THREATS

Leonard went back to leaning back in one of the seats to wait. The young aspiring Prima Donna had not appeared at the Ambassador for a few days.

- Relax, Leonard, if she's back with the husband she must be "reconciling" with him," he teased him.

- I envy Crusher's luck, Marcus... I really do -

- I don't doubt you -

- But I still don't understand what she could have seen in Daniel, he's a piece of ice -

- Maybe he's just on the outside and he's keeping several surprises in store for his "little wife" ... Don't despair, she'll come around at some point, she knows she's always got an open door –

- My patience is wearing thin, Marcus. I'm finding it harder and harder to resist the urges. I ended up going out of the theater to look for some woman to unload my cravings.

- Don't be hasty, I don't know what she did to you to get you in this state, but I repeat to you Leonard: don't scare her away. I want her on my stage playing Mimi from La Bohème on the opening night of the season.

- Leonard! Leonard! - He knew that voice... Alice.

- Looks like you're in trouble - Marcus improvised a quick escape.

Reed stood up in a foul mood. That woman kept nagging him, she was making him extremely tired.

- What do you want, Alice? Can't you see I'm busy? -

- I knew you'd be here with that bitch... Where is she? -

- She didn't come...

- Where is she?! -

- She didn't come! Stop screaming like a crazy woman! Don't you have things to do?! -

- I want to see her and talk to her.

- Of course not, just go -

- Don't think I don't know what you're doing, you bastard. Doesn't that disgust you? She's old enough to be your daughter... -

- But she's not...

- You've made me the laughingstock of the town... You forgot everything my father did for you -

- Your father only did it for him... He had no one else to leave his business to... It was a good deal between our families, Alice, don't give me fairy tales -

- You don't even respect your own daughters who ran away out of shame... -

- Our daughters are like you, my dear, they are only interested in Daddy providing for their whims and I fulfill that role very well -

- I won't give you a divorce so you can run away with her... -

- Run away? Why would I run away? That woman deserves to be seen by everyone, Alice. And I don't need a divorce for that... Stop making a scene. Why don't you go to a foreign country for a while? Go and spend as much as you want, it's the only thing that makes you happy -

Alice was trembling with hatred and frustration. Nothing mattered to Leonard, only himself.

-We could have been happy... You have punished me all these years for your own cowardice, you bastard... -

-Don't... don't you dare talk like that, Alice. You and your miserable tricks brought us to this exact point... If anyone is to blame for anything, it's you and my mother... So stop looking for people to blame... Have dignity at least now and get the hell out of my life... Don't worry, nothing will be lacking for you or the girls... Leave me alone -

- You're crazy if you think I'll let you do whatever you want. This time I'm going to make a scandal and ruin you and that slut - The grimace on his mouth showed a sordid smile.

- You'd better watch your step, my dear... You know I'm very resentful.

25 years of resentment was his entire marriage, three daughters conceived under the obligation to give the old man grandchildren before he died. All his youth tied to a woman he did not love and never loved because he had to comply with family mandates. When he got tired of living like that, he began to look elsewhere.

He had a preference for younger women, but no matter how hard he sought among them someone to fill the void, he could not find any. Until now, until young Mrs. Crusher and her angelic voice. He felt a connection with her, felt it in the pit of his stomach every time he saw and thought about her.

In her fury and anguish Alice ran to Camilla. She couldn't go to Daniel's house to confront Deanna, because she knew she would be kicked out. But Camila would hear it, no matter how much they disliked each other.

- Your daughter-in-law has no boundaries, Camila. She's a disgrace -

- If you come for your husband, we both know there's nothing we can do to stop his... "appetite" -

- He's insane for her, he'll dispute her with Daniel no matter what and make a fool of him -

- You know, Alice. I'm really looking forward to that. For someone to take her away for good -

- I won't let Leonard do it, if your family doesn't intercede in this ridiculous marriage I'll do everything in my power to ruin her and with her will go your son down.

- Don't you dare involve Daniel in your revenge against Leonard.

- If I have no choice nothing will stop me... You'd better get rid of her as quickly as possible. That bastard won't win anything -

- You've lived like this most of your life... Don't you get tired of it? He's never going to love you -

- Who cares about that? You think I'm looking for his affection? Maybe at first, yes. But then he started dating other women without caring what was said or if he was seen; as if he was a single man... You can't imagine the humiliations I suffered for him... No, I won't leave him so easily, first he'll have to pay me back for every single thing he did to me -

- Do what you need to do, just don't do anything that will affect Daniel. That woman will end up leaving one way or another.

Alice Reed was determined to ruin Leonard's life and she would use Deanna to do it. She would take away his last remaining hope for happiness.

The clash was eminent and she was clear about where she would carry it out. In a couple of days they would have a festival at the school for Mother's Day and if the young girl was so immersed in her role as "wife" she would surely appear there. In front of all the other families she would put her on display.

- Mother's Day? -

- Yes, Deanna, they're having a festival to celebrate it. It'll be the first time in a long time that I'll be able to go! -

- But... Me?

- Don't you want to? -

Deanna's eyes welled up with tears.

- Do you think I'm important enough to take me to Mother's Day, Naomi?

- What are you talking about? Of course I do! - The girl looked at her in confusion.

- Oh my God! -

Deanna covered her face with both hands trying to hide her tears.

- What's wrong? Deanna? What happened Naomi? -

- I don't know dad... I told Deanna to come with me to the school's Mother's Day festival and she started to cry -

Daniel took his hands away from her face, besides tears she was wearing a smile.

- Deanna... -

- I'm sorry -

- But why are you crying? You do a lot of motherly things for us, I don't see what's so strange about that.

- Thank you, Naomi. I'll go with you to the festival - She said wiping her face.

- Great! -

The cry was of happiness. Daniel hugged her tightly and assured her that it was the most normal thing in the world; her children loved her very much and saw her as part of the family. Naomi's invitation only affirmed this.