Chapter 61: Stranded

Chapter 61: Stranded Can they have the million dollar necklace Ewan had given her as a birthday gift last year? No! How could she make such an unfair trade?! She shakingly dialed her father’s number again. Fortunately for her, he picked. "Hello Dad..." She exhaled harshly in relief as she turned her back to the chief waiter and his subordinate. "What is the problem, Fiona? Why have you been calling consistently?" Fiona sighed at the irritation in her father’s voice. It informed her of how crazy he would get when he finally heard what happened. But Fiona was banking on the fact that he would never leave her hanging dry in trouble, that he would never leave her stranded. "Dad, I’m in a fix." "You’re always in a fix, Fiona. What exactly is the problem this time around?" Fiona inhaled deeply before narrating the story of the evening to her father. When she was done, the other side of the line was quiet. Why? Did something happen? "Dad?" There was no response. She turned to look at the waiters, and noticed that it was only the head waiter waiting, that he already looked impatient, and that the other waiter was already attending to the next table. "So, Fiona, in the current state of things, you squandered thousands of dollars just to eat for one night?" A pause. "Don’t you have a conscience? Don’t you ever think about somebody other than yourself? Why are you so selfish?!" The last statement was basically so loud that Fiona removed the phone from her ear, stared at it for a second, before returning it to her ear. "So now, you want me to send you the money, since Ewan has blocked your cards?" "Yes Dad..." She replied meekly, only because her father’s voice was now lower. "You are a fool..." Fiona staggered under the weight of that insult. Her father had never treated her that way. "All the years you have spent with Ewan, and you don’t have a spare account where you keep money since you refused to work?" Fiona had no answer for her father. "You are a fool, Fiona, and for the first time in your life, I’m glad you’re stranded. Maybe, it’s time for you to be taught a real life lesson." Fear gripped Fiona. She knew that whatever was coming next won’t be good. "By your efforts alone, the company is already folding up. Athena was right. I have to sell out, if I have any chance of seeing some amount of money. In essence, the money you are looking for isn’t with me. So, for once in your life, Fiona, sort yourself out." Then the call ended. Fiona shook her head in unbelief, and tried the number again. This time around, it went straight to voicemail. Did her father just block her number? Fiona was eroded with shock, so much so that when the chief waiter tapped her impatiently on the shoulder, she didn’t feel it. Not until he grasped her roughly, and turned her toward himself. "Are you stupid?! How dare you touch me like that?! Do you know who I am?" The chief waiter sneered at her. "Just pay up, madam. You’re wasting my time." "Give me a minute more!" The chief waiter stomped his foot on the floor in irritation, and sat on the seat. "You have two minutes. Subsequently, I’ll call security on you, after collecting the necklace." Fiona ignored him. Who else could she call? She reverted to the phone to call her friends, but stopped. If her father didn’t help her, was it then her friends? She shook her head. They would ask her why her status had suddenly plunged, and then they would spread the gossip around their circle. She knew because she had, each time, spearheaded the gossip about a lady friend of theirs that was suddenly not doing well. Surely, they would return the favor when it came to her. Was there really no one to help her? When has things deteriorated to this miserable state? When did her life start changing? Working the mental calculations, she saw that her miserableness had started since Athena’s return. Athena! She will surely kill that woman who had successfully downturned her life! When she heard the chief waiter’s harsh knock on the table, she knew her time was up. She fixed a beautiful smile on her face and turned to him. "Is there anything I can do, maybe tonight, to pay a part of the money, so that I can be free to go?" The chief waiter hissed in disgust and stood up. "You can take a waiter’s uniform and serve for the rest of the night. It wouldn’t take much off your payment, but it can be enough to let you off for the night." Fiona shook her head. Waitering was too stressful, worse she could easily be spotted by someone who knew her. If that happened, it was all over for her! "Is there something else?" The chief waiter was tired of these problems. When he had heard that Fiona was here, he had expected the extravagant display, but not this. "There’s washing of plates..." Fiona grimaced. But she had no choice. "Lead me to your kitchen..." She carried her purse and followed the male out of the dining hall, into the kitchen area of the restaurant. It was so terribly busy that she had to keep her head bowed, to prevent people from recognizing her. "There..." Her eyes followed where the male was pointing at. When she saw the stack of plates with leftovers dripping all over, she shook her head. She couldn’t do this either. Without saying a word to the waiter, she walked out of the kitchen. "What exactly is your problem madam? My patience is long gone!" Fiona sighed, "Is there nothing else? I can’t do that." The middle aged waiter stared at her lustfully then, creeping her out. "You are a beautiful woman. We can settle in my bedroom tonight." Fiona couldn’t believe her ears. Is this what Athena has reduced her to? "How much would it take off my bill?" "Five hundred dollars." Fiona held back a scream; people were watching them. "That’s too small." "No, it’s perfect for a night. I need to know what Ewan’s fiancée tastes like... I need to know what he is enjoying..." The chief waiter smacked his lips, as his eyes widened in anticipation. He couldn’t believe the jackpot he had just hit. "Are you in?" Fiona gripped her gown tightly. Just for tonight. She thought. Tomorrow, she will be better. She would also make sure the waiter paid dearly for the insult too. "I’m in."