Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 92873 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92873 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
If only she knew.
“I can’t leave until you’ve eaten at least half of that,” she says, waving at my plate. “So, please try.”
“I’m sorry.” I push the plate away. “If I eat another bite, I’ll vomit what I’ve already eaten. You can just scrape it in the trashcan and say I cleaned my plate.”
“I’m not going to lie about something that impacts your health. It’s not in your best interest. At least try to drink the juice. Stress lowers the immune system. You need to boost your vitamin C intake.”
To appease her, I pick up the glass. “You’re very loyal to him.” And I can’t figure out why. Why would anyone be faithful to such a monster?
“I’ve been working for his family for a long time.”
“How long?”
She says with a note of pride, “The late Mr. Russo employed me when he married Mrs. Russo.”
“That’s a long time indeed. You must be happy here if you’re still staying on.”
“I like the job.” She folds her hands in her lap and shrugs. “I like taking care of people. Plus, the salary and fringe benefits are excellent. I won’t earn the same money elsewhere, not even if I decided to become a heart surgeon.”
“Did you want to? Become a heart surgeon?”
“Oh, no.” She laughs. “But the idea of a general practitioner did appeal to me when I was younger.”
I think about Mom, about what she said that day at my sister, Mattie’s, house about wanting to be a doctor, and my heart squeezes. I miss them so much—Mom, Mattie, my little nephew on my brother’s side, Brad, and my best friend, Colin. And Benjamin, Mattie’s and Jared’s baby, whose face I’ve never seen. Everyone.
Heidi takes her phone from her pocket, swipes across the screen, and shows me a photo of a stunning three-story mansion with Greek columns carved in pink marble. “With the money I earn here, I could buy my dream house.”
I gasp. “Heidi, it’s beautiful.”
“Thank you,” she says with a tilt of her chin. “I just had it remodeled.”
“Where is it?”
“Saint-Tropez. That’s where I plan to retire.” She winks. “A famous movie star wanted to buy the house, but my offer was higher.”
“Good for you,” I say with a laugh. “Is the plan to live there alone, or do you have a secret family stashed away somewhere?”
She irons out her skirt. “It’s just me.”
“By choice or because your job keeps you too busy?” I add quickly, “If you don’t mind me asking such a personal question.”
“Not at all. It’s no secret that my job has disadvantages, but I don’t mind. I never saw myself married. How am I going to have fun with all the wealthy widowers on their yachts if I’m shackled to one man?”
She says it jokingly, but I can’t help the sharp sting of regret her statement invites. A free will and choices aren’t in the cards for me. I am very much shackled to one man, and he’s not kind or good.
Her smile slips as she seems to realize her mistake. “That didn’t come out right.”
“It’s all right. I know what you mean.”
She blackens the screen of her phone and makes to put it away. I stare at the iPhone with longing, my heart shrinking as it disappears in her pocket. I can’t not try.
“Um, Heidi, do you think I can call my family?” I continue hastily, “Just to make sure they’re all right.”
“I’m sorry, dear.” Her expression is regretful. “You should ask Mr. Russo. I’m sure he’ll arrange that for you when he gets back.”
“I didn’t mean to put you on the spot. I just saw your phone and…” I force a smile. “Anyway, tell me more about working here.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Were they happy, his parents?”
She seems surprised. “Why do you ask?”
“I’m just trying to get a better understanding of his family dynamic.” I admit with some embarrassment, “He doesn’t tell me much.” Angelo will never discuss his family with me, but like so many other things, I can’t tell her that either.
She ponders the question before saying after a while, “They were happy in their way, but I think Mr. Russo loved Mrs. Russo more than she loved him. It was an arranged marriage, you see, and she was very young when they got married.”
I take a tiny sip of the juice. “How young?”
“Sixteen.”
“Wow.” I can’t imagine being married at that age. “Why did her father agree?”
“It wasn’t uncommon to be married so young back then. There was an agreement between the families, something to do with land, and I’m guessing a lot with the dowry Mr. Russo paid.”
“He paid a dowry to marry her?”
“Her father has always been a greedy old man. If you ask me, she was better off with Mr. Russo. I’d just signed my employment contract when he brought his bride home. He wanted everything to be in place when he moved her into his house. Of course, it wasn’t this one. It was a much humbler house in the city. He only bought this mansion years later.”