6| Gio and Gia.

ALMA

Determined to escape, I scampered around the room, gathering bedsheets and everything I could tie into a long rope to help me go down the window. The moment I gathered enough and was about to start tying the knots, the door suddenly swung open and a maid walked in with food.

I sighed in frustration, raking my fingers through my hair.

“Have you not heard anything I have said? I am not eating!” I snapped at her, annoyed she was interrupting my escape plan.

She gazed at the heap of clothing in front of me and raised her brows as she looked back at me.

“They have a very odd smell that is choking me. So, I put them together for dry cleaning,” I quickly said, hoping she would believe my blatant lie.

“Oh...” She quickly placed the food on the bedside table before reaching for the clothes to pack them.

“No. Not yet,” I quickly stopped her, not willing to allow her to ruin my chances.

She looked at me, confused. “You want them washed, right?”

“Yes. Uh… no.” I pressed my lips together, totally frustrated.

“Can you just leave? I want privacy here.”

She gazed at me as if I were a mental case before finally striding out of the room. I hadn’t even started knotting the clothes together before another knock sounded on the door.

Shoot me. I groaned inwardly.

“Who is it?” I hissed.

The door slowly opened and I saw two cute children walk into the room, holding placards with horrible get-well-soon drawings on them. Their lips were spread into a wide smile, revealing two missing front teeth.

Lazaro’s kids?

“We heard there is a sick person here, so we decided to come and send our well wishes,” the girl said with a small voice as they approached me.

“Get well soon!” the boy beamed, showing me his placard that said Get Well Soon.

It was cute though. It warmed up my heart to see kids being this sweet, but I didn’t have time for this right now.

“That’s so sweet of you guys,” I said with the sweetest smile I could form on my lips. I took the placards from them and gazed at them.

One said Get Well Soon and the other one said wishing you a quick recovery.

“What is your name?” the boy asked, showing his missing teeth.

“Alma,” I said as I tucked my hair behind my ear and crouched down to their level.

“What are yours?” I asked, darting my gaze between the both of them.

“My name is Gio, as in Giovanni,” the boy said.

“My name is Gia, as in Gianna” the girl beamed.

“Alright, Gio and Gia. I appreciate this,” I said as I glanced at the placards in my hands. “It is so sweet.”

“I told you she would like it,” the girl beamed at her brother.

“I am glad she does,” he said in response.

“Such sweet kids,” I chuckled as I ruffled their hair and they giggled as I did this.

“Will you be staying with us?” the girl suddenly asked.

“What? No,” I said without hesitation.

“Why?” she whined.

“Uhm… Gia. Gio. I am really tired right now. I want to rest. Can you excuse me for now? You can come back later,” I told them. I needed to leave this place as soon as possible.

The girl shook her head as she strode to the bed uninvited and jumped on it. “It’s okay. We would stay quiet.” 

What? I widened my eyes in disbelief. I didn’t want to have to forcefully drag them out.

“Why is there no bedsheet on the bed?” the boy asked as he stared at the bed, then looked at the heap of clothes on the floor. “The bedsheet has to stay on the bed.”

“Yes. I was about to lay the bed,” I sighed in frustration. “Look, I would really appreciate it if the both of you excused me right now. I will come and see you myself once I am well rested. I am not feeling well, remember? And a sick person needs enough rest.”

Aria looked at her brother with puppy eyes.

“She dislikes us, doesn’t she?”

“I think she does,” he replied, a hint of hurt in his voice.

“No. I don’t. I think you are lovely,” I said, raking my fingers through my hair. How did I get these minions to leave?

“Then can we stay?” the girl asked.

They were definitely the weapons fashioned against me.

Before I could respond, the door swung open and Lazaro appeared behind the door. My heart fell to the pit of my stomach. Damn it!

His eyes narrowed when he saw his children, probably wondering what they were doing there.

“Daddy!” they screamed in unison as they rushed over to him and hugged his legs with their tiny hands.

Leaning in, he ruffled their hair at the same time, smiling from ear to ear. He really adored them.

“I can see that you have met my children,” he said as he looked back at me. His eyes suddenly caught the heap of clothing on the floor and he stopped in his tracks, flicking his gaze at me.

“What is this?” he asked, raising a questioning brow.

“They have a really weird smell. I gathered them for dry cleaning,” I gave the same flimsy excuse I had given to the maid.

He motioned to one of the men who was at the door and he walked in, gathering the clothes in his arms and walking away with them. I screamed internally.

“I heard you have not been eating,” he said with a stern tone.

“And it is because I want to go home,” I fired back.

“Where is your home?” Gia asked.

Lazaro shook his head, then motioned for the maid behind him to take the children away.

The moment they were out of the room, he walked towards me and grabbed my arm. Before I knew what was happening, he was already pulling me towards the bed. He pushed me on it and reached for the tray, placing it beside me.

“Eat or I force you to,” he groaned.

“No!” I retorted fiercely.

“You choose force,” he muttered as he grabbed a sandwich. Before I knew what was happening, he forcefully opened my mouth with one hand and shoved the sandwich down my throat.

I let out muffled noises as I tried to spit it out, but he locked my jaw, the look in his eyes deadly as he growled,

“The easiest way out is to eat, Alma. Then we discuss our marriage.”

My eyes widened in bewilderment, horror washing over me.