Chapter 11: It's A Success!
Lara knew Raven meant business when she said she'd be coming for her. She knew the amount of trauma and pain she, her brother, and his friends had inflicted on her. They had ripped her of her happiness, her sanity, her will to live, her dignity, her family... everything!
That was why she wasn't going to sit down and let Raven get to her first.
The two men who had come over the previous day weren't police officers; they were, in fact, thugs, as Raven had said. They were her henchmen.
Lara was determined she would find Raven and finish her off this time around. She has already decided that once she captures Raven, she will send her six feet under the ground, where her family will be waiting for her.
Lara had already instructed Mandy that the two men would be coming over again and that she should let them in.
So when the doorbell rang, she didn't bother querying through the intercom about their identities. She pressed a button which opened the outer gate.
She ushered the two men in and served them refreshments.
One of the two men was taller and had a scruffy beard, with a menacing scar above his left eyebrow. His name was Risky.
While the other had a thick, muscular build and a cruel grin, with a distinctive gold chain hanging around his neck. He was Malcolm.
The sight of the two men scared Mandy. And she wanted nothing more than to get out of their sight.
"Let's go boys," Lara said as she joined them.
She was dressed in black leggings and a tank top with her hair tied behind her back.
"Are you going somewhere, ma'am?" Mandy asked, her disapproving eyes, shifting to the two men behind her.
"Yes." Lara confirmed, "And I won't be back for a few hours. Make sure to send one of the maids to get Lucy when her school dismisses. Am I clear?"
"Of course, ma'am," Mandy answered.
And then with that, Lara and the two men walked out of the house.
Mandy stood by the door, watching them as the three made their way into the car and drove out through the gate.
"I'll go," Raven said, creeping up behind Mandy.
Mandy flinched, swiftly turning around. "Jesus! You nearly gave me a heart attack Lily... if that's even your name!"
"I said I'll go get Lucy when her school dismisses," Raven said, ignoring her exclamation.
"But..." Mandy made to protest.
"I'm going to get Lucy when her school dismisses, Martha and that's that!" Raven declared finally, giving her a deadly smile.
Mandy's eyes were worried as she searched Raven's gaze.
"You won't try to hurt the kid, will you?" She asked worriedly.
"Maybe." Raven shrugged. "Maybe not."
"Please don't harm her." Mandy pleaded. "She's just an innocent little girl."
"Why would I harm her?" Raven asked rhetorically, and the worry on Mandy's face softened. "Unless... she becomes a brat."
The worry appeared once more in Mandy's eyes.
"I'll be out for a few hours," Raven announced, stepping out of the house. "If the other maids ask, tell them you sent me on an errand and I'll bring Lucy on my way back. Understood?"
"Yes... but... where are you going?"
"That's on a need-to-know basis, Martha," Raven said and then disappeared through the gate.
Mandy worriedly stood there, staring at her as she left.
-----
While Lara and her henchmen were out, searching for potential clues that could lead them to Raven, her husband was at his company's conference room listening to the presentation Hale Corps was making.
Adam Gates sat at one side with his phony team, while Felipe sat at the other side with his team. Everyone listened attentively to the Hale Corps guy making the presentation while one of the guys surreptitiously typed away on his laptop, with the act that he was following up on the presentation.
His real name was Ken Martin and he was greatly respected and widely known by the world of hackers as the Gate Keeper.
There was nothing he couldn't hack—websites, databases, security systems, even minds if given enough time. And he's currently wanted by the police for identity theft, financial fraud, corporate espionage, and a trail of digital heists that have left governments and billionaires scrambling to recover.
So, as the meeting was taking place, he was hacking into Brant Enterprises' system, and it didn't take quite long before he was in.
He instantly gained full access to the company's financial records, employee payrolls, and confidential transactions—millions of dollars at his fingertips, just waiting to be redirected.
He closed his laptop and gave Adam a furtive nod, just as they practiced. Adam signaled the other guy making the presentation to round up.
In a few minutes, the presentation was done.
Everyone applauded as they were impressed by the presentation, especially Felipe.
"This is wonderful!" Felipe wowed as he stood up to shake hands with Adam. "I really look forward to working on this project with you Mr Hale."
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"The feeling is incredibly mutual Mr Brant," Adam replied, shaking his hands. "I'm so glad you like our proposal."
"Are you kidding? This is just brilliant!" Felipe exclaimed. "If we do this project, it'll be the talk of the town and will certainly give us more exposure! I'll talk to my legal team and then we'll get back to you."
"We'll be waiting for your response," Adam responded knowing fully well that they wouldn't meet again. "My team and I hope we get a positive response."
"I assure you will."
"Until then."
And with that Adam and his team walked out of the conference room down to the elevator.
Once in the elevator, they were all squirming with joy that their plan went effortlessly well.
He dived into his pocket, brought out his phone, and then dialed Raven's number.
----
Raven was standing in front of Smith and C. Services, a trustee firm when her phone rang.
She had taken off the dirty blonde wig and her maid's clothing. Her dark hair was tied up in half-up space buns with bangs, dark lipstick smeared on her lips giving her a bold, defiant look and thick black kohl lined her eyes, smudged just enough to add to her mysterious, rebellious aura
She had on a fishnet top under a graphic crop top, ripped shorts with chains, and striped arm warmers. She looked gothic... and badass.
She stared at her phone screen, seeing it was Adam, and she picked up the call.
"Yes, Adam. How did it go?" Raven said into the phone as she waited with bated breath.
"What do you think?" Adam asked energetic happiness radiating from his voice.
"It was... a success?'' She asked.
"You bet!" He confirmed. "Brant Enterprises is now in our hands."
Yes! Raven squirmed happily as a smile escaped her lips.
"Good job, Adam." Raven complimented, her face wreathed with uncontrollable smiles, "Everything is going according to plan. Lara won't see what's coming to her."
"She definitely won't. Where are you at the moment?" Adam asked. "Have you already gone to Smith and C."
"I'm about to. I'm standing in front of the firm as we speak." Raven told him.
"Well... good luck."
"Thanks."
"And Raven... please be careful."
"Pfft! You worry too much Adam." Raven said rolling her eyes a bit as she smiled despite herself. "Besides, what would happen to me now that hasn't happened before? Anyways... I like that you worry too much. I think that makes you kinda cute."
"Wait... you think I'm cute...?"
"Shut up Adam." Raven chuckled a bit. "Gotta go."
And then she disconnected the call.
She heaved a deep sigh.
After a moment, she regained her deathly confidence, and then she walked into the firm with people's eyes on her.