Once again, Fiona reached out to take Bianca away, but Vanessa held her arm.
“You’re not taking her anywhere,” she stated, deadpan.
There was silence for a moment. Bianca was still hiding behind Vanessa, while Vanessa glared down at her biological mother.
Fiona was stunned for a moment. She didn’t expect Vanessa to give her such a hard time. Earlier, she’d researched Vanessa but found nothing fascinating about her. She look completely normal even though she came from a very wealthy family.
She always lived in her older sister’s shadow and barely had a voice of her own. Now, the very woman she thought she would be able to bully was speaking back to her and refusing to let her take Bianca away.
Snatching her hand back, Fiona rubbed her wrists as she regarded Vanessa for a moment.
“You are not what I’d predicted. But you wouldn’t want to make me your enemy, Vanessa. I’m still Bianca’s mother and I have every right to take her away to spend time with her.”
“And I said no, is that too hard for you to get through your thick skull?” Vanessa snapped. Once again, a new day, a new drama. “You’re not taking Bianca anywhere and that’s final.”
Without waiting for Fiona to say anything else, she pulled Bianca along with her and they both walked to the car. Vanessa glared at Fiona through the heavily tinted windows before the car roared away from the school area.
Vanessa took a deep breath, glad that she’d arrived early; else who knows what Fiona would have done to Bianca.
She glanced at the kid and found her shaking in her seat.
“Are you okay? Did she hurt you anywhere?” Vanessa asked.
Bianca stared at Vanessa for a moment, her green eyes filled with tears that hadn’t fallen yet.
Immediately, Vanessa pulled the girl close and laid her head against her chest. The next second, she heard tiny sobs, one that had her body heating up.
This reaction only got Vanessa wondering exactly what Fiona had done to her own daughter to have her shivering with fear from just meeting her.
Bianca continued to sob until they arrived home. She didn’t speak once.
Vanessa picked her up from the car seat and held her until they entered the mansion.
Inside, Matteo had already arrived home. He was on a call when he saw them, and once he saw Vanessa holding Bianca, she strode towards them, closing the distance with a face filled with concern.
“What—”
Vanessa quickly hushed him with a finger pressed to her own lips.
She quickly took Bianca to her room, removed her shoes, and put the girl down for a nap.
When she returned to the living room, Matteo was still patiently waiting for her.
“Fiona almost took her away again but I arrived on time to stop her,” she explained. “She looks really shaken up after seeing her own mother.” Then she paused, wondering if it would be right to ask the question hanging on the tip of her tongue. “What exactly happened that made Bianca so scared of Fiona?”
Matteo’s gaze snapped to her so fast and harsh she didn’t even need him to speak to know that she had crossed the line.
“That’s none of your business,” he snapped. “Keep Bianca away from Fiona, that’s all you need to do.”
“But I’m her mother now. I think it’s only right if you tell me exactly what’s making the girl go pale once she sights her own mother. We have to help her overcome her fears. You’re her father, aren’t you? Help her out.”
Matteo gritted his teeth hard. He only returned home so he could see Bianca for himself and make sure she was alright.
Even though he was already married to Vanessa and had made her responsibilities clear to her, he still couldn’t trust her completely. He’d also called the driver earlier, and he’d confirmed that they were at the school.
“I’ve told you,” his voice came out harshly, as if he was going to snap her neck if she continued to insist. “That’s not your concern. Watch Bianca and make sure she doesn’t meet Fiona. I’ll handle the rest.”
Then he turned and left the mansion like they were done talking.
Vanessa gnashed her teeth together. Obviously, Matteo wasn’t going to tell her anything. Bianca was out of options. She couldn’t bother her with such things.
There was only one person left.
As if on cue, Gideon stepped out of the servant chamber, gave her a small bow, and walked to the kitchen to prepare the ingredients for dinner for an early start.
Somewhere…
Fiona picked up a vase and smashed it against the wall in rage. The furniture shattered and the glasses sprayed onto the floor.
As if that wasn’t enough, she picked up another vase, aimed it at nothing, and threw it.
“Hey!!” Xavier ducked before the vase could smash into his own face. “What’s wrong with you? Why are you destroying everything?”
Fiona breathed heavily as she tried to contain her anger.
“That woman! Vanessa!! Matteo’s wife. She thinks she’s so smart. She thinks she can keep me away from Bianca.” She laughed but it didn’t touch her eyes. “She doesn’t know who she’s dealing with at all.”
Xavier frowned at her, then realization dawned on him. “You went to see Bianca again.” It was a statement. Her lack of an answer confirmed it.
Xavier rubbed his face in frustration. “Why don’t you like to listen? Is it until Matteo kills you?”
Fiona scoffed as she’d just heard the latest thing ever. “Do you really think Matteo is going to kill the mother of his child?”
Matteo’s warning immediately rang in Xavier’s ears. He sounded so serious that she was sure Matteo would actually do it.
However, Fiona wasn’t willing to listen. She kept pushing and he feared that Matteo might actually deliver on his promise.
“Why can’t you just let that little girl be? We have a child together. Just let her be!”
Back home…
“Gideon, let me help you with dinner tonight,” Vanessa entered the open kitchen with a goal in her mind.
She’d only been staying in the household for three days. It wasn’t enough time to build a good relationship with Gideon but he didn’t look like a stuck-up, mannerless frog like someone she had in mind.
Hopefully, he would give her the information she needed.
“How can I let the madam of the household help me do my job? That doesn’t seem right, Mrs. Devereaux.”
Vanessa’s eyes twitched at that name. She was still getting used to it but every time he addressed her as such, she could only grimace.
She’d told him countless times to just call her by her first name but the old man has proven to be stubborn. It’s only been three days, so she still hoped that she would be able to convince him to address her by her actual name.
“Of course it’s right. As the madam of this household, it’s only right for me to assist in whatever way I can to help run it. I still have to figure out my way around here too.”
Gideon gave a faint smile before his face went back to looking neutral, just like his boss. “There’s plenty of time for you to learn.”
Vanessa gave a smile before she spoke again. “You know what? I’ll make dinner and you’ll help me prepare the ingredients. How about that?”
Gideon was stunned for a moment. He gave her the look of disbelief, as if certain she couldn’t cook.
“Don’t worry, Gideon. I’m not a spoiled brat. I’ve entered the kitchen and I know how to cook very well.”
Gideon didn’t say anything.
“Trust me, Gideon. I won’t burn down the kitchen.”
“It’s not because of that at all. The thing is, I’m not sure Matteo will eat when he finds out that you were the one who made the food.”
Vanessa blinked at him for a moment. Then sighed. “Then we don’t tell him that I made the food.”
Vanessa moved to another question, asking miscellaneous things just to smooth the mood so she could ask her question.
Later on, she said, “If I may ask, why is Bianca always scared of her mother?”
“Vanessa!” A voice came from the living room, jolting Vanessa.
She turned only to find Matteo scowling at her. Her lips instantly caught between her teeth, biting them.
“What are you doing?” He questioned, taking a step towards her, closing the distance in a way that made her taking a step back.
“I was just asking Gideon a few questions. Why? Is that a problem around here too?” She questioned back.
Matteo’s gaze narrowed at her, realizing he’d just married a stubborn woman.
“Come with me. We need to talk,” he said, leaving without even waiting for a response.