Entwined With the Villainous Guardian
Chapter 123: The Secret

Chapter 123: The Secret

Days passed rather uneventfully in the Kastello family at least on the surface, but Viviana’s days were filled with new events.

She had rediscovered her joy in cooking after two years. After her father, she found someone who makes her want to toil in the kitchen. She was that desperate to impress someone.

Cooking didn’t take much of her time or energy because she loved to do it. And she had a lot of free time. She walked around the garden in the mornings, mainly to find out what the kitchen maid was doing outside.

It took her almost a week to discover what Mary was up to. Dog!

Mary was feeding a stray dog that would sneak inside through the hole in the fence at eleven in the morning each day. A rottweiler bitch.

Well, by how careful Mary was to sneak the leftovers out, she guessed that she is doing that without Leander’s knowledge. That guy raises cats. He might not like dogs.

Viviana kept the secret, well, tried to keep the secret. But she couldn’t. She loved dogs more than dogs loved bones.

Well, she followed Mary that day because she wanted to pet that dog. Rottweilers are so pretty and so adorable. Them with their bear-like faces melt her heart. She couldn’t keep away.

Mary begged her not to tell Leander about the dogs. Apparently, there is a shoot-on-sight order from Leander about dogs in the premises. Of course, she won’t let the dog die.

She hugged the dog. The poor dog seriously needed a bath. But how can she do that in secret. She cannot hide this big a dog anywhere.

"I’m sorry, Juno," Viviana hugged the dog.

Mary had named the dog after the roman goddess. The dog really looked like a goddess with the beautiful spots over her eyes that made her look so adorable.

"Oh, I want to not let go..." she patted the dog. Her eyes brightened up. "She’s pregnant!" she looked at Mary.

"I thought so too... She is getting fatter, but lately she is eating more..." Mary said.

"No, it’s pregnancy..." Viviana was sure.

And she was happy for the dog. And sad at the same time.

Viviana played with the dog for some time and reluctantly got back inside the house before Leander comes back. He’s been leaving the house after breakfast and would return for lunch. He’ll leave after that most days and would return only after the sky turns dark.

She didn’t know what he was doing. And she didn’t care either. If she thinks, it would only sour her mood. She tried hard to not let her mood affected. She thought maybe she should try and be happy in the few days she has left.

That night, at dinner, she couldn’t stop thinking about Juno. Her belly is getting bigger and she is such a cutie pie that she got used to her. She’s such a lovely dog and she didn’t want her to be left alone, exposed to the elements when she is pregnant.

But she is a stray dog, probably for her entire life and she might be used to living on the streets. Still, Viviana wanted to do something.

But she is incapable of doing anything. This is not her house. She needs Leander’s permission. She wanted to ask him, but she was afraid he might tell his men to kill Juno instead.

"What bothers you?" Leander asked. He could see that she wants to ask something, but she is not.

It annoyed him. But what else can he do? This woman only knows how to anger him. It’s not like he’s going to swallow her if she asks what she wanted.

"Nothing..." Viviana smiled. At least Juno is alive now. She didn’t want to take a chance.

"What?" Leander raised his voice.

He’d prefer it if she speaks her mind. But it seems like she never is going to open up. He should develop the superpower of reading her mind to know what goes on in that pretty little head of hers.

Even then, she will find a way to hide her thoughts from him. Annoying mouse!

"I want to go to a salon. My hair..." Viviana found something to ask of him.

In fact, she really didn’t care that her hair is turning orange again. But she didn’t want to make Leander angry. She is his wife. And she should play the part.

He is giving her the freedom she asked for. So, it’s only fair.

"You didn’t have to ask my permission for that. Just tell me when you need to go out," he said and left the table.

Viviana stood up and walked behind him too. He didn’t talk anything about the deal anymore. But he seemed to be following the deal she proposed. After that day, he didn’t try to "touch" her. She didn’t know what to think of it. But she got used to her life now.

"Run a bath for us," he said before getting to his office.

Viviana gulped.

Us... he said us, right? So, I should join the bath?

Her heart skipped a beat. She ran to the bathroom. She didn’t know why she couldn’t stop smiling.

-----

Leander pulled out the third of the Tolkien books collections. Only the cover and the spine was the original, the pages were replaced with something else recently.

He didn’t stop investigating about the fire in Abenney. He couldn’t find anyone who could talk about it mostly because he didn’t try hard enough. He didn’t want to alert his grandfather.

His grandfather asks for his audience daily lately. Every morning, he will have to sit through the briefings of their operations. Since he was announced as the heir, his field visits are getting reduced for his protection.

It made him wonder, why his grandfather thought that his life was expendable when he was not the heir.

He thought till now, that his grandfather believed in his ability to protect himself and that’s why he made him handle certain stuff in person even though they were dangerous.

But by trying to limit him now, his grandfather proved that he didn’t care much about his life before.

But he decided to not dwell on it. It’s the organization’s order. He chose to be the street boss and he will be treated like one.

Maybe Barnabas advised his grandfather to be patient, his grandfather didn’t make any move against his wife.

But he had upped his security these days. And he has one thing left to do.