Chapter 50: Chapter 50
Ray stepped into the hall, his eyes scanning through the crowd of people having fun as they mingled and danced the night away, but he wasn't interested in them, he was only there for Andrianna. He would talk to her and try to get her onboard the marriage because, without her and the land deeds, there was no way that his family could ever rise in the ranking.
His phone rang in his pants pocket and he cursed, muttering under his breath as shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He answered the call with a snap. "What do you want"
"No need to be so annoyed, I'm just trying to make sure everything is moving according to plan. I waited for you to call and update me about what progress you were making but you didn't, so I decided to check up on you".
"I don't need you watching my fucking back Jenny. Just do as you are told. I already said I had this under my thumb, so I don't have to call you every damn second to give you a report. I told you that I could handle everything, so trust me and let me do my thing ok? You need to stay out of my way if you want everything to go according to plan. Once I'm done with Andrianna, then we can deal with Zach and Arielle, do I make myself clear".
"Crystal. I'm glad we both have our priorities straight. The men are already in position, they just need your order, when you think it's time".
Ray swore once more. Talking to Jenny felt like barking at a brick wall. "You don't have to run the plan by me. I'll handle things my way and give you a call when it's all done." He ended the call.
Someone was suddenly in his path, and he stopped just in time before he could stumble into her. His eyes widened when he saw who it was. Arielle looked surprised too, but her eyes were glazed over and Ray knew that she had either taken drugs or smoked something because she looked out of it, even her movement gave it away, she was sluggish and uncoordinated. Ray smirked, thinking about how easy it would be to grab her while she was stoned.
"Fancy seeing you here Ray, I didn't think attending an inauguration ceremony was your thing, but I don't really know you that well except for what I've read from your report, so maybe you do come to this kind of event, or maybe you're a gatecrasher because I'm almost certain you were not invited," Arielle said with a smirk, her gaze dancing in mischief, but her voice strangely steady and clear. Ray squared his shoulder, knowing that nothing could derail him from doing what he came for.
"And you? Were you invited?" he retorted
Arielle's eerie smile remained in place. "Dante invited me. I'm a very close family friend, and we've gotten even closer in recent years, can you believe that I was also with Zach once upon a time, but that didn't work out, and I'm sure I won't get another shot with him but I figured it's only right that I'm here to show my support" she rambled, the drug making her more chatty.
"I didn't ask for your life's history," he said curtly. Arielle's eyes flashed. She wasn't used to being dismissed and so his little action rubbed her in all the wrong way.
"You have some nerves showing your face here Ray.. but I guess being shot taught you nothing at all, I'm actually surprised that you're still in one piece, I thought for sure that you'd be confined to a wheelchair."
Ray stepped closer to her, crowding against her until she had no choice but to take a step back even though she fought hard to remain where she had stood.
"If I find out you had anything to do with that, I'll have to spoil that pretty face of yours, Arielle".
"You should stop making threats that are guaranteed to get you killed, Ray. Sergio Dante already informed my father about your call and I'll have you know that he was not happy to know about that at all. I'll give you a piece of advice, you shouldn't push through with whatever you're scheming, or your whole family will be wiped out" she threatened, her fingers playing with the cuff on his wrist. "It'd be a shame to see someone with such a prospect go to waste all because of greediness. You can't come up from nowhere and try to take what is ours without paying for it, and I'll have you know that when I used the term pay, I'm not talking about you literally paying in cash".
Ray inhaled deeply, his hands rolling into a fist before he unclenched them. "That land would have been for my family if Dante hadn't doublecrossed us and kept it for himself".
"You could always find other business to go into, can't you," she said, then leaned closer to him, her mouth almost grazing the shell of his ear. "That field of drugs is our money maker Ray, you mess with our source of income and we mess with your family. I hope it doesn't get to that". She pulled back, then offered him a sweet smile. "I have to look for Zach, I haven't seen him since I got here and I'm starting to miss him. Take my advice Ray, we don't need any unnecessary deaths," she added, then walked toward some businessmen.
Ray cursed under his breath, his anger simmering beneath his skin even though he tried to feel unaffected by the turn of events. He was going to get the land despite all the threats, and he was going to do it by getting his hand on their rich spoiled children. They would not be making it home tonight after the party.
He was only at the event to give Andrianna another chance. He sighted her at the bar nursing a full glass of wine, her eyes twinkling as she stared at Noah Dante, Zach's stepbrother who was talking to her.
The fucking Dantes was always trying to take what was supposed to be his from him. He walked towards them, his heart boiling beneath his chest.
Andrianna's laughter rang loud and clear as Noah said something funny.
Ray got to them and loomed until Andrianna acknowledged his presence. Her eyes widened as she saw him, clearly not expecting him at the event. She got up from her stool and Noah followed suit as if he was one of the many bodyguards that followed her everywhere. Ray choose to ignore his existence, as he focused his gaze on the woman that he'd thought would be his, no matter what happened.
Andria was staring at him, a skeptical look on her face, as she waited for whatever it was he had to say.
"We need to talk".
Andrianna's brows scrunched in confusion. "About what?" She asked, crossing her arms across her chest.
Ray glanced at Noah, then at Andrianna, a silent order for her to send him away so they could talk alone.
Andrianna sighed in exasperation as she turned to face Noah. "I'm sorry but can you excuse us for a moment."
"Of course, but you already promised me the next dance so you can't back off or make an excise later ok".
"I won't, and please help me look around for Vega and Zach. I haven't seen them around".
"Sure, have fun talking to Mr broody here," he said, his smile not reaching his eyes as he glanced at Ray then he stalked off.
"What do you want?" She asked, immediately Noah was far enough not to hear what words were being exchanged.
"I want us to get back together. I love you so much Andria, do you have any idea how devasted I got when I learned you called off our marriage? It was supposed to happen in the next few months. Both our families needed the alliance, yet you choose your selfish needs over those of our family".
Andrianna sighed, her finger pressing against the stress lines at the side of her temple. "Please can we move past this because I don't understand the amount of time we need to break up for you to get it in your skull that we can never be together"?
Ray watched her for a while, his eyes pleading but Andrianna just stared at him with a stoic bored expression on her face. He nodded, his jaw bunching as her decision became Crystal clear. "And is that your final answer? Are you sure you wouldn't regret it" he asked, his gaze roaming over her determined face.
"I won't, and don't bother making threats, they won't work on me".
"I tried to save you Andrianna, but I guess you don't need my help. In the past I was going to use Vega to get to you, but this time I don't need to because we're done for good".
"And I hope you keep your word this time. I'd also like it if you stopped coming around me.
Ray laughed, albeit bitterly. "Ok, I'll stay away from you then if that's what you want." He said then turned to leave before pausing as he remembered something. "Arielle is here, by the way, I know you and your friend don't get along with her, so I'm giving you a heads-up".
"Thanks, I appreciate your concern and I'll handle it, so don't worry about it".
Ray nodded, then walked into the crowd, all the while feeling the heavy gaze of Andrianna trailing and tracking his movement. It was good she was uneasy, Ray thought because, at the end of the night, he'd have to make her pay just as his father had asked him to. He couldn't let them get away after all the ridicule. He was going to do everything to save his house from going extinct in the same way that they strived to protect theirs from him. The difference between him and them was that he would go the extra mile just to make it happen and when he saw Zach and Vega stepping out of the elevator with wide smiles on their faces, Zach's hands draped around Vega's waist possessively, he knew exactly what it was he had to do.