Chapter 7 her life history

Winston's P.O.V.

"Things are not as simple as they appeared on the surface, Mr. Atkins. All the evidence pointed towards her aunt, that Fiona, but whoever orchestrated the whole incident forgot to erase the time when her aunt poured two glasses of juice from the juice carton that she brought with her and drank the other glass on her own." Hunter explained the investigation report on what happened to Ariel at our wedding.

"You mean to say that someone wants to blame her aunt for her death or for this incident, but did a stupid mistake like this?" Scott Cruz, my best friend, asked him while raising his brows.

"I don't think so, Mr. Cruz, and that's why I am still working on that angle. It may be a possibility that she drank in front of the camera to prove that the juice wasn't poisoned when she gave it to the server, as she drank at the same time too. Hunter answered him, and I took a deep breath.

"Check for the glasses in which she poured the juices." I instructed him, and he understood what he needed to do. That's why it's easy to work with smart people. Hunter wasn't just my PA, but he was also the head of my security team.

"And... arrange for two people to keep an eye on my wife. I am sure that she will be targeted again soon." I instructed further while rubbing my temple.

"Alright, Mr. Atkins." He answered me and then walked out of the room. "This is just a business marriage, Winston. It's not like you lack women to marry if something happens to Ariel." He joked, and I stared at him coldly.

He chuckled and drank wine from his glass. I moved my gaze back to where it was earlier and sipped my wine. I was on the business trip for five days and just returned today. I still had some stuff to deal with in the office, and that was why I came here instead of going home.

"You took this attack as an attack on your ego, right?" he asked me, and I scoffed. "Whether this is a business marriage or not, the truth is that she is my wife, and no one can mess with her." I announced in a firm and cold tone.

He looked at me with a complicated expression this time. I didn't pay attention to his inner turmoil and finished my glass.

"It's time to head home." I announced while looking at my wristwatch. He also finished his glass and stood up with me.

"Do you want to start a married life her?" he asked me suddenly when I was about to take my suit jacket from the couch.

"What kind of question is this?" I asked him in a confused tone while putting on the jacket.

"I mean... it... it has already been five years that you waited for her. Y.. you agreed to this marriage only for this merger. Will you let go of her now?" he asked in a very low tone.

I paused and looked at him with raised brows, my gaze still cold. He shrugged his shoulders but waited for me to answer him.

I still didn't need to answer him, because in the past two months, ever since my marriage with Ariel was finalized, he had asked me this question almost 15 times. This should end here now.

"The moment she left, everything finished between us, Scott. There is no us for her and me. Ariel is my wife, and you know how much I valued loyalty." I answered him in a cold and determined tone.

He blinked while looking at me blankly, but I didn't pay attention to him anymore. He knew his way, and he was mature enough to take care of himself.

I walked out of the room, and Hunter followed behind me. "Did she get her car?" I asked him when I realized that I had no update on her situation at home in the past five days.

"No, Mr. Winston. Mrs. Winston didn't know how to drive. So, she refused to take a car." He informed me, and I frowned. She was already 23 and still didn't know how to drive? Just how spoiled is she?

"I investigated and found that this is related to .... Her trauma of her parents' accident." Hunter explained further, and I pursed my lips while entering the elevator.

It seemed that the rumors about her in our circle still had some effects on me. That's why I assumed bad things about her before knowing the whole situation.

"Buy a car of her taste and hire a chauffeur for her." I instructed Hunter calmly this time. Scott also entered the elevator with us.

He had a hobby of silent walking. That's why I didn't hear any footsteps behind me but knew that he was behind us.

"Let's go for a drink. It has been days since we went out for some fun". Scott proposed, and I immediately shook my head negatively.

"I am going home." I told him in a calm tone. I didn't see his reaction because I didn't need to. If he wanted, he could go on his own. He wasn't a kid anymore whom I needed to babysit.

We have been friends since middle school, and knew each other well enough not to use words for so many things.

The elevator ride was silent, and I was glad of that. I was already tired because of continuous working during my stay there and then started working again as soon as I came back to the company right from the airport.

I was tired and wanted to sleep for a good few hours to regain my energy. "Take a nap, Mr. Atkins. I will wake you up." Hunter asked me in a polite but concerned tone while buckling himself into the passenger's seat.

He was also tired, and that was why I asked him to call the driver instead of driving me to the home. "How did she spend her days during this period?" I asked him in a tired tone while closing my eyes.

"Mrs. Atkins doesn't have many friends, and she barely went out of the home. She has asked for both companies' information and their past performance reports and spent all her time studying them at home." He informed me, and I just hummed in response.

Her parents left two companies in her name, one from her mother's side and one from her father's side. Both the companies were managed by her uncles, aunts, and grandparents. Her uncles and aunts, except Tony, were not so competent, but her grandparents succeeded in managing both companies for her.

A bitter smile crept on my lips. My wife could be called a billionaire and the richest heiress in the country, yet she was nowhere near the arrogance and sharpness that this title brings with itself.

I was surprised that I didn't realize it earlier that she was still a naive and innocent girl who was far away from the cruel reality of this world.

I never paid attention to any other girl after her, but Ariel Hudson, somehow, got my attention after our marriage. My wife was not a stunning beauty, but she was beautiful enough to make a few girls envious of her beauty. She was intelligent, as I could see from her academic records.

She was pursuing a master's in business administration and economics and minored in accountancy and management. She had a diploma in computer coding and software designing. She had zero tolerance towards alcohol, and that was why she avoided attending parties or going to bars for fun.

She had tons of millions in her savings account, but she didn't spend lavishly.

The thing that was bothering me was her sudden interest in the companies. As far as I remember our conversation with her maternal grandfather, who actually proposed this marriage, he told us that Ariel never showed any interest in dealing with company stuff.

She wanted to do something on her own after her 24th birthday.

This was what they told us

He was worried that her uncles and aunts would deceive her in the future after their death. Their company was second to us in terms of wealth and power. Through this marriage, I got 10% of his shares that would be transferred to me after Ariel's next birthday and also three big projects that I wanted in the beginning, but they managed to get the bid.

"Mr. Atkins... we reached." I slowly opened my eyes when I heard Hunter's low voice calling me. I slowly stretched my body and got out of the car.

I went straight into the mansion as we were already in the lobby of the mansion. It was already past ten. My parents weren't at home as they had to attend a banquet, and my sister was also out for a friend's birthday party.

The eerie silence in the living room was deafening, but I was used to it. I had already removed the tie and jacket. The headache wasn't that severe, but it still felt irritating. I went upstairs, deciding to ask the kitchen to bring my dinner to my room.

I was about to cross the first floor when I stopped in my tracks. I looked in the direction of the voice and narrowed my eyes. I slowly walked towards that room, still thinking that I had heard wrong.

Am I hearing things, or is she really here?