Chapter 26

The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch it without saying anything.

Before going down to eat lunch, I changed.

I finally wanted to have a meal without my life being threatened so, for the first time, I decided to give in, to put my rebellion aside and to wear a dress.

I chose one from the huge wardrobe before putting it on in the bathroom.

It was entirely made of black lace, lined with a white layer for modesty.

Certainly it was cute but it was far from being my favorite, I had chosen it only because it was long and it molded my little soft belly.

I put on pumps and put on a pair of hoop earrings.

I went down to the great hall and, for once, I was the only one who had already arrived.

The servants thronged the large room like worker wasps. They gave the impression of being bees, the base of the hive, yet they had no recognition. be mocked or even humiliated.

It was filthy to think that one could become rich to the point of discriminating against the work of the poor.

They swarmed around me as the "royal" family arrived.

- The meal is not yet at the table? Tatyana protests, shouting at a young servant.

The girl must have been my age, she was dressed in a clichéd uniform. The perfect outfit of the maids of yesteryear.

Their clothes were a humiliation on their own.

She no longer knew where to put herself and fled the mortal gaze of the stepmother.

Driven by the compassion I felt towards all these courageous women, I went into the kitchen and took dishes. I followed all the employees under the shocked gaze of all those who felt superior.

I laid out the dishes on the table as Vladimir came, like an Arab prince, into the room.

I returned to the kitchen and made a second round trip, a plate of salad in hand.

When I returned for the third time, I was challenged by the girl from earlier:

- It's not for you to do that my lady

I burst out laughing frankly at the end of his reply. I laughed my ass off at the servant's almost guilty face.

- Did I…did I say something wrong? she babbles.

- No need to call me with headlines, I'm not a lady I'm eighteen honey, I laughed.

- It's protocol.

- Tear down the protocol, I laughed. What kind of person would want to be called milady?

She smiled behind her hand and I went back into the dining room. I put down the dish I still had in my hands before sitting down in what seemed, obviously, my appointed place.

I helped myself to the dishes while the silence grew heavy.

I hated eating in silence. It made me feel guilty about eating. I then engaged in conversation with Vinchenso, breaking all the rules of decorum without even realizing it.

- Are you a mafia villain too? I asked him.

He was surprised at first by my remark, then he smiled.

- Yes indeed I too am a delinquent

- Are you like the right arm? The undercover spy?

- No, he laughs, I lead the Italian mafia.

First surprised by his revelation, I let go in disbelief:

- Is there the head of the Chinese mafia around this table?

He laughed, followed closely by his father who, obviously, had listened to our conversation.

I turned my head to Vladimir for a moment, almost by reflex, and saw a laughing spark in his usually cold gaze.

- No no Icham is not with us today, he replied before continuing to eat.