A/N:
Okay, so... I've promised a reader that I would update this Sunday and later another one somehow begged for me to post an update earlier than Sunday. Since all of you have been a sweetheart and supporting my story, here's a present from me. Hooray! Love you guys to the moon and back!
DNA. 😘
***
"See you after school, sweetie." Gayle waved back happily at Alexandra before entering his school.
Alexandra slid into the car next to Boris seconds after. The ride back to the house was full of silence. As much as she wanted to talk, her mind could not stop wandering to the thoughts of Rosie. She was snapped out of her thoughts when the vibrations in her pocket demanded for her attention.
As she said hello, Nikolei's cold voice reached her ear drum, "Stop by my office for a while. There's someone here wanted to see you." With that he ended the call. She stared at her phone for a while.
"Boris, make a stop at Nikolei's office for a while." She said with a sigh. Boris nodded and quickly made a turn at the junction.
When she reached his office, Nikolei's secretary had greeted her politely and ushered her to the boardroom. When she asked for reasons, the answer she was given was only a mere smile from the polite girl.
She was seated in front of a man with a slightly thin moustache on his upper lip. Alexandra took the man's hand and shook it lightly before the man smiled and spoke.
"Good morning, Mrs. Machiavelli. My name is Brent Thompson. I am the late Mrs. Machiavelli's lawyer. I appreciate your sincerity of spending your time to meet me here today."
Alexandra frowned. Why does Rosie's lawyer want to meet her?
"So, let's start shall we? Before Rosie died, she had left a will which mentioned both yours and Mr. Machiavelli's name. Mr. Machiavelli might have informed you about it, but I would brief it to you once again about the content of the will. Just a mere protocol"
Alexandra nodded, signalling for Brent to continue.
"So, her first will stated that Nikolei Machiavelli will have their child's, Gayle Machiavelli, full custody if he were to be married to you, Alexandra Rakers. If he disagree, Gayle Machiavelli will be taken into custody by Rosie Machiavelli's grandparents in the States." He said in one go before taking in deep breath. "Can you take it in so far, Mrs. Machiavelli?"
She nodded, "Y-yes. Continue, please."
"Her second and final request is for you to have her diary. She handed it to me five days before she died and had asked for a favour to give this diary to you, personally. I'm afraid, Mrs. Machaivelli, you might have to keep the second request as a secret from Mr. Machiavelli. He does not know about the book, only the first condition requested in the will." Brent smiled and handed the diary to her.
The book was wrapped in a single blue ribbon and a carving of rose in front of it marked that the book was indeed belonged to Rosie. She held the book tightly in her hands before putting it safely and securely into her handbag.
"She did told me that she wanted you to love Gayle as your own, despite of everything and her last words was that she was truly sorry for everything. One more thing, I will always be at you service if you ever need help on anything. If anything just anything, call me at this number. Good day, Mrs. Machiavelli."
She quickly took the card he handed towards her. As they shook hands, she slowly made her way to where Boris was waiting. "How did it go?" He asked.
"It was fine. Let's go home, Boris." She clutched her bag tightly.
Seconds by seconds, her heart was getting curious by each seconds. She knew all the questions that had been running through her mind lately will be solved when she seek the answers from the diary.
Rosie's diary.
By the time the car reahced the porch, Alexandra stormed out of the car and into the house only to be greeted by Maria who wore a bright grin on her face.
"How's the new bride been doing?" She chuckled a bit before following Alexandra to her room. Just when she entered her room, her eyebrows furrowed while taking in the surrounding.
"Why do you still live in this room? You're Mrs. Machiavelli now, Alex."
Alexandra sighed and pulled her arm to sit down beside her on the bed. "There was never love in this marriage, Maria. I had met with Rosie's lawyer and we only do this to save Nikolei from losing his son's custody."
"B-but marriage is a sacred bond! If it started the wrong way, you can fix it and turn it into a marriage with love. Not a loveless marriage." Maria exasperatedly claimed.
"It is not my place anymore to hope, ever since I decided to leave him. Do me a favour, Maria. Don't tell Nikolei any of this and just let it be. It's good enough I have a place to stay." She said to the old lady, faking her beaming smile to assure her that everything was indeed fine.
Mostly, telling herself that she would be fine.
Maria stared at Alexandra's face. Her face was expressionless but only God knows what was on her mind and how her heart was wounded deeply inside. Only a matter of time before she broke down and left everything behind.
Even Maria herself thought she as woman could not bear the thought the love of her life hated her to a great extend. So deep that only something painful and strong could bring him out of his hatred to realize everything.
"Uh, I have to go to the bathroom for a while. Close the door if you leave the room. Thanks, Maria."
She nodded slightly while boring her eyes at the closed bathroom door. She knew that there was so much more to her story. She must have a reason for leaving the man she was about to get married to and it would not be some petty reason.
Something must forced her to leave, seemingly how she had witnessed the joyous look on Alexandra's face when she had confirmed to her that it was indeed Nikolei Machiavelli's abode.
When Nikolei had dismissed her infuriately, she was taken aback and was fighting with her inner self not to scold Nikolei when she saw the heartbroken look on her once happy face. She knew right then that she had no right to interfere in their business.
What surprised her greatly was when she had saw her the night after and to her relief, Gayle had accepted her fully and lovingly and was excited when Nikolei had announced a wedding was to be held a few days after.
"I'm going to have a new mom!"
That was what the little boy had whispered in her ears the night before their wedding took place and he had gone to bed happily that night. Maria let out a breath of sigh and walked out of the room.
*****
Nikolei had went home late that night. Ever since his marriage with Alexandra, he never stay home or went back early as usual. Ten o'clock at night might be late for his housekeeper and son, but it was still considered okay for a man like him.
As he opened the front door, a visible light coming from the kitchen caught his attention.
His frowned got deep. It couldn't be Maria as she would be in her own room by nine after she had tucked Gayle to bed each night at eight thirty. He slowly crept to the kitchen and stopped by the entrance when he saw his wife standing quietly in front of the sink, facing the window which overlook the garden of roses and a huge water fountain.
He stood there and stared at his newly wedded wife. She didn't even move or flinch from her position as she continued to stare outside the window. Nikolei's frown never leave his face. He was curious at what was on her mind that got her standing in the kitchen at this hour of the day when she should be in her bed sleeping soundly.
When the glass in her hand slipped out of her hand and into the sink, Nikolei quickly hid behind the wall of the entrance but still remained his eyes on her. Alexandra had clutched her chest when the sound of the glass dropped into the sink snapped her out of her deep thoughts. The action of Alexandra wiping something on her face did not go unnoticed by him.
Had she been crying?
His eyes followed Alexandra until she disappeared from his sight. She must have gone back to her room he thought wildly and went to the fridge to get a bottle of water for himself. He would be lying if he said that he was not affected by the thoughts of Alexandra crying her hearts out, but the wound she had left him reminded him how he could not put out his love and trust for the woman he used to love deeply.
He crushed the now empty bottle and retired to his room for the night with anger as he flashed back to his past memory.