Chapter 27: Chapter 27

"I don't know what you are talking about Tyler. But yes I was just Xavier's assistant and trust me, everything happened so fast. Yes a month ago I was sure I didn't want anything to do with Xavier but I have seen another side of him. The one that the tabloids and the camera have not been able to catch a glimpse of," She whispers smiling.

"And honestly, I want to marry that man. What difference does it make if we wait for a year or two? When I can spend that time waking up with him beside me. Xavier is it for me." Maya edged closer towards him while he stared at her perplexed and lost.

"If that will be all Tyler, my fiance is waiting for me. You should come too, it will be nice to have a familiar face around. Trust me your family members are sharks!" She whispered, chuckling a little at the last part, and with that, she was heading towards the door praying it was the right direction to the dining.

She tried to calm her heartbeats which were beating like it was going to jump out of her body.

She hoped he didn't see through her lie and she was convincing enough.

~ A Xavier no one has seen? She thought. Nice Maya! Beautiful her subconscious mocked her.

Would have been beautiful, if you didn't tell that to his brother. So there is a side to Xavier, he hasn't seen in years? But you have seen in a month, classic! Her subconscious continued taunting her as she wiped her sweaty palms with her gown.

***

The clattering of utensils was the only sound heard in the dining room as everyone helped themselves to a serving of the food, Mrs. Salvador had prepared.

Her culinary skills were one that still amazed Maya as she had not seen that coming.

Maya sighed, playing with the food on her spoon accepting that her appetite was lost even though she had skipped dinner and she knew it had everything to do with the woman that had so much resentment in her eyes for her and was sitting opposite her. Shooting daggers at her, at every chance she gets.

"You know I have been wondering..." Mr. Dominic started, interrupting the silence in the dining room.

A dining room which Maya found insanely big and table insanely long for just a man who probably had his meals in his room.

It was even odder that the table accommodated all the guests who were over 37.

What was this? Passover? She thought wryly.

"How did you both meet?" He asked, staring at Xavier, a ghost of a smile on his face.

"At the club."

"At the office."

They both said in unison.

Mr. Dominic grinned as everybody stared at them confused.

~They should have known, questions like this would be asked and should have discussed their answers so they could be on the same page Xavier thought regretfully.

Maya smiled.

"We had first met at the club and had shared a few drinks and intense stares." She said, " But I love saying we had met at the office, not only because it is more appropriate as a story for our grandchildren..."

They chuckled.

"... But because I was able to catch a glimpse of the man I fell in love with while I worked for him." She held his hands, squeezing them and he smiled.

Maya couldn't help but admit that lying gets easier after the first, now it just comes naturally to her again and again. Normally she would be guilt-ridden, but now she felt thrilled as she watched the dirty smirk on Mr. Dominic's face being replaced with a frown and that feeling scared the crap out of her.

"So what is Xavier's favorite food?" Anne Gracie asked smiling, knowing that piece of information was unknown to even the public.

Maya felt Xavier's tensed body beside her as he gripped her hand tightly under the table, while Maya smiled at him assuringly.

"He tells everyone that he loves German potato dumplings because of how fancy it sounds but truthfully, Xavier is just an island boy at heart who loves his Good ole-boiled bananas any day," Maya stated confidently.

"Favorite color?" Mr. Dominic asked in between mouthfuls.

"Why do I feel like my fiancée is being interviewed?" Xavier asked.

"Because she is." Mr. Dominic replied with a cheeky smile.

"Blue. Even though he tries to convince Everyone is grey. And of recent, Blue is also becoming my favorite color." She whispered while placing her hand over his on top of the table.

"I can't help but fall in love with the blue orbs that I do stare at for hours as his eyes the amount of love mirrored in mine."

"Awww..." The whole table whispered.

"I have a question too," Tyler said. He was sitted beside Melissa who nudged him playfully, assuming that as always he was going to drop a joke.

"Why do you love Maya?" He asked.

Xavier stopped eating and his fork clattered on his plate. He looked up taken aback by the question.

"Because growing up..." Tyler continued, "You were so convinced that love is fictitious. This opinion you backed with so much conviction and points that were very much valid at the time and all of a sudden, not only are you in love, but you are planning on going for the big deal forever. What happened to love is only for losers looking for validation to feel less miserable?"

"I have met your fiancée, she is beautiful no doubt. But you have dated more than a dozen of women over the years. From nightstand to your longest-term relationship that didn't last for more than 4 months, you have met thousands of beautiful women. So why Maya? Why now?" Tyler asked a soft smile on his face but his eyes fixated on Xavier was a challenge.

The whole room went quiet. It seemed almost like it was a question on everyone's mind he had voiced out.

The reason they had all gathered curiously to Know what was so different about this particular woman that had tamed the man, they had all thought will die as a player.

Xavier stared at Tyler for some time, his face blank and his eyes void of emotions as always, unreadable.

Maya wondered if the person next to her on the left could hear her rapid heartbeat accelerated by fear and the tension in the air, made, even more, intimidating by the profound silence in the room.

"I had all those opinions about love because I was a fool and a coward. I was Xavier, the man who handles risky business contracts with billions of dollars, I have millions of worker who depends on the smooth running of my business for their livelihood, but yet I was never scared, it was simple. It was familiar. But love? Just knowing that I have to give a person all of me and hope for reciprocation. That was...." He swallowed hard.

"So scary. Still scares the shit out of me honestly." He whispered chuckling lightly.

Mrs. Salvador's eyes shone bright with tears as she watched her son who she had thought was completely dead to emotions say words she never thought he was capable of uttering and nonetheless in front of everybody.

"And honestly I don't know when I started feeling this way but this lightheadedness and crazy anticipation that I feel when I am about to see her. What am I even saying? I was so excited to see her today that I had knotted my tie wrongly. A morning routine I have practiced with ease for years." He said amused.

Everybody at the table was quiet.

"But if this feeling isn't love then it is just plain craziness. And honestly, it isn't fictitious, It is real. As real as myself, as real as all of us together in this table hearing me string shitty words together to profess my love to a woman that opened up my heart to such beautiful possibilities, My Maya." He whispered.

Maya's breath hitched as she gazed at him, willing herself internally not to break down in tears.

"And... I will choose to want to get on the boat of forever with her over and over again, walk down the legendary scary aisle and say my I do with so much sincerity because she is it for me. Forever." He whispered, a genuine smile on his face, showcasing his dimples.

"To Maya and Xavier forever," Melissa said standing up with her glass to propose a toast, her eyes glassy with unshed tears just like almost everybody on the table.

Tyler stared at Xavier in shock as he raised his glass.

"To Maya and Xavier forever." Everybody chorused.

Xavier grinned.

They have sold their lies to the smartest people he knew successfully.