Chapter 2 Burn

Chapter 2

Avila's POV

Cassandra suddenly laughed while using her fan to cover her mouth.

"I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to point out your etiquette. I should've been more understanding." She adjusted her hair and lowered her fan. "After all, you're a... What's your last name again?"

"Crane," I answered curtly, forcing a smile.

I'm starting to feel uncomfortable with this woman's presence.

"Oh. That's why. You're new to this world, am I right? Because I don't remember meeting a Crane before."

I clenched my fist because what she said was true.

We were not that rich before, that's why we worked hard to be part of it.

"And I certainly never saw you at any parties I attended."

I forced a smile and tried to find an excuse to tell her.

"Why did Caesar choose you?"

"Maybe because of the oil company we had-"

"No," she interrupted. "Yassi Gomez, the fifth wife, already gave half of her ownership of their oil company to Caesar. I don't think Caesar needs more oil when, in fact, Yassi Gomez's oil company is one of the top oil companies in the world." She raised an eyebrow at me sarcastically.

"Why did he choose you?"

"I hate tea time," I told Michael as we entered my study room. I went straight here after our 'tea time' with Cassandra.

"But you need to learn it. The Levovski Family is very traditional; that's why everything, from their maids to their mansions, is designed like a castle."

I raised my hand to stop Michael.

"No. That's not important now. I need to learn about the other wives. I don't think Cassandra will be the only one who will visit me here, and I know she won't be the only one mocking me about my family."

I looked at Michael. It was clear from his face that he didn't like my idea.

"I'm just being cautious-"

"You need to learn this first," he said, pointing to the large books on the table.

"I'm getting dizzy just looking at them." I sighed and looked at him. "How about this? Find out about all of Caesar's wives. Also, find out why Caesar married me." I reminded Michael because, according to Dad, Caesar knew something about us, which is why he married me.

All of this for proper status and reputation.

"Done," he said and retreated to leave the room.

I spent my day and night studying the history of the Levovski family and the assets they possessed.

Caesar is the second son of Ravenor Levovski. Caesar took his father's title by force just to please himself because he was jealous of his older brother, who would inherit all of their possessions.

In short, Caesar is not a good person.

"Damn it. Why did I agree to this?"

Are you regretting it now?

I suddenly felt hungry and realized it was already nine o'clock.

Michael left at four, and I knew he would take a while, but I didn't expect that among all the maids here, no one would bring me any food.

I stood up and took the lamp to go out into the dark hallway.

The surroundings were dark, as if the people here had no common sense to turn on the lights.

I went downstairs to the maids' quarters, but I didn't find them there. I ended up in the dirty kitchen, where the mansion's workers were.

"She's so weak."

"She won't beat Madam Cassandra, you bet."

"She'll be silenced by Madam Cassandra too."

"And did you see how she turned pale in front of Madam Cassandra?"

I slammed the door open so I could hear them better and let them see me.

"Go on, continue," I ordered and fully entered the kitchen.

They were all shocked and stepped back.

"It's already night, and yet no one brought me food."

"S-sorry, ma'am-"

"I don't want to hear your apology." I looked at them. "Who's the cook?"

A man raised his hand.

"What did you cook for me?"

"C-chicken soup, ma'am."

"Then, why did no one bring it to me?" I looked at the housekeeper.

"Michael-"

"Michael isn't here." I approached the woman who spoke. "Who's your head housekeeper?"

"I am," she replied.

"It's your job to check if I've been fed or slept even without my butler," I said firmly.

"Sorry," she said insincerely, squinting her eyes.

She's not afraid of me, which is why the other maids under her feel the same way.

"I'll feed you next time."

I stepped back. "That's okay. There will be no next time. You're all fired," I said, turning away.

I heard a short laugh and looked back at her, and she was indeed the one laughing, still smiling.

"You can't do that because we work for Madam Cassandra."

Is this how Cassandra shows 'kindness' to me?

"Okay."

"Cassandra Alaister is the most jealous one among the wives. Everyone who wants to get to Mr. Caesar has to go through her first. She's like the one who puts boundaries between Caesar and the other wives," Michael said after I finished studying what he assigned me.

Two days had passed since then. Now it was late at night, and we were outside my mansion, watching it for the last time.

"You are right. The workers are incompetent. No one is even guarding you at night," Michael said, lighting a match and throwing it into the gasoline that quickly spread inside the mansion, and within minutes, it was ablaze.

I smiled.

"Didn't they wake up from the smell of gas?" I put on my shades because the light was getting stronger.

"Maybe that's because of the sleeping pills I put in their food."

Michael and I looked at each other and smiled.

He opened an umbrella to shield us from the ashes coming out of the mansion.

A few minutes later, I heard screams of agony.

"How wonderful."

But the joy I felt after thirty minutes was cut short when the firefighters arrived and put out the fire.

"Boring," I whispered in annoyance, seeing the fire die out.

The sun rose, and a car arrived, and Cassandra got out. She immediately came to me.

"Are you okay, Avila?" she asked, her concern obviously fake.

I forced a smile at her. "I'm fine, luckily."

"Thank goodness, but now that you don't have a home, you have to go back where you came from, right?"

I laughed at what she said.

"Why do I need to do that when I can just stay at my husband's mansion?"

Her smile vanished, which made me smile even wider.

Avila's POV

"Welcome to the Levovski mansion," said their housekeeper as I entered Caesar's mansion.

"Madam, can we take your statement about the mansion?" asked the man who, from his appearance, was clearly the head of security.

"Can you take my butler's statement instead?" I asked gently. "I'm a little tired from what happened," I said sadly, showing my exhaustion.

"We can't do that. This is a direct order from Caesar Levovski."

My expression became serious.

Caesar? Does he already know what happened?

"Good morning, ma'am. I am Jason Floro, the head of security for the Levovski Family," he introduced himself, but he didn't look at me; he kept his eyes on his papers as he sat on the sofa.

I took a cup of tea from the table and drank.

I know what they can find in my mansion, but it won't change the fact that I don't regret it.

Caesar can divorce me; I don't care.

Can they put me in jail?

I smiled.

They can try.

"In our investigation of the mansion, we can say that what happened was intentional." Jason finally looked at me. "I know you're involved, ma'am, because it's too much of a coincidence that you were out at midnight with your belongings."

I put down my teacup and sat up straight. I looked at him and smirked.

"There was fuel everywhere, and someone lit it, causing a fire and damage to your mansion," he continued, clearly implying it was my doing.

"You seem good at your job and love keeping it," I said with a smile.

His eyes narrowed. "What?"

"You're the head of security, right? Well, that fire wouldn't have happened if some people were guarding the mansion or me."

His eyes widened as he realized what I meant.

"I don't think my husband likes incompetent fools." I picked up my tea and drank it while looking at him.

He glared at me. He took a deep breath and sighed.

"The fire was an accident," he said with a nasty look at me, then stood up and left.

I left the study room with a smirk. Michael immediately approached me.

"I'm assuming it went well."

"Of course," I said before walking past him.

To Be Continued...