Page 19 of King

“You mean - whatyoudid - to mom.”

I sigh again. “Yes.”

“This is your fault, dad. You betrayed the whole family when you chose her over mom. We won’t accept her. Don’t expect us to be ok with this.”

“What are you going to do about it?” I ask sternly.

“Whatever we can to make her life a living hell until she leaves.”

Santino turns from me and walks away. I don’t have it in me to reprimand him. They’ve been through enough this past week.

I sit down again and lean my head back against the sofa, closing my eyes. I’m exhausted. I’m angry.

I’m confused and worst of all - I’m turned on just knowing she’s upstairs in that room.

I don’t know what’s wrong with me.

I press my fingers into my temples and massage the headache growing behind my eyes.

SIX

zina

Iknew it would be a challenge integrating into the Rivas household, but I wasn’t prepared for the level of hostility that Guido and I are having to deal with on a daily basis.

Giovanni has practically been a ghost over this last week. He makes an enormous effort to stay as far away from Guido and me as possible. It’s annoying me.

And his sons are making an effort - to complicate our lives in every way they can.

“Morning, Guido. Do you want to come down for breakfast with me?” I ask, leaning into the open door of his bedroom.

He looks up from his bed where he’s lying reading a book.

Pulling his mouth to the side he sighs softly. “I don’t know, mom. Maybe it’s better if I wait until everyone else has eaten and go get some food later.”

Anger heats my blood. Anger because someone is making my son feel unwelcome in his own home.

Because thisishim home now. Where he belongs -with his father.

“No, Guido . We are not going to let them do that to us. Get up. You are coming down to eat breakfast now.” I snap, not meaning to be short with him, but I’m losing patience for this entire situation.

“Mom - “ he tries again to negotiate his way out of it.

“Now.” I say sternly, shooting him a look that makes him put his book down and accept his fate.

This entire week, none of the staff have been in to our rooms to clean up or change the sheets or collect our laundry. I wanted to ask Giovanni about that because I’ve watched them do it for everyone else that lives here - so why not for us? But now, I’m at their point where I’m accepting that it’s deliberate. There was no misunderstanding.

Because on a number of occasions - just walking past them - they have purposefully not moved aside and made a show of bumping into me.

I’ve given it sometime - but at this point I’m ready to take matters into my own hands.

They have been treating us like shit since day one and I think it is because one, or all, of Giovanni’s sons made it clear to the staff that we are unwelcome and if they treat us with kindness, they will be punished in some way. The staff seem to relish having a chance to look down on someone.

They don’t realize they are messing with the wrong woman.

Down stairs the staff are busy setting the breakfast table.

Not one of them greets us. This is normal.

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