45

Do these people understand what they write?" Luke asked tiredly rubbing the bridge of his nose and slumped on a chair.

Various articles like these in the newspaper and social media have trending in the past two hours. It was like nobody was interested in finding out who actually attacked Dave? They had decided it was me, and now I had to be sent to the gallows.

There were even some poorly morphed pictures of me meeting shady men, and handing them parcels. As if this was proof to tell I'm the killer. Like don't insult me, if I did plan to murder someone I would not be seen meeting the killer in a five star hotel.

"How the hell can they write such things? We should sue them." Alec added furiously scrolling through the paper.

"I don't care what they write about me. They

could write me as an alien who has come to rule over earth. My main concern is the reputation of my company." I said irritatedly, there add the paparazzi/ media on the list of things I have to deal with. As if Liam was not ready to remove my head from my shoulders, now this.

"Your worried about your company at a time like this?" Chris asked incredously.

"Yes, sue me for trying to think about the one thing I could call mine. Sue me for thinking about all the people I have to fire in case my company shuts down? Sue me for thinking someone else can take over my company, which I have worked so hard for" I snapped.

"Hey, calm down. You know I didn't mean it that way. I think you should be more worried about yourself, because there maybe a prospect of you winding up in, I don't know jail." Chris says raising his hands in surrender.

"Chris is right Raven you should show a little

more concern towards yourself." Melanie Madrigal added in a concerned voice.

"First thing is we need to get hold of these

news channels and stop them from panicking the masses. Then you should have a board meeting and clarify, everything. People often make hasty desicions in panic. Then find that damn detective and find out who the hell actually did this and close this matter for once." She added looking surprised when all of us looked at her like gaping fish.

"What? Just because I'm a fashion designer,

doesn't mean I can't run a company better than you people." She said biting back a smile.

"I'll contact the news channels. They will have to listen to me or face my wrath. Keeping in mind my reputation, an idiot would make enemies out if me." Luke says sandwiching his phone between his shoulder and ear and snapping something in French.

"I'll contact one of my hacker friends and find out who is spreading all this on social media." Alec says marching out.

I released a breadth, finally as I noticed I was clinging onto Chris's hand, realising I let go off his hand. His hand had turned purple staying in my vice like grip. He saw my expression and winked in reply.

"You should contact your board members, as soon as possible." Melanie said curiously looking between Chris and I.

"Thank you, all of you. I don't know what I would have done, if you all weren't by my side." I admitted.

All my life I have been doing things on my own, realising how wonderful it felt to be cared about, to be considered important was such a good feeling.

"We are Madrigal's Raven, we never give up on

family." She said firmly.

I almost burst into tears at that moment.

Someone actually though of me as family. They were not disappointed of me, not ashamed like Dad was. They didn't care if I was a stubborn cold hearted bitch. They thought I was worthy of love and care.

***

"Dave what the hell are you doing here? I told you to stay at home. Brianna how dare you bring him out, and where the hell are his bodyguards. Do you fancy getting attacked again?" I said staring at both of them irritatedly.

"Raven, I need to tell you something. It's really important." Dave says trying to cut off my ramble.

"You need to go back. I have to fix a board meeting and the media is driving me crazy. I had to drive around for an hour before ditching them." I said grumpily.

Dave still had the same expression on his face, he took long strides and engulfed me in his arms. I started panicking now, was he attacked again? Something had gone wrong again. Dammit Raven why can't you do one thing right? You're a klutz, a disaster. Dad was right.

Dave cupped my face with both his hand and said in the same terrified voice." Raven your dad had a heart attack, your leaving now."

I was standing at the door of my parents house for the past fifteen minutes, deciding if I should go in or bolt out at top speed.

The need to know how my father was doing was too strong, but my insecurities pulled me back. What if he doesn't like my presence? What if mom gives me the same disgusted expression?Would I trigger another panic attack?

I envisioned this moment a long time ago, but Dad was not back from the hospital and I was not on the brink of going to jail. Life is funny sometimes, your dreams do come true but not the way you want them to.

Get it done with.

Chris would tell me the exact same words, after giving me a warm and charming smile, maybe even press a small kiss to the top of my head.

Why am I thinking about him at a time like this?

Because you're weird.

My subconscious will get it good one day.

I pushed the button for the doorbell, and waited trying to hear the approaching footsteps.

"Raven." Mom's eyes widened, she barreled towards me and pulled me into a hug before I can say anything. Her strawberry scent engulfed me, weirdly soothing my fretting nerves. I didn't know what to do, should I push her away, why does life not prepare you for moments like these.

"You look so beautiful, I knew you would come." she said, grinning from ear to ear.

"How's Dad?" I asked.

"He wants to meet you, in the last room go." she encouraged, gently patting my cheek.

In a daze my feet carried me towards the indicated room. I saw him lying on the edge of the bed, not the strong intimidating man I left behind, his face was scrunched up in pain did he have a bad dream? Does he not like my presence?

"Leaving without greeting me? Guess that is what I deserve for my behavior." I heard him.

"How do you feel?" I asked cursing myself for asking such a lame question.

"Better now actually. If your mom asks I'm

still recovering, I love it when she dots over me." He chuckles with a boyish grin, my Dad, a man who wouldn't breathe in the wrong direction was joking. Clearly I'm going mad.

"I read the article regarding you in the newspaper." He says looking at me curiously.

Ohh I understood now, they were ashamed I was ruining the King reputation. Maybe I was invited to be told what a disgrace I was. I'm wrong things don't change, not then not today.

"I should have done more than hope for a better response, and don't worry I will take care not to ruin your reputation." I said bitterly making a dash towards the door.

"Wait! That's not what I meant." I heard his

frantic voice."You would never do anything like this"

"You believe me?" I asked hoping I heard wrong.

"I made the mistake of not trusting you once. I'm not stupid to do that again." He said indicating me to sit beside him.

"Why now?" I asked, they certainly didn't beleive me when I begged, pleaded and cajoled, why believe me now, when I didn't bother giving an explanation.

"Time for your meds, and no amount of whinning will work with me." a soft, amused voice chirped.

"Lily." I chocked out.

"Raven." she voiced, stunned.

"Come sit by me." Dad urged her softly, indicating to the chair beside him.

"Adam had me hooked on drugs." Lily blurted out.

"What?" I asked, I heard wrong didn't I, that isn't true.

"It's true." Dad encouraged her to continue.

"Tell me this isn't true." I demanded, glaring at Lily, if what she's saying is true, why am I hearing about it now, If only I could find Adam, faster than he could think, he would end up in a coffin. He gave drugs to my sister, my underage fifteen year old sister.

"Tell me everything." I asked anger pooling into my system.

"Susan was my best friend, we were just so attached. One day she went on a camping trip and met with an accident. Her death brought back a lot of memories of Nanna's death too. I had repeated nightmares, everything felt useless, I didn't know how to deal with the grief. didn't know whom I should talk to. Adam caught me smoking and convinced me to try out drugs. He would regularly drop off stashes in the begining, and then he started demanding money." she explained head bowed down.

"You stole money for drugs." I summarise seeing exactly where this led to.

"Drugs were not meant for me, I became addicted, one day without them would feel like hell. I started throwing up, blanked out in random places, I couldn't eat, I didn't sleep anymore. I decided one day to quit and I told Adam not to give me any more. He didn't like it, he demanded money, started blackmailing me. I had to do something, and I stole money one day. You know the rest." she tried talking, big droplets of tears streamed down her eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me about it?" I asked, feeling so many emotions at once.

"Mom and Dad never wanted to see anything but the perfect little image they created of me, I was terrified that they would disown me, if they knew the truth. And your my big sister Raven, I always dreamt of being like you, you were so nice, sweet and perfect and once you knew the truth you would take a stand for me, and you would have a massive fight with Dad. I didn't want to be the reason you lost the little touch with our parents. And the irony is that I did do, what I was terrified of."

"When did you know about this?" I directed my question at Dad this time.

"On the day of the party, I knew accusing you of stealing money was preposterous. I overheard a phone call between Adam and Lily. I wanted to confront both of them, and then break off my business contract with Liam. But things got out of hand when Adam came into your room drunk."

"Why didn't you beleive me that day?" the moment which is stuck in my head,something I can't forget.

"What will you do to make sure a egoistic man stays until you can expose him?" he questioned lips pulling into a twisted smile.

"Make him think he's on the winning side" I realised.

"It wasn't the right choice."

"What?"

"I thought like a businessman not like your Dad. And in that moment out of everything you needed your Dad to hold your hand and stand by you. And I always chose my instincts, which were obviously wrong."

"Why didn't you try to contact me?" I asked Lily.

"I was ashamed of myself, Mom was mad at me, Dad was already dealing with so much, you left us. I wanted to be a better person and then meet you, I was in rehab for two years, and then Dad came along, I took this necklace Nanna and you made for my fifth birthday to rehab. Everytime I saw that pendent, It reminded me of you. And my will to come back became stronger."

"Why did you treat me like that?" I asked.