Third Person’s Point Of View.
Italy…
Usual silence with calm mild breeze from the wide gray mansion of the De Valois was domineering until a faint screech of car was heard far at the gate. Instantly, the only person besides the morose master of the house pressed the button to open the towering gates. After a while, taps of briskly walking feet are harmoniously ruining the quietness.
Then at the grayish aisle, two people meet. One suffocates with nervousness which makes the other contaminated.
"Rosario, what is it?" Alejandro finally asked, breaking the pressured silence within them.
He cares for his master's health and so any information that might harm or worsen his dejected condition deeply concerns him.
Rosario, as well, cares less about his news but is bothered by what might his master become if he heard this. Of course it isn't something new, but it is quite a threat.
"H-His mother, master's mother… I saw her breathing." Nervously, yet he managed to report.
Afterwards, Alejandro wore a faint smile and patted Rosario's shoulder. "Well done, Rosario. This will enlighten the master a bit." He praised before turning to Lucretius' room.
Rosario followed his reaction and nodded while walking again as well.
After knocking once, the door automatically opened and there he was.
Leisurely sitting in his black wooden chair with a cup of untouched tea in his hand while impassively looking far at the horizon through his transparent wall.
Roaming his placid room, everything is in the expected place. The dusted books in their hundred years old bookshelf, and the almost white table unknown if it's the natural color or just the dust. With clean papers, the one only looking naturally white in the room. If we dig into more details, there are cobwebs decorating the whole edges of the room. With spiders hanging here and there like a wild monkey in a jungle. If a person accidentally enters this quite rare room, he or she would assume that the owner is long dead and that it is forbidden to touch nor enter there. Which isn't really far from reality, because the melancholic sitting body while staring outside seemed like having his heart literally snatched from his body. As if he is physically present yet long mentally gone.
Unfortunately, he is an hour silent which means everything you could think of as an answer from a boss when someone is to report.
And so Alejandro gestured to Rosario to just speak and let him hear it. It is something he is used to as an old guardian and butler of Lucretius.
"Master, about your mother, madam Ekaterina. I was able to place my telescope and by a window saw her. I can see by the scarce movement from her chest that she is still breathing. I assume Mr. Gualterio was telling the truth, sir." He was done talking but hasn't yet calmed down. For the next reply is what matters the most.
Of course, they care about their madam Ekaterina just as they worry about Lucretius, but seeing his state, he seemed to be in a more desperate condition than his bedridden mother.
They both focused their eyes to his side, waiting to see if he made an expression yet nothing happened. No reaction as if he heard nothing.
Alejandro expected another hour of silence so he was about to express his goodbyes when he slowly opened his firmly shutted mouth. Even this little gesture of his was totally perceptible as he is totally like a statue.
Then, his coarse and resonant voice was finally heard.
"Thank you. You may go." Was his cold and cheap yet appreciative response.
The two at the back exchanged positive looks. Well, that was in the middle of their thoughts actually. One thought worse while the other assumed more. After giving smiles they slightly bowed before leaving. Letting the spider room once again back to it's serene and dark atmosphere.
Sighing, Rosario finally raised his head high. "That was quite good. I do really realize that he becomes softer when the topic is about madam Ekaterina." He pensively stated.
Walking ahead of him, Alejandro made a halt and faced Rosario. His expression is the same.
"You're right there. But after that, he is hurting a lot. So please, if not necessary, don't deliberately mention madame, okay?" He said worriedly.
Even with Lucretius' true father alive, he is the one who stands as his father ever since he was born. Yet even after all the years of being at his side, he cannot enter the inner wall of his personality. Hence, he only understood 50 percent of his nature.
"Is that so? Well, if that's the case, then don't-" Rosario was abruptly cut off by the sudden ring of the main phone of the house.
They gave a questioning look at each other before answering it. It is Sunday and companies were not in work so there are only a few possibilities of who might be the caller. Which if confirmed, will ruin the whole house's mood.
But Alejandro was still quick to answer."Yes, De Valois mansion. May I help-"
He was cut off by the angry shout on the other side. "Open the gates!"
Alejandro and Rosario both froze at the shout. They immediately became tense, because it's him. The one who uses his family just to get everything he wants. The unexplainably evil father of their master. Fortunately, they recovered fastly from their repugnant thoughts about him and pressed the button for the gate.
"Good morning, sir Gualterio, " They hesitantly chorused upon his arrival, then Alejandro coldly continued, "How may we help you?"
While examining the house, Rosario is examining his looks as well. His thick ugly beard is on full display which is at least better than seeing his dry and bulky mouth. Then there, his big heinous eyes looking down on everyone. Rosario, being employed for only a few years from now, couldn't pinpoint which part would agree that he is Lucretius' father. If Alejandro didn't mention that he is, then he will probably expect that he's a drug addict. Considering his abominable overall form and attribute. I mean, who uses his own wife and son just to be wealthier than wealthy right?
Gualterio drifted back his scrutinizing and belittling eyes to them and nonchalantly spoke. "Go get your master now." He left no room for hesitation because he made it more as an order.
So Alejandro forcely did his order while Rosario left without hesitation. He can just shoot the old man if his master didn't forbid them to, anyway. It's not like he is strong, he is even shorter than the normal heights of Italianos to be honest.
Afterwards, the sala is in suffocating silence. For the loathsome father and lonesome son are finally facing each other.
Gualterio didn't take long and drifted his eye contact away from Lucretius. His face is a little uneasy.
Thus, he brought out the document from his leather bag and shoveled it to Lucretius' front.
"You already know that only 40 percent of our assets have been restored since your grandfather died. I investigated it and these are the results." He spoke with indifference as if he's only having a conversation with a stranger he just met.
Alejandro can already feel his pity rising as he listens to this usual distant conversation between them. It's a luck he isn't facing his master or his eyes might be the one to continue letting the teary yet secure and composed eyes of his master's.
Tardly reading the first page in his hands, Lucretius out back down the papers and swiftly stands. "Once the agreement is in your hands, let mother go. This will be my last warning and submission to you." He firmly cautioned. His tense back facing Gualterio while the flooded unfathomable eyes of his are looking beyond the long aisle.
One would really think they are never connected with how cold they talk with each other. Unfortunately, in their kind, water seemed to be thicker than blood.
Following Lucretius' stand, Gualterio wears a hideous smirk. "As long as you get me all of that. Legally and peacefully. With no nuisance staining it. Which means, get rid of his partner's whole party if you need to." He commanded haughtily. Resulting in Lucretius to walk away.
After an hour. Everything was back to normal. The two were temperate yet anxiously waiting at Lucretius' door outside waiting for his order. It didn't take that long when they hearkened to his order of them booking a flight to Singapore. Which will be followed by reserving a whole lodge or hotel for them.
It wasn't that long after they had successfully fulfilled their master's order with the consideration of his preferences. Even though they cannot grasp his personality, they were still able to comprehend his likings. Making their master a little enlightened and subtracting his needs of talking and ordering for what he wants.