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“I’m fine,” Valentina replied. “Not sure I’m glad to be back here or glad anyone is glad to have me back here, but I’m okay.”
“They may not say it, but they are glad you are back under the same roof. It may take some time for you to get back into the swing of things, but I’m sure it won’t take long.”
Isotta moved closer to her sister and sat down next to her.
“You know they married me off,” she continued, looking in the near distance. Valentina’s brow spiked. She hadn’t heard about it. Valentina wasn’t surprised, though. That’s how the family did things. That’s how they groomed the girls from early on to be a dutiful wife.
“And how’s that going?” She asked.
“It has been horrible and, at times, wonderful and horrible again,” she expressed.
“So why are you here?” Valentina asked.
“Because of the situation our mother and I found ourselves in,” Isotta replied. “Massimo let me stay to give him a chance to heal, but that’s coming to an end.”
“He’s better now?” Valentina inquired.
“Yeah,” Isotta sighed. “I think he’s better, physically at least, but that still doesn’t make him a good person.”
“Being a good person wasn’t a prerequisite for our parents marrying us off,” Valentina quipped. “He just had to have something the family could benefit from. That’s all they cared about. To continue the family dynasty.”
“And I bought into it for so long,” Isotta fussed. “Wholeheartedly. I bought into all of it. But not anymore.”
“Why? Why did you stop believing the hype, even after what they did to me?” Valentina quizzed.
Isotta dropped her head, feeling ashamed.
“I guess the lifetime of doctrine overwhelmed me. I wanted to believe that marrying well was my duty, my responsibility. But I know different now.”
“So, what are you going to do about it?” Valentina challenged. “I heard you say your time here has come to an end.”
Isotta breathed out heavily again. “I have until this evening to do what he wants,” Isotta began. “To return to his lair.”
Valentina stared at her sister unwaveringly. “It doesn’t sound like you have much choice.”
“No. He is not giving me much choice.”
Chapter Twenty-four
Massimo waited as long as he could before calling Isotta. He tried to demonstrate patience even though he was impatient. He had to reassert his authority over her life and get her pregnant as soon as possible, no matter how difficult the doctors said it would be. Massimo was on a mission, and he would not be denied.
The housekeeper knocked on Isotta’s door.
“Yes?” Isotta replied.
The housekeeper opened the door. “There is a phone call for you, ma’am.”
Isotta rolled her eyes to the top of her head. “I’ll take it in here. Thank you.”
Isotta paced back and forth in anticipation of the phone ringing. She knew who was on the other end of the line even though the housekeeper didn’t announce it. What would she say to him? Not what she really thought because that answer would be unacceptable. Massimo would never go for another delay. He would never be denied what he wanted.
The phone rang. Isotta’s heart lurched in her chest. She didn’t want to do it, but she picked it up.
“Hello?”
“I’ll be sending the car over in about an hour.”
She wanted to object. Isotta wanted to voice her real feelings and tell Massimo she needed more time. Yet, she sat quietly, accepting his instruction. He didn’t wait for her response. Just when she thought about speaking, the line disconnected.
