Taken By The Mafia Lord

"That means you practically know everything about him," Arianna asked hopefully, tactically prying for information.

Beatrice smiled, then leaned closer, asking, "What exactly do you want to know about him?"

What exactly does she want to know about Marcel? How to kill him? His deadly secret she could use to threaten him?

As if.

Now she thought about it, Arianna realized how pathetic her situation was; her future looked bleak.

"You've not asked anything," Beatrice reminded her when she got lost in her reverie.

"Oh," Arianna came back to earth pretty quickly but her mind was blank. Beatrice would likely not answer the kind of question she had in mind and she didn't know the question to ask that wouldn't draw suspicion.

Then it hit her.

"What about his parents?" She was curious about that. It was true that she and Marcel hadn't interacted much, but she knew practically nothing about his background while he probably searched up hers. Arianna felt at ease knowing about him as well.

Upon that question, Beatrice lost all smiles on her face and that reaction didn't go unnoticed by Arianna who frowned, wondering what she said wrong.

"Are you alright? You don't look too well?"

"No, I'm good," Beatrice covered her reaction with a smile immediately.

"Are you sure? For a moment there, you seemed like you saw a ghost," Arianna studied her intently, having a feeling that the topic was a sensitive one.

Beatrice wiped her face at once, saying apologetically, "I'm sorry, Arianna but that question of yours can only be answered by Marcel. You can ask me anything else that doesn't relate to his parents,"

"But that's the only thing I'm interested in..." Arianna muttered, thinking over her words.

"What are the both of you gossiping about?" Marcel finally returned and both women broke apart at once.

Beatrice cleared her throat, "I'll be leaving you two to enjoy your meal," she turned to Arianna, "Nice to meet you, child, I hope we meet a lot,"

The woman was offering to spend more time together, Arianna realized. It was not her idea of her freedom but if that would save her from boredom, then so be it.

"Sure," Arianna accepted the offer. It was better to give Marcel the illusion that she was getting settled here and then take him unaware when he least expects it than proving stubborn and making him strengthen his defenses the more.

Beatrice smiled kindly at her and left, giving both of them the privacy she didn't need. Arianna felt more secure with more company than being all alone with Marcel. He unsettled her for strange reasons.

"She's a nice woman, the both of you would get along fine," Marcel said to her after a moment of silence.

"Why?" Arianna scoffed, "So you could use her to spy on me?"

But Marcel laughed at her - the way an adult would do to a child they find silly.

"Trust me, Arianna," He said seriously, holding her gaze, "I know all there is about you. And the ones I'm yet to know? I have many ways of finding them out,"

Arianna gulped, he sounded scary right now yet heat couldn't help but creep up her face. She took her eyes away from his smoldering gray eyes that were beginning to melt her from the inside.

"Whatever," Arianna retorted nonchalantly while making a mental note never to look him in the eyes for too long. This is crazy.

A tense silence fell over them once more as they ate until Arianna said, "Aren't you curious?"

"About what?"

"What Beatrice and I had been discussing before your arrival?" She gave him a daring look.

"No,"

"What?" Arianna was stunned.

Marcel gestured to his face, "You were probably discussing me, so I'm not bothered," he winked at her.

"What the..." Arianna couldn't believe what she just heard. How could someone's ego be this inflated? Unbelievable.

"If you want to know more about me, love, I suggest you ask directly. I have a more vivid description than that old nanny can offer," Marcel was smug.

"Is that so?" Arianna smirked, putting down her spoon knowing that this was the opportunity she has been waiting for.

Marcel was so carried away by the moment that he didn't notice the menace in Arianna's tone and the glint in her eyes.

"Yes," He stated proudly, gesturing with his hand to her, "Ask whatever you want,"

Since they were sitting diagonally opposite each other, Arianna propped up her chin on the table and faced him fully, asking with a raised brow, "What about your parents then?"

At once Marcel stiffened, the expression dying off his face while Arianna smirked villainously. Just as she expected.

Marcel's expression looked so chilling like he was going to murder her but in a matter of seconds it relaxed, yet, the tension didn't leave his body.

"Why?" He asked rigidly, "Why my parents?"

"Who knows?" Arianna tilted her head unsure, "Since I'm beginning to know you, why don't I start from there?"

"Arianna…" There was a warning edge to his voice because whatever she said next would determine her death or survival.

But she answered fiercely, "You did a background check on me and as you said earlier, you know everything about me. What's the harm in knowing everything about you as well?"

Although her tone was harsh and taunting, Marcel was able to sense her curiosity and so he calmly answered, "My mother is late and I'm estranged from my father. "

"Lucky you," She said to him and Marcel couldn't tell if this was one of her sarcasm because if it was, it has crossed the line and he was prepared to rebuke her when she added, "At least you got to know your mother and you have a father to alienate,"

He stopped.

There was yearning in her tone and he remembered she was an orphan. Well not anymore, since her mother has just been found to be alive.

Marcel was just about to say something when someone stormed into the dining room and he looked up to discover that it was his cousin Victor.

An angry Victor.