23 A Plot
“Fiona, what are you doing here this early in the morning?”
Elder Alfonso rubbed his eyes fitfully to bade sleep goodbye, before staring at his daughter again, not totally believing she was at his doorstep.
Did anything go wrong? Did Ewan chase her away?
But that was impossible. Ewan would never do that.
Something must be wrong then, as usual. He thought.
His daughter only visited when there was trouble.
Fiona’s answer to her father’s question was to break down in tears.
Alfonso was startled. He forgot his grudges toward her in a heartbeat, pulled her into his arms- muttering sweet nothings into her ear–and led her into the sitting room.
He used his right leg to kick the door close. 1
“Talk to me, Fiona. What’s the problem?”
Yet Fiona kept crying.
Her tears and hiccups tore at her father’s heart. She was his only child after all, and he never wanted her to be in pain. He could do anything to make her happy.
Nevertheless, he stole a glance at the grandfather’s clock in his sitting room. It was just four
a.m.
He sighed, and patted Fiona on her back softly. “Stop crying, my beautiful girl, and tell me what the problem is. You don’t want to wake up your mom now, do you? She only managed to sleep two hours ago…”
Fiona immediately stopped crying, knowing that if she didn’t, her father would get irritated with her–his wife was the only one placed above her in the hierarchy of value.
Fiona didn’t like it, especially now that her mother was bedridden. The woman has successfully confined her father inside the house, but she had to deal with it if she needed her father’s help..
“Dad, do you know Athena is back?”
Alfonso inhaled deeply, and exhaled harshly. Of course he knew that his daughter’s nemesis had returned.
He had seen the splash of news on the socials a few days ago. It was still raving.
There were conflicting opinions about it too–just like it had been six years ago. Only that now, Athena’s good ratings were on a high side. An underdog becoming a boss woman.
Those kinds of stories usually appealed to the masses, notwithstanding the belief of some; that Athena was a leech, using her beauty to dupe rich men of their wealth.
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23 A Plot
He wondered if it was a strategy. Cause a stir and make an increase in social ratings…
Howbeit, he had known it was only a matter of time before Fiona came running. Yet he hadn’t expected it to be this early.
What was the function of Ewan then?
“I thought Ewan would take care of her, especially after that party. Didn’t he?”
Fiona scoffed. “As if. He’s obsessed with her, father. Do you know he almost killed me last night because I asked him why he had gone to Athena’s house alone?”
What Fiona was talking about right now didn’t really interest her father, not with his wife on a sick bed, but he had no choice but to listen.
He wished though that he could tell her to get straight to the point where she asked for his help.
Still… “Really? Did you see it?”
Fiona scrunched her face in annoyance. “No, but my friends did.”
Alfonso shook his head, rested it at the apex of the king chair specially made for him, and sighed. “Your friends could be lying, Fiona. They all want Ewan to themselves, both the married ones. I don’t think Ewan is unfaithful. Afterall, from the videos released on the e–net, Athena is with
Zane:
Fiona gazed at her father steadily like he was crazy, and laughed. “You think I would meet yo
you without confirming my suspicions. I did, before coming here. He really went there!”
Alfonso rubbed his face tiredly. “Maybe he went to plead with her concerning your mother’s case. Didn’t you tell me this morning that she had declined the case, and not just that, but the case of everyone in our town? You should trust him.”
Fiona was speechless. What was wrong with her father?
“Dad, the time was late, around 8pm. Athena doesn’t accept clients after her working time…”
This was stated in a calm voice, as if her father was slow to hearing.
Alfonso ignored her implication.
“Did you ask him about your mother’s treatment? What did Athena say?”
Fiona’s mouth dropped open in shock. “Dad!”
Cure your
Alfonso wasn’t deterred. “Fiona, Athena is the only one that can mother, and the many that have gotten this god–forsaken disease. Before you start plotting any strategy again, I would like you to remember that…”
“Is that why you are not syncing with me?” Fiona cut in sharply.
Alfonso nodded. “There are more important cases on ground now, than an old feud. I know you both have a history, me included, since Laided you to oust her six years ago, but it’s water under
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23 A Plot
A pause.
“Even if she came back for trouble, let’s keep that aside and make sure your mother is hale and hearty first. When that’s achieved, we can work on ways to oust her again. You should know that’s not a problem for me, Fiona. But first things first.”
Alfonso smiled slyly. “So, my beloved daughter, you will apologize to Doctor Athena, and convince her to treat your mother, and the town. When she accepts and goes about the work, we will attack her from diverse angles. She won’t be able to dodge the bullets, I promise.”
Fiona became happy, for the first time since Athena came back. She finally understood her father. They would use Athena for her services, and then oust her again.
But Fiona didn’t have banishment in mind for her nemesis.
No, she planned to kill Athena.
That way there won’t be a return mission again.
Just then her father’s phone rang.
Suddenly, there was a furrow marring the old man’s forehead, a furrow which marred hers too. Who could be calling by this time?
Fiona watched her father answer the call tentatively, watched him listen attentively to whoever was on the other side speaking.
She couldn’t hear what was being said, had no iota on the scope of the topic since her father was only listening, but from the way her father’s face got paler and paler, she knew there was a problem.
What happened now?
After five minutes of watching her father age twenty years before her eyes, the phone fell from his hand, as he clutched his chest in pain.
Fiona was first immobilized by the turn of events and didn’t know what to do.
Not until her father pointed with a shaky finger, to the cabinet right opposite him.
Quickly, she hurried to the cabinet, opened it, and saw two bottles of pills.
She read the inscription. Heart problems? When did her father start with this? Why didn’t he tell
her?
Her father’s heavy breathing cut short her thoughts. She rushed back to him, and dropped two pills into his mouth, according to the prescription.
Ten minutes later, he was stabilized.
“What the hell, Father! What’s going on? Do you want to kill me?”
Alfonso shook his head, and ruffled his hair, increasingly frustrated.
“What’s the matter, Dad? What happened?”
“I dont know. Flona. The call was from my assistant. Our company’s stocks just plunged this marning”
