Chapter 10: Forgiveness not found

I had repeatedly told her that I didn't need her help, but she insisted and took me to the lobby and made me lie down on the couch.

A staff member approached us and asked, "Sir, ma'am, do you need any help?" She scanned me, and soon her smile disappeared, replaced by fear.

I was used to it, but in front of Raven, I didn't want her to be scared of me. I was feeling nothing for Raven, unlike before, but she had already painted me a monster. If others are afraid of me without knowing me, she will be proved right.

"Bring some fruits and juice." Raven looked at me, noticed my dried lips and requested. The staff nodded and hurried to leave.

I diverted my attention to her, she looked normal. Too normal. It was suspicious. Did she forgive me? Was she pitying me? Oh, I hate myself for fainting like that. She must be thinking that I was putting on an act and pulling tricks on her.

"You were at an event just now, how come you are starving?" She asked in a normal voice. I might be misjudging, it wasn't her normal tone or was it?

"Are you worried?" I teased her. I had no feelings for her, but I didn't want to miss the chance to play with her…like I used to.

"Your eye bags shout at your sleepless nights. You must have been too busy to remember that you are a human, not a robot." She ignored me and said.

I said nothing. I looked at her and realized that she had grown up, she didn't get caught up in my flirty conversation.

The fruit plate arrived with a glass of juice, decorated like a piece of artwork. It wasn't the same staff, as expected. Raven sat down next to me and started feeding me without a word, I was so surprised that I didn't say anything and let her do whatever she was doing.

She then helped me drink the juice, but then I took it from her because I thought it was a hassle since my hands were all fine. But as soon as I held the glass, I realized that I was shaking. Probably from exhaustion.

"So, you forgave me?" I had to ask. I knew she would forgive me sooner or later, but despite that incident, I didn't expect her to go easy on me. Her forgiveness was doubtful. Just like the slap incident.

"There you go! You have enough energy to speak." She stood up and said, "I will send the staff here, they will help you get a room or inform your driver to bring you home."

"What do you mean?" I asked, my eyes widening.

"You want forgiveness. right?" She questioned me with a big smile, like a kindergarten teacher smiling at the kid who didn't bring his notebook.

"Yeah." I was that kid.

"I forgive you…"

"But….and…one condition?" I swirled my hand, urging her to complete her sentence.

She said nothing. Straightening her back, she dropped the smile, flipped her body and walked out of the lobby to the interior part of the hotel. I watched her in disbelief.

She called a staff and said something which I could not hear at all, and left. She left, without even looking at me.

It was the third staff member who came to me with a big smile, which slowly vanished. "Sir, how may I help you?" He asked in a polite way.

"I am not a limp." I stood angrily, I hated how she just treated me like an injured cat. Feeding me and then leaving like I had no owner.

I walked to him and asked, "What did she say to you?"

"Ma'am said that you fainted from exhaustion and need our help. So, when I asked if she knew you, she said she didn't." The staff replied, nervously.

"She said she didn't know me." I asked, unable to digest the fact that she estranged me just like that.

'Wait…does that mean?' I searched for her but didn't see her anywhere. I was right. She treated me like a stranger, an outsider. Just like the slap incident.

But, I was not disappointed. The spell probably wore down from my head. However, I am a little sad that her reaction didn't affect her as much as it did before.

I hurriedly called my Uncle Zayed. He picked up and said, "Kid, be happy. You are not in love. You are free for now. Stay out of her sight and you might know the answer."

"I didn't say anything, how did you know? Is it one of your spell thing?" I asked, utterly shaking from his response.

"It is experience that is speaking, kid." He hung up.

'Stay out of her sight?' I wondered. Shouldn't he say that she should be out of my sight, so I would know if there is any feelings other than that forced one.

Whatever he wanted to say, it is impossible to do. Father and Uncle William want to pair us together as life partners so that their business partnership becomes perpetual. It would be hard.

Suddenly, my father came in front of me and asked, "Aidan, why are you still here? Didn't you go shopping?"

"Oh, come on, dad, you know I don't like shopping and it was just an excuse." I replied, not forgetting to ask him the million questions I had. But I had to start with this one, "Father, you want me to marry Raven for your business alliance?"

"Yes, you figured it out?" He asked, smiling shyly.

"Damn it, dad, why did you not say it? Why did you perform voodoo and stuff?" I asked him, not realizing that Uncle William was right behind him.

My father said nothing, so I wasted no time and complained to Uncle William, "Did you know that my dad performed black magic on your daughter and me to make us fall for each other? But he messed up because Uncle Jay mixed some of his jealousy and cast a spell to destroy both of us."

Now this brought some reaction from the two old men, they exchanged glances and then asked me, "How did you know?"

"What? That you are secretly arranging Raven's marriage with me… I wonder if you were going for an arranged marriage, then why bother pulling the voodoo trick on me?" I continued to blab, venting my anger. If not for their nonsense, I would not have lost a good friend. A potential good friend.

"You think I will arrange a marriage of my daughter and she will agree and marry you with a happy face. You are underestimating her. You might be obedient, she is not." Uncle William answered.

He might be right. But, from what I remember, Raven may be as obedient as people think she is, but she is firm on the concept of love and marriage. I mentioned this before.

It seemed like Uncle William was in this too, the two of them are indeed good friends, swindling their own offspring.

"I am asking about Jay. How do you know he added something like that?" My father had his own concern.

"Just know that he did, and go ask him. I don't believe in this Voodoo thing, I am going home to sleep." I turned and waved them goodbye.

"I told you Jay had his eyes on your daughter for his son, but you refused to listen." My father argued; I only heard him faintly. But it was a valid thing that I learned.