Chapter 68: Chapter 68

Xavier: A Paradox

"You know mum wanted to be a ballet dancer before she met him." Melissa stopped her story halfway, the smile on her face as she held onto Xavier's hand deciding to be a storyteller to reduce the anxiety just waiting and silence could bring.

They all knew that the "he" was the reason why they were all huddled in a hospital's reception room while holding each other's gaze and hands. He who shouldn't be mentioned.

"She'll tell me about how she had thought of being a part of a musical or something more Frenchly." She paused, her lips tilting into a smirk even as Maya laughed.

"She really didn't know what she meant by Frenchly but all she had thought was pirouettes and ballet shoes well until she had met him." She shrugged her lips set in a tight line.

"You know no matter how many times she told us the story as a bedtime fable while tucking us to bed, never ever using herself but a princess, one thing was familiar, the light in her eyes dulls and the enthusiasm in her voice dies when she gets to this side of the story." Xavier inputted.

"When did you both know it wasn't a story?"

Xavier Chuckled, "We've always known funny enough, had it at the back of our mind that our parents had married out of some business arrangements. She had married to save her father from serious debt to him. He'd simply said, I just might spare you if you give me your daughter. I fancy her.

Xavier's eyes flashed with anger at his grandparents. Anger he have harbored for years and animosity that has grown and grown.

And cowardly, they had handed their daughter to the beast and had been so audacious to tell her she was lucky when he declared interest in wanting to marry her. They had thought he just wanted to bed her." He seemed like he had a sour taste in his mouth as the words escaped his lips.

Brian gasped, Maya wasn't surprised she knew first-hand how easily parents could become monsters and Melissa shrugged.

"And it is quite hard to believe a tale is just a story when she got fed up of looking at a book, she didn't use a book and when she did use one she remained in a page till she was over. Let's not forget the different titles of books she picked off the shelf with unbelievably the same story." Both siblings exchanged a glance of understanding and pain that Maya noticed.

They've watched nothingness and hurt gnaw at their mother ever since they were children and even today as they recounted the story, the anger in their eyes hasn't been dull but she couldn't see the helplessness anymore. They've made a resolve.

She didn't need to watch them further to know that they were done putting up with their father's manipulative ways and their mother's helplessness. They were going to be her prince charming and rescue her even though she had the good grace to admit she needed one or not.

Xavier's nose flared in anger and Maya found herself being corrected. Okay, nothing was charming about a particular somebody beside her who looked like he wanted to hit something or more correctly somebody.

It felt like two days and 15 hours passed after that when it was just two hours before a doctor came to meet them with white scrubs and a little smile.

Melissa who had been dozing off, weary from being at the hospital since last night stood at alert as she spotted him.

"She is in a stable condition. You can see her now."

Melissa was rushing out of the reception room with Brian trailing after her before Maya could blink twice.

And as Xavier stood up, the doctor added, "I know what a bruise that results from falling looks like," he raised his hand in surrender at the sharp look Xavier gave him, "I know how important it is for this not to get out and truly confidentiality is key in here. But for a repeat of what had happened today to be avoided or worst for her to come in minutes later and consequently be in a worst condition or possibly dead." Xavier resisted the urge to wipe the passive look on the doctor's face as he discussed death like it was the weather but remembering that he had witnessed so many that it paled in severity, he looked away.

"Whatever is really going on needs to be resolved soon. Floors don't have fingerprints and sperm was found in her private parts and the use of force was detected." Xavier shuddered.

"Just saying." He muttered and left before Maya could act on the urge to jump him, ruin his well-ironed scrubs and order him not to talk about something so brutal, so cold so casually, and with such nonchalance.

"I hate him," Xavier whispered.

"Yes, that doctor is something."

Xavier gave her a surprising glance, "I want to goad the doctor but he isn't wrong. I'm talking about Mr. Dominic. Trust me," he gave her a sidelong glance, "I ain't letting him off the hook this time. He deserves to pay and pay he shall." And Maya realized as he walk with such unhurried steps to his mother, his eyes set in a steely resolve and blazed fiercely she did trust him.

Months ago if she'd been asked, she would have confidently muttered that she didn't have a single violent bone in her. That much was evident noting the way she had run out from her ex-boyfriend's apartment without pulling a stunt like she was the one at the wrong while she was the one severely sinned against.

But she found herself cheering Xavier silently as she accompanied him to meet his mother, who had been scorned in all way possible.

He glanced at her, she returned it with a grin and as he entwine their hands she found herself wondering how much this past few months have changed and altered almost everything she thought she was capable of doing.

Before Xavier, she'll throw up even her gut at the thought of being stalked but she had confidently strode into an interview studio, something she hasn't thought was possible in her nearest future, and made herself bait without breaking a sweat and making a fool out of an infamous anchor while at it.

He gave her some kind of strength that was sometimes hindering. A weakness and a strength, such a paradox, and if she was completely honest wasn't that what Xavier had brought into her life? She muses.

A man that she feels secure with yet just being with him, brings doom right in her footstep. A friend most times and an enemy in their ideas. She won't fool herself they didn't share most things in common, their reasoning was one of them. A light to her path yet he also gives up his own darkness in the briefest of seconds, when he had allowed her to become vulnerable in front of him and had done the same with her.

As they pushed the door of the ward where his mother Lay she found herself wondering if she'll ever recognize herself when her business with Xavier was done because if she continues like this, she'll be looped in a twist where she didn't know where she begins and where he ends.