Everybody Wants to Rule the World

Chapter Thirty-One: The Mother-in-Law

Taking a deep breath as she prepared to present herself to the Emperor Carlo and his court, Dolores tried to ease her mind about why she had been summoned; she worried that if things did not go well then she would lose her head. 

So much had changed in the past few months for her and Dolores doubted that things could get any worse; she straight her back as the doors before her opened. 

"Lady Dolores Aveiro," the announcer called making Dolores pause for a moment, she took a moment to glare at the man that hadn't announced her properly. 

She was meant to be introduced as Lady Dolores Aveiro, mother to General Ronaldo however for whatever reason the last part had been dropped and she felt tension in the air as she walked into the court room. 

Her eyes swept the once friendly faces of the courtiers as she moved further into the room and it didn't take her long for her to spot Camelia; she kept her face neutral at the sight of the blonde, it was her that had ruined everything for her family. 

Once she reached the thrones, Dolores bowed down low before she stood straight and looked straight up at Emperor Carlo wondering if he had any news about her son. 

Emperor Carlo pursed his lips as he stared down at Dolores, he was disgusted from what he had heard and he knew that it had to be dealt with quickly; he couldn't allow her to get away with what she had been doing. 

"Would you explain to this court why you ordered your nephews to seize the land and properties that rightfully belong to Lady Camelia Aveiro?" Emperor Carlo asked patiently, he was not impressed with what was going on and he wanted to put a stop to it. 

Not only were they stealing land that did not belong to them, but they were ensuring that Cristiano's two sons were not provided for; they would be on the streets if it weren't for him.

"That woman is not my son's true wife, there for it is my duty as his mãe to run his lands while he is gone," Dolores spat, she would never acknowledge the marriage between her son and his mistress as lawful. 

Camelia didn't deserve the title of Cristiano's wife nor did her bastards deserve any inheritance from anything that Cristiano held; they could all rot for all Dolores cared. 

There was no way she was just going to hand back control over to that woman and she was proud of her nephews for helping her take back what was rightfully Cristiano's. 

Emperor Carlo stared down at Dolores, he was more relieved than ever that he had insisted that Camelia and her sons come to court; he could only imagine what Dolores and her nephews would have done to them if he hadn't. 

"The court recognises Lady Camelia as General Ronaldo's lawful wife and as such you are to hand control of his lands back to her," Emperor Carlo insisted not wanting to put up with this, no one denied that Camelia was Cristiano's wife especially after everything that he had been through before he married her. 

Dolores stared back defiantly, she would do no such thing and she would rather die than see anything of Cristiano's go to that woman; she spared another look at Camelia and eyed the small bump that was starting to appear under her orange jersey maxi dress. 

"He banished his true wife and her son," Dolores said knowing that she would forever consider Catalina the true wife to her youngest son, no matter what the other woman had done. 

It had been difficult but Dolores still exchanged letters with Catalina and insisted that the woman still refer to herself as Lady Catalina Aveiro, General Ronaldo's wife. 

"Then you shall stay here until an agreement can be reached," Emperor Carlo ordered hoping to have Cristiano back soon.

***

"How dare you prance around court while Cristiano rots in a cell," Dolores spat storming into the rooms that Camelia had been given while at court, she had been furious when she had leant where she was staying. 

Dolores had been moved down to the common rooms for visitors while Camelia and her bastards had been granted the chambers where Cristiano stayed when he was at court. 

Looking up from her sowing, Camelia blinked almost surprised to see Dolores in her chambers; she had thought the woman would avoid her like the plague. 

They had never gotten along and Camelia could only imagine that Dolores had come here to bully her into giving up her claim to Cristiano's lands; something that she had no intention in doing. 

If she gave up such a claim then there was no hope for her or the children, Cristiano would be furious when he returned from Palma and discovered what his mother had done. 

There was little doubt that he would cut her off and then there would be no way Dolores would be able to afford the home that she currently held; he would punish her for trying to deprave his children of what was rightfully theirs while he was gone. 

Pilar Rubio glared at the woman, she was utterly disgusted at how Dolores was acting and was relieved that she got along with her own in-laws; she knew that if anything happened to Sergio then she and her own sons would be cared for no matter what. 

She couldn't imagine how scary it would be to be trapped in Camelia's situation with almost no one around to help her; it was lucky that Cristiano was one of the Emperor's favourites and had his protection. 

"It's your fault he's been taken hostage," Dolores raged stepping towards Camelia, her eyes flickering to the bump that she carried and she almost wished there was some way to stop the pregnancy.

Dolores would happily push Camelia down a flight of stairs or even poison the blonde if it meant that Camelia would never give Cristiano another child; she didn't care if it did cost her, the only son that she had left. 

"I think you should leave," Pilar insisted getting to her feet, she set down what she had been working on and walked over to Dolores; she didn't want her upsetting Camelia and she hated the look on the woman's face. 

They were going to have to keep a close eye on her so that Dolores didn't attempt anything against Camelia while Cristiano was still a hostage. 

Everyone knew how devastated Cristiano would be if anything happened to Camelia and their sons, he would never forgive his mother if she were to attempt to take them from him. 

"This isn't over. I would rather die than see everything Cristiano worked for in your hands," Dolores shouted as Pilar dragged her from the room, the brunette was almost relieved when they bumped into her husband on the way out. 

Sergio raised an eyebrow and quickly took hold of Dolores before she could round on Pilar, he had heard shouting and had come to see if everything was alright; he wasn't surprised that Dolores hadn't been able to keep her mouth shut. 

Shutting the door behind Dolores, Sergio and Pilar shared a look before Pilar went to check on the boys to make sure that they hadn't been disturbed by the shouting. 

Sergio took a deep breath before he turned his attention to Camelia, she was fifteen weeks pregnant now and he knew that the sooner that Cristiano was home the better. 

Walking over to Camelia, Sergio prepared to tell her the news that she had been waiting for; the Emperor had finally commission a rescue mission to bring Cristiano home. 

"I'm going to bring him home Cami," Sergio told her as he took Camelia's hand, he wasn't going to come back from Palma without Cristiano no matter what happened.