After lunch, Raven rushed back to work but her mind was upon what she had promised Ralph Van Halen. It was Wednesday already and in two days, she had to act as his girlfriend. She forgot to ask what she had to do.
Ralph had sent her a mountain load of work to keep her from thinking too much about Saturday. He couldn't afford the risk of her declining his proposal at the last minute. He kept his fingers crossed and left her alone for the rest of the day, going on his meetings and tours without her. Raven was confused by his behavior. She had no idea why he was completely ignoring her existence. By evening, she was very restless. Had she made any mistake? Would he sack her after getting what he wanted on Saturday? She knocked on his door and after hearing his distinct 'Come in, ' she entered his office. She stood nervously in front of his de
Raven blushed crimson as Scott chuckled at Ralph's words. Strangely he too colored a little but glared at Scott with irritation. ''I meant my assistant obviously. Raven, you can go and start your work,'' he told her focussing his attention on his laptop. Raven was glad to be able to escape and she sat in her cubicle and quietly continued with the work that he had given her. After ten minutes, her coffee arrived and she felt thankful.After an hour, Scott left and Ralph and Jaxon left the office for a tour of their retail outlets all over London. Raven relaxed a lot and sat working quietly but surprisingly she missed having Ralph around. Had she become used to him? It was strange since she hadn't become accustomed to Frank even after two years of being his girlfriend. She remembered the dreadful day when her mom had convinced her that Frank was the best
The moment Raven walked into her house, she felt like running back to her office. She had no wish to face Frank after a tiring day at work. She knew why he was here. To convince her to attend the party at his house on Saturday. If he would really had cared for her and genuinely wanted her by his side, she would have agreed but he was here only because his mom pressured him. He would disappear into his room after half an hour leaving her to deal with everyone alone.She wouldn't agree at all. She strode into the room and her mom called her in a stern voice. "Raven, Frank has been waiting for you for the last thirty minutes," she complained."I was at work mom," she said gruffly. What could she do if Frank wanted to 2ait for her?"He wants you to attend the party at his house," said her mom, looking displeased with her."I have other plans mom. I can't attend, " she said pointedly. This forceful relationship was passing her off wit
A tap on her desk got Raven's attention. She looked up to see Ralph standing beside her desk with a poker face. Had she dozed off to sleep? "I-I'm s sorry, sir. I've finished what you asked me to do, " she said in an embarrassed tone."It's 9 o'clock, Raven. Why didn't you go home?" He asked her, still staring at her with the same expression."Oh, I, I'll go home then," she said as she looked at her computer. It had already been shut down? How long had he been here?"I'll drop you," said Ralph with the same expression on his face."Thank you, sir. That won't be necessary. I have my car," she said, stuffing her things into her handbag. Ralph didn't move an inch not did he change his expression but kept watching her."Be ready at 11 o'clock tomorrow. I'll send my chauffeur to pick you up," said Ralph. Raven nodded as she got up to leave but strangely he didn't move to let
She glanced at Ralph to gesture to him to remove his hot hand but to her dismay, he didn't even look at her. She tried to push his hand away but couldn't. He caught her hand which was trying to push his hand off her thigh."Ralph," she whispered and he pinned her with a hot gaze, daring her to say something with everyone's hawk-like gazes hooked onto them."Yes, darling," he asked, bringing his face near hers.Raven colored and shook her head, looking at her plate. "Nothing, " she mumbled. With a smug smile, Ralph looked away while his hand stroked her thigh creating havoc with her senses."Raven, you should come home more often. Don't wait for Ralph to invite you. Just come over anytime you want," said granny."Yes granny," agreed Raven. She actually liked his granny and Jane. Rebecca glared at her from opposite the table. She was the daughter of a business magnate and socially very active."It's not fa
Raven saw granny sitting in the dining room and talking to Jane who sat sipping her tea. The other women had left thankfully. How long did she take upstairs? They both looked at her when she went inside. Raven colored a little. Did she look thoroughly kissed?"Come Raven. Sit with me for a while," said granny, looking smug and happy. Raven sat with her and Jane while Ralph went to get himself a drink. A phone call kept him busy afterward and Raven thought of an excuse to go home. She didn't want to leave though. She liked Ralph's house and granny. There was a warmth at the place which she didn't feel either at her own house or at Frank's cold mansion. She didn't want to dress up and go to attend Frank's mom's party. It was like torture for her. She knew she wouldn't fit in and after five minutes would get bored with the twisted questions that the aristocratic, haughty socialite guests would throw at her."How old are yo
"Raven, when is your engagement?" Asked her Highness Mary Jane Walterboro, the wife of some Baron.Raven stuttered not knowing what to say since she dreaded the day when she would be officially engaged to Frank. "It is scheduled after Frank's final examinations, Her Highness," said aunt Bella, saving her from replying."Bella, don't you think Raven needs grooming. Why don't you introduce her to our club this season, and you could chaperone?" Suggested another hotshot socialite wife.Before she could inform them about her college and internship, aunt Bella promised them that she would do so as soon as possible. Raven sat horrified by their plans. She had no interest in their socialite clubs. She would run away from home if they forced her to. At last, a grumpy Frank arrived wearing an expensive designer suit.
Raven's whole body trembled with anger. How could her dad expect her to go over the moon with happiness after knowing the news of her engagement? Who trades the lives of their children to save their business? It seemed as if her life had no meaning as if their company was more important than her happiness. A reminder popped up on her phone. She had back-to-back classes since morning today. Getting ready quickly, she rushed out of her room. Her parents were still sitting where she had left them when she went downstairs."Where are you off to so early in the morning?" Asked her mom."College where else? I have back-to-back classes today," she informed them."Oh, you should have informed me. Bella wanted you to accompany her to her club today, " said her mom with dread as if she had committed some crime.She shrugged and walked towards the front door. "I'm never going to her club. If you guys force me, I'll leave home," said Raven,
Anthony Baker nodded at her request. "If it's too urgent then let me consult Mr. Van Halen. I'll get back to you by evening, " said Mr. Baker. Raven nodded and left. She went to the cafeteria and got herself a sandwich and came back to her cubicle to munch on it. She didn't want Ralph to know but she needed the money to shift. The environment at home had become too toxic and at this rate, she wouldn't be able to live up to her family's expectations. She would surely marry Frank but she couldn't meet all their demands.After her lunch break, she opened her email and went through the step-by-step guide, teaching her to feed the information collected on the form into a software app and save it. It was a tedious job and she learned a lot in the process. She saw the types of machinery being used. It gave her a lot of practical exposure. Later she accompanied Mr. Baker to a tour of the production studio 2 where the prototypes for their latest project were ready
Four Years Later"Ryan you need to leave your mommy's bo*bs now. I'll get you big, colorful feeding bottles. Okay?" Asked a pissed-off Ralph as Raven breastfed a hungry six-month-old, Ryan. Ryan ignored him and sucked even harder while Ralph groaned and watched him suck those creamy, delicious orbs. How he wanted a taste of them but they were oozing with Ryan's food and Raven refused to even let him get a taste of them.So he sighed and watched and again sighed till Raven smiled and looked at him. "He's done. Do you need a taste?" She asked. Ralph jumped towards her. Of course, he needed it. He was dying to get a taste. Raven burped Ryan and placed him on the bed along with his toys. Ralph's fingers stroked her breasts, feeling the rounded orbs thoroughly. After childbirth, he hadn't been able to enjoy at all with an over-anxious Raven
Raven’s eyes filled up with tears of joy. She couldn’t believe that she had finally been able to confess her feelings to him. For the last one year, she had said it a million times in her head, wanting nothing but to apologize to Ralph and tell him how she felt. Now finally that dream had come true. She pulled him into her arms and cradled his head to her chest.“Can you hear my heartbeat, Ralph?” She asked stroking his hair. Ralph nodded but he was more interested in embedding his face in her cleavage than hearing her heartbeat. Staying away from her even for a minute was unbearable for him and he had stayed away from her for a year. A year of celibacy. A year without Raven! But now the torture had ended and he was in her arms again, where he belonged. He would listen to her heartbeat later, right now he just wanted to feel her, taste her, kiss her, devour her, make love to her and
An excited Raven landed in New York City in the evening. Her heart was hammering in her chest as she sat in the cab. The nearer she reached Ralph's apartment, the more excited she became. What if Ralph wasn't there in his apartment? Well, then, in that case, she would wait for him as long as it took. She was determined this time. She wouldn't return home without him. She was his wife and would ask for his forgiveness till he accepted her back into his, if again. At last, she reached his apartment and paid the cab driver. He unloaded her luggage for her.Thanking him, she pulled the luggage into the escalator, her heart thumping in her chest. "Please God, let him be at home. Please help me," she prayed in her head. The escalator doors opened on his floor and she pulled her luggage all the way to his door. Taking a deep breath, she anxiously rang the doorbell. No one opened the door. She waited f
Ralph's chauffeur brought a few clothes for him an hour later. He didn't yet wake up and his temperature didn't reduce. Raven was worried about him but decided to wait for the twenty-four-hour period to be over to take any action. She was just about to take a call from work when Ralph's hand shot out and caught her wrist. "Don't go, please," he pleaded hoarsely.Raven switched off her phone and cuddled with him. "I'm not going anywhere, Ralph," she said lovingly. "You have to eat something. Can I go and get you your food?" She asked him. He shook his head."No, I don't want food. Stay please," he begged hoarsely. Her mom peeped inside and Raven gestured to her to get her Ralph's food. Her mom nodded and left."If I stay will you eat?" She asked him tenderly. He didn't answer, just opened his eyes and stared at her. She felt his forehead. The fever was still there. Her mom brought some porridge and she fed him tenderly. She
"Dear God!" Gasped her mom, seeing Ralph."I just noticed him, ma'am, so I rang your doorbell, " said the milkman."Can you help us get him inside please, Mr. Brown?" Asked her mom. They couldn't manage between themselves since Ralph was too heavy for them to carry."Sure ma'am but shouldn't you inform the police first?" Asked Mr. Brown with concern."No no. We know him," assured her mom. Mr. Brown nodded and the three of them picked up Ralph between themselves and carried him inside to Raven's bedroom and deposited him on her leather couch. They thanked Mr. Brown and he left. Her mom went and got her dad's clothes for him. Raven closed the door and as she changed him into the dry clothes, tears fell from her eyes."I'm so sorry, Ralph. I'm so sorry that I hurt you," she sobbed but Ralph didn't stir at all. Her heart broke seeing his condition and the tears wouldn't stop. She realized how
Six Months LaterRalph continued like an automaton. His life had lost its meaning a year back when Raven had walked out of his life. After an immensely successful Paris trip, he had returned back to London two months back. Ever since he was restless as memories of the times he shared with Raven became more distinct and robbed him of his sleep. He had immersed himself in work while in Paris to the extent that he would just drop off to bed and fall asleep out of exhaustion, but now? What about now that he was back in the city where he had only memories of her? How would he escape now? After his return, when he had followed her to her office the last time, he'd seen that she had lost weight. She didn't look happy as he had expected her to be. He heard that Frank had married Stanley. The news gave him more happiness than any other in the last few months. So she was still his, she was still married to him.He returned tired fro
"Sorry ma'am, he didn't listen to me at all. He just barged in and wanted to wait for you here," said her hassled PA, Stefanie who was a young freshly graduated woman."That's okay, Stefanie. I'll handle this, " said Raven calmly. Frank stood up and approached her."Raven, I'm so glad to see you," he said earnestly. Raven stood with a poker face wondering why he was here in the first place."Why are you here, Frank?" She asked coming straight to the point. She was tired and the faster she dealt with him the better it was for her. She could go home early. Frank looked hurt by her words."Why can't I come to see you as a friend?" Asked Frank, looking hurt."After what you and your parents did to my dad, there's no way I'll have anything to do with you, Frank. You should be glad that I'm not throwing you out. So just stop wasting my time, " said Raven in a displeased tone."P
"No one is responsible for what happened to your dad. It's his fate. Ralph tried to help in his own way. There was no compulsion yet he helped because he cares about you. Any other person would have just shrugged helplessly and left us to deal with our problems ourselves but Ralph didn't. He married you because he apparently cares about you, Raven. Even a blind person can feel his love for you. How can you not? I saw it the day he first came to our house. You've done a very bad thing, Raven. You've hurt a pure heart and pushed away a man who truly loves you, " said Raven's mom, starting her car with a sigh.Raven frowned at her mom's words. Although she didn't agree with her mom, she didn't argue. "Can we stop discussing him, mom?" requested Raven. She didn't want to go into details of her relationship with Ralph. She didn't point out that there was actually no love involved in their relationship, it was clearly a physical attraction right from the start.
Ralph came back from the doctor's chamber to see the accusing look on Raven's face but before he could talk to her, he received a call from Scott. "I need to take this call. I'll just come back from the parking lot in a few minutes, " he told Raven and her mom. Her mom nodded while Raven glared at him, feeling angrier. How dare he show his fake concern when all the time he just wanted to get into her pants? When she didn't give in he tried to manipulate her into marrying him. She seethed with anger. How could she be so blind? He had no motive of helping them out. He used them to get what he wanted but now she saw through him for what he actually was. A selfish man wh*re. She would give him a piece of her mind and break off her fake marriage with him.Having decided that, Raven turned to her mom. "I'll just freshen up and come back," she told her. Her mom nodded.Raven went downstairs to the parking area of the hospital and looked around. S