Chapter 30: Next Week's Plan

Marriage.

It wasn't something foreign to Fiona. But when it came into her life, it was something foreign. Something new. Even as she stood in front of Giovani who looked at her with a frown of suspicion, she still thought that it was not her who had been walking on these feet. It was someone else.

"Fiona, you're not changing your mind, are you?" Giovani asked again, sounding more threatening. Fiona sighed softly as she walked away.

"Do I look like I'm going to change my mind?"

The two of them walked to the dining room through the long corridor with paintings on every wall. Giovani walked beside her.

"Yes. Me and Aunt Noura have been discussing this. I heard that there was an impromptu attack by the Marionettes around Senayan. I don't know who was attacked. But it's said that the owner of a famous restaurant, Hudson Chen, was affected. And they're waiting for Cornelius' confirmation to discuss this."

Giovani's explanation was ignored by Fiona. Fiona's mind was wandering somewhere and Giovani could see it. She took two steps wider and then stopped in front of the girl.

"Did you hear what I just said?" Giovani folded her arms across her chest with her eyebrows knitted together in annoyance.

Who knew what Marionette's goal was and who knew what she would do to eradicate the Cornelius family association? But if Marionette was really going to kill the Cornelius group, wouldn't Marionette be equally against President Anwar?

Fiona's current expression was probably so vivid in Giovani's eyes that the woman pulled her to the balcony at the end of the deserted corridor.

The hem of Giovani's skirt whipped in the gentle breeze while Fiona was busy with her own thoughts and chose to surrender to the woman's invitation.

"What are you thinking about? Did... Leonard do something?"

The question caused a tightness in Fiona's chest.

Yes, he had done something. And it had a rather annoying effect, Fiona muttered to herself. But she just shook her head and allowed herself to face the small forest around the house before welcoming the cityscape of Jakarta with its glowing buildings dotting the long line of the night sky.

"Nothing. I'm just thinking about my own career."

Giovani chuckled, trying to guess. "Why, do you disagree with Scarlet Rose dying?"

In some moments, Noura's suggestions and ideas sounded good. Fiona had even endured the shame and depression of using that name ever since she was run over by a literary writer who called her a pervert and an embarrassment to all writers in Europe. With the death of Scarlet Rose, perhaps Fiona could make a new life out of her writing and work until she could rise up to be what others would be proud of.

But Leonard's words were always strong and crushed all of Noura's ideas of a new identity.

"What's been bothering you all this time is not stopping you from your love for writing. But what's been bothering you is support. Is that enough, Fi?"

Support.

Although writers work alone, they still need support. Whether it's from other writers, readers, publishers, editors, or even... family.

But what kind of support does Fiona really need?

Fiona has been in the field for almost ten years now, and she's never really questioned what she needs when she's lost.

"I don't know," Fiona replied without interest. She glanced at Giovani, who suddenly felt empathy for her.

"Why are you so concerned about me, Gi?" asked Fiona with a smile.

Giovani nodded slightly and faced the sky. "Ever since you came to this house, I just thought you were a cheap girl who was only crazy about Leonard's wealth and good looks. But after I heard what happened to you in Paris, I came to think of you... a little differently."

"People never get to know someone enough to think their opinions are what they want to see. In fact, everyone is never the same. Illusion is a big barrier to expectation."

Giovani snorted. "Well, that doesn't increase my empathy, still. I don't want someone else to replace me next to Leonard in the future."

Fiona turned her head and looked at Giovani. "I never expected to be in the middle of your problems. As a writer, I just chose to live a quiet life and be able to carry on as before. But somehow, fate said otherwise. I was trapped, and it got deeper when Leonard brought me here. He thought he'd won, but in truth, I would have won."

Fiona could see a faint smile tugging at the corners of Giovani's lips. Fiona's heart felt a little relieved. She had regained Giovani's trust even though Fiona half-heartedly did not say so. Leonard's low voice and the thin sip of each kiss he gave her went beyond words and instead led to feelings.

In crucial moments like this, the only thing that could defeat Fiona was feelings.

"Good, if you really don't change your mind. Later tonight, I'll pay a visit to your room. I'll show you the list and the whole plan of what we're going to do on the day."

After saying that Giovani turned around and left her.

*

Inside the office, Leonard looked at his computer screen which showed an amateur video of the black and white CCTV located in a corner of the restaurant. Inside the large restaurant, several people who had been sitting, enjoying their food suddenly got up and ran out of the place after three large men fired pistols towards the kitchen in the center of the restaurant.

The concept of the kitchen is like an open kitchen. So visitors can directly see the chefs' cooking actions. The interior design of the restaurant is also quite luxurious so you could say, this restaurant is quite elite. Unfortunately, the owner of this restaurant had to die when one of the three men raised his gun and shot into the center of the open kitchen.

"Have the police moved?" Leonard asked a bodyguard who had been standing behind him.

"The information I got from the field, they silenced all the family members and workers in the restaurant. The police probably already know this. The sound of gunfire made many people panic and report. But it seems..."

The bodyguard didn't continue, hoping Leonard would know first. Of course, Leonard knew. But why would Marionette make this threat?

"We have to go to the base camp in Thamrin. Marionette is planning something."

"Um, but Mr. Leonard, what about the appointment with the project tomorrow? It's too late tonight if we investigate this tomorrow," the bodyguard suggested. Leonard looked at the clock. It was already one in the morning. After taking care of the paperwork and revising some drawings to present to the client tomorrow, he hadn't had time to touch the case.

Leonard was too curious and anxious to find out the reason behind Marionette shooting up the restaurant. Even though Leonard himself knew why Marionette did it.

"Marionette didn't wait until tomorrow to launch another attack. It could be that before he incites the whole crowd, he accuses Dad of being the culprit. It's easy for him to do that. And I can't let that happen."

***