Poison and Passion

Chapter 4

Arthur's pov

"She arrived" Andrew informed me.

"Hmm," I said and got back into checking the files.

I don't care who she is or what she does as long as she isn't a hindrance to me.

"Assign Paul to her," I said. Paul is one of my trusted spies. We can never be sure of the intentions of humans, especially women.

A man's true intentions can be easily figured, but women are cunning, they are better manipulators.

A woman can use every emotion in her favour, from tears to jealousy to seduction, they are masters at it.

"Capo, your father will be here next week to visit young master Enzo" Andrew informed me.

My father, the man the world admires is also the most vile man on earth.

My father is called the father of the abandoned. That is the image the world press depicts of him. He takes in orphans, shelters them and feeds them.

But that is not where the story ends. Among the orphans, he hand-picks a few and proceeds to make them spies, assassins and snipers. He moulds them into his loyal servants.

Few live as helpers in his mansion. Few become politicians and few work for him in the police force. Others are scattered into different fields.

Isabella was one of those orphans. She was ruthless and very talented. She was the kind of child my father wanted. He deemed us flawed but she was ideal for him.

My father had a soft corner only for Isabella. When Isabella was pregnant with Enzo, everyone feared the worst consequence for her and Marcus but my father smiled for the first time in his life.

He was human only for Isabella and a nightmare for others. He nurtured her to be the best in all.

But she died on a mission and my father let go of his last ounce of humanity that day. My father is more rational than Marcus. He grieved her death for a day and forgot about it. But Marcus is hell-bent on avenging her.

Now my father is obsessed with Enzo. My father's hate is heaven in comparison to his obsession.

He sees Isabella's shadow in Enzo. He wants to make Enzo an exact copy of Isabella. He wanted to raise him but Marcus and I protested.

He wouldn't have thought twice and killed us for standing against him but he promised my grandfather that he would never be a murderer of his own blood.

The one thing my family is known for is their promises. He is a man of his word but also brilliant at catching loopholes.

"Sir, time for lunch," Glenda informed me entering the room after knocking twice.

"I will have it here," I told her.

My evening passed by in usual business.

"Sir, time for dinner" Glenda informed from the other side of the door and left.

I stood up and Andrew followed behind me.

I was the second in the hall.

Marcus was already there.

Within a few seconds, Rebecca and Enzo entered the hall and sat in their places.

Rebecca sat to my right side and Enzo to my left. Marcus sits opposite to me, far away.

The food was brought and was put on the table.

The servants stood behind the chair of every person but didn't start serving.

I looked at Andrew. "They are waiting for your wife" he whispered.

First day and she is already late. Lack of punctuality, a trait I hate the most.

She entered the hall laughing with my private chef, William.

I know a lot of things about her and her family, things even she is unaware of. I did a thorough background check before letting her take my last name.

She got some guts to keep me waiting at dinner on top of that flirt with my chef. I think she forgot she is a married woman now.

She avoided making eye contact with anyone and sat beside Enzo.

Where is Paul? Didn't I assign him to her? Why is she unaccompanied?

"Hello" she greeted Enzo who returned it with a smile.

"Hey," she waved to Rebecca who ignored it.

I was keenly watching her every action.

She stared at me for a few seconds and said, "You are Arthur, my husband", pointing her index finger at me and smiling.

I just gave a small nod.

Paul came in running and immediately bowed his head down looking at me.

"So, you didn't even know the man you have been married to for almost a day?" She asked raising her eyebrows.

"Your brother skipped the wedding" she answered back shrugging her shoulder.

Rebecca was fuming, no one ever talked back to her.

"And you went through the wedding?" She asked sarcastically.

"You got a problem" My wife was getting all serious now.

I signalled the servants to start serving.

"We have a gold digger in-house, ladies and gentlemen," she said.

I looked at the woman who was my wife, she was smirking. I held cutlery in my hands and dug at the food.

"Then what does marrying me make your brother?"

I took a bite and began chewing. I wasn't interested in their catfight.

"What?" Rebecca asked.

"A coal digger."

I unintentionally swallowed my food and choked on it. Andrew immediately handed me a glass of water.

Everyone's eyes were on me. I took a sip after my coughing lessened.

A what? Coal digger?

I stared at her but she avoided my eyes.

"How a coal digger?" Enzo asked her curiously.

"That is for your uncle to answer," she said looking lovingly at Enzo.

She is a feisty one.

I should be getting angry but I am not for some reason. Is it her innocence or her wickedness? Something in her is attractive to me but not enough to give her my attention.

I got up and left.

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To be continued...

(coal digger is a made-up term by me. Like gold digger is used to refer to people who are after wealth, Srishti used coal digger here to refer to Arthur who was after power)