"Yvonne there are some things you need to know but I'd fill you in tomorrow when we meet. I want to go to bed now".
"Alright then, I'd try to be patient. Goodnight Ariana".
"Goodnight".
Both girls fell asleep and by morning, Ariana was ready to leave the house before any of her family members woke up. She felt like a ghost in her own home.
She was about walking out the door and towards her car when she heard her father call behind her. She froze in place as she hadn't expected that he would be awake so early.
Slowly, she turned around to see her father standing by the stairs, staring at her intently. "Yes father?" She said after she had turned towards him. "Come closer" she heard him say. Reluctantly she walked closer to him and when she felt she was close enough, she stopped in her tracks.
"Why are you leaving so early? And where are you going?" Mister Sterling asked with his arms crossed.
"I have to meet up with a friend" she answered with a blank expression. There he goes again. She thought.
Her father always watched her every move and every step, making sure whatever she does doesn't ever interfere with his plans or are against his rules. To her, he called it making sure she doesn't ruin the family's name.
But now Ariana realized it was just his way of controlling her.
"Have you seen the articles online?" He asked with a slight scowl on his face.
"What articles? There are several articles online about various things" Ariana said and she caught her father's eye twitch for a second at her response.
"The articles about you Ariana. About how you are a drunk, how you make wrong decisions that affect the company.." he explained.
"Father you and I know that's not true" she responded.
"Yes it isn't. But it doesn't still mean it isn't bringing a bad image to the family. The only thing that hasn't put our name in the mud yet is the fact that there are still good comments about your sister. She seems to have alot of fans and that is good for the company. More customers".
Ariana stared at her father not knowing what to say to him. She couldn't understand what he was trying to say to her. Praising Ava and rubbing it in her face or just reprimanding her?. She wondered.
"Father, all the years I worked in the company...worked for you. Things like this had never occured, then suddenly Ava is president and then doom...all of this scandals and negative posts starts happening. Too convenient don't you think?" Ariana said and her father was silent for a while before saying "I don't know what you're trying to imply but all I'm saying is whatever you do, don't bring more shame to the family please". With that, he walked away.
Ariana scoffed as she dwelt on the words her father told her. "Don't bring more shame?" She questioned inwardly. All she ever did she follow her father's orders, did exactly as her parents told, was always the obedient daughter but the moment rumors began to spread she was suddenly the daughter who brought shame to the family?.
Ariana began to worry and wonder where it all went wrong. She always did what was right but now, her own family didn't stand by her side during the time she needed them. She wondered if she had somehow angered God and this was the consequences of her actions.
She sighed and walked out of the house and into her car. She noticed she had received a text earlier but couldn't check who had texted because she was still talking to her father. She had expected more from her father, thinking he wanted to have a serious and healthy conversation with her but it was the opposite.
She took a look at her phone and noticed it was two messages she had received. A text from her best friend and a text from the man who picked up the phone when she tried to reach out to Fidel law firm.
She opened the text from Yvonne first.
"Where should we meet?". Her friend's text said.
Ariana sent her a location before opening the man's text.
"Mrs Sterling I apologise for just sending this text but I was so busy. Mister Fidel said you should meet him at where you both met the first time".
Ariana thought of what to say next. She didn't know where her mother met this Fidel man, so she couldn't say anything to the text yet.
After a while, an idea popped up in her head and she began answering the man's text with one hand while her other hand was on the wheel.
"Sir, If you don't mind can you tell me the location once again? I do not quite remember some things at times and I think I have forgotten where I met mister Fidel". She read the text a couple of times before sending it.
After a while, the man sent the location.
Reaching the breakfast restaurant she planned to meet Yvoone, Ariana came out of her car and entered the restaurant.