Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty-Three

Anxiety and determination still formed the mix inside Fiona as days passed from the reveal by Julian Carter. The now-seen fuller facts of Raven's push left an uneasy feeling, but she at the same time was filled with a resolve to expose the truth and guard her own interests. Since she now better knew of what Raven had to deal with, Fiona felt even more strongly about keeping a clear head while she tried to wade through about all the issues surrounding her.

It was a fresh morning when Rosie gathered the courage; she knew she had to talk to Fiona. They would share regarding the next steps they would take, especially regarding the new information Julian had shared. Fiona broached the subject over a simple breakfast of coffee and croissants.

"Rosa, I've been thinking about what Julian said to me," Fiona said, the firmness of her words quite in defiance of the whirlwind in her. "We need to sort out next steps and know what all this is going to mean."

Rosa looked up from her coffee, her brow furrowed. "I've been thinking about it too. What exactly did Julian say?"

Fiona took a deep breath. "He said that Raven had been influenced to file his case for divorce on my account due to his father's will and business compulsions. It's apparent now Raven wasn't acting totally independently. There were other compulsions."

The eyes of Rosa extended. "That means Raven was not totally at fault then?

Fiona shook her head. "It isn't about blame, but having the whole picture. Julian believes that this might help us to make proper decisions."

Rosa slowly nodded in approval. "What do you think we should do next?"

Fiona contemplated for a second. "We have to gather as much information as we can. I will confront Raven to clarify everything firsthand. But we also have to be prepared for a possible flare-up."

Rosa concurred. "I'll be with whatever decision you will make. We will go through this nightmare together."

In the evening, Fiona got ready to meet Raven in the afternoon. She managed to secure an appointment with the assistant, and now her heart was beating seeking the giant glass building accommodating Raven's office.

There was a whirl of thoughts cramming her mind as she made her way past the front lobby and into the elevator toward Raven's floor. The information related to Raven's father and business pressures had certainly altered her perspective, but she still needed some answers from Raven himself.

Enter an office: at the entrance, a no-nonsense assistant welcomed her with a nod of her head and directed her towards the waiting area. The place was elegantly designed, emphasizing a massive desk with windows from floor to ceiling, opening to a grand view that extended to Celestial City.

And then the enormous door swung open after a while, and Raven entered the room, his look surprised and, at the same time, uneasy upon seeing Fiona there. "Fiona, to what do I owe this pleasure?

Fiona drew in a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "I wanted to speak with you about the recent developments and what Julian told me."

Raven's eyes narrowed. "What did Julian say?"

"He said your decision on the divorce matter was based on your father's wishes and his business needs," said Fiona in the same steady voice. "I need an explanation for that, Edward. Why you came to that decision and why you didn't tell me the truth."

Rendition: His face clouded and he went over to the window, staring at the city below. "It's more complicated than you know."

Fiona grew irritated. "Then tell me. I am entitled to know the truth.

Raven stared at her, his face looking strained. "My father has always been a powerful and manipulative figure. He wanted me to marry Mirabelle, not only because of her family's wealth but because it was part of a larger business arrangement. When I married you, he threatened to sever ties with me and destroy my career."

Fiona felt a sore heart in the vulnerability of Raven's voice. "So you chose to protect your career over your marriage?"

Raven's eyes were filled with regret. "I thought I was doing the right thing, but now I see that I was wrong. I should have fought for us.

But at the sight of sorrow in Raven's eyes, Fiona felt the surge of anger seep away. "Why is this just coming out now? Why didn't you fight for me?"

Raven's shoulders dropped. "Because I was scared. Would my standing up to my father endanger everything I've worked for? But I should've done the right thing."

The door to the office was opened as Fiona and Raven talked on. A young woman with short light brown hair and a determined expression entered the room. She looked all around the room before her eyes squarely fell onto Fiona and Raven.

"Excuse me, Raven. I hope I'm not interrupting." The woman spoke in an assertive tone.

Raven looked a little surprised. "Oh no, not at all. This is Emma Davis, my new assistant. Emma this is Fiona Hardin."

Emma grinned and reached for Fiona's hand. "Pleased to meet you, Fiona. I hope I'm not interrupting."

Fiona reached out, and taking hold of Emma's hand, she could sense immediately that she was more than some ordinary secretary. It felt like Emma was greatly involved with Raven's affairs in one way or another.

"No, not at all. We were just talking about recent events."

Emma looked towards Raven and then back at Fiona, her face registering some sort of gravity, "I just wanted to let you know, Fiona, that there's been a development in your case. I think it is pretty important that you should be in the know about it."

Fiona's instinct for curiosity was definitely aroused, "What kind of development?

Emma hesitated before continuing. "Some things have been going on about the business dealings and, well, your situation. It appears that there's new information that will, uh, change things in a different light."

Raven scrutinized Emma with her eyes, full of confusion. "How so?"

Emma took in a deep breath of air. "I took it upon myself to do some delving into the business dealings and found some discrepancies that would show there is more going on in the matter than meets the eye. It might affect your situation, Fiona."

Fiona's heart began to race. "Like what discrepancies?"

Emma's face was grim. "Some financial transactions and agreements indicate a more sinister web of influence and manipulation. It is very important as to the details of the case to understand whatever way to handle this situation better."

Raven's countenance was a picture of concern. "Are you saying, Emma, someone might have been working against us?"

Emma nodded. "It's possible, and I'm still gathering information, but I wanted to make sure Fiona was aware of what's happening.

That got Fiona sitting upright. "Thank you for bringing this to my notice. I want to know everything that's going on."

Emma nodded. "I'll inform you of any findings I might get. Meantime, maybe staying cautious will go a long way."

As Emma walked out, Fiona and Raven continued to exchange their thoughts. The information on the irregularities had given a new dimension to everything. Fiona remembered that it would be the key to finding a solution—realization about how much manipulation or influence had been done.

When Fiona and Raven parted ways, she felt a bit of rejuvenation to her purpose. The situation was a lot more complicated than she first imagined, but she was going to get to the bottom of it, and protect her future at all costs.

When Fiona returned Rosa was waiting at the apartment for her. Fiona filled her in about the new news from Emma.

"Oh, this is getting more and more complicated each passing day," Rosa replied, with a worried face. "But, at least we are getting more information. It means we can take a better decision."

Fiona agreed with what Rosa had said. "Oh, I know exactly. I was thinking of closely working together with Emma and Julian to get to the bottom of this. We need to understand the full picture before we make any final decisions."

Rosa placed a comforting hand on Fiona's shoulder. "We're in this together. Whatever happens, we'll face it as a team."

A grateful smile passed over Fiona's face for her friend. "Thank you, Rosa. I couldn't do this without you."

A further daily account could be juicy indeed as Fiona and Rosa continued to unravel the ins and outs of their situation alongside Julian and Emma. The journey was one of uncertainty, but Fiona's will and the support of people around her made her brace for whatever was to come.

Fiona felt stronger and stronger with every new piece of information coming in. She realized this was going to be a tough task of unraveling the truth and saving her future, but she was ready for it.

Fiona couldn't help the feelings of hope that surged within her as she looked through the window of her apartment. The road ahead of her remained undefined, but she'd look towards it—fight by all means for it: her future and the devolution of good fortune to her family. Fiona felt that, with her sister, new allies, and thus with a reserve of deep inner strength, she was ready for whatever test might occur.