Mercy kept going over the entire scenario in her head. Katrina wanted her to visit, wanted to see her daughter. She rolled her eyes at that one, knowing there was some sort of ulterior motive behind the woman’s actions. The fact that she didn't ask about her father was a new one, given that she was ALWAYS trying to pry information out of her about him. She never said a thing and always asked why she couldn't just call him at the diner to ask. It's not like he can screen calls there and she for damned sure wasn't going to give the hag her fathers personal cell phone. Still, she made sure the boys were with her mother [Ciora] while she went to go see just whatever the ******** the egg donor wanted. Cass would be coming since he has not had the misfortune of meeting Katrina.
She wished she could spare him honestly.
Mercy took in a deep breath, walking up to the front desk of the luxury apartment that Katrina and Stefan were staying in, holding her husband’s hand the entire time. “I'm here to see Katrina Santiago.” The secretary tilted her head, “Do you have an appointment?” Mercy rolled her eyes, “I'm her daughter, Mercy Giordano? This is my husband, Cassius Giordano? She is expecting us?” The secretary blinked and looked at Cass like he grew a second head, “O-Oh! Mr. Giordano, it's a pleasure! I'll let Ms. Santiago know right away! Apologies Mercedes~” Mercy glared, she liked how all it took was for her to mention Cass and suddenly there was no scrutiny….
She was so glad she left the babies with her parents.
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When Mercy told Cass they were going to visit her mother, he was surprised, because in all the time he’d known Mercy, he had never personally met the woman. At first he thought they were having dinner with Ciora and he never minded that. She was a whirlwind and he liked her.
He frowned when the secretary seemed to ignore Mercy and addressed him before apologizing to Mercy. It wasn’t the first time, he’d had that happen, but it didn't happen often. He gave her a look and declined greeting her because no one talked to his wife like that.
On their way up, he looked at his wife, “she was rude.”
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Mercy snorted and crossed her arms, “No doubt Katrina’s doing. I swear if we could live full time in Italy I would do it in a heartbeat.” She sighed and leaned back onto Cass with a hum. “How long do you think it would take for the elevator to get to it's destination?” She gave him a coy smile. “I think we should challenge ourselves Mr. Giordano…” She was sure the answer would be a no, but it is fun to tease Cass whenever she could. Especially when their sons were not around. She loved her little boys but mommy and daddy do need alone time sometimes. The elevator dinged and she sighed in disappointment. Hopefully this wouldnt take too long and they could go home to take advantage of the alone time.
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“Say the word and we will my love, Papa will love it though Im not sure how the rest of the family will feel.” One day they would have to go, he would have to take over his father's business. He’d been raised his whole life knowing that he and Damien once his father made it clear in no uncertain terms that he considered Damien his own.
He kissed the top of his wife’s head, not sure why they were doing this even though he agreed. Barely 10 minutes in and he was already regretting it. He chuckled at her suggestion and shook his head, “no I think not, but when he get home, I’ll give you a nice massage.”
He knew the massage wouldn’t last long, but he’d at least try.
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The pout that formed on her face was real at that point. But it wasn't like she was going to turn down a nice massage. The door to the elevator opened once it came to a stop, Mercy leading Cass down the short hallway towards her mother’s door. You can do this, be nice, be polite, be cordial. Don't let that b***h get to you… She politely knocked on the door, managing a tight smile once Katrina answered. “Mercy!” She stiffened when she felt Katrina’s arms wrap around her in a hug, with Mercy giving a light tap on her end, “How are you?! Oh! You must be Mr. Giordano, I take it? Pleased to meet you finally, I am Mercedes’ mother.”
Mercy’s eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of her full first name but held her tongue, leading Cass into the doorway. “Please, leave your coats there on the rack.” Katrina kept walking throughout the Penthouse, showing the various nicknacks to Cass while Mercy fought the urge to roll her eyes, “Katrina did you call us here for dinner or?” The woman raised an eyebrow, “Now now, I've mentioned time and time again for you to call me mom. Speaking of, where are my grandsons? I thought I told you to bring them with you?” “We decided to leave them with their grandparents.”
Now that might've been a bit petty on her end, but sucks to her for saying her entire first name.
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He watched as his wife clearly didn't want to hug her mother and was annoyed by the lack of awareness. He wasn’t sure why his wife who was so assertive was allowing her mother to disrespect her personal boundaries, but he didn't speak on it for now.
Instead he held a hand out for her to shake, just feeling more odd about the situation. His mother and law just called him by his surname as if he didn’t marry her daughter. He gave Mercy a look before looking back at Katrina. “Cassius will do just fine, thank you.”
He put his coat up and walked politely listening to Katrina talk, as he was in her home, until Mercy asked about dinner. It turned seemingly petty really quickly, but Cass could see why and he knew, its not like Mercy never talked about her relationship with her mother. He respected his wives’ decision to have her in their life, just as he had decided the same with his own mother, though she could care less.
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Katrina blinked and turned her head to the side, “Grandparents? Oh you mean grandparent right? David I'm assuming? When are you going to bring them to see me? I am their only grandmother after all.” It was Mercy’s turn to tilt her head to the side, “Katrina, I have told you this plenty of times….Daddy got married, and has kids of his own, thus the term grandparents. You are NOT their only grandmother and I will bring them whenever me and my husband decide that it is okay.” Katrina narrowed her eyes and snapped her fingers, “Stefan, please get our guests more accommodated. I'll let that slide Mercedes but I expect to see my grandchildren at some point.”
Mercy could feel her eyebrow twitch, but she decided to let it go as well, taking a deep breath before leading Cass into the dining room. Stefan turned to them with a big grin, “Little Mercy! How have you been?” He walked around the table, giving her the biggest, tightest hug he could. Mercy cleared her throat and looked to the side, “H-Hey Stefan….Y-Yeah, nice to see you too. You've met my husband Cass right?” Stefan pulled away from Mercy enough to look at the man beside her, “Hello! Nice to meet you Cass!” He squeezed Mercy tighter before letting her go, “I haven't seen my stepdaughter in quite awhile and now she's gotten herself married!?” The look on his face spoke volumes while he sized Cass up for a short while.
Mercy on the other hand, glad to be away from her egg donor's creepy husband, slid into the seat furthest away from where Katrina and Stefan sit. She tapped the seat next to her, “Baby come sit here?” This would block some of Stefan’s gaze and she could be pleasantly distracted. Katrina brought out the food that was prepared, shaking her head at her husband, “Will you please come sit down? Everyone would like to eat now without you bothering them.” Stefan sighed and made his way over to his side of the table to sit down and eat. Mercy was enjoying the food and Katrina had to open up her mouth, “So, Cass….How did you and my daughter meet? I'm pretty sure it wasn't under…Conventional means.”
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Cass’ displeasure was growing with each passing moment. He didn't care for the way Katrina spoke to or treated Mercy. Her haughty and frankly holier than thou attitude was quickly grating on his nerves. It had barely been 15 minutes and he could see why his wife had little to no contact with the woman who birthed her.
With every passing moment he was less interested in having dinner or remaining in the woman's home. He clenched his jaw when the husband hugged Mercy for longer than was appropriate and Cass knew his wife, she wasn't at all comfortable. Around his family and friends she was not one to shy away from a hug.
Mercy was asking him to sit and he was trying for her, so he slipped in the seat beside her, but Katrina’s next question was the nail in the coffin.
“What exactly do you mean by that … meeting at a beach is far from unconventional. If your goal for the evening is to belittle and make attempts to humiliate my wife, let me make it very clear that I will not stand for it. Now if you will excuse us, we have a babysitter for the night, so I think we would be better served hopping a flight to New York and enjoying Per Se or Crown Shy tonight.”
He got up and held his hand out to his wife, “we will not be returning any time soon nor will you be graced with our children’s presence.”
Never in his life had he been subject to such purposely rude people, it was ridiculous. Lily and Xander’s puppies had more manners. Which was a thought he would mention to Mercy later.
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Katrina raised an eyebrow, “I know how my daughter was when she was younger Mr. Giordano, I was simply asking if the way you met was more along the lines of how she used to do things, but congratulations. I'm glad you have decided to marry my child and give her wonderful children.” She made the shooing motion with her hand, “Go on to your fancy restaurant and take your jet or whatever it is you heirs with arm candy do.” She started to eat her food, “Oh and Mercedes…Do tell your father and his new wife I said hello. It was….A pleasure Mr. Giordano.” Mercy held the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath. Katrina was queen at getting under people’s skin. “Katrina, for what it's worth, I am not a whore. Just because you deem the body that I had NO say in, to be fit for some prostitute on the street doesn't mean that’s what I'm ******** doing.”
She took Cass’s hand, getting up and dusting herself off, “You might want to look into your husband. The fact that you're comfortable with him lingering on me the way that he has all these years. Daddy would’ve put him six feet under.” Stefan raised from his seat, but the look on Katrina’s face caused him to sit down fast, “In fact, I will be talking to my father and instead of telling him hello, I’ll tell him to pay you and Stefan that visit you're so desperately craving.” Before Katrina could say anymore, Mercy continued, “The fact that you're this disgusting, evil, desperate woman is the reason why I cut ties with you a long a** time ago. I refuse to be the little girl that was always wondering why her mother hated her for existing. You want to be my mother?” The laugh coming from her was downright diabolical, “That ******** ship sailed when I turned five. You want to be a grandmother? You will NEVER see ANY of OUR children ever. You will ******** ROT in hell where you ******** belong!”
She tried not to let that all consuming rage get to her but she was tired of this back and forth, “Delete my number Katrina. As far as I'm concerned, you are DEAD to me. You will be blocked and I swear to ******** god if I see your skeletal a** anywhere near me and those I consider family I will file a restraining order!” Mercy was being pulled out of the penthouse just as Katrina stood there with a hallowed and haunted look in her eyes, bringing a shaking hand to her mouth. Stefan tried to comfort her, but she turned and the sound of a slap could be heard followed by screaming and crying soon after.
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Cass didn't think his taking a stand would lead to Mercy word vomiting on her mother. He put an arm around his wife, squeezing her lightly because that seemed to be an enormous weight his wife had been carrying. She raged and he gently guided her away, her words still coming, head turned back to continue her rant. He could see the look on Katrina’s face as the elevator door closed and couldn't help but to think good. He sincerely hoped she regretted her treatment of her daughter.
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Mercy was surprised she wasn't crying at this point but god was she pissed. It took everything in her not to hop out of the car and scream at the b***h some more. She sat back in the passenger seat, taking deep breaths. “Babe, can we stop by dads? I…I need to talk to mom.”
Kaori_luv
