Chapter 8

Lisa's POV

Alessandro kept his word because the following morning, one of the maids woke me up in time to take a quick shower. I quickly got dressed and had breakfast before going to the hospital.

Everyone but the servants was still asleep when I left the mansion. I wanted to ask Piero if he could take me to the hospital, but the housekeepers didn't understand a word of English, and I couldn't speak Italian. I decide to take the bus and quickly walk out of the gates. I sit here waiting for the next bus. At this rate, I'm going to be late. Almost an hour later, a bus stops. When I arrived at the hospital, I quickly went to Lilani's room, only to find the bed empty.

"I should have to wake someone up to take me to the hospital." I think, sadly.

Turning around, I walked to the waiting area. As I flip through a magazine, I constantly think about Lilani, who is in theater now.

"Please, God, please heal my sister." I begin to pray silently.

Alessandro's POV

"Can someone tell me how Lisa got to the hospital this morning?" Grandma asks.

"I told her yesterday that Piero would take her," I told her in a stern voice. Why should I care?

But Grandma isn't scared of me and continues, "I don't think Piero took her, Alessandro, because she can't speak Italian to have asked him to take her."

Well, maybe she took the bus," Gabriele says.

"Then she would have been too late to see her sister." Sophia says.

"It would be her own fault if she was too late to see her sister." I say it harder than I intend to.

"She could've woken one of us," I continue, looking at Sophia.

"She wouldn't do that because we are still strangers to Lisa," Grandma shouts.

"I wonder if she ever made it to the hospital? How well does she know the city?" Gabriele wonders out loud.

Shit! I forgot that she couldn't speak or understand Italian.

"I will go there myself," I hear Grandma say.

"I think Alessandro must go and support his wife in her time of need." Sophia suddenly speaks.

"Then why are you not supporting her, Sophia? No one is stopping you from doing that," I say sharply.

"I'm sure your wife would appreciate it more if you supported her in her time of need, Alessandro; it seems like you don't care about her," Sophia says disapprovingly.

"I think you should rather leave now." I warn her in a cold voice.

"That's enough! Alessandro, I won't tolerate you talking this way. Sophia is right; you should be there supporting your wife," Grandpa shouts. I think this was the first time I heard him yell like that.

"Antonio asks Piero to get the car ready," I instruct. I knew if I continued to argue with them, Sophia and my brother would know something was wrong with my marriage.

"Nonna, you can come with me." I added, not wanting to be alone with my so-called wife. I'm not even married for a whole day, and she's already causing so much chaos in my house.

"Mr. Mancini, Piero is waiting at the front." I hear Antonio say:

"Thank you, Antonio. Grandpa will take me to the car. You and Leonardo can start with some paperwork, and I will attend to the important matters as soon as I'm back." I quickly dismissed him.

"Sì, signor Mancini." I felt Grandpa take my arm and lead me to the waiting car.

"Son, you should learn to act in front of others because they will surely sense that something is wrong with your marriage." I hear my grandmother scold me.

"I will try, Nonna," was all I could say. The drive feels so long when we finally arrive at the hospital. Grandpa helps me out, and together we walk inside.

I assume we found my wife when I hear Grandma say, "Is there any news about your sister yet, Lisa?"

"Nothing yet; they've been in the theater for almost five hours," I hear her say sadly. Just as we were about to take a seat, I heard a male voice ask, "Mrs. Mancini, the operation was a success. We are keeping your sister under anesthesia for a few days to recover quicker so that her body doesn't have to endure so much pain; you can visit her as soon as she is back in her room". They must be done with the operation.