His Collateral

Chapter 13

A few hours had gone by and it was almost 7:00 pm. The makeup artist and hairstylist were done and I couldn't even recognize myself.

I meant that in a good way.

I was alone in the room. Alessandro had gotten ready and was downstairs. I stared at the black dress that sat on the bed. I couldn't wear that. My scars would be out for the whole world to see. I checked the time and it was exactly 7:00pm on the dot and Alessandro had asked me to be ready by 7:45. I was pacing around the room nervously, thinking of what to do when Christy and Mary walked back in.

"You're still not dressed?" Christy said approaching me.

"I.. I" I stuttered

"You what Bella? Alessandro is waiting for you."

"I can't wear it." I stated

"And why is that? What's wrong with the dress?" She asked

"I.. j-just can't wear it." I said quickly, walking away from her and the dress. Mary approached me gently leading me to the couch.

"What's wrong Bella? Why can't you wear the dress? Is there something wrong with it?" She asked her voice soft and concerned.

I was torn between revealing my secret or keeping it hidden. With the event looming, I needed a solution quickly. But Aunt Theresa had warned me to conceal my scars from prying eyes.

If Alessandro discovered my reluctance to wear the dress, he would likely force me to wear it.

So, I decided to confide in Christy and Mary. "It's not the dress, it's me," I admitted.

"What do you mean?" Christy asked, curiosity etched on her face.

I led them to the walk-in closet, where I stood before the full-length mirror. With a deep breath, I loosened my robe, letting it fall to my waist, revealing my scars. A gasp escaped one of them.

"Who did this to you?" Mary asked, her voice laced with concern.

"My family," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Does Alessandro know?" Christy asked, her eyes wide with shock.

I quickly pulled my robe up and turned to face her. "He doesn't know, and it must stay that way."

Christy's expression turned determined. "This is abuse, Bella. They should be punished!"

I grasped her hand, pleading. "No, they're my family. They're all I have."

Christy countered, "You have Alessandro, me, and Mary."

If only she knew the truth about my relationship with Alessandro.

"Please, promise me you won't tell him." I turned to Mary, "And you too, please."

But Christy shook her head, withdrawing her hands from mine. "I won't make a promise I can't keep, Bella. We'll address this later. Now, let's get you ready." She asked Mary to retrieve her purse from the couch. Mary returned with the black purse, and Christy pulled out a bottle of concealer.

******20minutes later.

Christy exclaimed, "And it's done!"

I approached the mirror, wearing the black dress, and gazed at my back. The scars were completely hidden, as if they never existed. I turned to Christy with a huge smile, feeling tears well up in my eyes.

"No, no, don't cry. You'll ruin your makeup," she said, making me laugh. She handed me a gold purse and black shoes to match. I put them on and took a final look in the mirror.
"You look absolutely stunning. Alessandro won't be able to take his eyes off you," Christy said, leading me out of the room with Mary following behind.

At the top of the stairs, Christy and Mary stood by the pillars while I descended. The sound of my heels on the marble floor caught Alessandro's attention. He was on the phone but watched me as I reached the foot of the stairs. Our eyes locked, and I felt frozen under his gaze. I tried to maintain a calm facade, but it was hard not to feel self-conscious. Alessandro shook his head gently, nodded, and gestured towards the door. We made our way out, where his driver waited with a different car.

I think it's called a limousine.

Alessandro entered the car from the other side, while the driver held the door open for me. I slid in, followed by the driver, who then started the engine and pulled away. As usual, Alessandro was engrossed in his phone, leaving me to gaze out the window at the passing buildings. I was mindful of my posture, careful not to lean too far back and risk smudging the concealer on the seat. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Alessandro's occasional glances in my direction.

It was going to be a long night!
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