Royal Bitch

She needed something more that herself to fight for

The devil whispers "You cannot stand the storm."

The warrior replies "I am the storm." - Vicki Venn

What I picture Fiore's home to look like, something along these lines.  Big and modern and an open spaces.

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Chapter 37

Fiore had settled into her home in Rio de Janeiro. She'd been there about a week and was starting to have a bit more energy being her off week of chemo.

Fiore was trying to catch up on her emails she when Alex FaceTimed her. Fiore cursed as she declined it. She texted him she'd call him in a few minutes as she got up and went through the process of make up and pulled her hair into a bun. She changed her shirt and called Alex back.

"What's up?"

"Where are you?"

"Out of the country. Why? What's wrong?"

"Well this is part of it." Alex held up a tabloid. His face was plastered on it kissing a girl Fiore didn't recognize."

"Oh my God, can you not suck face with a different girl every week?" Fiore sighed.

"This is serious!"

"And you think I don't know that? Relax, Fiore is on it now. And whoever is responsible will pay. But you have to know some of this is on you."

"Well,"

"Look, you're not in trouble with me, your father may be another story, but I'm not going to chastise you too much. You're old enough to make your own choices." Fiore cut him off.  "I don't mean to be rude, but I have a meeting in a few minutes.  Is there anything else I can help with?"

"When are we going to have lunch again?  We haven't done that in months."

Fiore nodded.  "I don't know.   Sorry I've been so swamped."

"Whatever.  Thanks for your help though."

"Alex, the best answer I can give is soon, but I don't want to lie to you and make promises I can't keep."

"I know.  Later, Fi."

Alex hung up and Fiore sighed. She didn't have the energy to deal with teenage hormones. She called Henry first.

"Yes?"

"I just found out about Alex's headline. I just wanted to let you know that I'm working on it."

"Fiore, how's it going?"

"Treatment is going as well as can be expected."

"Any symptoms?"

"A few, nothing serious."

"You look well."

"Make up is a wonderful tool."

"Very well. Do you need anything?"

Fiore shook her head. "No. Thank you."

"Where are you?"

"Rio, at the home I own here."

"Very well. Do you need help keeping up?"

"Maybe soon, but not yet." Fiore declined. "Security and the family press are two of my biggest priorities."

"Number one better be your health." Henry growled.

Fiore chuckled at that. "Understood."

"Anything else?"