Chapter 2 - THE WOMAN IN THE DOORWAY
Alessandro slowly turned.
Vivienne Laurent stood in the doorway in a pale silver gown, one hand gripping the frame.
Bianca went white.
“Mom.”
Rosalie narrowed her eyes.
“Don’t tell him why?”
Vivienne recovered quickly.
“I meant don’t make this bigger than it is.”
“No,” Alessandro said. “That’s not what you said.”
Livia still had both arms around his waist.
He could feel her shaking.
That mattered more than anything else in the room.
He crouched in front of her.
“Liv, look at me.”
She tried.
Her eyes kept dropping toward the hair scattered on the marble.
“Am I ugly now?”
The question hit him harder than Bianca’s excuses ever could.
“No.”
He cupped her cheeks.
“You are not ugly. You could shave your whole head and paint it purple and you’d still be the most beautiful kid in this building.”
A wet laugh escaped her.
Rosalie knelt beside them.
“And if anyone says otherwise, I’ll throw them into the fountain.”
Livia almost smiled.
Alessandro stood.
“Rosalie, take her to my room.”
Bianca stepped forward.
“She needs to get ready. The ceremony starts in forty minutes.”
Alessandro looked at her.
“She’s not walking anywhere until she wants to.”
“Alessandro—”
“I said no.”
Bianca’s mouth tightened.
“You’re embarrassing me in front of everyone.”
Rosalie let out a bitter laugh.
“You attacked a child with clippers.”
“I did not attack her!”
“You held her still while she was crying!”
“She was throwing a tantrum.”
“She was saying no.”
Bianca’s voice rose.
“She is eight!”
“Exactly,” Alessandro snapped. “She’s eight.”
Silence.
He turned to Vivienne.
“What were you talking about?”
Vivienne glanced at Bianca.
Bianca gave the smallest shake of her head.
Alessandro caught it.
His stomach tightened.
“Rosalie.”
She understood immediately.
“Come on, sweetheart.”
Rosalie led Livia toward the door.
Before leaving, Livia looked back.
“Daddy?”
“Yeah?”
“Are you still marrying her?”
Bianca inhaled sharply.
Alessandro looked at his daughter.
Then at the woman he was supposed to marry in less than an hour.
“I don’t know.”
Bianca’s face hardened.
Livia left.
The door closed.
Alessandro took one step toward Bianca.
“Now tell me what your mother meant.”
Bianca folded her arms.
“This is insane.”
“Then clear it up.”
“There’s nothing to clear up.”
Vivienne lowered her eyes.
Alessandro noticed.
“Mrs. Laurent?”
Bianca snapped, “Mom, don’t.”
Vivienne looked at her daughter.
Then at Alessandro.
And for the first time, genuine fear crossed her face.
“It wasn’t supposed to happen today.”
May you like
Alessandro’s pulse slowed.
“What wasn’t?”
