The following day, Roxanne sat on the big bed with her hands fitted into fists on her lap.
The earlier events pressed down on her like an heavy weight. It was suffocating.
The experience left her a bit shaken. She wondered what would have happened if Ciel had not stopped her from drinking from that cup at the event.
Ciel was standing by the window across the room. His figure was outlined against the city skyline. His hand was in his pockets, but his wife could see that he was tensed.
The silence between them was thick.
After awhile, he finally asked.
"Who did it?"
She did not say anything, but it is obvious he was thinking of something.
It was clear he wanted names, and answers. But above all, he wanted revenge.
She breathed in and out, trying to look at him as he turned around.
His eyes looked dangerous.
"To be honest, I do not know." She said with a steady voice. "And even if I knew, I do not need your help."
Ciel's expression changed and she thought he would lash out at her. But he only moved closer to her.
"Really Roxanne?" His voice was soft but dangerous. " You were almost murdered yesterday, dear Roxanne. This is not funny. Someone out there wants to kill you."
"I am aware of that," she stood up as she snapped. "But what would you have me do? Have you protect me like some helpless young girl? Is that what you want? If then, I refuse."
Ciel's expression was neutral.
Then, he reached out suddenly, and cupped her chin, making her to look up at him. He had a firm touch.
"Look, I do not care how strong you believe you are. You are my wife now, which means whoever your enemies are, they are now mine. And I will not let anyone harm what's mine."
His tone was Intimate.
Roxanne felt her breath caught up in her throat. The way he said those words made her shiver. It was possessive.
She was about to speak when the door suddenly opened.
It was Ciel's assistant, Alex.
He came in with a worried expression.
"Sir, forgive my Intrusion, but there is something you need to hear." He said urgently.
Ciel released Roxanne, then turned to his assistant.
"Speak."
Alex gave him a thick envelope. "It's about ma'am inheritance." He said looking momentarily at Roxanne. "Her mother's company, the one Reina is about to take over. It was never Derek's Renwick's to start with."
"What?" Roxanne was shocked.
Alex nodded at her before continuing. "After the attempt on your life, I started looking into your family financial records."
He paused before he continued.
"There were some inconsistencies. So I tracked them back to some old legal documents. Ma'am, your mother left everything to you and your younger brother in her will. Your father had no right over the company, and he also had no right to put Reina in charge."
Roxanne felt like the ground wanted to swallow her. Her mother had left everything to her? But why had she been made to believe her father owned the company all her life?
"It gets worse," Alex said. "Your father had some documents forged to make it appears like he had legal ownership. He used fake evidence to remove your name from the records of the company. This is to ensure you and Finn do not ever get to know the truth."
Roxanne was trembling even as she held the edge of the bed. The betrayal from her father cut so deep.
"That bastard," she murmured as anger filled her up.
Ciel kept looking at her. "I told you your family could not be trusted. And this? I'm pretty sure this is just a tip of the iceberg."
Roxanne's head spinned.
Her father stole from her, took what was originally hers and now, he's about to hand it over to Reina as if she did not exist. And the worst part?
Her entire life was in ignorance. She had accepted her step mom and sister had every right to treat her the way they did.
A sudden anger ignited in her.
"I want my inheritance back," she said with a shaky voice. "I want to fight them."
"Are you sure?" Ciel said, studying her.
"Yes, but I do not want you to interfere. I want to do this myself. This is my fight." She said sharply.
Ciel was amused. "You are stubborn,"
Moving closer to her, he said.
"I admire that. But I will be watching every step of the way. Don't think I will be inactive."
She didn't care. She just wanted to make her father pay for what he did.
Back at Renwick Manor, Reina was pacing the length of her bedroom.
"She should be dead by now." She said, hissing.
Turning to her her mother, who was sitting on the chair in the room.
"How did it happen?"
Her mother's face was filled with fear and look pale. "I do not know. I made sure everything was done perfectly like you said. How he got to know something must be in the drink is beyond me."
"This is becoming unbearable." She hissed.
"She should not still be breathing after the trouble we went through to get rid of her."
"We need to be careful now. Her husband will not let this go away just like that." Evelyn said.
"I don't care about whatever he thinks." Reina scoffed.
"Mother, I will not lose everything to her. If I can't get rid of her, then the inheritance should belong to me."
"In that case, we would need a new plan." Her mother sighed.
"Oh, I think I may have one." Reina said with a wicked smile.
She walked to her desk, removed a file which had Roxanne's name on it.
"I will make sure she regrets challenging me, that's if she wants to fight me " Reina said.
Meanwhile, at the Sebastien mansion.
Ciel's mind was filled with calculations, strategies and the need to deal with anyone who may want to hurt Roxanne.
His wife is a fighter, but even fighters needs protection.
And he would make sure to do that, even if it entails dealing with the Renwick family.