Chapter 48 - Arianna Was The Scapegoat

"What did you just say?" Big Joe asked in a low tone that did not hide the ferocity in his eyes.

Kenith had his eyes down and head lowered after relaying the news of Arianna's disappearance to the short man before him.

"I'm afraid she's gone," Kenith said once more, knowing keeping silent to his question would only aggravate the whole situation. 

"She's gone?" Big Joe repeated after him and then began to laugh hysterically as if he had laughed his mind.

"She's gone! What kind of fucking bullshit is that!" Big Joe suddenly yelled, his features distorting immediately and without warning, kicked Kenith hard in the leg since he wasn't tall enough to launch a slap on his face.

Perhaps, the inability to strike Kenith on the face added to his frustration because Big Joe kept kicking Kenith on his leg till he almost tripped.

Kenith didn't dare to complain nor move, instead, his expression was neutral and he bit the inside of his mouth to keep himself from whimpering in pain. He bit the inside of his mouth so hard that his tongue was filled with the metallic taste of blood.

His hands were clenched by his sides, the veins in his neck popping out from anger. Was Kenith not feeling pain from those hits? Of course, he was but he had to put on a brave front. He couldn't show weakness to his subordinates and worse of all, Big Joe himself.

"Ahhh!" Big Joe howled angrily after he was done transferring his aggression on him. He raked his hands through his hair, ruffling it, and was unable to believe that he lost his beautiful bride.

He turned to Big Joe with red eyes, "So what happened? How did such a mistake happen?"

"I think she planned it all along and the idea of going to the club was all her ploy to escape," Kenith revealed once more, Big Joe's face turned uglier.

He took a step back as if shocked and then glanced up at Kenith, "You mean to tell me that she has been fooling me all along?"

"I believe so," Kenith said.

To be shocked was an understatement, Big Joe felt like someone just stabbed his heart with a knife. Although he had his suspicion, Arianna had won him over with her sweet smiles and care. He thought she loved him. How could she break his heart like this?

Whatever Kenith said next, Big Joe didn't hear him - it sounded distant - because all that went through his mind was the revelation that Arianna fooled him. She has been playing with his emotions all this while! 

There was a murderous look on Big Joe's face as he turned to Kenith asking, "So where's the bitch?! Where is she?! I need to get my hands on her so I can break her into two!" 

"That's where we have a little problem," Kenith said, drawing his attention. 

"What is it?" 

"Before Arianna escaped, I spotted Marcelo in our club," 

"Marcelo?" Big Joe was confused. 

"Marcel Xavier Luciano III, the young head of the Luciano clan," Kenith called out his full name to jolt his memory. 

"Luciano family?" Big Joe muttered his name with his brows furrowed, trying to recall where he had heard that name. It was oddly familiar and for some reason, bothered him.

At once, Big Joe's eyes widened as he remembered who Marcel was and he glanced up at Kenith asking in a stern voice, "What is that bastard doing in my club? This is not his turf and he has no control over here!"

"I don't know, "Kenith answered," I couldn't identify him at first and just found it odd that he had his eyes on Arianna, "

"Arianna?!" Big Joe was stunned, "What for?" Suddenly he shivered as a thought crossed his head, "Could it be that he has a thing with Arianna and he came to claim her? Don't tell me we've offended the Luciano clan!"

"No, I don't think so," Kenith shook his head, "If Marcelo really had a history with Arianna, he would have wiped us off already for taking what belonged to him,"

"Then what?!" Big Joe asked, forgetting that he wanted to skin the life out of Arianna moments ago. Now, he was fearful of her.

"Arianna was running away from him as well. Although they met, it was briefly, and then she was on the run. Why she was running from him is what I don't understand," Kenith told him.

"So who has her now?" Big Joe inquired as he brought out a cigarette stick and signaled to one of his men to lit it. 

"I don't know. It's safe to say that Arianna wasn't as simple as we thought and she's gone," Kenith answered like the royal servant she was. 

Now lit, Big Joe took a long drag from his cigarette before saying to Kenith, "Reach out to Marcel, that is if he would accept an invitation from a small gang like ours," He laughed sarcastically. 

"However, investigate if he has Arianna and why? No matter what, she's still my bride and my payment. Let's see if we can come to an agreement," Big Joe thought it over. No matter what, business was still business. 

"Sure," Kenith said, bowing his head and was ready to leave when Big Joe said, "Also," 

Kenith turned to him. 

"Don't mess this up else I might begin to review your usefulness to me," there was a note of warning in his tone.

"Of course, boss," Kenith was more formal this time. He took a bow and was leaving the room when he heard the sound of gunshots and knew without a doubt that Big Joe was punishing his men that failed to capture Arianna. 

Amid the pain in his leg, Kenith kept walking properly until he got into his office and with an anguished roar, swept everything on his desk to the ground.

Kenith screamed and tossed and kicked anything in his way till his office was a mess. How could this happen now he was closer to his plan?! If only she had stayed still!

He grabbed a fistful of his hair and pulled tight, recalling the humiliation he had undergone in the hands of big Joe. How dare him?

One might ask, how could Big Joe who had a disadvantage with his height able to lead the gang? Well, he had massive gangsters, which Kenith has been converting to his side one after the other.

It was time that the Red Giant gang had a change of power and a capable leader at that. He was the reason their gang has been on top for the past years now and he - Big Joe - dared to threaten him with the position.

All Big Joe does was to gloat around with the glory of the gang while he does all the work behind the scene. But that was over, no, all this shit would have been over if Arianna had just remained still.

Kenith planned to use Arianna to bring Big Joe down. At first, he tried to make Arianna fall in love with him, enough to make her kill Big Joe at his suggestion with the promise they both would flee afterward to a faraway place where no one would find them and settle down. 

However, Arianna was not as stupid as he thought and had her own plans, sticking to Big Joe's side and limiting their amount of communication. So he just decided to poison Big Joe and pin the murder on her on their wedding day. 

The plan was perfect and Arianna was the perfect scapegoat. 

'Resentful bride kidnapped from her home and forced to marry creditor, kills husband,'

No one would suspect it was all his handwork nor would they come after him. Arianna would be torn into shreds, while he as the most eligible successor would take Big Joe's place. 

Unfortunately, with Arianna gone, there goes his perfect scapegoat as well. All his plans would be nothing and he can't let that happen. There might never be a flawless opportunity to get rid of Big Joe like this one. No matter what, Arianna must come back and resume the wedding. 

Kenith was still thinking when the door opened and Cassie came in and he didn't bother to turn around having known it was her.

Cassie went over to Kenith and then hugged him from behind saying, "Don't worry too much, my love. It would be fine," 

At that comment, a soft smile softened Kenith's steel expression and he turned around to pull her into his embrace, hugging her tightly with his face resting on the crook of her neck. 

Cassie smiled, then pulled away to palm his face reassuringly, "Don't worry, we would capture Arianna and the wedding would go on as we planned. I know what you're capable of, so don't let this pull you down. Moreover, I came up with the plan in the first place, I can always think of another." 

Kenith breathed, taking her hands, "You know this is why I love you. Smart, loving, beautiful. " 

"Oh, really?" Cassie smirked, "Then prove it to me in a sexy way," she whispered into his ears. 

Without a word, Kenith immediately kissed her and she kissed him back. Soon enough, the passion ignited and they clawed at each other's clothes till it wasn't in the way of their body touching. 

He turned her around and pushed her against the desk, entering into her in one shove.. And the next, the amorous sounds of moans filled the room.