(Renata Pellegrini)
> One week later:
I always believed in the phrase: "What nobody knows, nobody spoils", I read this phrase in a post on instagram when I was sixteen, I don't remember who posted it, but this phrase was marked in my memory and since then I bring this to my life, even though I never have many people around me.
I feel that Filippo thinks differently than I do, and in a way, I am even happy that he wants to take me on, but I know that in doing so, we would face many problems... correct, I would face many problems. I am poor, an orphan, and a foreigner - he is also a foreigner, but he has lived here much longer than I have and has his name recognized all over the world - I am just a recent graduate who was lucky to have a teacher with good contacts. I can't even imagine the degree of offense I would be exposed to if they knew that someone like him was dating someone like me.
Filippo was upset with me about my request, even though he didn't say anything, I could feel it. But after a few kisses he didn't mention it again.
“This dress is beautiful,” I praise the piece in my hand, hold the label of the dress and read the gold phrase with high relief: DOLCE & GABBANA,SILK EVASEE DRESS, just below comes a description of the product: "shoulder to shoulder neckline with fabric overlay, structured waist, back opening, built-in straps for tying and back closure with zipper, black color."
I have already entered a store there in Brazil that sells dresses of this brand. I didn't stay even two minutes, the simplest dress cost more than fifteen thousand, I can't even imagine a possible price for the piece I'm holding.
“I imagine it is not easy to wash this dress,” I say, thinking out loud.
“Did you know that some clothes are thrown away after being worn once?” Filippo says nonchalantly.
How extravagant rich people are, spending so much money on a piece of clothing and after wearing it only once, throwing it away. "I think and sigh, I am used to wearing my clothes until they are totally worn out, but I don't dare say anything, my reality and his are very different.
“I understand, I will just go and get dressed, I won't be long,” I leave Filippo in the living room of my apartment and go to my room.
We are going to a dinner party for one of the most important clients in the company, and I am going as his secretary. This is the first time I will accompany him on an important engagement and I cannot even describe how I am feeling. A mixture of fear, euphoria Sophia was also surprised when I told her, she told me that he had never taken a secretary with him before.
An hour before Filippo arrived, I asked Amanda to help me with my hair and make-up. She and I have become very close these last few days, she is very different from me, but she already has a special place in my life. I even feel sorry for the direction her life has taken. Having a father addicted to gambling, she went from being a rich girl to a suburban wage earner.
I take off my robe and carefully put on my dress, put on my heels, and put on my perfume. I look in the mirror and smile at what I see, I look even more beautiful than when Amanda dressed me up for the nightclub where he and I had our first kiss.
Filippo has very good taste in clothes, so much so that he lives very well dressed, I smile even more when I realize that the colors of our clothes are matching, he looks stunning in that black suit tailored to his body.
I go back to the living room, Filippo stands up, I notice his gaze getting darker as he watches me come closer.
“Sei bellissima, piccola mia,” - “You look beautiful, my little one,” I smile at his compliment.
Felippo is always complimenting me, and although he still feels a little embarrassed, he is no longer as exaggerated as before.
“Grazie,” - "thank you," I say smiling, he touches my cheek and slides his finger on my jaw, I close my eyes enjoying his touch. His lips press against mine in a kiss too fast for my liking.
“We'd better go, or we'll be late-he extends his arm and I hold it out.”
> Twenty minutes later:
Filippo opens the car door and helps me down. I love having such a gentlemanly boyfriend.
The Whites' estate is huge, much bigger than the ones I have seen on TV. We walk through a long corridor of flowers until we reach the entrance hall of the mansion, Filippo rings the bell and soon the doors are opened.
“Welcome, I am Lueni, the housekeeper, please follow me," she turns and we follow her.
I control my curiosity and don't turn my neck to observe the mansion. I don't want to embarrass Filippo by acting so inelegantly in other people's houses.
We walk down a long corridor, it is audible the voices of some people laughing, it seems that the atmosphere is lively. Lueni opens the doors giving us passage. As soon as we set foot inside the room, everyone's eyes fell on us.
“Mr. Valentini, I thought you were not going to come anymore,” Mr. White comes smiling to meet us together with a girl, who must be about my age. She is wearing a red dress, her breasts look as if they are going to pop out of the deep neckline, her hair is tied up in a high ponytail.
“I wouldn't do that to you, sir,” Filippo answers casually.
“Very good my boy, this is Penelope, my heiress," he introduces his daughter with a tone full of pride.
“An immense pleasure to meet you, Mr. Filippo.” She speaks softly and extends her hand to Filippo, who gives her a kiss, biting down hard on my cheek. The smile, previously restrained, now becomes huge.
“Likewise,” he replies nicely, “I don't like it.”
“May I just call you Filippo? I feel that we will be good friends,” she says, clearly showing her ulterior motives.
Calm down, relax, I may be seeing things where there are none, just breathe and control your taxed face.
Where is the usual arrogant and overbearing guy? I narrow my eyes and squeeze his arm, but he just pulls his arm from my grasp, a waiter passes by and he grabs a drink.
“Yes, Miss Penelope,” he replies with a small smile and sips his drink.
“It looks like you're going to get along well," Mr. White says, drawing attention to himself. His gaze now falls on me, looking me up and down. I don't like the way he looks at me, what a rude old man.
“She is my secretary,” Filippo answers without taking his eyes off the drink.
“My name is…”
“Let's sit down, dinner will be served soon.” Penelope interrupts me and grabs Filippo's arm, pulling him along.
I take a deep breath and count to three mentally, with no more alternatives, I just follow him. The room is full of round tables, but in the center there is a rectangular one. I notice that some men are already seated at it, leaving only four chairs. Mr. White sits at the head of the table, Filippo looks at me and drags out one of the seats, but before I can sit down, Penelope passes her arm in front of me and sits down. I look at Filippo who says nothing, just sits down in the other chair to the right of Mr. White.
I blink my eyes to disguise the accumulated tears, I had come to think that I would never again feel so humiliated. But I have seen that life always finds a way to show me my place.
I pull out a chair and sit down next to Penelope, who is talking animatedly to Filippo. They are talking about possible partnerships when she takes over her father's business and about upcoming meetings to talk about in a more comfortable environment. My head starts to throb, her voice makes me sick, I don't like this environment, I don't like her, I don't like his attitude, I just want to go back to my house and cry with rage.
I come out of my reverie when I feel a cold liquid on my arm, I look at the table and Penelope's cup is overturned with all the liquid spilling over me.
“Oh dear, I'm sorry, I accidentally knocked over the red wine glass and... Ah, what do you think you're doing, you crazy woman! You stained my whole dress!” She speaks angrily, getting up.
I can feel everyone's shocked looks on me, but I'm not intimidated, I won't let her humiliate me any further.
“Red wine stained clothes are very difficult to wash, but,” I take the cup from the person next to me and also stand up, she looks at me with hatred, and I reciprocate. “As long as you add white wine, these stains will be easily removed,” I threw the wine in her face.
“You bitch!” She screams and comes at me, but Filippo pulls her by the arm, he approaches her and says something in her ear, I feel my heart aches at this. “Excuse me, I will recompose myself, please, continue dining,” she hurries out of the room, I watch her leave without understanding.
I look at Filippo, looking for answers, but he acts as if nothing is happening, he takes his glass and drinks it all at once. I bite my mouth to keep my chin from shaking with anger, I need to get out of here.
I leave the room feeling the stares on me, I am so angry that the tears that had previously accumulated have dried up. I turn straight down the hall and open the first door, luckily for me, it is the bathroom. I go in, grab the paper towel and start rubbing it on my dress, good thing it's black, you can hardly see the stain.
The images of him kissing her hand, then holding hands, of her disgusting smile at him, I start to cry with hate, I feel as if I have been betrayed. I can't control the tears that slide from my eyes. Such hatred! I stretch and rub the dress so hard that I tear it. Agr! What the hell, how am I going to get out of here now?
I stop my wailing when I hear the sound of the door being opened and Filippo enters, closing the door behind him.
“What are you doing here?” I ask without hiding my anger.