CHAPTER 43 : THE SNAKE IN THE HOUSE

CHAPTER 43 : THE SNAKE IN THE HOUSE

ENZO’S POV

What was she up to?“

I headed toward Francesca's room, I increased my pace and didn't even wait to knock. I just pressed the door knob and shifted the door aggressively so that I was able to see the fear in her — I had startled her. 

“I let that slide, what are you up to now? Still feeding Carlo? Is he so dependent?“

She wanted to respond to quick but I saw her hesitate before she finally did. 

“I wasn't Enzo. You're just not seeing it and I'm trying to help. She's a liar. She caused us a miscarriage and you're still choosing her over me?“ She asked, eyes already turning bloodshot red. 

I bit my lips in disgust, she should quit acting. She was worse than Diana. 

Isn't this house now one for drama? 

“And you and who miscarried?“ I spat disdain flooding my face. 

“Wh… what?“ She couldn't find words to say and that was exactly how it ought to be. 

She never carried my child. I knew. She partied with her friends instead of finding something pretty good to hold onto rather than sleeping with various men while engaged to me. 

I raised a brow so she knew to stop pretending. 

“Quit acting, Okay. You were never pregnant for me.“ I spat..

I watched how her lips twitched, I watched how she fidgeted. Panic rose to her jaw line that they fell to surprise only that this one had felt like a secret cracked from the shell. 

For a moment, there was an uncalled silence. Couldn't she defend herself? 

Tell me I was mistaken or that it was my child and she had used protective methods with other men? 

Now, my chest tightened that I had hoped I somewhat had a child but I never wanted from a slut. 

“Enzo!“ She yelled, her voice almost a synonym to a lioness roar. 

I turned my back against from her as I headed to the door and reached the handle. 

“Stop. Sneaking to my study or even feeding your brother if he's that brave.“ I spat with a thick voice that it sounded like a threat. 

“She's going to destroy everything, Enzo.“ She changed the topic, I smirked. 

“I'm not asking you to take care of it then”  I muttered just so loud that she could hear as I turned to her bed and picked up the folder that had the current mapping that she had stolen from the study. 

She grunted. I smirked as I stepped in closer to her — purposefully intimidating as I pointed at her with a slow precision while she backed away slowly. 

I turned to the door ready to leave but her voice reigned in the silence. 

“I was only protecting you, Enzo. I love you but she's turning you to a weak spot.“

“She's making you weak and you're choosing to be blind to it. I've been the one helping.“

“By selling my secrets to Carlo?“ I asked with a smirk wired to my face. Her face dropped, I even saw her lips twitch and fingers too. 

Now, I pressed the door knob not wanting to speak with her but not without letting my commentary fill the air 

“Stop trying because I would rather deal with her lies than drown in your venom.“ My voice cut through the air as I spared her no further glances than leave her room once she said — “I wasn't selling, he just needed to know there was a snake here.“

I stayed quiet before I spat out sharp — “And isn't that snake you now?“

“I gave everything for you but this is what you do now, Enzo? To pick some leverage against me?“ 

I stayed quiet before my sharpened voice cut the tension short again. She staggered backwards as disbelief laced on her face. 

For someone so loud and always nagging, she suddenly stood quiet. Had she lost her voice? Had she forgotten just how to scream? 

And that there was a confirmation. 

I had hit the truth and it stung. 

My jaw tightened. It stung so hard. 

“As long as I know who wouldn't betray me. You've done that now, Francesca.“ I sounded bitter but trust me, I wasn't. The only thing that bothered me as I walked the hallway and paused at the window to see the hint of the dawn bleed into the sky was — what secrets does Carlo have now? Diana wasn't sake. 

I took a long breath. 

Even if Diana faked my memory loss, I'd be a fool to choose who took the keys to an enemy over a liar. 

I smirked when at the thought of Diana, a small smile curved on my lips. 

“We'd keep the acting going. Someone has to get tired first.“

But one thing remained — there was war, coming. I don't know how much Carlo knew but war still was coming. 

I clicked my tongue against my lips as I walked to the bar counter and pressed my fingers against the cold glass. 

I heard the clock tick and tock and just as if I waited on time, I pulled out my phone from my pocket. 

It rang. I waited patiently yet sweat beads already formed on my forehead. 

There was a crash to the usual beep. The receiver had answered and the voice came on — cold, breaking — distorted. 

“It's time. Keep watch on Carlo and Dante.“

Dante.. 

That name sounded like a daring will to fight. 

Not just any kind of will. This one spelt battle, life and death even. The name echoed so loud in my head as a reminder that no matter how I tried to change things now, blood never stays quiet. It struggles and would still fight. 

It spelt in my mind like trouble was rushing too fast. 

And I was the cause. 

Diana was still here, I wasn't planning to give her to Carlos and that was a dirty yet deadly choice. 

I was risking it all for – Diana. 

But was it all worth it?