Chapter 10
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Arnold raised his wine glass, a polished but fake smile fixed on his face.
It was the night before the so-called fate‑deciding arms deal. He and Leia had warmly invited us to dinner, acting like the perfect hosts. The long dining table was filled with exquisite dishes, each one outrageously expensive.
To an outsider, it looked like a lavish family dinner, but I knew better. This dinner was dangerous. Through my ability to read minds, their plan rang clearly in my head—they had poisoned my wine.
‘Finally, this day has come. Once Caspian dies tomorrow, the entire family will belong to us.’
‘This b*tch has to die too. I’ve waited so long for this. Let’s see how she keeps up that noble act.’
Under the table, I gently kicked Caspian’s leg, warning him to be careful. However, he seemed completely unfazed. As if he hadn’t noticed at all, Caspian calmly lifted his glass and echoed Arnold’s toast.
“Here’s to the family.”
We drank together. The red wine tasted bitter, with an unpleasant edge, but I forced myself to stay composed and showed nothing on my face.
Across the table, Arnold and Leia exchanged triumphant looks. They clearly believed their plan had succeeded.
‘Hahaha! What a foolish woman. She thinks she’s so clever. Just wait until the poison kicks in.’
‘Elysia, you’re about to die. I’m so happy I could cry.’
However, before they could rejoice, the ones who collapsed were Arnold and Leia. Their eyes widened in disbelief as they stared at us, garbled sounds escaping their throats. Then, one after the other, they slumped heavily to the floor.
At that exact moment, the doors opened. Donna Isabella walked in, followed by the family’s trusted inner circle. She wore a long black dress, an ivory cane resting in her hand. Her presence was overwhelming, like a queen passing judgment.
“Take them away,” she ordered flatly, without a trace of emotion.
Several men in black immediately stepped forward, dragging the unconscious Arnold and Leia out.
I stared in shock.
“What… what’s going on?” I asked. “Why did they collapse?”
Caspian set his glass down, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Did you really think I didn’t notice your warning?”
“You knew they were going to poison us?”
“I knew they planned to poison you,” he replied, “and I knew they intended to kill me during tomorrow night’s arms deal.”
A sharp glint flashed in his eyes before he continued, “So, I added a powerful sedative to their wine in advance.”
Donna Isabella took a seat, her voice steady and commanding. “Tomorrow’s arms deal is a trap. It was designed to draw out everyone who’s been coveting the family’s power. We’ve been preparing for this for a long time. As for Caspian, he’s been getting rid of all of the traitors.”
Her gaze shifted to me, approval flickering in her eyes.
“You did very well, child. Without the information you provided, we wouldn’t have resolved this internal threat so easily.”
Only then did I realize everything had been under their control from the very beginning. Arnold thought he was clever. In reality, every move he made had been seen through.
Once everything was settled, only Caspian and I remained in the room. Moonlight streamed through the window, casting broken shadows across the floor.
He leaned down toward me, his voice low and dangerous, carrying a hint of amusement.
“Still, you seemed genuinely afraid that I’d die. Tell me, Elysia, have you fallen in love with me?”
