RAVIEL (SIXTEEN)

Karina's funeral went very quickly and smoothly. I had no hesitation in having her buried as soon as we arrived in LA. I had already contacted the funeral home to pick up Karina's body at the airport and bring her to the funeral home before she was taken to the cemetery. I would not let Karina's body defile my house. She had defiled my house for the past year. I would not let Karina defile my house again while she was a corpse.

Claire asked me why I didn’t bring her mother’s body home and hold a more private funeral at home. I told her that I wanted privacy after the funeral was over and didn’t want to receive any condolence visits at home. Thankfully, Claire respected my decision and went along with every step without asking too much.

“Finally, we’re home. Although it’s a shame that our vacation ended early, and we didn’t return home as a full team.”

“Yeah, this house feels different without my mother’s noisy voice. I’m going to miss her.”

We walked into the house that we had left for a week. The house was indeed very quiet without Karina and her chatter, which I was very excited to welcome the silence that had accompanied me for years.

After marrying her, Karina acted like a powerful mistress. She bought useless things with my platinum card and decorated every corner of my house according to her taste. I was grateful that I went out more often to take care of business than staying at home. Obviously, I was patient for quite a long time before I finally managed to get rid of her forever from my life.

"Your lectures will start next week. Do you have any plans to fill your time during your break?"

"Umm... Not yet. I'll try to find something to do."

Well, this girl always bit her lower lip whenever she had something she wanted to say, but she hesitated. I really wanted to replace her teeth with mine, with my tongue, and with my lips. I would kiss her hard and brutally. I would slip my tongue into the warmth of her mouth, then I would wrestle her tongue, and rub my teeth against her plump lower lip.

Damn!

That would be the perfect worldly pleasure.

"Do you have something you want to say before you go to your room?"

“Actually, I have a friend who is quite close to me. Her name is Olivia. She is very kind and never does anything out of line. I—”

“Don’t beat around the bush, Claire. Tell me what you want.”

Claire took a deep breath before saying what she wanted quickly and clearly.

“Can I invite her over? I know you’re uncomfortable with strangers in your house. But this time I need someone to talk to, heart to heart, and I’m too lazy to go to a café or the park.”

“You can invite her over.”

“Really? Thank you, Rave.”

Claire jumped into my arms excitedly. I hugged her tightly. My arms wrapped around her back. Every now and then, I brushed my fingertips against her bra strap that was printed under her black blouse. I didn’t mind her bringing some of her female friends over as long as I could always see her radiant face that was blushing beautifully. But if one day she tried to bring a man to my house, I wouldn't hesitate to shoot him dead with my favorite gun.

I didn't need to tell Claire about my rules right now, because I didn't want to scare her. She would understand the other side of me well as time goes by.

“I understand that you need someone to share with. You can invite your friends to come here. The day after tomorrow, I will have a business trip for a few days. I hope you don’t mind staying home alone.”

“Nope. I’ll be fine.”

Claire stepped back slowly, and made a gesture that she was going to her room.

“Get some rest. See you at dinner.”

As Claire dragged her suitcase to her room, I walked towards my study on the right wing. Suddenly, I remembered something and I turned to call her.

“Clair, wait. I forgot to tell you something.”

“Yes?”

She stopped near the spiral staircase, looking at me with raised eyebrows.

“I’ll hire Alberta again starting tomorrow.”

“That’s good. She’s a good woman.”

“I don’t want you to feel tired taking care of such a big house by yourself. Besides, you will have someone to accompany you at home if I have to go abroad for business.”

 “Got it.”

“Ok. Go rest in your room.”

I walked through a long hallway filled with abstract paintings from auctions and art exhibitions I had attended. This was another side of me. I loved abstract art and I hung it on almost every wall in my house. It was the only thing Karina was not allowed to touch when she played the role of a powerful hostess. She could throw all my old stuff in the storage room, she could remodel my room to suit her very tacky taste, but she was not allowed to disturb my paintings. They depicted my abstract soul. I had several personalities neatly wrapped in a mask worn by Raviel Marshal, a successful businessman from LA.

I pushed the double doors open and stepped into my very standard office. Luxurious, but there was nothing special here. There were only bookshelves with books that I rarely read. A desk made of the best quality wood, a soft leather chair, a set of laptops and various documents sitting on the table. But that wasn't where I spent most of my time if I wasn't working outside the house.

I walked to the wall and moved one of my favorite paintings. It was a painting by a French artist, and there was only one of it in the world. I admired the man's work and had specifically asked him to make one for me. He was a nice guy. His talent was also amazing. Unfortunately, he died a year after making one of his best works for me because of cancer that was eating away at his body.

I punched in the combination of numbers on my safe, and the wall behind my desk opened. I slid the painting back to cover the safe, which was really just camouflage to hide the secret door. That was my real workspace. The place where I organized everything related to my businesses, my life, and the woman who managed to get most of my attention.