Mafia Billionaire’s Forlorn Wife
Chapter 56

Arabella

Life is so unpredictable, isn’t it?

One moment you think that there are a few rains along the path but mostly the bright sunshine keeps you dry, and then suddenly one day, you face the hailstorm of disasters and disappointments that leave you feeling cold and exhausted.

Something similar happened to me too.

One day I was so in love with a beautiful, mysterious man, and six months later, I am standing in the bathroom of a hotel room that I have booked in the outskirts of Washington, holding a scissors in my hands as I muster up the courage to cut all my hair.

The first rule of going on a run: don’t let anyone recognise you.

Especially when you have enemies and hunters as powerful as I do.

Even if Rhys and my father weren’t a threat, they still have plenty of enemies who will soon find out that I am gone and will try to come after me.

And for the first time in my life, I have to think about protecting my own self and ensuring that my baby and I live a healthier life in near future.

Leo’s team managed to get me checked properly by professionals and it is safe to say that there was a high chance of miscarriage occurring after the whole k********g incident, but by some divine grace my baby is still with me and now, I will not let any harm come to it, ever.

I’m so glad that Leo is a part of my life and even though I have always known the true nature of his businesses, I never thought that I would ever need his help.

However, it’s a good thing that his extensive resources made it easy for me to escape Rhys’ mansion and I was also glad that I was able to convince Leo to stay back so that Rhys would never know where to start looking for me.

I take in a deep breath, looking at myself in the mirror as I mutter, “you can do this.”

A shudder escapes my lips as I grab a thick portion of my hair and place it between the scissor blades, making sure to take most of the length below just my shoulders.

And with a stillness and cold rendition washing over my body, I make the first snip as my h*p length hair strands fall to the ground in thick waves and without thinking twice about it, I continue chopping them off— at least I know well enough on how to cut my own hair, which makes this moment a tad bit less disastrous knowing that even with shortened hair, I’ll still not hate it.

I hadn’t cut my hair since the day my mom passed away. She always had such long and lustrous hair and after her death, I wanted to grow them out and look after them just like she did.

I think that was also one of the few reasons why my father hated me so much— I reminded him too much of her, always so loud, and never in control.

A tear slides down my lips as the sound of the scissors working through my tresses echoes through the bathroom and my own hair start to pool at my feet.

Rhys once told me that he had never seen hair so long and beautiful like mine. He called me his sunshine because of the bright blonde colour of them.

But like everything else in my life, he has managed to spoil this for me too.

As I chop off my hair, I wonder if there was ever a time when Rhys regretted his actions. I wonder if he will be affected by my disappearance.

Perhaps at first he will face the consequences of my decision, the press will probably talk about this for a while, even his enemies and close friends will try to find out what happened so that they can catch him at his most vulnerable state.

But after a few months, when the dust will have settled and Amelia will have swooped in as the perfect companion, having managed to spin my disappearance into another tale of my infidelity, Rhys will return to his old ways and I will be nothing more than a piece of his distant past.

Picking up the already mixed hair colour, I start working on my roots, knowing well enough that by the time I am done, my hair will be cupping my cheeks with their ends barely reaching my collar bone in an inky black colour instead of my natural blonde.

All through the colouring and the showering, I try to think positive thoughts as I make plans for what I have to do next and what I have to do according to the plan that Leo made for me.

From here on out, I know that my next destination would be to go to the Salazar in Switzerland— a private establishment that trains and protects assassins who go out and get enrolled in the secret services, the grey market mafia, and even higher government agencies.

It is only because of Leo that I know that all these people come from the same bloody place and it is only their professional duties that give any distinction between their traits.

By the time that I finally get out of my shower and blow dry my new hair, I find myself staring at a completely different woman than the one who came in this bathroom.

The bruising along my jaw and chin is still very significant but considering the fact that it has only been about 36 hours since my escape, I’d say that it’ll still take about a week before I am back to my old self.

Picking up the few make up supplies that I find in the getaway bag that Leo has arranged for me, I start working on my face to ensure that I minimise the damage as much as possible.

And then, for the first time in my life, instead of going for the usual pinks and peaches for my lips, I pick up the matte wine coloured lipstick along my plump lips that clashes perfectly with my now raven hair and does work in giving me an entirely different look.

I pull on a pair of black pants and a bullet proof vest as recommended by Leo that I wear until I reach Salazar, and over it, I put on a black top that hugs my chest and my torso, reaching till my knees in full sleeves.

Satisfied with how I look, I put on a pair of combat boots and just in time, the doorbell of the room rings and I know that the coordinator that will help me get to Salazar is here.

Taking in a deep breath, I walk over to the door and swing it open to find my eyes clashing with calm raven orbs.

The man standing in front of me looks like he knows how to kill a human being in at least six hundred ways and he knows how to make five hundred of them look like accidents.

He is tall, much taller than I am but slightly shorter than I remember Rhys to be. Ignoring the flash of pain in my heart at my husband’s thought, I take in the man’s appearance.

He has a burly built that is probably all muscles hardened to steel with years and years of practice. He has a long face with his hair pulled back in a low bun at the back of his head while his strong jaw is covered in light stubble.

His tan skin and the perfect brown of his beard matches perfectly with the enigma of his raven eyes and the pashmina shawl around his neck accentuates the broody and artistic look of his features, while perfectly disguising the viper that is just rolling underneath his skin, ready to strike at first glance.

“I was told Arabella Mikhailov is here. You don’t look like her.” He says in a velvety voice that comes out in a perfectly poised British accent and had my heart not been so battered or owned by another, I know I would have been a puddle of butterflies at his feet. Any perfectly sane girl would swoon in this man’s presence.

But sadly, for me, his handsome face does nothing but remind me of how handsome Rhys looks and how it hurts to not have him with me right now.

Shaking my head and also shaking away those torturous thoughts, I say, “then I suppose I followed Leo’s orders correctly.” I say with a shrug before turning around to walk into the room.

However, before I can even take another step, the man behind me wraps his arm around my neck and I feel the cold metal of a gun pressing at my lower back as my entire body stiffens and fear rushes into my skin.

Have I just allowed one of my father or Rhys’ enemies to find me?

However, before I can start panicking, his smooth voice whispers in my ear, “your first mistake was to make yourself vulnerable by opening the door right away without asking for who it was. And your second mistake was to turn your back to me without knowing who I am.”

He has his hand around my neck and is clutching my shoulder while his forearm rests against my collar bone.

But even with the sinfully attractive scent of his cologne, I feel nothing but irritation and abhorrence at the proximity with which he is touching me.

Christopher’s unwanted advances are still fresh in my head as I instinctively throw my elbow back into his ribcage but he catches my arm in one swift motion.

I grunt in annoyance.

“Predictable.” He spits out, and shaking his head, he leaves me before walking to the door to close it shut.

“I don’t have prior combat training like you, a*****e!” I remind him snidely. He might be one of Leo’s scary assassins but I am not going to let him walk all over me.

He turns around to face me and gives me a look that clearly shows how disinterested he is in this entire situation before saying, “that is what I am here for, princess. To train you and keep you safe.” He says in a mocking tone and I clench my fists tightly, already feeling like I have had enough of his snobbery.

“I’m pregnant, in case you weren’t briefed. I’m not getting into assassin training until I’ve given birth to my baby!”

A ghost of a smirk appears on his lips but his eyes darken with an emotion that I don’t quite recognise, “you’re not going to get into assassin training anyways, princess. Leo has put me at your case because he wants to train you to be a queen in your own right. Not some foot soldier. He wants you to have ownership of your own life and he wants me to train you exactly how to protect yourself in any situation that your enemies might put you in.”

Hearing his words, my heart soars in my chest as I realise that Leo knows exactly what will help me and he has made the appropriate arrangements to ensure that I get everything I need.

“What’s your name?” I ask him softly, realising that right now, is the beginning of a new life for me, and this man and Leo would be pivotal in this new journey.

“I’m Kian Akhtar. Your bodyguard for now, but once we reach Salazar, your teacher.” And when he forwards his hand towards me, I smirk and join it for a firm handshake.

“Arabella. And I’m looking forward to whatever you have to teach me.”

I’m Arabella.

Just Arabella.

Because neither of the men deserve me using their last names as my own, definitely not my father and especially not Rhys.

This is my beginning now.

And I will not cower anymore.

⚜️⚜️⚜️

Rhys

36 hours.

It has been 36 hours since Arabella has disappeared and I have used every single source at my disposal but I have been unable to find her.

I know she said that she doesn’t wish to be found.

I know she wants to be left alone.

But how can I let that happen when she is literally the air that I breathe and the b***d that runs through my veins.

Christopher’s cry of pain echoes through the room as I chop off the middle finger of his right hand with no mercy whatsoever and his body thrashes around in his restraints like he is a fish just snatched out of the water.

I glare down at him with nothing but pure hatred and anger as I realise that there is absolutely nothing in this world will ever be able to pardon him for what he did to my wife.

Just the idea of her suffering in that pathetic place and the thought of what Christopher might have done had I not reached in time is sickening to the bone and when I thrash my hand across his jaw for the hundredth time, a loud grunt escapes his lips and this time, something falls to the ground after I punch him.

I stare down at it and realise that it is one of his teeth.

Christopher is a mess of his own b***d, sweat, and tears and I couldn’t have been happier about his state.

He deserves every ounce of pain that he can get until I find Arabella.

And once I do, she will determine on her own terms of what his exact punishment can be.

Shaking my head, I step back, feeling the urge to check on Viktor to see if he has had any progress in finding Arabella.

“Get him cleaned up and patched. He doesn’t get to die just yet.” I say to the brunette standing in one corner of the room with a machine gun strapped across her back.

She immediately gets to work, just like every other soldier that I have working for me here, at Tartarus and with that, I walk out of the room and make a beeline straight for Viktor’s work station that I had gotten built for him.

I enter the room with screens larger than anything most Americans have in their homes and different camera feeds run through them as I recognise a few to be from the traffic signals around my house.

Viktor is hunched over in front of one such monitor and his fingers are typing away code at such a blinding speed that it is hard to say if he himself understands any of the words that he is typing.

Nikolas, who is currently standing in front of one of the walls carrying multiple monitors looks back when he senses my presence in the room.

“Has he had any progress?” I ask Nikolas, letting Viktor work in silence since I know he hates getting distracted.

Nikolas gives me a saddened look and shakes his head, “he’s working. But she’s disappeared. It’s like she’s not even on this planet.”

Fear and anger courses through me as I shake my head, “that’s not possible. We just have to look a little harder than this.” I say dejectedly.

Nikolas looks like he wants to say something but he shakes his head instead and then says, “don’t worry, we’ll try harder. We’ll do everything we can to bring her back to you.”

I nod gratefully at him until something catches my vision in the corner of my eye.

My head immediately snaps towards one of the screens mounted on the wall and I find a video recording of Arabella standing in front of Ace in some gazebo.

“When is this from?” I ask in a shuddering voice and that gains Viktor’s attention as he looks back and comes to stand beside me as he takes in the sight of the screen that I am pointing at.

“That’s an old recording. Remember you asked me earlier this week to get camera feeds from around Mancini’s home? It’s from that. Dated about six months ago.” He says looking closely.

I follow his gaze and find the date to be just a day before our wedding.

My heart clenches in my chest as I touch the screen for sound and Arabella’s sweet voice comes flittering into my ears and I wish that I will be able to hear her speak again.

Until then, I will make use of this.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Ace hisses at her and I watch how my beautiful, angelic wife looks around to make sure that there is no one listening to them.

“I need your help.” She says.

I furrow my brows. What was something that she needed before our wedding and she couldn’t come to me for it?

“What’s wrong?” Ace asks in the recording.

Arabella looks positively shaken as she says, “Adriana came to visit me today. She wanted to know if I was excited about the wedding.”

My b***d dries up in my veins as I realise what this conversation could possibly be about. My heartbeat is pounding in my ears as I realise that the very thing I had been dreading so far, I am about to find out about it now.

“What did you say to her?” Ace questions.

“She didn’t know but I saw her adjusting a recording device in her clothes and I knew that she was sent as a mole to ask me about my intentions for this marriage. I had to lie to her and tell her that I am only marrying Rhys for his money and I have no intention of being loyal to him.”

f**k.

f**k f**k f**k.

Another thing that I had been wrong about.

I was punishing Arabella for something that was not even her fault.

f**k.

“I need you to find that recording and delete it before father decides to release it to the press and sully Rhys’ image.” She urges Ace and I squeeze my eyes shut at how foolish I was.

Her words are a blow to my chest as reality slaps me in the face with the truth about how much Arabella actually loved me.

“Not to mention the fact that your brute of a husband would probably kill you if he finds out you’ve said something like this.” Ace states dryly.

Arabella shakes her head, “Rhys loves me. He’ll believe me when I tell him the truth. He’ll never put anyone else’s claims above mine.”

That is the sentence which almost has me falling to the ground as I practically stumble backwards in realisation of what a disaster I have created.

Arabella was so faithful towards this marriage. She was so hopeful that I would keep her heart protected.

And now, she’s gone and I have no one else to blame but myself.

“I really hope that you’re marrying the right man.” Ace says and I am turning on my heel already, ready to walk out of this room and find a way to punish myself.

That is when Arabella says, “I am. Rhys is the only man I will ever love. He’s all I have ever prayed for.”

⚜️⚜️⚜️

Two more days have passed and I haven’t yet found Arabella.

Viktor is also losing his mind and I have successfully tortured Amelia and Christopher to a point where they are currently under medical observation for the next week.

I will heal them before exerting more pain on them. And that will continue on until I find Arabella and she will decide for herself if she wants to kill them or prolong their deaths further.

No matter when I find her.

With another unsuccessful day, I walk into the mansion, realising that just like my life, this house too feels like someone has taken away its heart and stuffed it with stones.

And just when I enter the foyer, I find Nikolas and Leo.

Kissing.

My eyes widen and for the first time in the last four days do I feel an emotion other than pain and regret.

Pure surprise fills my veins just as I gape at them and they must have sensed movement as they abruptly pull away from each other and look at me with wide eyes.

Both of them are short of breath and I am standing frozen on spot as I stare at them wondering what the f**k is even going on in my life at this point.

“The f**k?” I utter out.

The two people standing in front of me are the last pair I would have ever imagined.

Now, Nikolas is fluid when it comes to his sexuality and preferences of his partners. But he has a very specific taste in those he dates and Leo does not fit in even one of his categories.

And as far as I know about the men that Leo dates, they all also do not match Nikolas’ description in any manner.

“I was about to tell you…” Nikolas utters out, “but with everything that’s been going on…”

I stare at them for a moment longer and then immediately shake my head, waving my hand dismissively, “not my business.” I mutter out.

Their love life is the last thing that I wish to think about.

I already have a lot more important things to figure out.

Like finding out where my wife is.

“What the hell are you doing here right now?” I question, agitated at the fact that I intended to spend the night drinking but somehow, these two have found their way here.

That is when Leo steps forward, “something was delivered for you at my place and Niko was with me at the time. So, we thought of bringing it to you.” He says as he picks up a thick envelope from the round table in the foyer.

Dejectedly, I snatch the sealed envelope before ripping it open to find a stack of paper inside.

Taking it out, I start reading the contents as my eyes skim over the first few lines and shock spreads through my entire body and my eyes widen.

…divorce…

…termination of marriage contract…

f**k.

No.

These can’t be…

My eyes fall straight to the end of the page, and right there, signed in bright ink, is my wife’s name—

Arabella.