Chapter 83: Chapter 83

Chapter 83

RAVEL

PRESENT TIME

心 The resounding slap reverberated through the dining room, sending shockwaves not only through me but also through every present witness. Elenor reacted swiftly, stepping forward with an unmistakable stance that declared her alignment with me, not Hazel. Her voice dripped with reproach as she confronted Hazel.

“Why on earth did you hit him?” she snapped at Hazel, her displeasure evident. “He’s clearly unwell with a fever, and for that reason alone, you shouldn’t resort to physical violence.”

Hazel’s response was far from conciliatory. She scoffed incredulously, her agitation evident as her veins seemed to pop out in anger. “Unwell with a fever?” she retorted, her voice raised in frustration.

“I’ll be dealing with a lot more than just a fever because of this nonsense! Do you get that?!”” Her emotions were clearly running high. “I demand to know why you lied about meeting with Mr. Warren.”

I retreated defensively, taking a step backward and placing the envelope back on the table. “I met with Warren for personal reasons,” I admitted, avoiding eye contact, even though Raymond, who was privy to the truth, looked at me with concern.

“For personal reasons?” Hazel bit out, her arms folded across her chest as she fixed an intense glare on me. “What sort of personal reasons, Ravel? I insist on knowing.”

Why was she meddling in my affairs like this? I maintained my composure. “It’s called ‘personal’ for a reason, Hazel, I deadpanned, my tone unyielding. “I have no intention of disclosing that information to you.” I returned to my seat, spoon in hand, but made no move to touch the food. “What’s the real reason behind your obsession with my meeting with Warren?”

“Because my show is on the verge of being canceled due to whatever transpired in that meeting with Mr. Warren!” she yelled, gesturing wildly with her hands. “Is your anger stemming from my decision to keep Daisy away from you?”

Perplexed by the sudden change in the conversation’s direction, I raised a finger, silently signaling for Hazel to pause for a

Harrest way moment. “Hold on a second,” I requested, tilting my head as I contemplated the best way to address this unfolding situation. “Could you please clarify what you mean by your exhibition being on the verge of cancellation due to the outcome of my meeting with Warren?” A sinking feeling gnawed at me as I considered the implications.

Hazel’s irritation remained palpable as she forced out her explanation. “Warren abruptly and inexplicably withdrew his support for the exhibition, citing reasons that are utterly impractical,” she retorted, her glare intensifying with each passing moment. “Those reasons reek of nothing but excuses.”

The pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place, and my own frustration mounted. “Are you suggesting that I intentionally sabotaged your dealings with Warren out of spite for keeping Daisy away from me?”

My voice carried a note of incredulity, and when she offered no immediate response, my jaw clenched in irritation. “Now you’re genuinely testing my patience,” I snapped. “Do you honestly believe I would resort to such underhanded tactics against you?”

Hazel smacked her lips together in annoyance, her clenched fist betraying her frustration. “Heaven knows I defended you when David and Agatha insinuated that this might somehow involve you, particularly with the pictures and emails.”

My frown deepened, and I demanded further information, “What emails are you on about?”

She rolled her eyes with evident irritation. “That’s not the crucial issue right now! What’s imperative is understanding why you lied about your meeting with Warren and why you’re refusing to disclose the nature of that meeting to me.” Her impatience was clear, and the tension between us continued to escalate.

“I choose not to disclose it to you,” I replied firmly, my gaze unwavering as I met Hazel’s eyes. “I must say, it’s deeply disappointing to discover that you hold such a low opinion of me.”

Elenor intervened, attempting to bridge the growing chasm of misunderstanding between us. “Perhaps, if you were to apologize for the initial deception and then share the details of your meeting with Warren, we could swiftly resolve this misunderstanding,” she suggested. Her diplomatic tone carried a note of hope.

Raymond and I exchanged puzzled glances, both of us equally uncertain about the best course of action. I was conflicted, torn between the urge to protect my personal affairs and the need to clear the air with Hazel. My meeting with Warren was a matter I preferred to keep under wraps until I had tangible results to present.

However, I squared my shoulders and leaned forward, determined to bring some resolution to the situation. “Hazel, to be perfectly candid, I have nothing to divulge to you at this juncture. Trust is something that needs to be worked on at this juncture.”

Hazel’s response was sharp and cutting. “Where did trust get me the last time?” Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, a reminder of past betrayals. I hadn’t expected her to bring that up. “So you have nothing to share with me,” she declared with slow, deliberate emphasis, to which I nodded in agreement.

“F**k you, Ravel!” she erupted in anger, her voice echoing through my home. “Sabotaging my business and lying in the process is nothing but an act of cowardice, and you’re going to pay for it.” She shot me one last withering glare before storming out of my house.

The atmosphere at the dinner table had soured considerably. Raymond remained silent, his expression mirroring my own inner turmoil, while Elenor fixed me with an expectant stare. Her question hung in the air like a heavy weight. “What exactly did you discuss with Warren that you’re unwilling to repeat in Hazel’s presence?”

I shook my head, trying to dispel the mounting frustration, and turned my attention back to my meal.

“Please, Elenor, not now. I’m already infuriated as it is.”

She scoffed, her irritation palpable. “I’m even more furious with you than you are,” she retorted, grabbing her jacket as she prepared to leave. “Just as I was about to extend an olive branch, you go and do something this reprehensible.”

My eyes shot up in disbelief. “You, too, believe that I’m guilty of what Hazel’s accusing me of?”

Elenor merely shrugged. “The evidence seems to point in your direction, and I didn’t hear you vehemently denying it either.” Her logic left me flabbergasted. “I’m leaving your house, Ravel. Give me a call when you’ve sorted things out with Hazel.” With that, she stomped out of my home, leaving me alone with Raymond.

I continued to eat in somber silence, my thoughts weighed down by the turmoil of the evening.

Raymond eventually broke the silence with a suggestion. “I think it’s finally time to tell Hazel the truth, so she can stop seeing you as the villain.”

I shot him an incredulous glare. “Get out of my house, Raymond!” With everyone else already gone, he could as well join them in leaving.

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