Page 158 of King of Ruin

"She's the one who hid him from me first. She's the one who brought that childish bastard between us." His lip curled in disgust. "Have you even seen him? He doesn't even look like a man. He looks like a fucking kid."

His grip tightened around the glass.

"What the fuck is she even doing with him? I don't understand." He shook his head, frustration burning in his voice. "He's nothing like me. She loves me, doesn't she? Then if she wants another man, shouldn't she at least look for someone who looks like me?" He scoffed, unable to hide the jealousy twisting inside him. "Instead, she brings home that young bastard, as if I wasn't enough for her."

Elias stared at him for a long moment before speaking.

"Are you even sure she's having an affair?"

Xavier frowned.

"Did you actually see her do anything?" Elias asked calmly. "Did you see them kiss? Did you catch them in bed? What exactly did you see?"

Xavier answered without hesitation.

"She touched his face."

Elias blinked.

"...What?"

Chapter 17

"She touched his face," Xavier repeated through clenched teeth. "She got into his car, she left with him, and she touched his face."

For a moment, Elias simply stared at him.

Then he dragged a hand down his face and let out a long, exhausted sigh.

"Xavier..." he muttered in disbelief. "Have you seriously lost your mind?"

He leaned forward, looking at him as though he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You're telling me you've already decided she's having an affair because she touched another man's face?"

"Of course." Xavier looked at him as though the answer was obvious. "Why the hell would she touch another man? She doesn't touch anyone except me. I've noticed it. She keeps her distance from every other man, so why would she touch him?"

His jaw tightened.

"Something is going on. She's close to him. I know she is."

Elias was silent for a few seconds before asking the question Xavier had been avoiding.

"Fine." He leaned back in his chair. "Let's say she's having an affair."

His eyes locked onto Xavier's.

"What are you going to do about it?"

The room fell quiet.

"Are you going to break up with her?" Elias asked evenly. "Are you going to let her go?"

Xavier went completely still.

The whiskey glass hit the table with a sharp crack as he slammed it down, the sound echoing through the quiet VIP room. Whatever haze the alcohol had left over his mind vanished instantly, replaced by a chilling seriousness. He stared at Elias as though he had just heard something impossible, his brows slowly drawing together.

"What?" he asked, his voice low with disbelief.