Chapter Five

7 PM. Knight Villa dining room.

Ariana came downstairs late. 7:05. Jeans, white shirt clean, ponytail neat, no makeup.

Everyone already sitting.

Head seat: Henry Knight, Ethan’s grandfather. Next Rose, Victoria, Emma, Ethan and also Ariana’s family who were invited to dinner.

Linda gold dress too tight. Chloe red dress again, full makeup, trying to be hostess.

Chloe saw Ariana and smiled loud, fake sweet.

"Sister! You finally came! We were all waiting! Knight Villa is so big, you might get lost!" She said, particularly hinting on Ariana being late to dinner.

Ariana didn't answer. She pulled chair next to Ethan and sat.

Victoria stared. "Ariana, family dinner starts at 7. Not 7:05."

"Stairs were too many. Villa too big," Ariana said, calm.

Emma laughed. "Mom, excuse. She doesn't know time."

Henry looked at Ariana directly. Voice deep.

"You are Ariana Cole."

"Yes," Ariana said.

"Do you know why my grandson chose you?" Henry asked.

"Because I am quiet?" Ariana said.

Henry shook head. "Leo told me you have no job. No degree. Outside says useless. Is it true?"

Linda jumped in fast, happy to add.

"Mr. Henry! Yes! She is useless! She dropped school! Stays home all day! Chloe is better! Chloe studies design, has talent! Chloe can help Ethan in business!"

"Quiet," Henry said. One word.

Linda shut up.

Henry looked back at Ariana. "Answer me. Are you useless?"

Ariana looked at him, not scared.

"I didn't finish degree because my mother died. I had to handle things at home. But I am not useless."

"Prove it," Henry said.

Chloe saw chance. "Grandpa Henry! I can prove she can't do anything! She can't cook! She can't speak English! She can't dance! I can! I can dance, I can sing, I can"

"Chloe," Ethan said coldly, not even looking at her. "No one asked you."

Chloe froze. Smile frozen. "Ethan... I just..."

Ethan ignored her. He looked at Ariana.

"Grandfather asks you to prove," he whispered only for her. "Say something."

Ariana stood up. Walked to wine table. Took one bottle. Expensive red.

"Henry, what is this wine?" she asked.

Henry frowned. "Lafite 1982. From my cellar. So?"

Ariana opened it. Smelled cork. Poured small glass, swirled, tasted a little.

"This is fake," she said.

Dead silence.

Victoria gasped. "Fake? Impossible! This is from Knight cellar! We keep it locked!"

"Label is 1982, but cork is new. Taste sour, not old. Someone swapped real bottle and put fake back," Ariana said.

Henry stood fast. Took glass, tasted. Face dark.

"Leo!" he shouted.

Leo ran in. "Sir?"

"Call security. Check cellar now. List who entered cellar last month. Today," Henry said.

Leo ran.

Rose looked at Ariana, surprised, smiling.

"Dear, how do you know wine?" Rose asked, soft.

"My mother taught me. She liked wine collection," Ariana said, sitting back.

Linda's face went pale. She remembered last year when she visited Knight Villa for party and asked driver to take two bottles.

Chloe tried to change topic fast.

"Grandpa Henry! Wine is small thing! Let's talk about business! She knows nothing about business! How can she stand next to Ethan?"

Henry sat back, eyes different now, interested.

"You know wine. Good. But do you know business? Knight wife needs to stand next to CEO, not hide behind," Henry said.

Robert nodded fast, trying to please. "Mr. Henry, Ariana knows nothing! Chloe knows business! Chloe can help Ethan!"

Ariana looked at Robert. Calm.

"Father, do you know what I do?"

Robert stuttered. "You... you do nothing..."

"I do something. But not for you to know," Ariana said. She turned to Henry. "Mr Henry, can I ask one question about Knight Group?"

"Ask," Henry said.

"Last quarter, Knight Group lost 3% in Europe shipping. Because old shipping company delayed. Why didn't you change company faster?" Ariana asked.

Everyone froze.

That info was board secret. How she knew?

Henry eyes sharp. "How do you know that number?"

"I read finance news. It was in analysis article," Ariana lied quick. Inside she knew because Starlight Corp her secret company took that 3%. She was competitor, but no one knew.

Ethan looked at her now. Really looking. Not cold, but curious.

Victoria cut. "Enough business! Food cold! Let's eat!"

Food came. Steak, fish, salad.

Ariana ate normal. Not too elegant, but clean. Chloe ate tiny bites, trying to look like princess.

Under table, Chloe kicked Ariana's leg hard.

Ariana didn't move. Then kicked back, harder.

Chloe screamed. "Ouch!"

Everyone looked.

"What happened?" Victoria asked.

Chloe held leg, tears coming. "She kicked me!"

Ariana cut steak, calm. "I didn't. You kicked me first."

"Liar!" Chloe shouted. "You liar! You always jealous of me!"

Linda added loud, "Ariana! Apologize to Chloe! Apologize now!"

Ariana put knife down slowly.

"I will not apologize for something I didn't start," she said. "And I am not going to pretend she is my sweet sister. She is not."

Chloe cried louder, fake tears. "Grandpa Henry! See! She is rude! No manners!"

Henry looked at Chloe crying, then at Ariana calm.

He lived 78 years. He knows real crying and fake crying.

"Enough," Henry said, voice firm. "No shouting at my dining table. Robert Cole, teach your daughters manners before coming to my house."

Robert nodded, sweating. "Yes, Mr. Henry! Yes! Sorry!"

Henry stood up. Dinner done for him.

"Ariana, come to my study. I want to talk alone."

Ariana stood, looked at Ethan.

Ethan gave small nod. "Go."

She followed Henry to study, leaving dining room quiet.

Behind, Emma whispered to Victoria, angry.

"Mom, why grandpa likes her? She is rude! Jeans! No manners!"

Victoria whispered back, angry too. "Because she knows wine and business numbers. Chloe only knows how to cry."

At table, Chloe still crying, but no one comforting except Linda. Linda also scared because of fake wine.

Ethan stood, walked to window, looking at garden.

His contract wife just handled his Grandfather’s test, found fake wine, asked about Europe shipping, and kicked Chloe under table.

She didn't mention hotel. Didn't mention drugging. She kept quiet about that. Good.

And she still had his Patek watch upstairs. He didn't know.

He almost smiled. Almost.

Interesting wife for one year.