Playing with Fire

“What are you waiting for, Miss? Hurry up and blow my head off so I don’t have to wait too long.”

I bit my lip upon hearing the low voice that challenged me back. Its owner, a tall and burly young man, looked at me with a disdainful gaze from the first floor.

“If you are not sure about your decision, move aside quickly. I have to meet Don Moretti immediately.”

Enzo walked up the stairs one by one, his eyes staring straight at the muzzle of the silver revolver pointed directly between his eyes.

“Do you think I don’t dare?” I retorted with a trembling voice.

“M-Miss,” whispered the maid beside me. “Don Moretti will surely be very angry if you kill his trusted man.”

“Shut up, Maria! I’m Papa’s beloved youngest daughter. He won’t get angry just because of a useless person like him!” I snapped.

Maria’s courage seemed to immediately shrink, and she took two steps back so I would not direct my anger at her.

“To me, you’re nothing but a traitorous dog who came crawling and begging for a new master after betraying your former owner. And I’m sure that one day, you will betray my family too.”

Enzo’s steps stopped. His jaw tightened, and he looked far angrier than when I first pointed the gun at his forehead.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” I smiled mockingly, tilting my head slightly as I enjoyed his cold anger. “My words aren’t wrong, are they?”

“Watch your words, Miss. Don’t make me forget who you really are and bite you to death,” he said in a voice that sounded so cold it pierced my spine.

I smiled mockingly upon hearing his burst of anger. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten how twelve years ago you came crawling here, begging Papa for mercy so you would be allowed to stay alive? You even crawled in front of him and barked when Papa told you to bark?”

Enzo’s blue eyes were now as cold as a frozen ice lake. Apparently, he could not accept that I had brought up what happened twelve years ago again.

His hand reached out, intending to snatch the gun from my hand, but I nimbly dodged. I pulled the trigger, and a bullet shot swiftly past Enzo’s ear before hitting the wall.

Red blood dripped from Enzo’s injured ear. He noticed it and quickly wiped it.

“Your shooting skills still haven’t improved.”

My face felt hot, but I easily replied, “At least I’m still skilled at using poison.”

A choking sound came from behind me. It must have been Maria. I glanced from the corner of my eye, then smiled mockingly when I saw the row of maids and guards looking at us with complicated expressions.

They must all have remembered what happened twelve years ago when Enzo came to this place. His thin body did not make him privileged; he still received physical training from Papa’s trusted trainer.

Every time his training ended in failure, Enzo would be forbidden from having dinner, so he had to sleep on an empty stomach.

The training he went through was indeed cruel, but Papa admired Enzo’s determination. He even often compared him to my two spoiled older brothers.

And I became even more upset when Papa mentioned Enzo’s name more often than he mentioned mine, his beloved youngest daughter.

So one night, I came carrying a large amount of meat sandwiches. I coaxed him gently until he ate heartily.

After making sure he had eaten all the sandwiches, I left his cramped room. My smile at that time must have been very wide because Maria praised me as a kind little miss.

However, they only realized the truth when midnight came. Enzo vomited throughout the night until he was unable to train the next day.

The servants began to realize that I hated Enzo very much. And the food was merely bait I gave him so that he would eat the poison that had been mixed into the sandwiches.

I lowered the gun, stood on tiptoe beside his ear, and said, “I think starting today, you should be more careful with your food.”

Enzo grabbed my hand, gripping it tightly so I could not escape. “What do you really want?”

“You. To. Leave. The. Moretti. Family,” I said, emphasizing each word.

“Selena, enough!” Papa came out of his study. He frowned when he saw my left hand in Enzo’s grip. Then his eyes glanced at the gun I was holding in my right hand.

“Enzo, let go of Selena.”

Enzo seemed reluctant but still released his grip. “Yes, Sir.”

Papa approached us, accompanied by two of his loyal guards. Meanwhile, the servants who had been watching my argument with Enzo hurriedly backed away.

Now only Maria remained, immediately lowering her head in respect.

“Selena, give that gun to Maria. And remember, never point a weapon at Enzo’s head again. He is not a shooting target you can use as an outlet for your emotions whenever you want.” Papa’s voice sounded stern, but he ended it with an offer that made me smile. “I heard you wanted a new bulletproof car. Tomorrow morning, I’ll make sure the car is already in the garage.”

I nearly threw the gun into Maria’s hands. With all my heart, I jumped into Papa’s arms. “Papa, I love you so much.”

Papa returned my embrace for a moment before pushing me aside. “Now go into your room and keep yourself busy with whatever you want. I have to attend an important meeting with Enzo.”

“Of course.” I answered enthusiastically while smiling as sweetly as possible.

“Enzo, you must have a hard time dealing with my spoiled daughter.” Papa observed Enzo’s bleeding ear but said nothing else.

Papa went down the stairs, followed by Enzo. He looked at me once more, and I responded by winking at him.

The young man snorted, then turned away without saying anything.

“Miss Selena, do you want to have dinner now?” Maria asked.

“I don’t want to do anything tonight,” I replied while waving my hand before entering my room.

I closed the double doors tightly to make sure no one could enter without permission. I leaned against the door, then slid down with a feeling of relief.

“Oh my God, what was that just now? That gun was supposed to be empty, with no bullets, but I almost killed Enzo.”