Infatuation Of Darkness

Angelo and Alexis were dressing up in the evening only to receive the guests. She was particularly against the fact that they were to be dressed well when his family was arriving at night. She was dressed in a purple stealth dress and silver coloured heels.

"How was Nadine?" Angelo asked as he wore his shirt.

"Nadine.." She muttered. "Someone who loves law and went to Harvard should not be a personal assistant."

"I know not she owes me," Angelo said.

"Is that what it is?" She asked. "Just because she owes you, you get to determine what her worth would be?"

"I gave her the money she wanted for her education." He threw a sharply look her way. "Nadine could have easily worked for the fees of the hears to come but she decided against that. From Beijing expanses to food, I gave her all. Now, it's payback time and she thinks this as a job but of course, she will pay in more ways than one." 

"What is that suppose to mean?" She made an ugly face at that. 

"That means, " he fixed his collar, "She would be to work her ass off for you. From bringing in coffees to having me for you and personally print files." He shrugged. 

"Madam, " Agatha knocked on the door. 

"What?" Angelo barked in the direction of the door making Alexis jump and glare at him. He was like a dog. 

"They are fifteen minutes away." She informed. 

"Ah great, " she muttered. Why did she have to receive them? Could they not just come in and sleep? 

This made total sense for not liking the in-laws. They were absurd, most of the times if not all.

"Stop making that face," Angelo chided her gently. "You will get early wrinkles."

"If get ugly, will you leave me?" She asked with a genuine expression.

"I believe in Botox." He winked.

"Funny," she spat. "If we have to receive them, why not go to the airport and properly do it?"

"That seems a bit much and honestly, I am not much of a fan of having them visit us." He made an uneasy face while admitting it.

"What?!" Appalled by his words, she turned to him. "Then why didn't you say no?!"

"And risk things back in Italy? That old man is one aggressive bastard, he could blow my people up and replace it with his." Angelo raised his voice at her. "Things are supposed to be thought through Alexis. Remember that."

"Also, I had your mother investigated."

Dejected, Alexis simply closed her eyes and slumped her shoulders. "Why? I want nothing to with her and for God's sake, how many times do I have to say it?" That statement alone had ruined her mood altogether. "I don't get it. She did not show up at my wedding after coming to know what kind of ignorant parent she was, to not know what was going on inside her house. She did not even apologize which I had hoped for after cooling down." She rolled her eyes. Why was everyone having a hard time believing her? If her mother wanted to do nothing with her then so did Alexis. She was not going to contact her mother unless Vanessa came forward to her self. 

That was decided. 

She looked at him with an expression of defeat. "Go ahead and tell me, if anything, it would just make me feel worse while receiving your family."

"Exploiting the situation at hand," he mused. "That's good, you are improving. But then again, I won't tell you since you do not want to know."

"Ah," she smiled back at him, "That is surely the only reason." She turned and started walked ahead with him following her.

"Zip it," he slapped her behind making her squeal.

******

The newcomers seemed pretty tired as came to the mansion, yet they sat down for a light supper. The Grandparents had not eaten anything or so they claimed.

"Well, this has been nice," Julia commented. "The plane ride was too long and I thought of a few things that I would like to discuss."

"Not now," her husband objected. "I'd like to go to bed."

He got up and wished everyone a good night. Julia was left behind while men gave them privacy. They wished her good night and left.

"Well, as I was saying." She continued, forgetting the little moment of humiliation. "Alexis, have you taken command of the household yet?" She smiled a bit at Alexis, it seemed like a pointer for hidden agenda.

"Yes, I have." She answered.

"And you review the financial documents of all his companies?" She lightly probed.

"Financial statements, yes." ShHerolity corrected and answered.

"Well," Julia appeared to be torn to say the words. "How can you manage it all? I say that you leave the responsibilities that were given to you to Angelo and the men and reign the household with the wives. You should not encourage these absurd traditions. What of when you become a mother?"

"Excuse me?" She smiled a bit, "wh—"

"I meant, " Julia interrupted making Alexis shake her head a bit to calm down. "That when you become a mother, won't you need to rest and then look after the child? What of the work then? The whole burden would fall on Angelo's shoulders in the end, so why give it to you, to begin with when it's going to fall back on him after some time." She then laughed a bit. "It's like a little vacation for him."

Alexis felt slapped in the face for a moment. That was humiliating, to say the least. Julia seemed to a caring old fashioned grandmother but to Alexis, the woman seemed nothing less than a snake.

Pursuing her lips, Alexis was ready for a work battle."I—"

"She would think about it," Isabelle interrupted her. "She would, won't you, Alexis?" She turned to her and asked with her eyes firm and glaring down at her.

Isabelle's eyes held a message and unfortunately, it was bigger than just communicating words. Alexis just continued to look at her realising that her decision was something they all were waiting for.

She looked down for a moment and finally looked at Julia. "Yes. I will think about what you said." She very reluctantly agreed.

"That's wonderful!" Julia expressed and stood up. "Now, if you would excuse me, I'd like to retire to bed. It has been a long journey." She smiled as walked away.

Alexis watched her retreating figure, still seated on the couch. As soon as her shadow disappeared she turned to Isabelle who was already looking at her.

"What was the—"

"Let's get this cleared up," Isabelle clapped her hands and gestured to the teacups and baked goods. "We can do that by ourselves, I believe." She ignored the glaring and furious eyes of her daughter in law.

"Yes, but I believe that we can do much more," Alexis countered and taunted as well. "What's the matter with you?" She hissed.

"There are things that you talk about in private." Isabelle hissed at her. "Now help me with these." She handed the collected teacups to Alexis on a tray. Nikita had already picked up half of the eatables and was walking to the kitchen, Alexis followed behind.

"Now, let's talk." Isabelle declared as she kept the last of the cutlery.

"Why now?" She muttered a but sassily.

"Come on, she must have an explanation for that." Nikita defended, sitting on the countertop. "Don't start a cold war."

"No one's starting a cold war." Alexis denied, "No need to when there is already one. "You interrupted me twice." She pointed out of Isabelle.

"I know and I am sorry for that." She admitted and apologized. "But the answer that you were going to give her was going to be full of aggression and that would not have been good for you.'

"But it should have been defended!" Nikita spoke up. "All her life had been revolving about was kids and husband. Why can't she be happy for us?!"

"Because some people are just bitter," Isabelle answered. "She liked her life the way it was because she saw and learned it like that but for us, change had already begun." She explained. "Julia hates had we have more power than her and that Alexis has a broader reach, connections and not to mention Alexis's word is the law on the men when her word was not."

"So that's the only reason you did it?" Alexis asked. It still seemed incomplete.

"The second thing I wanted you to know," she smiled and told the secrets. "Sometimes you must withhold the answers to a few questions."

"And why is that?"

"Because then you have something to tell that often lands people in trouble. I learned that from her." She smiled and talked out. "Good night ladies."

"Whatever that meant," Nikita muttered to which Alexis agreed.