Chapter 9
Concetta lifted her gaze to the exhibition pieces, her lashes trembling slightly.
Tracy raised an eyebrow.”The Tate Group has spent two years pioneering retro-style designs from jewelry to fashion. Your specialty. Come back, Concy.”
Concetta knew the Tate Group well.
Under CEO Lowell Tate’s sharp vision, it had rapidly expanded in manufacturing.
Lowell Tate, though young, was ruthless and far-sighted.
Tracy hoped to team up with the Tate Group to create a retro style. Concetta was not surprised.
But could she return?
A cold, harsh voice cut through her thoughts.
“Concetta? Shouldn’t you be tending to Mom?”
Francesca Calderon, Alejandro’s sister, and the university star, stood nearby.
Ever since Concetta married into the Calderon family, Francesca had always despised her, a woman who leaned on men and achieved nothing.
Concetta didn’t expect to meet her here.
She kept her reply flat.”Just browsing.”
Menu
“The art at this show is truly special. Even the simplest pieces are things you wouldn’t understand. My brother and the twins will be back soon. You should focus on them instead.”
Francesca’s tone was cold.
In her eyes, though she’d heard Concetta studied a lot before marrying into the family and was good at designing, ultimately, she was just a nobody special.
She thought Concetta, who lived off men, was just useless.
Concetta froze.
“Alejandro is coming back?” she thought.
Her fingers curled. A bitter pang hit her.
She wondered, “Though we’re getting divorced, couldn’t he tell me?
“Was I ever more than background noise?”
Francesca had nothing more to talk to Concetta.
She was about to leave when she remembered the dish her mother had mentioned.
“Oh, make some chili con carne for Mom. You’re free, and your cooking’s barely passable.”
Francesca casually gave an order.
Once, Concetta would’ve obeyed instantly, begging for the family’s approval.
No matter how complicated it was, she would agree to Kristy’s demands.
However, she didn’t care anymore.
“I have my commitments. Leave cooking to the professionals.”
Francesca frowned, with a hint of displeasure in her eyes.
This was the first time Concetta refused her.
She thought, “Commitments?
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“What could she possibly be doing?”
Someone approached Francesca, having witnessed Concetta and Francesca’s communication.
“Francesca, who’s that?”
Francesca frowned slightly and casually replied, “Just an acquaintance. Not important.”
A bitter smile touched Concetta’s lips.
She was Francesca’s sister-in-law.
Yet to Alejandro or Francesca, she was invisible.
Years of selfless devotion in the Calderon family, she’d mattered less than a maid.
Menu
After Francesca left, Concetta turned to Tracy. “I’ll consider your offer. But it’s been years since I designed anything. Hope I won’t disappoint.”
Tracy felt relieved and grinned.”Nonsense. You’re the legendary Connie!”
For the first time in ages, Concetta’s eyes held a spark.
“Maybe it’s time to reclaim my path,” she thought.
That night, Alejandro flew back to Miami with the children and Sharon.
They visited Kristy first.
Kristy couldn’t help but complain, “She hasn’t visited once this week! My sleep and appetite are ruined. My skin’s awful!”
Kristy got used to Concetta’s care. She would prepare the scented pillows for better sleep and the tailored meals.
But, Concetta never came to visit Kristy since she returned.
Alejandro dismissed it and reassured, “I’ll hire new helpers. It’s the same.”
“The same?
“How could it be the same?” Kristy thought with a frown, looking a bit displeased.
Besides, all Concetta knew was to serve her, not to care about her.
But as a society matron, she swallowed her complaints.
Later, they went back to the marital home.
The butler told Alejandro that Concetta had taken everything away, even stripping the children’s rooms of warmth.
Instead, the rooms looked chilly.
Alejandro didn’t care.
He wondered, “Let her throw her tantrum.
“Does she expect me to beg?”
Hyman was feeling a bit down.
He hadn’t seen his mother for a long time.
Hyman thought to himself, “Is Mom angry with us?
“Ever since Lynne blocked Mom, she never even called from another number…”
Lynne tugged Sharon’s hand, beaming at Alejandro.
“Daddy, let Auntie Sharon have Mom’s room! She needs sunlight to keep healthy. Mom’s already gone!”
Apart from the master bedroom and the two children’s rooms, there was only the sunlit guest bedroom where Concetta had stayed.
