Page 156 of King of Ruin

His jaw tightened.

It had only been two days since Astrid had moved into the mansion, yet Elise refused to leave his thoughts.

She was all he could think about.

What he couldn't understand was her complete lack of jealousy.

She had watched another woman move into her boyfriend’s home and stand beside him, yet she hadn't argued with him. She hadn't cried. She hadn't demanded an explanation. If anything, she had accepted it with a quiet smile that disturbed him far more than tears ever could.

It wasn't supposed to happen like this.

She was supposed to be angry.

She was supposed to fight for him.

Instead, she had simply... let him go.

The realization twisted something deep inside his chest.

An unfamiliar ache spread through him, tightening until it became difficult to ignore. Xavier lifted a hand and absently rubbed over his heart, his brows knitting together. For the first time in years, he couldn't understand what his own emotions were trying to tell him.

His gaze eventually drifted to the phone resting beside him.

Without thinking, he unlocked it and opened his photo gallery.

His thumb stopped on Elise's picture.

For a long moment, he simply stared. Then, almost unconsciously, his thumb brushed gently across her face on the screen.

She was smiling.

A soft, genuine smile that reached her eyes. He realized with a sharp pang that he could no longer remember the last time she had smiled at him like that.

These days she still smiled...

But it wasn't for him.

Not anymore.

It felt as though she was slipping farther away every single day, like smoke escaping through his fingers no matter how tightly he tried to hold on. And for the first time in his life, the thought of losing someone filled him with a quiet, suffocating fear.

A short while later, the black Rolls-Royce pulled to a stop in front ofPhantom, the city's most exclusive private club. Its name glowed against the darkness, the sleek black façade illuminated by soft golden lights as luxury cars lined the entrance.

Benjamin glanced into the rearview mirror.

"Mr. Chen," he said respectfully. "We're here."

Xavier slowly came back to reality, his thumb still resting against Elise's photograph.

For a long moment, he simply stared at the screen before locking the phone and slipping it back into his pocket. Whatever was twisting inside his chest hadn't eased. If anything, it had only grown worse.

Xavier stepped out of the car without waiting for Benjamin to open the door.

The moment he approached the entrance, the security guards immediately recognized him. They straightened at once, bowing respectfully before stepping aside to clear a path. Several guests waiting in line glanced over in surprise as Xavier walked past them without so much as slowing down.

Without sparing anyone a glance, Xavier strode inside the club and headed straight for the private VIP suite that was permanently reserved for him and the rest of his circle whenever any of them visited the club.

The VIP room was empty when Xavier stepped inside.