Billionaire’s Unlikely Bride - Chapter 38: Chapter 38

Raven sat quietly at the breakfast table, picking at the corner of her toast. The chatter around her felt distant as if she were inside a bubble. Julie, who was sitting beside her, was laughing with her friends, Kyle and Emily. It was Julie's idea to come here after the chaos yesterday, and Raven had no energy to refuse.
Julie turned to Raven, pulling her from her trance. "Raven, I didn’t get the chance to properly introduce you to my friends yesterday." She said, smiling apologetically. "This is Kyle, and this is Kyle's sister, Emily. Yesterday was a bit, huh?"
Raven forced a smile. "Yeah, just a little."
Kyle, a tall guy with blonde hair, reached across the table, offering his hand. "Nice to officially meet you, Raven. Julie’s told us a bit about you."
"Umm, you mean a lot. Julie won't shut up about you." Emily said. "I guess I can't blame her for that, you're... pretty." Emily sounded a bit off to Raven, but she didn't comment on it.
Raven shook Kyle's hand and nodded. "It's nice to meet you too, Kyle. And you, Emily." She glanced at the petite lady with blonde hair sitting across from her.
She saw how Emily kept staring at Julie, a look of admiration in her eyes. Raven finally understood why Emily wasn't comfortable around her. Julie must have told them she once had a crush on her, and Emily's probably a little bit jealous. Emily seemed like a nice girl, but also shy.
"Hey, Julie, have you heard from your mom?" Kyle asked, breaking the silence.
Julie’s expression turned sour. "No. She’s been MIA ever since Mason asked her to leave the hospital. I expected her to call or try visiting to see how Dad's doing, but I guess not."
Raven's stomach churned at the mention of Margaret. She had tried contacting her but there was no reply. But after everything that happened yesterday, she didn't know if she had the strength to face more family drama.
"I hope she’s okay," Kyle said, sounding genuinely concerned. "It's weird not hearing from her, or knowing her whereabouts."
"Honestly, I don't know if I care anymore. She hasn't been there for me, plus I'm used to not having her around. She's one of the reasons I love traveling a lot. So now, I just feel how I normally feel when I travel." Julie shrugged.
Raven rubbed Julie’s arm soothingly. "Speaking of which," she began, her voice softer than usual. It was a result of how much she cried last night. "I'm supposed to meet your dad today."
"Oh my, I forgot. Do you want me to come with you?" Julie asked.
Raven shook her head, offering a small smile. "No, you should stay here, hang out with your friends. I’ll be fine. It's not like I'm going to see Mason there."
Julie hesitated, feeling concerned. "Okay, but I could drive you there. I just don't want you to be by yourself, even if it's only for a few minutes."
"I'm fine, Julie. Don't make it seem like it's my first heartbreak." Raven tried to joke but everyone could tell it wasn't something to laugh about.
Julie nodded. "Fine, but call me if you need me, okay?"
"Yes, mom." Raven laughed, then excused herself from the table. The truth is, she needed space. Despite Julie’s efforts to cheer her up, she just needed some time alone.
When Raven arrived at the address Charles had given her, she stood outside the building, staring up at the big black gate in front of her. A penthouse. The place was quiet like it had been deserted for years, but the surroundings looked clean, which said otherwise.
She dialed Charles’s number, and he picked up almost immediately. "I'm here," she said.
"Come on in," his deep voice replied. The gates opened automatically and she drove inside.
Raven took a deep breath and stepped inside. She wasn't sure why Charles had asked her to come here.
The doors slid open, revealing the living room. Charles stood by the large windows, gazing out at the city. When he heard her footsteps, he turned to greet her.
"Raven, my dear." He said. "Thank you for coming."
"Of course," she replied, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her. "How are you feeling? After yesterday..."
"I'm fine, dear," Charles assured her, gesturing for her to sit. "But I imagine you’re not."
Raven sat down on the chair, her hands resting on the armrest of the seat. "I don't want to think too much about it. Mason made his choice."
"And I'm guessing you made yours," Charles raised an eyebrow.
"I just want to focus on myself for now, get the pieces of my life together."
Charles nodded, watching her carefully. "I can understand. You’ve been through so much, in such a short time. More than anyone should have to bear."
Raven looked around the room, taking in the decor. "Is this one of your homes?"
A small smile appeared on Charles’s lips. "Not actually. This place belonged to an old friend of mine. Your father."
Raven blinked in shock. "My father? I... I didn't know he had a place like this."
Charles nodded. "I'm the only one who knows about this place. This was one of his retreats, a place where he could escape when things got too overwhelming."
Raven's heart raced. She couldn’t believe this was her dad's. She suddenly felt closer to him than she ever thought was possible. "This is amazing. Did he come here a lot?"
"Yes, he did. There's a lot you don’t know about your father, Raven," Charles said quietly. "And some things, I can't tell you because even I am trying to understand them myself. But you should know that Michael loved you, even before you were born."
Raven swallowed hard, her mind racing with difficult questions. "Why did you and my father agree to this alliance between our families?"