife also came to visit him. More often than his son. “You need to renew your closet, Anna. I've already decorated all your clothes.” All's wife said one afternoon, after sitting down with a magazine in her hands, as she always did, and reading as if she wasn't in the room. She ignored Anna's presence so naturally that Anna came to believe that she herself was some invisible friend of All's, so surprised was she by his wife's words that it took her a while to realize that it was her she was talking to. “Excuse me?” That was all she could think to
Anna jumped on the bed, hugged All and hid her face in his arms. “You don't have the right to stop me from doing whatever I want!” It was Suzy's voice. “I didn't stop you!” Adam's cold voice sounded like thunder. “The man who works here said that you don't allow Anna to leave!” “Yes. She can't! You can leave whenever you want!” “You want to have power over everyone around you, and that can't be! Your father is still alive!” “Not for long!” Anna heard the slap and felt All shudder. She couldn't believe that it was Adam who had slapped his mother and Suzy could have been in danger if she had dared. Her doubts were soon answered by Adam's cold, cutting voice. “Don't you ever do that again, woman!” “Are you threatening me?” “That would be very peculiar, wouldn't it? I cause pain before I threaten!” “You can't order me around!” “Yes, I can!” “Do you think you're better than anyone else here? I'm going to invite your brother here! He's older than you! The inheri
“Can you get the nurse?” All asked Anna. She left without saying anything, but took with her the feeling that something very important had been revealed in that room. When they were alone again, Suzy turned to Allister. “You should have spoken to that girl about her fate.” “Adam's hatred won't survive around her.” “We're both the same age and have the same information about Alphas. Are you so naive to believe that Adam will grow old? That he won't die before he's forty?” Allister frowned. “That's not what I said. I don't want Adam to die.” “Even if you did... Would it be possible? Because he won't live long after your death, All, if it's possible to kill him.” “What makes you think that?” “Do you want to know the truth?” “I thought that was the basis of all our conversations...” “I've already planned several ways to kill Adam, and I'm his mother! Can you imagine what the people who work for him must be planning? At the first show of weakness, Adam will die.”
Anna met Suzy at the end of the corridor, and the two went off chatting excitedly about some dresses they had seen in magazines. Anna took her time choosing. She bought dresses, jeans, shoes and pyjamas. In fact, she let Suzy choose for her. She hadn't been able to think about anything since she bought the black dress to wear to All's wake. It was as if she had made that situation concrete inside her, and she ended up prostrating herself. When she came back from shopping, Sarah, who had stayed by All's side in the bedroom while she painted her nails, got up and left them alone. Anna approached and, seeing Allister asleep, realized how dead he was. She ran her hand lovingly through his black and slightly gray hair and took a deep breath. “You're having dinner with me tonight.” Anna dropped the shopping bag in her hand, startled by the steel-cut voice that sounded like merciless thunder in the silent room, and turned to him with her hand on his chest. “Dinner?” He glanc
The woman was wearing a green dress, so clinging to her skin that Anna compared her to a snake. It was as if the clothes were a kind of second skin. The woman approached her, and Anna realized that they were not the same height. The woman was taller than her. The woman began to walk around Anna, as if Anna were in a circle, as if assessing her, and then sipped her drink, without taking her eyes off Anna's body, which highlighted her red-painted nails, and turned to the two men. “I think Adam made a good choice. She's pretty. What do you think, Ryan?” Ryan also approached, but remained with his glass in one hand and the other in his trouser pocket. “It wasn't my choice. It was Allister.” Adam said indignantly. “I don't see anything special about her. Not enough to justify marriage.” Ryan said. “Don't be mean, Ryan!” The woman said laughing. “Adam is only 22 and has never spent much time with the other...” “He's spent his entire sex life with the other one, Genevieve!” Ry
Ryan considered the proposal. He liked a challenge and beating Adam would be more than enjoyable. It would be revenge for his father taking over the leadership of the Alpha estates from his grandfather, Dester. “You're already married to her. Will you convince her to do it again?” “I'll get married as tradition dictates. She in a veil and white dress, and I in a tuxedo.” Genevieve started laughing and turned to Ryan. “Take it, Ryan! But I'm going to hope you lose. I'd love to see something like that.” “I thought you saw yourself at the altar marrying Adam.” “Yes, but with her...” Genevieve started to say, then stopped herself in surprise and turned to Adam. “Are you going to marry another woman, forever?” “I'm never going to marry for love, Genevieve. It'll just be an act, since she'll be serving the men in the family. She'll be my shield, so I don't let my wives bother me with requests for a more formal relationship.” Genevieve loved Adam, but she really wanted t
“She... I...” Johnny began to stutter. “I asked him to take me home, because I'm freezing out here and he was kindly refusing.” Anna said and Johnny looked at her gratefully, without the man being able to tell. “It's true. Let's put this mistake right. Come along. We've already had dinner, and Adam wants to talk to you.” “I don't want to hear any more insults from you. I'd rather wait out here.” The man held out his hand to Anna. “Come on. No one will insult you again. You can trust me.” Anna looked at him suspiciously. “What's going on? Why do you want me to come in?” He dropped his hand and glanced suggestively at Johnny, who retreated in silence. “I'm sorry for the way I treated you. The women in Adam's life, they're not... Well, not women with an honest story. He usually prefers older women with a dirty past, and that's why I treated you like you were just like them.” “Dirty past...” Anna repeated those words, remembering Sarah. Did she have a dirty past? “