Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
" Where have you been" Mirabelle's father hissed as she walked in the door. She looked at him, his face splotched with red marks on both cheeks. He looked like he had been drinking but that wasn't the majority of his problem, no he was pissed.

" I was away" she replied simply and he growled
" I know you went to see Raven Qing. Forget about him for god's sake, you are gorgeous and you can do better " he mumbled and she smiled. Of course that was the reason he was agitated.
Her father hated anything he perceived as begging

" the elections are close and we need backing" she muttered.


" I'll get right on it " he mumbled and she sighed
" But none will be as potent as the Qing–Raven fortune " She used logic now because that was the only way to get him to shut up. But it seemed he was not fond of the idea at all because he shook his head.

" You need to forget him you hear me " he whispered
" He was your past but you need a new future" he muttered walking out of the room.

My father was wrong, yes

Raven was her past but she was going to make him her future again.


When Mirabelle was young and she was asked about her dreams, all she had ever wanted was to be a model, it had been a dream she was consistent about and the older she grew the more intentional Mirabelle became about it.

Everything she needed to get into that world to be an influential part of it she had done.

Mirabelle was the daughter of Sam Hales after all, he was one of the best lawyers in the country and on the track to becoming a political aspirant if he had his way.

Her father ran the largest law firm in the country he was good at his job and had high expectations of those around him. Mirabelle had gotten her perseverance from him.
But over three years, her dreams had changed, Mirabelle was going to be a woman who had power to be gained from the men in her life until she could get hers.

Mirabelle was going to situate them and then enjoy the power that came with it.


The one man who had been available and had been attractive enough for that purpose to her, the one man who had drawn her attention from the first time she saw him two years ago was Raven Qing.

The man who had an empire of his while also managing his father's many conglomerates.

They had power and wealth that rivaled almost all the wealthiest families and that was something she had found sexy even then.

So Mirabelle had put her plan into action, setting up a meeting with him while convincing him that she was the best choice. He was stubborn though and while she liked that she was getting fed up with it as well.

Her father the good man walked into her bedroom scaring her cat into hiding and tossed a newspaper onto her bed
Society wedding!!! The blue blood may just become a Cooperate gray as Raven Qing engages in marriage talks with Mirabelle Hales

Mirabelle stared at the paper on her bed and smiled, that was turning out well ignoring her father's worried ranting on when had this happened how, and why.


Mirabelle had just come back from her trip to France for a modeling gig
" Mirabelle, I told you to cinch this thing, you chose to drag it out " he hissed,

" Why would you want to do this to get that boy's attention "
Mirabelle rose from her bed and dressed.


" It's just like I told you, Dad, he is a good backer and I hate to lose" she mumbled and he sighed
" You will be the death of me" She pressed a kiss to his cheek

" Of course not Daddy, I love you too much to do that"
He sighed

" You're not going to stop this are you" he asked and she smiled
" Daddy, I love you but sometimes you have to let me do things my way" He sighed and looked at her

" Fine but you have a date tonight, I've set it up, and he'll give you a call" She took the card he offered her and scanned it then sighed
" If I do this, you'll let me have my way," she asked and he hesitated, then waved her off walking away. It wasn't an answer but she'd it as one.

Mirabelle watched the man with the cigar in his hand with avid interest, or maybe she didn't. Mirabelle had noticed him only seconds ago when his large frame had blocked her view of light making it hard to tell what anything was, besides him was a woman who was too old to be poured into that dress clung to him.

She was late to her date, she had done that on purpose, she didn't want to be here not really but if it made her father feel at ease then she would do what she had to do.


She had red lipstick on, and her black dress was a bit too small and would have worked if the woman had the body of a twenty-year-old but she wasn't here to impress so she looking like a sleazy cougar went well for her at the moment.


The man was young and he didn't look particularly interested in the woman hanging on his arms. He took a puff of his cigarette and blew out the smoke in a soft exhale then looked to the woman in his arms, his gaze neither lightening nor darkening, he didn't look like a man interested. He must have felt her gaze cause his eyes raised to mine and Mirabelle stilled, she was looking at a predatory man, one that wouldn't hesitate to stab her in the back if it suited him and it fascinated her.


Most men didn't even let it be known their hidden desires but this one was different.

He nodded, acknowledging that he had seen me and that he knew she had been watching him. Mirabelle gave a short nod in return. It was her date, Corey Finley. The son and only heir to his family's empire, he had cousins but they were not with the family filled as it was with unsavory rumors.


This was a date and instead, he had chosen to invite her here, and while she didn't mind it after all the bar here was his.
Mirabelle slid onto a bar stool, she looked at the bartender briefly

" I'll have why he's having and one more for him," Mirabelle said softly.


Corey didn't say a word to me, he just stared at the tabletop, this was getting a tad awkward. The bartender dropped her drink and when he gulped his down and slid another one to him, he took a sip and then looked at me

" Do I know you?" he asked and Mirabelle leaned back

" Because darling if it's about the sex, I have someone coming in soon so no" he mumbled. Mirabelle stiffened then she laughed loudly
" I don't want to have sex with you no. " She replied looking him over, she leaned into him and whispered into his ear

" It's a shame you don't recognize your potential date and frankly I'm offended" she mumbled as she rose from her chair then she leaned into his face slightly
" But to be honest, I think you want someone else, not the woman with the gray blonde that looks like her," Mirabelle said and he stilled, his grip on the glass tightening till his finger became rigid.


" I'm leaving now my father said one date, he never mentioned how long it should be" she hissed and stalked away,
Simmering with annoyance and anger, she shoved her hand into her bag and pulled out the pills, she swallowed one waiting for the effect to kick in.

She could hear him laughing and it pricked her pride but she didn't have time for this or for him, I was going to have Raven Qing by any means. If I got Corey Finley in the wait then that would be a timely bonus