FLOWING RIVER

Mateo’s POV ~

“What do you mean a divorce?” I smirked, “And how exactly do you intend to pay me for damages, baby doll?” I grabbed her arm and directed her into the car.

“Give me a moment with Mrs Donatelli” I instructed looking at Julius and Alfredo who looked visibly stunned by her action, they in turn gestured to the other guards to excuse us.

Inside the BMW I stared at her intently, so brazen to have the guts to hit me, no woman had ever done that and I must teach her a lesson.

“How did my enemy find out we are in France Ariana?” I asked my shaking wife who was yet to recover from the shock of being kidnapped.

“How should I know that? Am I in charge of your itinerary?” she asked boldly.

 “It seems to me that your cousin has something to do with it,” I said, I waited for her reaction, and her face immediately turned into a scowl.

 “No, it's not Fiona, and I can bet on that with my life, she didn't know we were coming to France, it's not Fiona” she replied defensively.

“hmmmm” I murmured, “Until I find out who exactly betrayed me? there will be no talk of divorce!” I interjected, 

“Mateo this is not working out, we can co-parent, it's not a bad idea, we are bad for each other” she retorted.

“Okay fine, but then” I started, as I touched her arm lightly and took her hand in mine, “ how do I get my money back, one billion dollars baby girl’ I smiled as I kissed the back of her hand. She yanked her hand away from mine immediately.

 “I never asked you to buy me, I was perfectly fine without you and Silvio, I don't owe you anything” she retorted, looking away from me.

I slowly turned her chin back to me.

“Look at me when I'm talking to you,” I said, her eyes were full of sadness and tears had started to gather, I don't know why that made my heart beat out of the regular.

It was inexplicable.

Why? I hate this bitch, she’s the reason I'm like this and I must punish her every chance I get now that I own her, she thinks she hates me now, wait till I'm done with her.

“Your crazy ex kidnapped me and tried to blow me up! How many others am I a target for? You heard the doctor Mateo, we lost one child, I don't want to lose the other, I'm not cut out for this life” she expressed, her pleading eyes looking intently at mine.

“Jealous?” I asked, throwing her off balance, I watched as her face turned into pure confusion.

“Of what?” she replied almost immediately.

 

“Mariella, trust me her mother was way better” I responded watching out for her reaction.

“You think I care about that? I'm talking about the safety of my other child Mateo! I'm not cut out for this life!” her tone was high-pitched and severely annoyed.

“No one can ever get to you, they all know you belong to me, and they know they can't have what belongs to me” I replied calmly.

 “Mateo this is not healthy, I'd advise you to invest in therapy, your soul is dark, and you can't own people,” she said, 

I laughed.

“oh baby Doll you have no idea, you have no idea the kind of man I am, you know the crazy thing? This Mateo you see here today” I paused, leaned into her and instinctively she bent backwards and looked at me in fright as I whispered to her “You set the ball rolling” She was silent after that, probably pondering over my words and what they could mean.

I checked my watch, the glass had shattered and some had displaced, but I could still tell the time, “I don't want to be late for this auction, and it seems dear wife you will be my plus one” I smiled at her.

I stepped out halfway from the car and gestured to Julius to come back

“Did you book the penthouse suite?” I asked as he passed me my phone.

“Yes Don I just got off a call with a representative, everything is set” he replied, I nodded in understanding.

“And our gift package for our dear friends” I inquired yet again, “everything is in place and ready don” he responded.

An hour later we arrived in Marseilles and we were in the penthouse suite of the Hotel Les Roches Blanches.

 I led Ariana into the elevator and asked my guards to get the next one.

She was quiet as it kept ascending and she wouldn't look at me all the way, to remedy this I pressed the stop button and the elevator came to a halt, “why are we stopping?” she asked, looking around frantic and anxious, I turned to her and cornered her in the elevator.

“Why are you quiet all of a sudden, this is new” I smiled tracing my finger across her lower lip, “Mateo please I'm covered in smoke, I'd like to bathe and sleep, I've had an eventful day” she replied as she tried to push me away from her.

“Really” I muttered, tracing her thigh with my finger and going all the way up into her skirt.

“Mateo.. Please stop” she pleaded as soft innocent moans left her lips.

“You want me to stop?” I asked, kissing her passionately, somehow I felt her respond to my kiss, then I pulled away and laughed, I pressed the button again and the elevator started ascending again.

Shame washed through her and she was silent through the rest of the ride.

“ you are a monster,” she said under her breath.

“I know” I smiled at her “I've been called worse”

I couldn't wait to face my enemies, surely by now they must have an idea that I survived the two attempts on my life, the time went by fast.

I watched Ariana sleep peacefully, her hair covering her face, I brushed it aside and put them behind her ear, she stirred and that's when I noticed it, a red mark close to her ear, I was curious, I haven't seen this before, I probed further, I touched it and it felt hard like something was beneath her skin.

I tapped her gently from sleep, “don't be alarmed but I know how they have been getting to us” I said softly, she sat up and waited for me to go on, “how?” she asked.

 “you” I replied “Someone planted a chip behind your ear,” I said, she quickly touched her neck in reaction “What!” she exclaimed as her finger finally traced it, “Mateo! Take it out! Mateo Take it out!” she kept yelling.

But I was sceptical, was she in on it too? This could be a ploy, she could be taking tabs and reporting back to her father.

An idea formed in my head.

“I will, but not immediately” I responded, “get dressed we need to leave”

About 40 minutes later we were driving through the serene nature of Marseilles. I looked out the window overlooking the River, Ariana’s face was evident with worry and once in a while tears would flow.

Who could have done this? I wouldn't put it past her Father. 

Or Silvio?

A truck passed us swiftly, in very close contact with the car.

 “Julius? Is there a problem?” I asked, I could hear him cursing under his breath “Sir we have a problem” he finally said

I waited for him to go on, “Someone cut the brakes” 

Ariana couldn't take it anymore, she started wailing uncontrollably.

“Brace yourself” I smiled, pulling her close to me as the car veered off the road, and burst through the bridge rails, a few seconds later the car was fully immersed in the great Marseilles River.