"Oh you're going no where Mr Constantine. No where at all. Now, the person that I love more than anything else in the world, has chosen to treat me like an outsider; So I honestly, really don't know what is going on in this room right now. But I don't need to know what is going on, to recognize that you've hurt my best friend terribly." Raven paused, to let that sink in. Then continued. "The situation can go one of two ways, Mr Constantine. In the first way, you'll apologize to Charlotte, right here, right now, and tell her the truth, that you were the one who forced that kiss on me, so that whatever bullshit is currently going through her head about what she thinks my role here was, in all of these, can be assuage. I mean, I shouldn't even have to resort to doing this, and forcing you to say the truth, because she's my best friend after all, she's supposed to naturally trust what I say. But no big deal, I'll let it slide. Let's assume today is just one of those days" Raven aimed that last speech at the still seething Charlotte, before looking back at Raphael.

"What's the second way? You said this can go one of two ways" he was forced to ask stiffly, when she didn't continue

"The second way? I call Mikhail Constantinovich right here, right now, and scream rape. Now, just a few minutes ago, you so braggingly told me, that you're unpredictable. And all of those other BS about lesser men's failures in predicting you as well. But you see Raphael, Mikhail Constantinovich is a very predictable man. So predictable that I'm sure even you, can predict the exact actions he will take, if his woman calls him directly on his phone, to scream something like that. No; let me answer that for you. He'll destroy you utterly. You forced your hands on me. You forced your lips on mine. You imposed your will forcibly over mine. That my friend, is emotional rape. In other words, enough grounds for Mikhail to take out a personal vendetta against you. You called Mikhail's name a while back. You acted like you knew him. But if you truly knew Mikhail Constantinovich, you'd know it's a stupid thing to touch the people under his protection. But kudos, stupidity was too small a thing for you. Oh no, you just had to go and be suicidal as well. You touched the woman he loves, instead" Raven enunciated every brutal word she slashed at him, and glad they were taking their effect. No matter how big Raphael appeared, it was obvious he feared Mikhail. Raven could bank on that.

"In my life, there are three things I believe so strongly, I could practically die for, Mr Constantine. The first, is my parents love. The second, is Charlotte's absolute loyalty to me. The third, is Mikhail's fierce protection of the ones he loves"

"Enough! You think you know Mikhail Constantinovich? I know Mikhail Constantinovich more than your naive, grasping mind ever could, if given a hundred years! We were birthed in blood. Our bond is more than that of brothers, or that of family, we are practically one. We are of, and from, the same source. You have bewitched him! Made him less of the man he was born to be! I will rid him of you, if it's the last thing I do on earth" Raphael gasped out, swearing in rapid Russian afterwards, the fury and hatred so strong in his eyes, Raven flinched, and was forced to involuntarily step back.

After making his statement clearly, he adjusted his suit and finally turned to walk away, but he paused at where Charlotte was shaking violently in outright shock, and turned to face her.

"Charlie, I apologize for what I've put you through. I promise there's an explanation for all of these, and if you'll let me, I might tell it to you someday, after this is all done. And your friend is right. I kissed her first. She wasn't in my arms on her own will or accord. It was forced."

He turned back to face Raven once more
"Well done, Mrs Eden. You win this round" he did a mock bow

"Just the same way I will win every single goddamn round you throw at me, Raphael. Bring it on! I don't care if you and Mikhail are one, all I know is that, I certainly got the best man, of the both of you. And he will fight to the death to keep what's his. I. Am. His. Now get the fuck out of my office, Raphael."

"So you no longer want my billions? Because of one argument you had with the billionaire? You'd threaten your entire career?" he mused, folding his arms, at the door where he now stood.

"Obviously, I still want your money. We'll set up another meeting. I'll be the one to personally set it up. Your job is to wait for my call, and do nothing else. I set the time, I set the venue, and I set the topics, Mr Raphael. Never again will you preside over our meetings. I will. You see Raphael, I think you're very predictable as well. You've just never been predicted by a woman. And oh, incase you were wondering, I'm certainly worth my salt, as you'd so put it earlier. For example, with just one meeting with you, I know now for a fact, that you won't walk away from Stanford Bank, and from me, with all that money of yours. Heck, you can't walk away, is more like it. You're an addict, Raph, and you need my emotions constantly fired at you, to make you feel alive. My anger, my rebukes, my almost teary states... You will do what every addict does when given a taste of excitement. You'll come back for more. Always. Every, single, damn time, like a predictable, little fool. And that, my friend, is your true Achilles Heel".

As soon as she said that, he forcefully opened the door, and stromed off.

Yes, Raven thought grimly. She certainly won this round. Now, she just had to face Charlotte. Except now, it was her own turn to get angry, Raven realized, as she stared at Charlotte's now openly contrite, pleading face.

Charlotte's face had done an instant, sommersaulting change from angry, to confused, to sorry, when Raphael had announced to her, what had really happened.

Honestly the face change was so startling and dramatic - typical Charlotte, that if they were to have been in any other situation, Raven would have instantly fallen down hard into fits of unrepentant laughter, and would have teased Charlotte thereafter about it, all day long.

Every single emotion the usually jovial Charlie felt, had the remarkable ability to be displayed like headlights on her face!

But today, Raven was not laughing. Because today, Charlotte had more than hurt her terribly. So Raven schooled her features into that of hurt, and anger, not that it had to be faked to begin with, she was already feeling those things, because of how Charlotte had treated her...

A/N: Whoosh!!! Did you like this? I think I did. Next chapter, we're going to be having sit down talks between Charlotte and Raven. An examination of their friendship. I really wanted this Riff between them to happen, because in actual reality, no matter how close people are, they still have major fallouts with their loved ones. What truly shows their love, is their ability to forgive, and get back together again.

This is this week's monday's chapter. For the first time, it's coming early. Yeah. I decided to be an angel for once.💘

is there anything you want me to throw further lights on, or you think I'm not talking about enough? Because I'm trying to be thorough, and cover everything needed. If there's any, just drop it in the comments section. I read all comments...

And see you next week Monday. If you love this story, and this chapter, please don't forget to drop your votes, don't forget to Follow Me on my page as well.

Enjoy the rest of your week... 💕