Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

Fiona’s heart was still racing as she stood outside the hospital's office door. She laughed out loud in almost hysteria, this was an office– in a hospital where she and Raven had done all does things, the events of the last thirty minutes played a rebounding loop in her head over and over again.
Raven's touch, his voice, the way he had made her feel and she flushed. It was all too much to process, and she wondered if she should even be process it now. Her sister was in the hospital fighting for her life, she had too much to think about than the irritatingly wonderful time with Raven.
Taking a deep breath she reached for the door knob and something caught the light she glanced down at the ring on her finger, and another shot of the reality of her situation hit her once again. She was married –Fiona Hardin was now a married woman ,with a husband one who was barely more than a stranger, she couldn't blame whiskey that was almost five days ago and she definitely could not blame the fog of passion because the sex had come after.
What had she done?
Saved Rosa!
A small voice reminded her, she ran her hand through her hair because although that was true she couldn't blame it on her sister either. She would have done much worse to save her sister.
There was nothing to be done for it. She was married to the most eligible bachelor in the whole city, surely it couldn't get worse than that.
She would deal with the future when it came not a moment sooner.
Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and walked out of the office, the halls were quiet so no one saw her making her walk of shame she got to her sister's room and she pulled opened the door as quietly as possible, hoping not to wake Rosa up from her sleep. She had not woken up much since the surgery, just enough for the doctors to be happy with her recovery, even though she had gone in and out of the fog of sleep and Fiona could not fault her for it not when her sister had been through so much lately, battling this illness and waiting for a miracle and Raven had been that. If not for anything she was grateful that he had saved her sister's life and she would forever be unable to pay him, if a simple marriage was what he needed then she was willing to do that for him

The hospital room was still and quiet, the soft evening light filtered through the curtains, nightfall was fast approaching,Fiona tiptoed inside, trying to steady her thoughts. She moved around the space arranging what she could for a moment,her eyes caught on the ring again and she groaned she needed to figure out how to explain the ring, because unless she removed it Rosa was going to see it and she was going to ask. That would not be a funny task and definitely not one she was looking forward to.


As she moved through the room, she noticed Rosa stirring Fiona froze then rushed to her, her hands twitched and then she moved her palm, she stood there watching as her sister slowly opened her eyes. This time there was a new brightness in Rosa’s gaze, she didn't look sick or tired or fogged out from the medicines, she had a vitality about her that had been missing for too long.

“Fi?” Rosa’s voice was soft but clear.
“Is that you?” she whispered, and Fiona gulped down the tears in her throat, she could not cry not right now anyway

“Yeah, it’s me,” Fiona replied, forcing a smile running her hands over her head.
“How are you feeling?”

“Im thirsty” Rosa said, her voice rasping and Fiona pulled away from her trying to pour her a cup of water, once she had it , she moved to her , raising the bed slightly she took her hands helping her sit up and let her have the water.
"How are you now" she asked again once she had sipped enough
" A lot better, actually. I still have a small headache but i feel better" she mumbled
" But where were you? I woke up in the mid afternoon but you were gone.”
Fiona hesitated, not sure how to begin how to begin to explain what she had been doing to a patient who just had brain surgery
She twisted the ring on her finger turning the jewel to the inside of her palm
“I… needed to clear my head,” she said, choosing her words carefully.
" I was worried about you and it felt claustrophobic so I had to get some air” she mumbled softly

Rosa’s eyes narrowed, with a small frown then she looked her over from head to toes , Fiona hoped she didn't appear disheveled because that would be a burden to explain.
Her gaze fell to Fiona’s hand,and she froze knowing what was coming after especially when Rosa's eyes widened.
“Fiona Hardin what have you done, , is that a ring on your finger?” she asked and Fiona sighed
" Would you believe me if I denied it" she asked softly and her sister scoffed
" Except the surgery made me blind then no " she mumbled . She had really hoped to avoid this conversation, at least until she had a better talk with herself on what was going on with her and her myarid of feelings.
“ this-this is just a ring ” she was trying to sound as casual as possible but she wasn't doing so well at it as she had thought,
“It’s just… it’s nothing, really.”

Rosa wasn't ’t buying it.
She reached out, grabbing Fiona’s hand to look at the ring more closely , she turned her palm around and grunted .
“Nothing? Fiona, this is not just nothing. It looks like a wedding ring and not just any kind of ring but one with actual emeralds" she hissed
" Is it" she mumbled and Rosa shot her an incredulous glare

Fiona took a deep breath, knowing there was no way to avoid the truth.
“Rosa, I got married .” she muttered
" What, to that idiot, when " she almost laughed at the questions and the way her sister arranged them, it was more important to her that she didn't marry her ex fiance.

" I got married this afternoon" she whispered dropping the cup on the table
" And no it wasn't to him. Not Donald " she replied
“It’s a long story,” Fiona began, feeling a lump form in her throat.
" He's the one who paid for the surgery"
Rosa looked stunned.
“Fiona, this is… I don’t even know what to say, but the guy is loaded ” she mumbled and Fiona laughed
" I guess he is"
" Who is he ,do you know " she asked and Fiona sighed
" His name is Raven Qing" Rosa paused blinking like she had just been shattered by her revelation
" Qing, you mean the man who owns the many, many conglomerates, who took over his father's business and then started his own" she asked and Fiona winced
" Yes him, "
" Am I the only one who didn't know him" she muttered underneath her breath
" Did you say something" Rosa asked and she shook her head
“No." She sighed
" I know it sounds crazy, and maybe it is. But in that moment, it felt like the right thing to do. He promised to pay your bills, all I had to do was be his secret bride "
" Wait what, secret bride. What does that mean" she hissed and she sighed
" I don't know either Rosa, but I got what I needed and that was you "
Rosa’s expression softened, and she took her hand in hers and squeezed
" I'm sorry ".
“I just want you to be happy, Fi. You know that right" she asked and Fiona nodded
" Please, be careful. You’ve been through so much already.”
" And on the other side we got you" she sighed
" Not a bad bargain"
" Promise me" Rosa scolded and she smiled
“I know,”, feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes, she muttered
“I will. I promise.”

Rosa nodded, her concern evident.
“So, what happens now?”
Fiona bit her lip,
“I don’t know. I'll just have to see where things go from here.”
Rosa smiled gently tugging her hand
" Well, whatever happens, I’m here for you head injury and all.” she mumbled pointing to her head.
The wave of relief that washed over her was heady . Having her sister's support meant everything, she was all.she had left in this worlds .
“Thank you, Rosa"
They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, and in that moment Fiona felt a sliver of hope for the first time since the craziness of all this maybe ,just maybe she could do this and maybe everything would be okay after all.

There was a sharp knock at the door, she turned to the door, Rosa was a bit groggy, she had to be tired,
“Who is it ?” she mumbled and Fiona patted her down
" I'll check, just go back to sleep" she murmured softly, covering her up tightly, she rose from over her and walked to the door, her steps slow and measured.
She took a deep breath and opened it, a man was standing in the hallway. He was tall, with a cold expression on his face and he didn't seem to want to say much to her at all, who was he and why was he here it made her uneasy.

“Fiona Hardin” he asked, his voice deep and commanding.

“Yes,” she replied cautiously.
“Who are you?”

“I’m here to take you to Mr Qing,” he said, Fiona’s heart dropped while his eyes scanned the room behind her.
" Now.”she asked and he nodded
" Yes "
" I can't leave her " she whispered and he nodded
" He said once she was asleep I could bring you to him"
She walked back into the room, and Rosa stirred
" Who was it"
" Someone my husband sent to pick me up apparently"
" Ooh dinner date" she leered and Fiona laughed
" I doubt it, but will you be ok on your own" she asked giving her some water
" I'll be fine, you can go" she said softly and Fiona nodded giving her a soft kiss and she walked to the door, she glanced back to her sister who gave her a sluggish and encouraging nod.
She looked to him
“Alright,let’s go.”

As she stepped out into the hallway, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had just entered a world she was not equipped to handle, her heart pounding she stepped into the elevator and watched as the elevator doors closed, she couldn't help but wonder what the hell Raven had gotten her into.