Altezza stormed into the house with explosive anger. He couldn't fathom all the surprises thrown at him with common sense.
He searched for his mother's whereabouts, disregarding the presence of Gian and Antony who were visiting his home. In the family room, Claire, Adaline, Mrs. Delila, Mrs. Brianna, Mother Violet, and also Emma were visible. How could everyone gather at a time like this? It's as if everything had been planned beforehand, he wondered silently.
"Mamma, can we talk?" he asked his mother sharply. Altezza was not being friendly or greeting people as usual, and it clearly caught everyone off guard.
"What's wrong?" his mother asked confused, but she still got up and followed her only son.
Altezza entered his father's study, leaving the door open. Delila followed in and closed the door behind her.
"What did you do to Jovanka?" Altezza asked coldly, without beating around the bush.
Delila frowned and looked at her son puzzled. "What did I do?" she countered.
Altezza stared at his mother sharply. "Don't pretend to forget, Mamma. You're the one who threatened me that you would ruin Jovanka if she didn't clarify our relationship."
"Mamma terminated all her contracts and demanded her to compensate for all the losses, that's what Mamma did!" Altezza growled, looking at his mother with restrained anger.
Altezza knew his mother was angry, but what she did was unforgivable. How could she destroy a career that someone had worked so hard to build just like that? And Altezza was even more furious because his mother's actions had nearly cost someone their life.
"So what if I did?" Delila retorted, looking back at her son challengingly. Her petite stature forced her to look up to her son. "I gave an ultimatum. I gave you two days to fix it. Don't blame me if you didn't succeed."
"Because of your indecisiveness, that woman is spreading more rumors and tarnishing our family's reputation. My daughter-in-law's reputation. Do you think I should just stay silent?!" Delila retorted, looking back at her son passionately.
"But Mamma, it's not that easy to stop gossip," Altezza replied softly. "I've been trying to contain it. But she didn't heed my warnings."
"That's because she knows you're just bluffing," Mrs. Delila replied coldly. "But I'm not you. I prefer to take action," Mrs. Delila added, still maintaining her composed demeanor.
Altezza ran his hand through his hair and rubbed his face roughly. "But not like this, Mamma. You've destroyed what she has built for so long in the blink of an eye," he said sadly.
"So, what do you want me to do? Show her pity? No, dear. I'm not that kind," Mrs. Delila replied.
"Mamma, she tried to commit suicide," Altezza said again, trying to get his mother's understanding.
"That's her choice. If she dies by suicide, it's her fate," Mrs. Delila replied emotionlessly.
"Mamma!" Altezza exclaimed.
"Altezza!" someone retorted with an equally loud shout. Altezza turned and saw his father and cousin walking into the room. "Is this what you're doing to your mother?" his father asked in a softer tone. "After all, she's the woman who gave birth to you. Respect her!" his father whispered. Antony stood silently with his arms folded across his chest.
"Padre, please ask Mother to stop all of this," he requested softly.
"Why should your mother stop?" his father asked without emotion.
"Padre...?" Altezza looked at his father with pleading eyes.
"Why? Do you feel sorry for her? Do you still love her?" his father asked, investigating with his eyes.
"Not like that, Padre... I've told you, I don't love her anymore," Altezza replied in frustration.
"Then what? Pity?" This time Antony spoke up. Altezza looked at his cousin sharply.
"Humanity," Altezza replied flatly. He looked back at his mother with pleading eyes. "Mamma, don't destroy her like this. Appreciate all her hard work all this time.
"If she goes bankrupt, who will take care of her family?" He continued to plead with his mother.
Delila smirked mockingly. "Her family? What do you know about her family?" she asked her son. "After years together, do you know who her parents are?" Altezza fell silent. "Do you know what their jobs are? Do you know where they live?" Altezza looked at his mother bewildered.
For all those questions, Altezza clearly didn't know the answers. But why was his mother questioning it now?
"You don't know, do you?" his mother asked, still with a mocking tone. "All these years you've known each other, she never introduced you to her family like you never introduced her to us. Even though we're not far away from each other.
"You know why? Because she has lost her humanity.
"And now you defend her for the sake of humanity? Do you think I'll be moved?
"No. There is not an ounce of pity from Mamma for that woman," Delila replied again, this time with a tone of disappointment and sadness in her voice.
"Mamma..."
"Stop whining like a child, Altezza. She's not someone you should defend," his mother said harshly. "If you forget, there's Adaline whose feelings you should care about." She gestured outside. "Why do you complicate your life by taking care of someone who is none of your business?
"She's not even deserving of your sympathy."
"Mamma. Jovanka is the backbone of her family. She has to support her siblings. If she loses her source of income. If she loses all her money. How will she and her family survive?" Altezza still tried to change his mother's mind.
"Do you think I care?" Mrs. Delila still looked at him flatly.
"Mamma? How could you be this heartless?" But as Delila was about to answer, Altezza's phone rang. "Yes?!" he asked with a shout.
"..."
"What?! Alright, I'm going there now," he said before putting his phone back into his pocket.
"Where are you going?" his mother asked.
"To deal with the mess you created," he replied flatly.
"Never go see her again, Altezza. She means nothing to you. Your wife now is Adaline," his mother commanded loudly, but Altezza ignored her.
"Mamma, please. Don't let me become as insensitive as you," he said coldly, disregarding his mother's shocked expression, as well as his father's and cousin's.
Altezza left without another word. He didn't even notice Adaline standing right beside the study door. In silence, Adaline just watched her husband's back with empty eyes.
"Are you okay?" Claire touched Adaline's shoulder, trying to snap her out of it. Adaline turned and saw Claire looking at her sympathetically.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but her tears just fell freely.
"Are you okay?" Claire hugged her sister-in-law and tried to comfort her.
"I shouldn't have eavesdropped," Adaline replied with a bitter smile in Claire's embrace. "They say, if we eavesdrop, it'll hurt more. And indeed, it hurts this much, Claire," she said softly.
Claire hugged her friend and gently rubbed her back. Adaline returned the hug and gripped the end of Claire's clothes tightly.
Her tears flowed in Claire's embrace.
What happened between Altezza and his mother made Adaline realize that she never meant anything to him. Altezza might say he wants to fix their marriage, but it's clear that Jovanka's position still can't be replaced. He still loves his ex-wife.
Her heart ached. It felt like thousands of needles piercing her entire body simultaneously and pulling them out together, only to stab her again repeatedly.
"Adaline..?" her mother-in-law's voice filled her ears. Adaline froze. She tried to wipe her tears that flowed so freely.