Chapter 21

Ivory's mother gazed at him and then at her daughter. Ivory knew exactly what she was thinking. "I am assuming then that the relationship between you two is more complex than mere employer-employee." Her mother observed unapologetically.
Ivory instantly began to panic. The last thing she needed was her mother thinking she was trading sexual favours for a position.
Raiden smiled and placed his arm around Ivory in an act of open connection. And that was just what it was an act. "We are quite close, but I assure you that has nothing to do with Ivory's successes."

Her mother seemed unconvinced. " If she had listened to her father, she would have been already being a success." Her mother turned her nose up, clearly disappointed.

"And be miserable doing it." Ivory responded. "I am not keen on you or your husband making decisions for me."
Her mother sighed. "Come back home." She encouraged. Raiden couldn’t do more than listen. He hadn't expected her family life to be thus complicated.

"This is my home." Ivory countered.

"Your father will forgive you."

"I did nothing wrong." Ivory was losing her temper.

"Giving up your future to pursue some unrewarding life as a writer is a waste of all the effort we put into you." Her mother responded hotly.

"You want to be a novelist?" Raiden had reconciled to listen on without interrupting but this piece of information stunned him. He had no idea or suspicion.
Ivory gazed at him undeniably embarrassed.

" She didn't tell you?" Her mother questioned. "It was all she talked about, always buried her head in those meaningless books."

"Ma." Ivory's tone was a warning.

"When her father found her university application it was the last straw. An entire medical family and she didn't even consider following in our footsteps."

"When my mother says last straw, she meant disowned and kicked out." Ivory replied venomously. "Not to mention the stories I worked on since I could write had been destroyed."

Raiden had the urge to bring her into his embrace and never let go. He never would have expected any of this to be plaguing Ivory.

"Your father didn't think you would be so obstinately headstrong so as to actually leave." Her mother defended.
Ivory scoffed. All these years and it was still wrong of her to want her own life. She knew reasoning with her mother was useless. She had pushed the pain of being a failure in her parents' eyes down but this scenario reminded her that nothing can truly be locked away.

"I am not going back." Ivory replied calmly. "I don't regret a single decision."

"It's not too late to start over. You’re still young." her mother pushed.

"You can stay here for tonight, please be gone by the time I return." she grabbed her purse, slid on shoes, and headed for the door, Raiden in tow.

"Ivory! Don't leave!" her mother called after her, but she didn't want to listen. Once outside, she turned to Raiden.

"Where are you planning on going?" he questioned.

"Zoey's on a date right now, but I have a key to her apartment so I'll crash there tonight." Ivory responded.
Raiden smiled. "Do the two of you have any boundaries?" he questioned.

"None." Ivory responded truthfully.

"Come home with me." he held her hand in his. Ivory's heart fluttered, she pulled her hand away.

"I need to be alone right now." She responded, knowing fully well that if she allowed him to comfort her would it much more difficult to bid him farewell when the time came. And that time would come. Not to mention that she felt embarrassed at him having learned so much of her emotional baggage. She knew it wasn't what he signed up for, and part of her prophesied that if he saw more of her emotional side, the time they were to spend together would shorten significantly.

"Are you sure?" He questioned.

Ivory nodded. "Thank you for tonight and I am-" she exhaled deeply. "I am sorry about tonight. I know it wasn't what you signed up for."
"You don't need to apologize. Life isn't always as clear cut as we expect."

***
Felix hadn't really thought ahead when he made the decision to invite Zoey over for dinner. The food was ready, he had cleaned and tried to look effortlessly charming but what he hadn't considered was conversation. He had never been speechless before but with Zoey seated opposite him, he found that he had nothing to say. He was worried she'd take one look at him and leave if he didn't say the right thing.
Zoey stared at Felix, it was obvious that he was nervous but strangely enough this attracted her. It's been a while since a man made this much effort for her, his nerves telling her that he really cared how the night turned out.

"Thank you for making me dinner. I half thought you would find me picky and run in the opposite direction." She commented, taking in the candlelit table that he had posited on his veranda, the trees, the grass, the houses in the distant night providing a heart-moving scenery.

"I can assure you, picky or not, I will try my best to full your wish." he had looked deep into her eyes, every part of him serious.
Zoey grinned. She had only just met him and he was already speaking to her as if they'd been dating for months. "On account of what? You have known me all of five minutes. What if your idea of me falls short?" she questioned. She knew she had a knack for ruining romantic moments but it couldn't be helped, she was plagued by a rational mind and most men found it off-putting.

"The best five minutes of my life," Felix responded, soliciting a laugh from Zoey. "I haven't placed any expectations on you or on what I want you to be. I am willing to learn who you are; I think it will be worth it." he continued.
Zoey gazed at him, a slight blush colouring her cheeks, quite unexpectedly. "Good answer." was the only thing she could bring herself to say. Felix smiled, feeling more at ease.

"I know this may seem off-topic, I just need to ask about Ivory and your boss." Zoey took the opportunity to question Felix. She was worried that Ivory was in over her head with this physical relationship only nonsense and needed to know the personality of the man she embarked on this relationship with.

"I understand. Ivory is---it's hard not to worry about her." Felix responded and Zoey felt something in her stir. She could tell that Felix cared for Ivory and she couldn't be happier, finally someone else who understood. Her kind-hearted friend was subjected to too many injustices.

"She's too soft," Zoey commented and Felix nodded.

"But to answer your question, Raiden cares for her, of that I am certain. He has never spoken as many words to another female employee as he does Ivory." Felix revealed.

"Isn't that because they work together, in such close proximity?" Zoey challenged.
Felix shook his head. "Raiden has never allowed any female to work so closely with him. I have been with him for years, I was at his beck and call he never dared interview a female assistant or secretary. That sounds sexist but it's not, it's just that he doesn't want the distraction. Felix inhaled, "I don't know if you have realized but women tend to can't help themselves around him."

"I won't be surprised by that. He is handsome, successful, and arrogant. Women love what they can't have. And can he?" she paused, considering the words, " Help himself around women?" She didn't want Ivory to be hurt at the end it. She's already been slighted by another arrogant idiot.

"If you're asking if he's lustful, then I would have to say no. He doesn't desire every female that comes within his view. He has, however, taken the habit of preferring temporary relationships after what happened with his ex-fiancé." Felix slipped and immediately regretted it.

"Ex-fiancé?" Zoey immediately caught the glitch. Felix stammered, trying to find an excuse, however, she was relentless and he finally told her all.

"However, I was a bit concerned recently, her husband passed away and I am sensing that I will be seeing her again," Felix admitted. Naomi, he knew, had never fully given up on Raiden and now that she had her wealth and her freedom it was somewhat inevitable to see her.

"I don't give a crap what she does, as long as she leaves Ivory out of it," Zoey commented protectively. Felix parted his lips, his intention was to assure her that Raiden would never forsake Ivory. He seemed cold and detached but Felix knew that his feelings for Ivory were more than mere attraction.

"Anyway, how about we get back to our date?" Zoey offered, soliciting no argument to the contrary from Felix.

***
Zoey pushed open the door to her home and entered. She fished around the darkness for the light-switches, feeling confident that they had been on when she left. The switch clicked and the living area was bathed in light, her eyes noting Ivory lying on the sofa. Zoey smiled, she placed her bags down and walked over to where Ivory was asleep.

"Hey. Why don't you relocate to the guest room?" she half-whispered. Ivory's eyes opened slightly, her hands holding onto Zoey's.

"How was your date?" She questioned drowsily.

"Surprising easy. He speaks his mind regardless of how ridiculous he sounds." Zoey grinned just thinking about how mushy Felix was throughout the night.
Ivory smiled. "I told you you'd like him. Besides he already promised to name your first child after me." Ivory teased.

"What nonsense!" Zoey uttered, although her cheeks were flaring again.

"So when are you seeing him again?" Her eyes were closing down.

"Perhaps at the weekend. I am curious as to whether he'd contact me during the week." Zoey confided.

"With his personality, you'll be receiving texts from morning till night until he sees you again." Ivory giggled.

"Part of me hopes that it's true," Zoey muttered to the silent room, Ivory had fallen asleep again. Zoey brought out sheets and pillows, altering her friend's position until she seemed more comfortable, taking the adjacent sofa as her bed that night.