Adopted – Episode 12

ADOPTED – Episode 12

© Happy William

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Anne’s POV

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With a loud yawn, I sluggishly opened my eyes to see that dawn had just descended. This waking up early of a stuff has been really ingrained in my system, and I think I’m beginning to tire of it.

Knowing that I’ll be unable to get another sleep, I threw my legs over the bed and went to the bathroom, after having a glance at the digital clock that read 05:48AM.

In the bathroom, I splashed water on my face and brushed my teeth, and I saw some fancy lotion on the plate which said, “Spotless Face”. I rolled my eyes. My face was kinda rough, yeah, but I wasn’t used to using synthetic get-beautiful-quick stuff. I’m a natural.

Yah, that’s because Linda had never let me have any girly girl thingy. I shook my head. She’s in the past…in the past…

I spun on my heels to run a shower, and that’s when the previous evening came to me, like the water I splashed on my face earlier.

Those people will never accept me.

Portia…Sergio…Cosima…

I wasn’t one of them in terms of class, race, and oh!

Guess I’ll have to live with it.

And then Emilio…

My hand instinctively went to my lower lip, where I thought he almost kissed me. Hell, he almost kissed me. It was real. Only for him to push me away and storm out like a…ugh. As if I wanted a kiss. The guy was getting on my nerves each day.

I left the bathroom and picked up my earphones and phone. I threw on a tee-shirt and khakis, and went out of the room.

For exploration.

At 06:00 AM.

Absurd.

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I met with a uniformed staff along the hallway.

”Umm…excuse me but —”

“Buongiorno, senora,” she said with a bow.

I turned around, checking to see if Portia was about. It was just us.

“Me?” I asked in confusion.

She also looked at me in confusion.

“Oh…good morning. Could you show me the exit, you know the way out?”

“Sì. Come with me…”

“Return to your duty,” said someone from behind me.

“Sì signor,” the maid bowed and walked quietly away.

I swirled around to see Sergio. He was wearing a polo and trousers. And he stood with his hands in his pocket, giving me a creepy gaze.

“Uh…hi,” I said shakily. I didn’t like this guy one bit, I don’t know why.

“Good morning,” he said in a deep voice that was gruff from just waking, “slept well?”

“Yes,” I replied simply.

“So, you wanted to go out?”

“For a morning walk, yes.” I immediately regretted saying that. “Well, I usually go out for morning walks, but I was asking for the direction to the kitchen. I want to see Prudence,” I said quickly. There was no way I was going to walk with him.

“OK. Although, I wanted to apologize for yesterday. Mother can be dramatic most times, but she doesn’t mean it.”

“Yeah, right,” I murmured to myself.

“Scuse (excuse me)?” he said.

“Oh, I meant yeah. You’re right. So uh, I’m gonna go…have a ñíçê day,” I threw and dashed away.

The nerve of him. Oogling me one moment and giving fake apologies the next.

These Salvatore brothers sure came with a crazy package.

Plugging the earphones in my ear, I hummed and explored the house, looking for the kitchen.

Then I found it.

Big and shiny and clean; I’ve never seen a kitchen like this. I could spend my whole life cooking here without getting tired!

I walked in, turning my head around and around in awe. It wasn’t until too late that I realized that Prudence and Emilio, who happened to have been having a discussion, had stopped and were staring at me.

I quickly took off the earphones and smiled at Prudence.

“Hi. Good morning Prudence.”

I threw Emilio a glare and sat at the other side away from him.

“How was your night Prudence?” I asked again.

“Oh, Bene (very well). Yours?”

“It turned out to be OK, I guess,” I replied with a slight shrug and took a peek at Emilio, who was still staring at me with his usual neutral expression.

I quickly took my face away.

“So, you’re up early?” I asked Prudence again with a smile that was a little bit too bright for the question.

“Sì. I am.” then she leaned to my ears and whispered, “You can stop pretending to be curious about my day and talk to the reason you’re sitting here.”

Then she stood up. “Oh, I’ll have to get breakfast going,” then with a wink at me, she left.

And the barrier between me and Emilio is gone.

Great.

We both sat there, staring at each other, waiting for the first person to speak.

Five minutes later…

“This is absurd,” I said.

“This is crazy,” he said also, at the same time with me.

I frowned at him, and he scowled at me.

“Finally she spoke.”

“I thought he wouldn’t speak.”

We said at the same time again, and our frowns deepened.

Then, I suddenly burst out laughing, and he did too.

I’ll have to admit, our childishness was stupid.

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Anne’s POV

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I pinched my nose tightly to stop myself from laughing, but Emilio had already stopped. Now he smiled ever so slightly that you wouldn’t even know he’s smiling if you didn’t look closely.

“I’m…sorry about that. I always get carried away by the littlest things that aren’t funny,” I said when I got my breath back.

He nodded. “I was wondering too. Although I must admit I find your childishness quite amusing.”

“Me childish!?” I asked, the frown returning to my face. “Emilio, I am not the one who just leaves a friend without a note, or come in to apologize for his mother’s intolerable attitude in the worst way possible!”

He ran a hand across his face and rubbed his closed eyes.

“You done?” he asked.

“Huh?”

“Anne why can’t you just let go of the past? You want to be hooked with it forever?”

I suddenly remembered Linda and Joseph, and the maltreatment…

“No,” I answered in a whisper and cuddled myself tight.

I’ll never get used to the pains that came with each stinging whip or slash, and the spittle that came with each venomous insults…

“No,” I repeated again.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and lifted my head up to see Emilio looking at me with concern.

“Hey, you OK?” he asked softly.

“I’m fi—” I cleared my throat and unwrapped my arms from around my body.

“I’m fine.”

He looked at me for a few minutes more, then nodded and checked his wristwatch.

“I have to go,” he announced and buttoned the sleeves of the navy blue shirt he was wearing.

“Where… no breakfast?” I asked.

“Work; and are you concerned about me, mia cara?”

I felt my cheeks heating up; it always did when he used that word in that tone of voice. I’ll find the meaning out.

“No. Just wondering,” I replied in an impassive tone.

“Ah,” he said simply.

“What kind of work do you do?” I couldn’t help but be genuinely curious. I remember he said something about a wine business….

“Wine,” he answered. “Planting, harvesting, fermenting, processing, bottling… just wine.”

“Whoa, sounds like a handful. That’s why you’ll return home late?”

“Sì. Yes.” Then he paused and stayed silent for a while. “Anne, just ignore Portia and the rest, OK? They won’t try anything funny,” he said seriously, and I found myself wondering… what exactly was his problem with his family? Well, he’ll tell me if he wants to.

“Oh, it’s no trouble at all,” I replied with conviction I didn’t really feel.

“Alright. I’ll get going now.”

He hesitated a moment, still with his eyes on me.

“What’s it?” I asked.

He shook his head and walked out.

With a sigh and a feeling I didn’t quite understand, I made my way to where Prudence was standing chopped some vegetables, and other maids did one thing or another.

“Need help?” I asked her.

“No no, we got it all covered,” she said.

I exhaled. “Can I ask you… why is the family relationship so strained?”

She sent me a side glance. “Don’t know. Hey, Fina, pass the casseroled veggies,” she said and moved away from me.

I shook my head.

I made a cup of tea and took it took it up to my room.

I wasn’t so enthusiastic about dinning with the family.

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Emilio’s POV

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As I picked up the necessary documents from my study desk, I couldn’t help the thoughts getting into my head.

I’m supposed to announce the marriage today or tomorrow. So that I can get the ownership battle over and done with.

But there was something holding me back.

No, someone.

Anne didn’t deserve this. At least not in the way I planned.

I picked the files and headed out, getting into my personal Austin Mardi and turned the ignition.

It wouldn’t hurt to give the marriage a few days or week more.

I think.

To be continued

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