Blood Ink Muse

XXII. Unveiling

Mona's eyes raked through every intricate design of his father's estate, her eyes sparkling as it took in the view.

Casa Castiglione clearly piqued her interest with its larger than life aesthetics the same way it won him over when he was younger but when his father's operation went wide scale, the warmth at their home sank down the drain.

It was replaced with authority making it more of his father's domain and less of a home.

"Must be why Mom left." Hugo mentally observed as the stoic man he calls father maneuver over the place.

The dreaded silence made Hugo's insides coil, uneasy at the current predicament they're in.

He knew his father was up to no good. With this in mind he has set his guard up, his senses spiked in anticipation. The clanking of his lover's heels the only welcomed distraction on their way to the dining hall.

He turned his sight on his lover donning a mask of awe but he knew otherwise. The way her palm sweat gave away her discomfort.

Wanting to reassure her, he squeezed their intertwined fingers drawing her attention from the tapestries to him. A small smile broke from her crimson lips as she leaned closer.

Their parade was put to a halt when they arrived at the enormous dining hall with servants ushering them to their seat. He was seated next to the head of the table with Mona by his side.

The table despite being filled with scrumptious cuisines was not tempting enough to break the tension in the air that made him lose his appettite.

He urged Mona to eat though as he nitpicked through the dishes offered to him. They were half way through the meal when he began his questioning.

"So how is business doing?" he casually inquired earning a raised brow from the patriarch.

"Expansion in Asia has started. I want you to man our branch there. " came his curt answer.

"Which part specifically? The smuggling or the human trafficking?" he taunted.

"I see you've disclosed our business to your lover. She seemed unfazed." the Don spared a glance on Mona while keeping a straight face.

"We talked it over before coming here." Mona shrugged as she resumed her meal.

"Just as planned." he mused astounded at her ability to play along.

"I see. Will you be staying here?" his father directed the question to Mona who was slicing a piece of her red meat.

"Actually I loved this place but I was planning on coming back to New York soon. I left a lot of unfinished business there." she answered in a hushed voice like a proper lady should.

"What important business do you have there that you can't be held back?" the patriarch brow formed a straight line, not pleased with her answer.

"She's selling her properties there since we decided to get married." he managed to stun Don Rafael with his response, rendering him silent for a moment before he was able to recover.

"Do you really know her?" came his father's response followed by a questioning look thrown his way.

"Of course I do." he answered stupefied at his father's question.

"You know nothing child." his response hit a nerve as he felt his vein pop.

"I keep no secrets from Hugo sir." Mona defiantly opposed his father.

"I know you better than you do yourself, Mona." came his father's retort, his voice as cold as the winter's breeze as he took a sip from his red wine.