Chapter 91 - Ninety-one

After Isabelle had said her last words, a thick blanket of silence had surrounded them. They all had quietened down. Her last words on the topic had made an impact on them.

"That's was.." Alexis began to talk but thought of a better word and cleared her throat.

"..intense.." Nikita completed.

"Intense was what I felt when my children were talking about punishing me." Isabelle sighed and commented. "I felt like dying at the moment. I had failed as a mother." She cried. For the first time, Isabelle did not hold back. She cried to her heart's content.

"I am their mother, I should have known. I should have noticed a change in their behaviour but I did no such thing."

"Isabelle.." Alexis said trying to calm her down but instead of letting Alexis speak, Isabelle had started to shake her head no.

"Gabrielle does not like to talk about it. He just avoids it and now I am talking you this so I need to cry." Said she. "I am at fault somewhere. How could I just trust that couple to take care of my children when they had messed up their own?" She sobbed but continued to talk. "I was just standing there, staring at Silvano who had said that and his elder brother who had readily agreed."

She breathed in deeply and then closed her eyes. She seemed to be reminiscing. "Gabrielle had immediately taken them to the room for questioning where ad I just stood there. My kids were robbed of their childhood for years and their mother did not know." She cried. "How shameful it was on my part."

"There was nothing you could have done. The life of a made man is harsh. They have to be ruthless." Nikita offhandedly spoke. She seems to reminisce about her past too. "They aren't good. Because being good makes you real in front of people. "

"The difference is the way of the life they live. They don't live a happy life but one full of danger and deceit so they have to be strong but I wanted the values of Gabrielle in them. Not raising their hands on women, limiting the tortures and of course, family first."

"The family is always first?" Alexis mumbled.

"It is. But I meant not going to war over trivial matters. It causes deaths which could be avoided."

"Oh—" Nikita had started to talk when a knock was heard. She turned around as her back placed the door and said, "come in."

The nurse that had been called for Julia's foot had come to them.

"Is she alright?" Alexis asked looking at the nurse, "is it something serious?"

"No no, she would heal well. I have written the medicines." She answered.

Alexis got up and took the cheque out of the bag. Taking it out for her to take, Alexis raised an eyebrow when she delayed.

"Do you not want the payment?" Alexis asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I do," she took the cheque from shaky hands. "The elder ma'am was calling Alexis." 

"Alexis?" Isabelle frowned. "Why? Did she say something?"

"Not really," the nurse answered.

"Alright, thank you." Alexis nodded to the girl. Agatha nodded from the door and showed the nurse out.

"Why is she calling me again?" Alexis asked no one in particular. "I have nothing to offer her, to be honest."

"Who knows, child. Just don't lose your calm and think." Isabelle said. "Think before answering."

"Even for tea!" Nikita chimed in. When Alexis and Isabelle looked at her suspiciously she answered with a shrug. "Who knows what she would go. The old hag could poison Alexis for all we know."

Sighing heavily, Alexis nodded in return and walked out of the room. What would the woman want from her? Alexis kind of low-key but yes, agreed that she shouldn't have taken pity or thought sympathetically towards Julia. That woman had become a bitter person and didn't realise her allies.

It was understood if Julia had made a hard shell on the outside that was given with the life she lived but instead of protecting herself first, Julia had started attacking everyone. One thing that Alexis had learned from life was to back out of a fight timely. The time where she won't lose but also, would be brave.

She walked down the stairs and turned to the side where Julia was staying in. From afar, Alexis could notice that the door was and open the sounds of yelling were coming. Julia sounded distressed and Alexis couldn't help but overhear. She was a nosey gossiper after all. 

"That's not how it is!" Julia's voice could be heard. "I want to know what going on. So not make me involve my son into this." 

Ah, she cannot even play the and person without involving someone in it. She was trying to be a dominating person but she could not even hold her grounds. 

"But I can't do anything about it too." The person on the phone yelled. The call was on speaker. "I do not know what you are talking about! My mother and I talked at times and she mentioned no such thing. I assure you the alliance still stands." The woman appeared to be begging. 

"Listen to Carina," Carina was Marcus's wife. "You better get to know about what your father is planning against my family or I swear to god, I will have him killed!"

"I was married into the Alessandro family, mama, I can't be talked with my maternal one." She cried. "I have no connections with them now. You said so, I left them behind and this is my only family now.." 

"I don't care, " Julia hissed. "If you find it out then you better be ready for the consequences." She warned. "No one stands against me in front of my family."

Julia continued to threaten the poor woman who was on speaker. How daft did she think Alexis was?

Walking forward, she knocked on the door and cleared her throat, alerting Julia of her presence.

"Ah, " Julia said looking at her. "Hold on." She whispered showing her a finger for a minute.

'If I cut her finger, would she bleed enough to die?' Alexis silently wondered from where she stood. 

"I don't care about what you have to say." Julia hissed into the phone. "Get it done or I'll have your entire family killed!"

Taking her phone off her ear, she hung up. Alexis couldn't help but roll her eyes at that. What was she even doing? And why?"

"Is it something important?" Alexis asked her in a soft voice. She had to respectful to Julia at least for being her elder.

"Oh no, I just wanted to talk to you." She said and moved to sit on the couch. "Come let's talk.'

When she said that, Alexis felt a strong urge to mimic her. But that was also really childish of her.

Alexis walked to the place where Julia had patted on. She sat down and crossed her ankles. "Everything alright?" She asked politely. She knew that Julia planned something and she was currently executing it. Alex had to be sure that she knew exactly what it was so that she couldn't fall in the road.

"Nothing. I just wanted to talk to you. Lady to the lady." She smiled. 

'How ironic'. She thought. Julia was the lady that had threatened her daughter-in-law.

"I get it," Alexis said. "Do you have anything specific to talk about in your mind?"

"Yes, I do." She smiled sadly. "I am just so helpless. I mean I feel so, so helpless."

Wai—what? Alexis felt helpless at the moment. 

"Why do you feel that?" If Alexis was given a notepad and a pen, she would look like a therapist. Maybe, that was what Julia needed. Yet, this time Alexis was not making the same decision. She was not going to show pity to her. Julia probably knew what she was doing.

"I was married young. Listened to my father then and after marriage, it has been my husband that I have to listen to. My whole life has been all about others." She sighed. "I longer know what I truly want.."

"I want you to help me, child. I need your help." She whispered hurriedly. As if she doesn't want anyone else to hear the words coming from her. 

Alexis wanted to bang her face on the wall.

What game is the woman playing? Did she consider others idiots enough to eat the shit out of her hand? Or was it that Alexis was the only one except for Isabelle who Julia felt challenged from?

Either way, she was not getting her way this time. But after learning from the best, she knew that the trump card should always be shown in the end. To have leverage and win. 

And if she had to act stupid to win, she would.

"Whatever do you mean, Grandmother?" She blinked.