Royal Bitch

That is really unfortunate. I could go for a 40 year old scotch

"Lies are like scars to the soul. They destroy you." - Lana Winters

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Chapter 45

Fiore felt better back behind her desk in her study. It reminded her of who she was. She was finishing up a conference call when someone knocked on her door. Her father opened the door as she was wrapping everything up.

"Have those reports for me by tomorrow. I appreciate your hard work, Johnson." Fiore dismissed. "Well, this is a surprise."

"A surprise? How so?" Roderick grinned. "It's been too long, our schedules are too busy."

Fiore smiled and nodded.

"And you've been monopolizing our yacht and jet. What if I wanted a holiday?"

"I have been monopolizing our yacht, but we have three planes so you can't get too angry at me borrowing the seven seater. You have the twelve and four seater."

"What have you been up to? You've actually delegated duties and no one's seen you. You've chosen not to be on conference calls and trusted others to just do their jobs. It's just not like you, and it looks like you've lost a considerable amount of weight. What pet project are you working on?"

Fiore smiled and held her ruse. "Just being a workaholic somewhere else. I've been focused on the new research I've been funding."

"And yet you've dropped things with your own charity?"

Fiore shrugged. "I'm one person, I may be good but even I have some limitations."

"And that's how I know you're hiding something from me." Roderick answered as he studied his daughter more closely. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Dad, is it so hard to believe I wanted some time for myself?"

"Yes. My daughter doesn't let others do anything for her. She wants to try and control everything in her world. And she fawns over her nieces and nephews and Christine and Greg stopped by hoping to catch you and she mentioned not seeing you for months. You're hiding something." Roderick stared for another long moment. "It's not back, is it?"

Fiore paled.

"No, tell me it's not."

Fiore shook her head. "It's not."

Roderick's head sank into his hands. "It can't be. Is that where you've been?"

Fiore shook her head, her face carefully locked in a mask. "No."

"Then explain to me why you've been gone, why you won't see your family, and why you look like you've lost at least ten kilos."

"Because I've been traveling and indulging in my own selfish whims." Fiore countered. "Don't look too much into it. I was visiting with the sick children and caught a nasty stomach virus. You know how it can be in developing countries.  That's all."

Roderick shook his head. "You're lying and we both know it." Roderick got up and left, slamming the door behind himself. Fiore hung her head for a minute before getting up and storming after her father.

"You don't get to do that!" Fiore shouted. "You don't get to assume something after not seeing me for months and then storm out of here!"

Roderick stopped and turned. "Are you or aren't you?"

"Father, I'm not sick. I'm not my mother. I'm not going anywhere. So you shouldn't act like I am. And if you decide that you're going to jump to conclusions and project your fears onto everyone then you're going to be awfully alone in this massive house." Fiore warned, cloaked in her normal regal, self-righteous attitude like armor.