*Marlene's POV*
"She tried to run away!"Robert burst in the parlour and made a bee-line to me.
"Who?"I asked,side eyeing him. The man looked as restless as turkey on Thanksgiving Eve.
"Mother,she tried to runaway."he repeated,not answering my question.
I want to chastise his attitude but the beads of sweat forming on his forehead were high indicators that that might be the last thing he needs.
I sent a maid to bring him water and ordered him to sit so he explains properly but Robert being Robert-didnt listen and continued pacing around the room instead.
I focused my attention back to the maids hanging my framed picture over the fire place.
"A little to the right–I want it perfectly in the centre."
The maids obeyed but now it was too far right,I groaned and ordered them back to left.
The idiots now took an aggressive move back and made the whole situation worse.
"Oh, for Christ's sake."I exclaimed. "Was it this hard when it was Evangeline's picture?"
They mumbled a no and I ordered them to try one more time before they lost their jobs.
Robert speeds past me and I grab him before he gets away.
"What happened?"
"Vincenzo just called–"He raises the phone.
"Evangeline tried to run away."
"What?"
One of the maids on the ladder slip and my portrait falls to the ground and breaks.
"That's coming out of your wages."I tell her and waved the other maids away and only respond when I was sure the door was locked shocked.
"Let's have a seat so you can tell me exactly what happened."
"That selfish brat tried to elope with her boyfriend and Vincenzo caught them-"he loosens his tie aggressively.
Her boyfriend,oh the detective.
"I knew she'd do something like this,I fucking knew it."
"Then why didn't you try to stop it?"I snapped.
He turns to me,his eyes bulging red. "I didn't actually think she was stupid enough to try to run from a don--why is everyone acting like its my fault."
"You are the Hidalgo head now,"I reminded him. "It's obvious you are going to have to shoulder this."
"Really?"
I noticed Robert shaking and decided on taking a more gentler approach,I etched closer on the couch and placed my hand on his shoulder.
"You don't have to be scared,I'm sure he isn't going to come for you–you are his soon to be business parnter and most importantly,his fiancé's brother."
"I'm not scared."Robert mumbled,shrugging my hand off.
I knew it was a lie. I don't know why he lied to me–I raised him and taught him the very art of deception, its ridiculous that he'll try to lie to me.
"Okay then."I resigned.
"What if he returns her?"he asks. "She has disrespected him--that family doesnt take things lightly and now all our plans would be ruined--what if they don't get married,what if–"
"Get yourself together"I yelled,slapping the back of his head. "The wedding will proceed as planned,everything is still in motion. Her little stunt is going to affect her and her alone."
"And sure are you?"Robert retorts.
"If the man got offended,we would be planning another Hidalgo funeral,if she's still with him and safe,then it confirms my predictions."
He stares at me blankly,not a single useful thought behind those eyes.
"I think the man actually likes her–"
Roberts bursts into laughter but stops when he realises I'm serious.
"That's impossible."he collects himself,getting serious. "How can he even like her--he's Vincenzo and she just plain old holier-than-thou."
"Exactly,"I sighed. "It's almost disappointing."
"I thought she was going to be one of his–"Robert eye brows jumps knowingly. We all knew the rumours,Evangeline wasn't his first purchase-was no secret.
He only bought his rival daughters,it was some sort of humiliation ritual he used.
"Yes,"I replied. "I was hoping she would become his sex slave too."
He drops his head in his hands.
"This just keep getting worse.."
"On the contrary,"I notice,rising up from the couch in a delicate swoop. "It makes it way more favorable on our behalf."
"Right-"
"If Evangeline is that important to him,we use it–"the light bulbs flashes on in my head. "We can negotiate anything,except now that we know she's worth more than sex,we can use increase our demands."
"You think he'd agree?"Robert asked doubtedly.
His first meeting with Vicenzo didnt go as productive as he hoped and I was beginning to feel the interaction depleted his confidence even more.
"Yes-"I drawled,walking to him. "He's a good business man but we found a weak spot,and it's only right to use it while it's still valid."
Robert shook his head. "I think you are underestimating him Mother–he isn't that stupid."
"Oh please,"I rolled my eyes. "He's found someone to be stupid for,its a stage in every powerful man's life. It's irrational,embarrassing and downright pathetic–it even happened to Hector."
Robert eyes glinted. "With you?"
"No,no-"I laughed mirthlessly. "With Amelia."
My son's face fell,there was alot from his childhood he didnt remember but the name Amelia wasnt a memory you could just dispose of,not from his,mine and especially not Hector's.
If you think Evangeline was a pain in the ass with her perfect act then you obviously haven't heard of Amelia.
When Hector met her,he was still resistant to marry me but I kept using Robert as leverage till he finally succumbed to an engagement.
We had a life,a future…Robert was going to be his heir,then he saw the little nobody who was about to swear her life to nunnery and decided all we had didn't matter for her sake.
The whore in sheep's clothing seduced Hector with all her pretentious holiness and even fucking made a photocopy with him.
Hector began to slip up at work–leaving the business unattended which indirectly put me and my son in danger.
And so as a good mother and business parnter I was,I did them both a favour. Got rid of his distraction and sent her to the God she has been so obsessed with being with.
I noticed Evangeline's portrait by the fire place and walked towards it with scorn.
She looks just like her.
She acts just like her.
She talks just like her and Hector adores her just like he adored her mother.
Even as she hated him and scorned him for the business that kept the family thriving for generations,while he treated my son who was always by his side like a soldier who had gotten to familiar with him.
I cocked my head at the portrait,the memory stung.
I failed,I didnt completely erase the bitch,Evangeline was the new Amelia.
I picked up the portrait and walked to the fire place.
"Mother?"Robert called behind me,his voice tight with worry.
"And to think he wanted to leave eighty percent of the inheritance to her–she has never ever lifted a finger for the business.Never had to spill blood,or make sacrifices--"
Evangeline kept smiling at me in her pretty shade of purple and her long hair cascading down her little pampered porcelain skin,I lowered my gaze to the rosary in her hand and flashes of Amelia holding it appeared in mind.
"I should have gotten rid of you too."I whispered and threw the portrait in the fire. "I soon will,I promise you…I soon will."
Robert came behind me and rested a comforting hand on my shoulder.
I released a stiff breath and smiled at my own portrait--I really shouldn get this hanged properly.