Marrying The Billionaire Who Was Terminally Ill

03

Chapter 03

When Bailey arrived at the dining area and sat on one of the chairs, she couldn't help but stare at the twin sister of the man she was betrothed to.

"So pretty."

Bailey covered her mouth. She had only meant to think it, but it came out of her mouth. Bailey quickly bowed and apologized, terrified that she might have offended her fiancé's sister.

"So? Do you take back that I'm pretty?" Bree asked. Bailey froze and looked up. She firmly answered no.

"It's just that I thought I might have offended you," Bailey said, playing with her fingers.

"It's okay as long as you're telling the truth. I hate liars," Bree said, smiling. Bailey suddenly felt intimidated by Bree's beauty, but it wasn't enough to make her avoid the girl or feel ashamed.

The matriarch of the Madrigal family cleared her throat and asked Aldeus if the food on the table was to his liking.

"It's fine. My mom didn't raise me to be picky about food."

Beatrice, who was putting broccoli on her napkin, paused. The Madrigal matriarch gave her a meaningful look.

Beatrice frowned, stabbed a broccoli, and ate it.

Bree stared at Bailey, who was eating with full class. Aldeus and Bree exchanged glances.

Bailey stopped eating when she felt Bree's gaze. She quickly adjusted her posture and worriedly asked Bree if she was uncomfortable.

Miranda, on the other side of the dining area, smiled. She remembered always telling Bailey to apply everything she learned in her daily life, even outside the study room.

"Nothing, I'm just amazed at your etiquette," Bree said. Bailey looked at Miranda, who was smiling. Aldeus followed Bailey's gaze and saw the maid she was looking at. Aldeus and Miranda's eyes met—Miranda slightly bowed out of respect.

"Their teachers are excellent, and Beatrice and Bailey study diligently," the Madrigal matriarch said, looking pleased at Aldeus, who seemed indifferent.

Beatrice gripped her knife and spoon tightly. She wouldn't allow Bailey to become the future madam of the Nicastro family. That position should be hers.

After breakfast, Bree invited Bailey for a walk and made it clear that she didn't want Beatrice to join them.

---

"Mom! I won't agree! I should be the next madam!" Beatrice shouted, crying as she sat on the floor, her head buried in her mother's lap.

The madam frowned and rubbed her temples. She told Beatrice she would find a family willing to accept her.

"Richer and more influential than the Nicastro family?" Beatrice asked, her nose red as she looked at the madam.

"In this generation, no family surpasses the Nicastro in wealth, power, and influence," the Madrigal matriarch said. Beatrice shook her head, saying she wanted to be better than Bailey. She couldn't accept it.

When Beatrice heard she would marry into the second family of the Nicastro, she immediately felt scared because of the rumors about that family, especially the first son, who was never seen in public.

"Honey, can't you do something?" the madam asked. Her husband said they were fortunate that one of the Nicastro families chose their family to provide a sole wife.

"Dad! Please do something!"

The elder asked Beatrice if she was willing to marry the first son of the second family of the Nicastro.

Beatrice couldn't answer. She didn't want to imagine having an ugly husband. People would laugh at her.

"Focus on Aldeus. He has no interest in the position, but if he falls in love with you and you ask for the madam's position, he won't refuse you, honey," the madam said, stroking Beatrice's hair. Beatrice looked up at her mother and asked if it was true.

"No man wouldn't give everything for the woman they love," the madam said, smiling sweetly, then looked at her husband, who averted his gaze.

The lady patted the girl's hair, saying Beatrice just needed to be smart and cunning enough to get everything she wanted.

Beatrice leaned on her mother's lap, frowning, saying she wouldn't allow Bailey to overshadow her. She would get the best in the world because she was Adel Beatrice Madrigal.

Bailey stopped when she saw the many gifts Bree said were for her.

"Are these all for me?" Bailey asked, then looked at Bree, who was sitting on the edge of Beatrice's bed.

"Just one, I guess, Bailey, right?" Bree asked sarcastically. Bailey had gotten used to Bree's way of speaking and didn't take it too seriously, knowing Bree was genuinely kind.

Bailey approached and sat on the floor, her attention caught by a teddy bear wrapped in gift paper.

Bailey immediately picked it up, which made Bree stop. Aldeus, sitting on the bed's edge, chuckled.

"Of all the gifts we brought, she picked the one Castor wrapped first," Aldeus whispered. Bree facepalmed, sure that Bailey picked the teddy bear first because someone had wrapped it in gift paper without bothering to hide it in a box for a surprise.

Miranda offered to help Bailey open the gifts because there were many and Bailey had an injury.

Most of them were accessories. Bailey couldn't take her eyes off the gem-adorned ones.

"Is he sick?" Bailey asked. Bree answered yes.

"He was naturally weak, so he's always in the hospital. That's why the Nicastro cut contact with the Madrigals," Bree explained, assuming Bailey was curious why her parents never returned.

"I thought Mr. and Mrs. Nicastro were mad at me or didn't like me," Bailey said, sitting on the floor and playing with her fingers. She did that when she was anxious and nervous.

"I don't think they would have brought you here if that were the case," Bree said. Bailey's face showed relief after hearing that.

"Wait, how old are you again?" Bree asked. Bailey innocently looked up and met Bree's gaze.

"I'm 9 years old," Bailey answered. Adelous rubbed his chin, scrutinizing the young girl.

Bailey looked like a 7-year-old based on her features and height, a stark contrast to her twin, Beatrice.

"Do I look old? I'm too small and chubby?" Bailey asked, suddenly self-conscious and hiding her body behind the teddy bear.

"No, we thought you were 7. You're not chubby either," Bree said. Some girls have that figure, but it's rare. They still look sexy whether they eat a lot or diet.

They just don't look normal when they're young and not yet adults.

Bailey didn't seem convinced. Bree wasn't good at comforting and knew the more she said, the more uncomfortable Bailey would be.

Bree knew that, so she changed the topic and asked Bailey if she knew about the Nicastro.

"The Nicastro family is composed of three factions. First is the family of the current head—Aron Sigmus Nicastro and madam Janet Florence. They hold the family seal and all of Italy. They have two children, Adelous Teron and Aelous Tayson. Next is the second family—previously headed by Arthur Cage Nicastro and Hilda Alegre. They are the pillars of the Nicastro, with many businesses supporting the household externally, and they have five children—"

"Let's go to the 3rd faction," Bree said, rubbing her forehead. Bailey didn't need to list her siblings' names; everyone knew the triplets.

"The 3rd faction consists of the vessels. The Madrigal family supports the first faction. Should I list the families under the Nicastro?" Bailey asked. There were too many.

Bree asked if the Madrigals were teaching Bailey about business, budget ledger, and managing accounts.

Basic knowledge for future madams. The Madrigals provide sole wives for heirs, and such knowledge is normal for women of engagement age.

Bailey played with her fingers, not wanting to lie.

"You see, Beatrice and I both study. Beatrice takes all the major subjects."

Bree pressed her lips together. Bailey meant she wasn't being prepared to give her hand to a family with a high position in the country.

Aldeus stretched his arms and said Bailey shouldn't worry.

"One of these days, when the engagement is public, your value will increase. The Madrigal won't set you aside."

Bailey smiled and thanked him, saying she would do everything to be worthy of the Nicastro family.

"Aren't you curious about my twin brother? You don't ask about him," Bree asked. It was Bailey's chance to ask about the man she was betrothed to.

"It's just I prefer to meet him and get to know him," Bailey whispered. Aldeus and Bree exchanged glances, then looked at Bailey.

"Didn't they inform you that you can't meet my twin brother until you're 18? It's one of the agreements between the Nicastro and Madrigal—I just don't know whose demand it was."

Bree saw the contract once and read it in paragraph 3.

"Wait—our wedding is set when I turn 18. Is that okay?" Bailey asked. Bree said the adults decided.

"I don't mind if my future husband is disabled or disfigured. It doesn't make sense to meet for the first time on our wedding day if we're engaged when I'm 9," Bailey whispered. Bree covered Aldeus's mouth to stifle his reaction.

"But it's okay, I guess, when I'm 18. I won't have much lack by then. I'll study hard."

There was a knock on the door, and Bailey looked over. Miranda opened it, and Beatrice peeked in.

"I prepared snacks in the garden. It's okay, right? I want to meet my future in-law since Bailey is my twin sister."

Beatrice looked at Bailey and jokingly asked if she could join them.

Bailey anxiously glanced at Bree. Bree crossed her arms and replied okay. Bree was curious about what stunt Bailey's twin would pull next.

Bree's first impression of her wasn't good; she ignored her to grab Aldeus's attention.

As the four of them walked through the corridor, unlike the past few hours, Beatrice was more behaved. She didn't cling to Aldeus and apologized for her behavior.

"I got too excited and acted inappropriately."

Bailey bit the side of her lip. Beatrice's approach towards her guests suddenly changed.

They went to the garden, and Beatrice happily showed them their greenhouse.

"This is my favorite spot in the mansion," Beatrice said, looking back joyfully and showing them inside the greenhouse.

When Beatrice smiled like that, no one could resist her charm. That's why everyone Beatrice met liked her.

Bree and Aldeus looked in another direction. Beatrice was a bit annoyed but forced a smile and told herself that she would be the madam of the Nicastro family. She needed to be patient and try not to offend any direct descendants of the Nicastro family. Bree formally thanked Beatrice for the invitation and walked towards the table.

"Whenever they have time, Mom and Dad bring me here. Besides being the most beautiful part of the mansion, the air here is fresh and relaxing."

Aldeus said that the place seemed special since all the flowers there looked rare and not commonly seen.

"Yes, and only a few are allowed to enter here."

Beatrice sat at the table, followed by Bailey. The siblings sat across from each other, with Bree beside Bailey, who Aldeus had pulled a chair for.

"Anyway, sister, thank me later, okay? I talked to Mom to allow you to enter the greenhouse with your sister-in-law. Are you happy?" Beatrice asked with a sweet smile on her lips.

Bailey paused and looked down. The young girl tightly gripped the hem of her dress.

'Miss Beatrice is really kind.'

Beatrice did it again. She always used Bailey to make herself look good, and Bailey received all the negative comments.

'So, Miss Beatrice talked to Madam, which is why she agreed to bring Miss Bailey's guests there and let Miss Bailey in again.'

Aldeus flatly asked why Bailey wasn't allowed in there.

"Bailey broke one of Mom's favorite flower pots here. Mom got mad, so she banned Bailey from entering."

Beatrice touched Bailey's cheek and said that Bailey loved the place and was sad she couldn't share the view with her twin.

Bailey clenched her fist. She wasn't the one who broke the flower pot.