Guarding Hearts' Whimsy

Chapter 46: Velvet-ine roots

As Raven parked the car in front of Jake's place, a serious expression etched across his face. When Jake opened the door, Raven's gaze held a weight of concern, and he posed a single question that hung in the air with gravity, "You sure about it?" The intensity of Raven's inquiry conveyed the magnitude of the matter at hand, suggesting a conversation of significance awaited them inside.

//

As Mr. Dale and Eve arrived back at the mansion, she bid her father goodnight and made her way to her room. Once inside, she decided to call Raven, but to her concern, he didn't pick up. Eve grew increasingly worried as she waited for him, the silence on the other end of the line adding a layer of uncertainty to the night.

The room was enveloped in an uneasy silence as Raven, with a pained and angered expression etched on his face, stormed into Mr. Dale's room at the late hours. The abrupt intrusion startled Mr. Dale, who looked up with a mixture of surprise and irritation.

"Raven! I guess there's a way to enter someone's room this late. Why are you here again?" Mr. Dale's voice carried traces of the defensiveness from the previous encounter, his tone laced with a hint of annoyance at Raven's unannounced arrival.

Ignoring any semblance of formalities, Raven, through clenched teeth, cut to the chase with a question that hung heavily in the air. "Was it you? Was it you, Aiden Dale, behind your wife's death?" The words, delivered in a low but dangerous tone, carried the weight of accusation, and the intensity of Raven's gaze bore into Mr. Dale with an unwavering focus.

Mr. Dale, caught off guard by the directness and gravity of Raven's accusation, felt a knot tighten in his stomach.

Raven's eyes bore into Mr. Dale, searching for any flicker of truth or deception in the older man's expression. The silence that followed hung like a heavy curtain, waiting for a response that would either dispel the suspicions or confirm the unsettling truth that Raven was desperately seeking.

Mr. Dale, his surprise turning into a surge of indignation, couldn't contain his response to Raven's sudden and baseless accusations. He raised his voice, the echoes of frustration reverberating in the room.

"What in the world are you talking about, Raven? Baseless accusations like these are outrageous! My wife's death was a tragic accident, and you have no right to insinuate otherwise," Mr. Dale retorted, his tone a mixture of anger and disbelief.

The accusation had hit a nerve, striking at the heart of a painful chapter in Mr. Dale's life. His face contorted with a mix of anger and hurt as he vehemently denied any involvement in his wife's demise.

Raven, however, stood his ground, the intensity in his gaze unwavering. The room remained charged with tension, the air thick with the unspoken implications of the conversation that had taken an unexpectedly dark turn.

Raven's voice, edged with determination, cut through the room as he continued, "It's not baseless, Mr. Dale. I did my research. The reports, the autopsy, the details surrounding the accident - everything was shrouded in lies. Her death wasn't a result of the accident that was painted for the world to see."

Mr. Dale's face contorted with a mix of anger and disbelief. He erupted, "Who are you to delve into this matter? What business is it of yours? This is about my wife, my family - none of your concern!"

Raven, undeterred, fired back, "It has everything to do with me and with Eve. You've hidden the truth from her, lied that her mother's body was never found. Whatever games you're playing, they've gone on long enough, and now it's time for the truth to come out."

Mr. Dale grips Raven's collar, his voice thundering, "You are exceeding your boundaries, Noir. You're her bodyguard, not our family lawyer. Get out. You're fired."