Chapter 3 MY EX NOT MY ENEMY

CRISTINA'S POINT OF VIEW

Damn arrogant Italian. The hell? I do not have a say in where I want to live? I looked down at Jnr's sleeping form in his baby cot and my heart turned jelly.

He is the reason I did what I did, and I don't regret my actions for once. How would I survive not being a part of his life if his father suddenly decides that he does not have need for me anymore?

And then, there is the scary thought of meeting his family after running off with their blood for more than a year. I'm sure he must have told them about Jnr. How do I face his family, especially his father, the grand monarch of the Piero family?

Phew, I exhaled deeply. I just wished Alexandro would let us stay at the house at Lombardy until I was ready to meet his family again.

I was jerked out of my reverie by an announcement over the public address system that the jet would soon land. Reluctantly, I braced myself for our landing.

The jet soon landed at the airport and I scooped Jnr out of the cot. I held him firmly in my arms as I alighted, with Alexandro behind me, watching my every move with the eyes of a predator.

Two limousines were waiting at the tarmac, obviously to drive us home. A tall, slim, beautiful lady alighted from the second car, her ginger–colored hair glistening under the sun.

My heart did a somersault. Marianne Hoxford! What the hell was Alexandro's ex doing at the airport? Immediately, I turned to him, anger and a questioning look in my eyes.

"What the hell is she doing here? I thought you were both no longer in contact?"

He gave me a bored look as he kept walking, and it riled me up.

"Alexandro, why the hell is Marianne here?"

He halted and gave me an irritated look. "Can you quit being dramatic? She is here because she is family. And oh, the fact that she is my ex doesn't make her an enemy,"

"Family?" I asked, having a puzzled look.

"Yes, family. She is now engaged to Alvino. Now shut up, you are scaring my son." He said and resumed walking.

I stood rooted to the spot for a moment, while I tried to digest the new information. Marianne was now engaged to Alvino, Alexandro's junior brother? What game was the bitch playing at?

Instinctively, my eyes went to the scar on my wrist. Marianne had inflicted me with the injury on my bridal shower night with her long artificial nails. Somehow, she had persuaded Alexandro to let her be a part of the bridal shower train that night.

The bitch had denied, lying, that it was a mistake. Everyone had believed her when she started shedding crocodile tears, including Alexandro. I had no option but to let the issue slide. As an ex fiancé to Alexandro, she had the love and admiration of everyone, so it was my word against hers.

Ever since then, until my impromptu trip to France, I made sure I stayed away from her. Now, seeing her again after months, I can't help but feel a surge of rage and bitterness, all directed at her.

"Oh my, oh my, is that you, Cristina?" Marianne exclaimed, as she walked up to me.

"Oh hi, Marianne." I said coolly, my eyes skimming over her, my face expressionless.

"Is that our heir we all have been expecting?" She asked, peering down at jnr. "Can I carry him?" She added quickly.

"Ummm... I'm sorry, but Jnr has a phobia for strangers. It's a stage all babies go through, I guess." I replied. Hell no, there was no way I was letting her carry my son, else she might end up digging her claws like nails in his skin. Anything was possible with Marriane.

"Oh, that's right." She replied, trying to mask her disappointment.

"Yeah," I replied in a dismissive tone. She must have caught the hint because she sashayed away to Alexandro.

"Wait in the car, Cristina," Alexandro instructed.

I gave him a puzzled look. Wait in the car? I was tempted to argue, but shut my mouth even before I could open it. Alberto walked ahead and opened the passenger door of the first limousine, and I climbed in. Settled on the plush chair in the car, I gazed back out at Alexandro as he stood with Marianne discussing what I wished I knew.

My heart raged in anger as I wondered why he asked that I wait in the car while he spoke to that fake Barbie of a Marianne. Realizing that straining my neck was not worth the effort, I turned my eyes away. My focus was now on a playing Jnr in my arms, as he grabbed a fistful of my hair, attempting to shove it in his mouth.

A few minutes later, Alexandro got in beside me and the car drove off. When the car kept taking the familiar turns that led to the house at Veneto, I realized that Alexandro's mind was made up. But then, there was no harm in still trying to see if he would change his mind, right?

"It is still my wish to spend some time in Lombardy," I said in a suggestive tone.

"Be rest assured that you won't be visiting Lombardy anytime soon, and if you insist, you will have to go alone," he said curtly.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Do I need to spell it out to you? If you care so much about running off to Lombardy, then you will have to do it without my son," he said, and gave me a daring look.

I cringed, as terror enveloped me. Was he threatening me with my son? My grip around Jnr tightened immediately.

"You don't intend to take him away from me, do you?"

"I will. If you leave me with no option, Signora. You can't run off with my child again. Not under my watch," he said defiantly.

My eyes were misty now as I looked out the window. I was right. All he cared about was his son, and not I, his mother. Oh, why didn't I see the handwriting on the wall earlier? What was I thinking? That a man like Alexandro would leave all the beautiful ladies from noble families for the daughter of a farmer like me, without wanting something in return?

Of course, he knew what he wanted. He wanted an heir, and he wanted one from an innocent lady. Little wonder, he asked if I had known any man on one of our dates. The impressed look on his face,, when I replied in the negative told a lot.

With the tales of how wayward and infertile most of the daughters of the nobles are, it only made sense why he would opt for someone like me to give him an heir.

"I want to ask you a question, and I need nothing but an honest answer from you," I suddenly said, turning to look at him.

He gave me a puzzled look, as he watched me beneath those very dark and long lashes. "Go ahead. I will answer it if I'm at liberty to," he replied.

"Did you ask me to marry you because you loved me or because you wanted an heir?"

He stayed silent momentarily and kept watching me. "You would rather not hear the answer to that question, Signora." And then he peered out the car window, "We are home. Get rid of those tears in your eyes. You do not want people having the wrong impression, do you?" Without waiting for an answer, he opened the car door and walked out without a backward glance.