The Malevolence of a Woman Wronged (PREQUEL)

Chapter 3- How to Make a Friend

--Angelina POV--

"Okay Milo, wish me luck," I breathed out, hand raising as my finger pushed down on the bell. And then there was no going back. And that became evident when one of the large doors swung open, a nice-looking lady standing there as she greeted me with a warm smile that welcomed all prior visitors too, I'm sure.

"Buona sera, is there anything I can help you with signorina?" She greeted.

"Si, Signora, is my mama at home right now?" I quickly took a moment to compose myself before speaking, gracing her with a smile of my own as I did.

"Your mother? You mean-"

"Donna, who is it?" The door opened up further after the entrance of the new voice, and I came face-to-face with none other than my mother as she stood there staring at me, a subtle look of surprise resting on her face.

My mother is a successful business woman, she owns a famous restaurant chain, one where she earns millions of euros every year. It's evident in the large house that I'm standing in front of right now, and the line of sports cars sitting in the open garage on the right-hand side of me. 

But while she was a successful woman, she was an unsuccessful mother.

"Angelina," Her hands fell slack beside her.

"Ciao... mama," I grinned a fake grin as she continued to stare at me, deadpanned. 

"I... Divorced Donovan," I decided to say as the awkward moment began to grow longer.

"I'm guessing that it didn't end very well since you're standing on my doorstep with your cat in your hands, and those red puffy eyes, you've been crying,"

"Noh. It did not end very well," I sighed. "He took my company,"

"Yes, well what more could you have expected from men? They are all greedy... But, now is not the time for that. Su entri, we'll talk more inside," And she stood aside, waving the worker whose name I had learnt was Donna, away.

"So, what do you plan to do now?" She asked as I sat down on the sofa in the living room, releasing Milo from my arms as he sat on the couch beside me, looking around the place with curious eyes.

"I do not know... I am tired, and angry, and so... so bloody frustrated,"

"I would imagine as much. Why else would you have come to me of all people for help?" She wasn't wrong. While I called her mama, she was never a mother to me, and that became certain after the death of my father nearly 20 years ago.

She's never been there for me. From a young age, I have always been alone, I've never had anyone besides my father, but he died when I was 6, and he wasn't coming back. Papa was the one that always visited me during my school plays, he put me to sleep, read me stories, and tended to all my wounds.

But mama was never even at home, she was too busy with work. And after papa died, she stopped me from going to school and started home-schooling me instead. She never came to any of my graduations, she never celebrated my birthdays, she didn't even come to my wedding. She has never once been there for me.

So, of course we didn't get along.

That's why I left this house as soon as I discovered that I had gotten a scholarship at Lincoln University. I went, and I never looked back.

"Where will I be staying?" I asked, standing up as I took Milo into my arms once more.

"Don't you want to talk? We've not seen each other in so long,"

"And whose fault do you think that is, mama?" I gave her a look as she paused. "But, no thank you. I wish to be alone right now, that's all," I added on, not wanting to feel an added weight of guilt on my shoulders along with everything else that was piling on.