Author's Note: I wanted to explain why the town kind of hates these two characters since I don't know if it'll really fit into the story if I explain it in there. In YR, Chelsea (the character that Musa is loosely based off of in this story) is an ex-conwoman and basically made a few mistakes to the point where no one in the town really trusted her or liked her and to fit in with what I'm trying to do Musa can't really be liked in the town, which is why she wants to move away from the town. Also Adam (the character Riven is loosely being based on) is known as the spawn of the devil in YR. He's done a lot of things that has gotten him in trouble and disliked and much like Musa, I had to make the town hate him because it'll go along with how everyone interacts with them. I'd suggest watching a few videos of Adam and Chelsea, just because, so far, I'm basing my story loosely off of their storyline in YR. (Thanks for the question). Basically what I'm trying to do with this story is put Musa in Chelsea's place and replace Adam with Riven so I kept both of the original characters backgrounds and made it simpler because in a soap opera, everything is complicated. ENJOY!
"Riven? Really? You're trusting Riven?" Neil barked towards his father.
"Gee, isn't it nice to know that your brother really cares for you? I'm right here Neil," Riven growled from the corner of the office.
"We need all the Wakes we can get," Victor calmly turned to his eldest son, "I think that Riven may be capable with dealing with the business since Veronica is stepping down."
"I don't even know why John let him into the business in the first place," Neil huffed and turned to pace back and forth.
John Abcourt was the CEO of J'Abcourt and had integrated himself within Wake Enterprises for many different reasons. One of the reasons was to pester his long time nemesis, Victor Wake, and another reason was to keep an eye on his enemy. The businesses weren't competitors since they worked in different industries, but it was common knowledge that Victor and John's feud ran deep and they would occasionally sabotage the other's business campaigns.
John was originally the VP of Wake Industries until he stepped down and allowed Riven to take over for him, which, at first, didn't go over well with the Wake family as none of them originally wanted Riven to have any part in the family business.
"Well that's over now. We need to focus on getting this company back on track," Victor sternly chastised Neil. Whatever they both had against Riven had to be set aside in order for them to keep Wake Enterprises up and running.
"I just don't think that Riven," Neil began before Victor cut him off.
"Riven is a part of this family so he will do what is best for the company," Victor half said to assure himself and half said to assure his eldest son.
"Am I actually being considered part of the family now?" Riven sarcastically commented from his perch in the corner.
"See? He doesn't even take this family seriously," Neil gestured towards Riven.
"I never said that. I've just had to prove myself more than you or Veronica did and I'm surprised that I'm actually being included in the family," Riven stood up and walked over to where the other two men were standing.
"We may share blood, but we will never be family," Neil growled at Riven before walking out of the office.
"Nice to know I'm loved," Riven called out to Neil's disappearing back.
Victor shot him a warning glare and nodded, telling Riven that he was dismissed.
Riven walked down the hallway until he reached his own office. He sauntered over to the desk and picked up the manila folder that had been dropped off by his father's secretary. After flipping through the file he paused and looked around the office, his eyes coming to rest on the coffee table in the middle of the room. One the table was a travel magazine related to Melody. He felt a twinge in his heart, knowing that he was going to let Musa down big time when she learned that they would be staying in Magix for a few more months.
Although he had promised that they would move, his father trusting in him with the family company had caused him to rethink the big move. He was having second thoughts on leaving so suddenly and was unsure of how Musa would take the news.
Musa heard the lock click and the creaking of the door as it was slowly opened. She stayed on the stairs and leaned against the railing as Riven walked into the house.
"How was work?" she asked hesitantly. She pulled the plush bathroom she was wearing closer to her body after the wind from the outside flew into the house. It may have been a simple question, but it was loaded with much more. She needed to know what he was going to do and what he was going to choose. He could tell that she was asking if they were still moving and figured that he might as well tell her the truth.
"Musa," he began his voice sullen.
She moved her piercing and accusatory eyes on him and he felt his heart sink. It felt like he had something stuck in his throat that he wouldn't be able to spit out. The hair on his arms rose up, whether getting ready to fight or flight he couldn't tell, but he could tell that his beautiful wife was none too happy with him.
"Why do I get the feeling that you're about to tell me something that I don't want to hear?" she mumbled and walked down the last step to meet him at the foot of the stairs, her bathrobe swaying with the movement of her legs. Her eyes were still on him and he could see the disappointment in them.
"I," he started again. His heart was pumping from anxiety and his mind was reeling from deciding what he should or was going to say to her.
"We're not going to be moving are we?" Musa read his mind, and took a small step away from him. Her heart sank in disappointment and her anger boiled over like water boiling over a pot on a stove.
"No," he brought his hands up to his head so that he could rub his temples. His head was pounding and his body was getting ready for his fight or flight moment.
"I'm going to go pack my things," she coldly replied. Musa went to walk back up the stairs, but was stopped abruptly when he grabbed onto her wrist.
"What do you mean?" he questioned, worry brimming in his eyes. His body had picked the fight response.
"I'm going to Melody, whether or not you're coming. I booked a plane for tomorrow and I didn't buy a returning ticket," Musa faced him with her eyes downcast.
"You can't do that," he blurted out. He didn't want her to leave, he couldn't have her leave.
"Riven, you chose Wake Enterprises over me. It was your decision and now I need to finally do something for myself," Musa unhooked his hand from around her wrist. She looked down at his feet, unable to look at the man in the eyes. If she had looked in his eyes she knew that she would have collapsed. She was so weak to him and would have accepted him with open arms if she had seen his forlorn eyes.
"No, you can't go. I love you," he begged.
"No matter what you say, your father and his acceptance means so much more to you than you will ever know," she brought her hand up to caress his cheek. She tried not to think about his pleading and tried to concentrate on the reasons she was leaving him.
"I told you, we will move, it just can't be right now," he tried in vain to change her mind.
"Riven, something will always come up at Wake. There will always be something that your father will need you to do and like a good little boy you will always go running back to him, so that you can please him in some way. I love you, but I can't take it anymore. Wake will always need you and you will always go running. We'll never mean as much to you as Wake," Musa sighed. Although he was disappointed with her decision, he knew deep down inside that she was partly right, Wake would always need him and he would always go running.
"I won't trouble you anymore," Musa turned around and began walking up the stairs.
Riven watched mournfully as his wife's back disappeared around the corner, on her way to their bedroom.
"You don't have to go," he pleaded with her as she put on her coat. Near her side were two suitcases that held her clothes and a duffel bag that held her other belongings. There wasn't much that really belonged to her since she hadn't really had a life until she had met him. She gave him a sad, longing look, but continued to get her things together.
"I do. I can't be put second. I may sound selfish, but I can't be put on a back burner," she murmured while placing her hat on her head. She could feel her heart cracking, its thin walls breaking with every word. She wanted to pull him close to her and tell him that she was his forever, but she had to be stronger than that. She had let him in easily the last time and she couldn't let herself be won over by him so quickly. She had taken him back and had gotten hurt and although selfish, she had to protect herself from heartache.
"Musa," he grabbed her hand, attempting to reach out and pull her closer to him, to bring her back to him, but to no avail. Her mind was made up and he felt a sinking feeling that he wouldn't be able to change it.
"No, I have to go," she insisted and pulled her hand from his grasp, breaking the imaginary connection they had. By severing that connection, Riven felt the hopelessness seep into his body and he could tell that it would be long battle to win her back, if she was even willing to be won back.
With that she grabbed the duffel bag and suitcases and walked out the door, not looking behind her.
If she had looked back she would have seen a male, in his early thirties, with his shoulders hunched, eyes downcast and mouth in a frown. She would have seen the pain seeping from his body and she would have seen the regret radiating from his face.
"What's wrong?" a sultry voice came from the doorway of his office.
Riven turned around quickly and saw that his ex-wife Darcy was standing there.
"Nothing," he muttered and then went to greet her. He kissed her cheek and squeezed her hand.
"Something seems wrong," Darcy looked at him, concern written in her features.
"Musa left," he sighed and backed away to sit on the armrest of the plush chair in the office.
"Why?" Darcy questioned, her eyebrows raised in surprise.
"Because I was spending too much time here," he shrugged and then brought his hand up to cover his eyes.
He let his hand drop limply by his side. He was still trying to comprehend the reasons Musa had walked away. He knew that she was trying to do what was best for her, but didn't like the fact that she had given up on them.
"That doesn't sound like Musa," Darcy came over to stand beside him. She leaned down and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Well, she finally got sick of me putting her second and I don't blame her because I did constantly put her second," he muttered bitterly.
"That can't be true," she tried to comfort him, to let him know that he was still a good man regardless of the events that had taken place.
"I put her second when I was helping you and when I finally get her back, I put her second to the company," he groaned at his stupidity. After talking it out, it may not have been so farfetched for her to have wanted something more.
"Have you tried talking to her some more?" Darcy looked at his pained expression intently.
"I tried to get her to stay, but she won't listen to me," he said, looking ever more dejected and defeated.
"Maybe she'll come around," Darcy patted him on the shoulder again.
"Thanks. So what brings you here?" he asked, pushing his love life to the back of his mind, making is second as usual.
"I have business with your father," Darcy smiled and clasped her hands in front of her chest.
"What kind of business?" Riven inquired, his curiosity awakened.
"I'm not sure. I thought Victor still hated me after all I did," Darcy said as Riven nodded in understanding.
Darcy, just before her mental breakdown and diagnosis of bipolar disorder, had been married to Victor for a few months. When it was presumed that Victor was dead, Darcy had not mourned, gotten married again at his funeral ceremony and had taken over Wake Enterprises. The company suffered a huge blow for her actions, until Victor reemerged, alive and well and took back Wake.
"My father is never one to be predictable, that's for sure," Riven responded.
"That is definitely true. Okay, well I better get going. Talk to her," Darcy removed her hand from his shoulder and slowly walked out of the office.
Riven sighed and got up from the armrest. He walked over to his desk and his eyes ventured to the picture that was standing on his desk. It was a picture of him and Musa after their wedding. He picked up the frame and gently stroked the glass over the spot Musa was in.
"I don't know what I'm going to do without him," Musa sighed and lifted the mug to her lips and took a sip of the steaming hot chocolate. When she set the cup down, a thin line of puffy white whipped cream was left above her lips. She picked up the napkin from her lap and brushed it off.
"You're going to do a lot better without him," Layla assured her.
Tecna looked up from her mug of coffee and nodded her agreement.
"Thanks guys, but I'm not so sure," Musa tapped the sides of the mug with her fingernails.
"You're going to have a stellar music career and I'm going to be your manager," Layla smiled with confidence.
"Timmy will help you with getting sponsors," Tecna chimed in. Timmy was well known around the business community for being a stellar computer whiz and those connections would definitely help fund Musa.
"I don't know," Musa paused and took another swig of her hot chocolate, letting the hot liquid flow down her esophagus before finishing her sentence.
"I just haven't done anything on my own in a while," she looked down at her lap where she was twiddling her thumbs.
"I got you a gig at the bar downtown," Tecna looked up from her phone.
"Thanks Tec," Musa smiled, a little more reassured that she would be able to kickstart her career, despite not having any funding and not knowing anyone.
"You should ask Riven for some money that way you can pay for your studio bills at first," Layla mused, stroking her chin in thought.
"We have a prenup," Musa reminded her friend.
"You could always get around it somehow," Tecna nodded enthusiastically.
"I'm not sure that I want to do that," Musa took a sip from her mug.
"Well it's always a possibility," Layla stated.
"Okay," Musa shook her head in slight disagreement.
"I'm not saying do it, I'm just saying that you have a backup plan in case things go wrong, which they won't," Layla smiled.
"Thanks for being there for me," Musa said to her only true friends in the town.
"No problem darling," Layla nodded.
"That's what we're here for," Tecna remarked.
"Why aren't you on a plane to Melody?" Riven asked the frightened figure standing in the lakehouse living room.
"I didn't realize you would be here," Musa whimpered. Her eyes were open wide in shock and her heartbeat had begun to race at NASCAR speeds.
"I got home early from work," Riven shrugged. Both stayed where they were and neither made a move towards the other.
Musa bit back the urge to reply with a snide comment like "you never did that when we were together," but assumed it was a little too early to be joking about their impending divorce.
"Oh," she decided to go with.
"So why are you here?" he questioned again, folding his arms over his chest.
"I decided not to go and I had left some of my things here," she slowly replied. She had gone to the airport, but was unable to make her way through the security line. As much as she wanted to leave it was like Magix had a ball and chain around her ankle. No matter how much she had desired to escape, she would always be chained to Magix and would always come back.
"Why didn't you go?" Riven asked, a glimmer of hope in his voice. He wished that she had stayed to reconcile with him, but his hope was squashed on like a bug with her response.
"I'm unable to escape from the stranglehold Magix has on me," Musa replied. He looked her up and down, unsure of what her answer meant, but deduced that it didn't include him in it.
"Well did you get what you were coming here to find?" he looked down at his feet, awkwardly shuffling from one foot to the other.
"Yeah," Musa said, feeling the awkwardness radiate out into the room.
"Good," he mumbled.
"I better get going," she murmured and walked around him to get to the door, "I'll see you around," she spoke before closing the door behind her.
Extra A/N: This is not the end, I kind of left it on a cliffhanger and there is going to be a huge twist in the upcoming chapters, which I will try to upload as soon as possible. Also more cameo appearances by the other Winx Club members will be coming up in the next chapters.