Taken By The Mafia Lord

Oh no.

Arianna couldn't believe her eyes when she caught her cousin Claudia being dragged into the room amid her protest. What the hell was going on here?

"Let me go you, bastards!" She screamed on top of her voice, thrashing around but her strength could not compare to the two men holding her down on both sides.

"Claudia," Arianna whispered. As if the

the air carried her words, her cousin turned around at that and their eyes connected at that moment.

"No," Arianna was about to rise from her seat when Big Joe gave her a meaningful look and she knew she was supposed to stay put. Any disobedience on her part would only make her punishment worse.

"Arianna?" Claudia recognized her at that moment, shock sprawled across her face. However, to her surprise, that look distorted into fury and she hissed, "You! You are the person responsible for this!"

"C-Claudia," Arianna choked. When Cassie told her Big Joe would likely use someone close to her, Arianna had thought of Mimi and hoped that she was far away from them - held hostage by Marcel, thankfully and prayed the asshole doesn't give her up as he did to her.

Never did she imagine in her wildest dream that it would be Claudia, it just didn't cross her mind or she just never saw it happening, after all, Claudia and her parents were the ones who gave her up to Big Joe. Who knew Big Joe would turn his back against them?

The same way they sold her, had they stood and watched helplessly as Big Joe's men took Claudia away? Had her aunt cried hard for her daughter? Had she felt even half the pain she - Arianna - felt when they gave her up to the gang? Did her heartbreak even just a little? Arianna sure hoped it did. She couldn't help but feel a sense of gratification now her uncle's family was being bitten in the ass by karma.

Even at that, Arianna felt guilty that Claudia was being punished for crimes she did not commit. She ran away on her own, no one pushed her into doing it. She needed her freedom.

Well, you wouldn't have been in this situation either if her parents hadn't sold you off, a dark part of her mind spoke. Arianna shouldn't blame herself for what was happening. Well, not that Claudia agreed because she was still throwing accusations at her at the top of her voice.

"This is all your doing! Why would I help you escape?! Am I crazy?! No, I bet you were the one who told all this lie so you could finally have your revenge on me like you've always wanted, bitch!" Claudia screamed on top of her voice and Big Joe had to rub the inside of his ear.

Feeling irritated, he signaled to his men," Do something about her mouth, "

"Yes, boss!"

The order was effective immediately, Claudia was gagged with a rag and all that was left of her ravings were muffled sounds that weren't much of a fuss anymore.

Big Joe said, "As you all can witness, the perpetrator of the crime that has led to a few instabilities in my relationship has been comprehended,"

Arianna wanted to roll her eyes, when did the both of them ever have a relationship? She couldn't tell if Big Joe was simply being dramatic or plain stupid. She would choose the first. He has revealed to her that he intentionally played her games from the start. Now, it was her turn to dance along to his tune.

"The accusations are true and my fiancée can testify to that, isn't that true, Arianna?"

Arianna was so shocked by that question that she became dumb. Big Joe was not going easy on her this time.

"Arianna?" Big Joe pressed for an answer.

"I - I... uh..." Arianna didn't know what to say. This was wrong and she was never the type to accuse someone falsely. She looked up to Claudia and saw the fury plus plea in her eyes. Arianna could imagine her saying, "Bitch, just say the truth,"

She took her gaze away and turned to Big Joe who looked confident she wouldn't turn him down - else there would be hell to pay.

"You're right," Arianna conceded to the claim and one should see the mask of rage on Claudia's face. She let out an inhumane scream that was drowned out by the gag but one could see how aggressive she became because she tried to lurch at Arianna only to be pinned down by Big Joe's people.

Arianna could tell Claudia was currently cursing her to death and honestly, she felt dirty by the act but it was the only way out; she did this to ensure their life.

This was a trap and Arianna had no choice but to save Big Joe's face in front of his partners even if that meant lying against her family and proving her loyalty to him. That way, she had proven to be a loyal wife in the future.

If Arianna had gone contrary to his expectation, she wasn't even sure her life, not to talk of Claudia's, would be safe after this. Big Joe was giving her a chance to be the submissive wife she was supposed to be at the expense of Claudia's dignity.

And let's be honest, Arianna knew Claudia would have done the same to her in a heartbeat if she was in her shoes. All of this wouldn't have happened anyway if her parents hadn't been greedy and selfish. So yeah, she refused to be blamed for what was happening or for defending herself. They were the ones who set everything in motion and the wheels have turned against them.

"With my fiancée having confirmed my words…" Big Joe said proudly and Arianna felt like throwing up. She played right into his hands, "She would be punished for her crimes with ten lashes of a cane!"

Arianna gasped at first until she thought over it and discovered Claudia would be able to survive the ten lashes. On the bright side, it wasn't thirty lashes.

However, Arianna must have rejoiced too soon because the soldier from earlier walked back in with a wicked-looking whip, not a cane.

Goosebumps climbed her arms at once, what was happening. This was not what they just agreed on….