Charles' POV
I leaned against my comfortable office chair at the mansion. I needed a cup of coffee so I could continue to take care of the files in my office. I didn't feel like calling on a maid so I walked downstairs to the kitchen.
The place was pretty quiet, and only Nonna Anita was there sitting at the kitchen table. She glanced at me, "Do you need anything, Sir?" She was sounding more formal than usual, which surprisingly irked me to no end.
Nonna Anita has been behaving weird and giving me a cold shoulder since Elena left.
I couldn't take the attitude anymore. "Is there something you'd like us to discuss, Anita?"
She looked at me for a while then shook her head and started wiping the meat surface with a rag.
I leaned against the counter and poured out a cup of drinking water for myself. "What is wrong, Anita? Talk to me."
She heaved a sigh and stared at me. For the first time in forever I noticed how beautiful this woman was. She started working with me since after Sandra left Elena and I. Anita has been a constant in our lives.
Her tan skin was very smooth and she had intelligent eyes. "Look Sir, this is crazy. You haven't even checked up on Elena since after you got out of the hospital. You need to build a relationship with your daughter."
"She needs to learn her lesson. Elena is a brat and has no control. She behaves now she wants and doesn't care about any consequences."
She lifted her eyebrows at me. "Doesn't that remind you of someone?"
"Are you by any chance referring to me?"
"Maybe." She shrugged at me and got back to cleaning the very clean surface.
"You know, I'm aware that you hated the fixed marriage, always wanted her to fall in love and be happy."
"She deserves that. I watched her as a little girl cried herself to sleep when she thought no one could hear her. She carved for attention that you hardly ever have her. She wanted the love of a mother that I could only give her a fraction. Now just when I thought she would find love and be happy you had to interfere."
Though normally I'm hard as stone, her words sunk into my head. "You know that all I want is what's best for her. I tried allowing her to make the choice for herself. How did that end?"
She shook her head at me in disappointment. "Dating one wrong person does not mean that she should be constantly blamed for it. Anyone could fall for false charm."
"Elena needs a lot of growing up to do. Until she starts taking responsibility then maybe I'll get soft on her, and that's final." The firmness in my voice made her sigh and say nothing else but just stare at me.
I kept staring at her in admiration. This should have been what Sandra should be, a bridge between myself and our daughter but she is trying to tear her own child down for profit.
"You look really beautiful today, Anita." I blurted out without thinking.
She looked at me with wide eyes and her cheeks turned beet red. "I…I…thank you, Sir."
I nodded and turned to walk out when I saw my sweet sister, Maria at the kitchen door with folded arms. How didn't I hear the devil arrive?
My once happy demeanor changed. My sister is a literal thorn in my flesh. She gave Anita and I a look of disgust then huffed and headed straight to my office.
I threw Anita a look of apology and rushed to follow Maria. When I arrived at my office she was sitting on the sofa with folded arms as if she owned the place.
"What are you doing here, Maria? You didn't even bother telling me before you came."
"I came to visit you brother, can't a baby sister come to see you mmm?" She had mischief written all over her.
"Baby sister? At almost 60?"
"Shut up, Charlie. You're such a spoil sport."
"Never said I wasn't. Don't call me that horrible name again."
She rolled her eyes. "Whatever."
"So what do you stand to gain from selling out the only child of this family to a Redland."
"I didn't sell my child, Maria." I sat on my chair and held my head in exhaustion.
"You did, explain to me how you forced a contract marriage down their throats. Elena doesn't even seem happy in that miserable marriage. The headlines made me rush back here."
"Why not mind your business? She'll adjust just fine."
"Why do you channel the shortcomings of Sandra on the poor child. Sandra hurt you, not Elena. Please stop channeling your pain at her."
"Shut up, Maria."
"No, I won't. In fact I have suspended my endless vacation. I will be here for a while to take of my side of the family business and make sure my niece is doing just fine."
"Where will you be staying?"
"Right in this mansion of course. Where else?"
Now I'm confused. "You've always hated this place. Why now?"
"Nothing, I want to rekindle our bond."
I hated that she was here. My sister and I always had a love-hate relationship. She stood up from the sofa, walked to the door and locked us inside.
"Why did you do that?"
"Gerard called me yesterday and threw a tantrum. He isn't happy that you got to be Ryan's father in law and he wants the deal for the mega capacity estate." She said looking dead serious.
I chuckled at this, that bastard always hated that I was at the head of the table of godfathers. He thinks I have no idea that he is lobbying to replace me as the head of the table.
"Those kinds of contacts from me wouldn't be going to his enterprise anymore, They're solely for the Redlands Enterprises."
"You know he'll never let this go and would go to nay length to pull you down."
"I'm aware, and I'll be waiting."
She then gave me long stare. "So now that we're done with business. What the hell is going on between you and that nanny of your?" Fury laced her voice. Maria might seem good on the surface but she always had issues of classism.
"How does that concern you?"
"Better stop any nonsense you think is going on because I will never accept her into this family. You, the godfather can never settle for a common maid, she's way beneath you."
The loud sound of glass hitting the ground pulled out attention and I rushed to door and unlocked it open. I stared in front of me and saw, Anita with tears brimming in her eyes.
"Anita, wait…." She didn't even wait for me, but she just ran and left it all. I turned towards my sister and anger brimmed in my veins.
"Well, at least she knows her place." Maria said again looking unbothered.
"I regret having you here!" I barked and rushed down the hallway to follow Anita.