Chapter 104 - Trying To Be Penelope

"Carina, are you perhaps trying to be Penelope?" Emily's tone was rather mocking."Don't you think you are copying her too much? Persephone is her daughter, it seems you have forgotten." 

Penelope. The name which was the cause of many people's horror. 

Carina smiled kindly. "I don't need to become someone else to protect my children. And Emily, to become a mother, you don't have to biologically produce children. There are some relations which are far above that of blood ones but of course, you won't understand it." 

Family always didn't mean the blood relations. Sometimes a stranger can become your family suddenly and sometimes even a person you have known for all your life is nothing but a stranger to you. 

And no one knew this better than Carina. 

Her husband fell in the second category.

"You…" Emily was rendered speechless. 

Turning to Richard, Carina said,"I hope you will keep in mind the ties you have with our family." 

Richard's face darkened hearing his words but he still nodded. Penelope or Carina...both were Don Marino's wives. 

It didn't matter how a husband treated their wives under their roof, but for the sake of their honor, they would never let an unknown man insult their woman. And how could Don Marino be different? They all knew how differently Alessandro treated this wife of his. Never had he ever spoken to her less than gently. It was apparent to everyone how much she meant to him. It could be said that he was madly in love with his second wife.

Wasn't it the reason why she immediately secured the position of lady of the house just a few days after Penelope, the woman chosen by Alessandro's parents, died?! 

"You don't have to worry about it, Donna." Richard smiled even though all he wanted was to slap his wife several times for putting him in such condition."I will discipline my wife well." 

Sophia's lips twitched understanding what he meant by his words. 

Sigh, life of women in their community… 

… 

When Carina received the words from a servant that her husband wanted to see her in his study,she without wasting any further second, walked to the direction but since Persephone's room was on the same direction, she chose to drop by her room first for checking up on her naturally and only after checking that she was indeed better than before, she headed to her original destinytion. 

Although she knew what could be the consequences of getting late, she still couldn't ignore her daughter's wellbeing. 

To be honest, the consequences didn't matter to her. She would have to face them irrespective of doing everything properly. 

Knocking on the door, she heard a approving grunt and them opened the door. 

"You are late," These were the words which made Carina drop all her facade. 

Fear slowly crept up on her face as she saw her husband's animalistic expressions. 

No, their marriage wasn't what everyone thought. Her husband was a man worse than the devil himself. 

Only she knew the extent of torment be could inflict. 

She had been going through it for almost three decades now. 

Grabbing her arm, he pushed her against the desk. The modest looking dress that she was wearing was pulled up and her panties were now on her ankles. Without waiting for her to be ready, her husband thrust his achingly hard length inside her. 

Although it was a lot painful and uncomfortable, Carina didn't speak or show any expression. She had long accustomed to his animalistic behavior. 

As long as he unleashed his stress on her, he would be fine. 

"You developed a spine, Carina," Alessandro growled pulling her hair. He moved in and out roughly as she moaned. 

"Someone had to stop Emily," Carina said in her usual submisive voice. 

"Eh?"He hit her ass until his hand prints were imprinted. " You surprised me. Then, again everything has been surprising these days." 

"I'm sorry," Carina murmured. 

"Were you wrong?" Alessandro asked her. 

"If you say, I was then I sure was wrong," Carina whispered. 

"Same old Carina," Alessandro growled as he found his release. "You better control those daughters of yours well or else I would have to take the matter in my hands."

Carina swallowed. "I will do as you say."

Alessandro hummed in reply. "Once Salvatore is married,I want you to prepare Persephone. By hook or by crook, I want her married to Nico by the end of this month." 

Carina nodded. "I will do as you say."

"And tell Sophia to behave. After Persephone, she would marrying next."

"Have you--"

"I'm still looking for one for her." 

Forty five minutes later, when Don Marino was done with his little activity and his wife was making her appearance as she should, flawless, he uttered in his real voice which was as callous as anything could be. "If not for the fact your body keeps me sane, I would have long disposed you." 

Carina bowed her head as if she knew it would be his next spoken words. 

"Away from my sights, you unworthy woman." 

Carina pulled her already knee-length dress down and walked out of the room, with her head held high and her back straight, just like how every Marino woman should appear in public. Only when she entered her room and locked herself inside her bathroom, she left herself fall in the bathtub and cried until she had no tears left to cry. 

If not for Sophia or Persephone,she would have ended this painful life of hers. 

Salvatore was a male and favored by his father and the community but her daughters...they were weak against these privileged men. 

How she wished for both of the girls to find the men who would take them away from this unbearable life! 

Sometimes things are not as they appear. Take her and Alessandro's relationship for example. 

….

"Wait, Ginevra!" Ginevra heard a very familiar feminine voice calling her out but she didn't stop in her footsteps. Marino residence brought out the worst memories of her. Thus, as soon as she is out of here, it would be better for her mental health. 

While ignoring the voice calling out for her, Ginevra didn't understand when she began stepping in the wrong direction. It wasn't the wrong direction but the way to a wing that was subconsciously itched in every fiber of her being. 

Even without inferring, her feet were carrying her to where Lucien's room used to be. As the prior heir, he was entitled to the whole wing instead of a single room. But after his death, Salvatore refused to take over the wing and was now living on the newly built courtyard on the east side of the vast property.

"Ginevra! Stop right there!" Emma said while panicking. Did she not know where she was running?! 

Although the wing wasn't abandoned after Lucien's death, no one still lived there. It was used for several different purposes now.

Emma wasn't asking her to stop because she wanted to talk to her but because she was going to the forbidden zone. 

If someone found them walking to Lucien's wing, consequences would be grave. 

When Emma finally catches up with Ginevra's speed, she grabbed her wrist and impelled her to glance at her. 

"Where the hell were you going?" Emma shouted at her. She no longer resembled the meek woman sitting beside Salvatore on the dining table. This woman was angry and could raise her voice without troubling her vocal cords it seemed. 

It was true that Emma want a meek woman as she appeared to be. But for her survival, she had to pretend to be one. Sure she was soft spoken but meek? Nah. 

Ginevra glanced around her and found her in the middle of Lucien's wing of the mansion. Ignoring the tightening of her heart, she pretended to look nonchalant and cool as if nothing in this world could hurt her. 

Leaning against the wall and crossing her arms languidly on her chest, she asked Emma with a smirk. "Why? Suddenly feeling guilty?"

"What have I done to be guilty about?" Emma furrowed her brows while asking. Suddenly, she had a feeling where this conversation would be taking course. 

Ginevra scoffed. "What have you not, Emma?"

She has always treated Emma as one of her biggest enemies. Perhaps, she was right too. 

Emma sighed and softly gazed at her. "Ginevra, why are you being a bitch when both of us know that you are not one? Can you please tell me why you hate me so much? What have I done to make you hate me so much?"

"Emma, you made an enemy out of me the day you betrayed him," Ginevra whispered as her gaze rested on one particular door down the hall. 

If she could she would have killed this traitor a long time ago. People like her didn't deserve to live.. Then again, death was too little of a punishment for them.