Page 160 of King of Ruin

Xavier shook his head without looking at him.

"I'm fine." His voice was rough from the alcohol. "Go home."

Benjamin hesitated. He clearly didn't believe him, but after working for Xavier long enough, he knew there was no point arguing. He simply gave a respectful nod before stepping back as Xavier made his way up the stone pathway toward the front door.

The moment Xavier stepped inside, a familiar warmth greeted him.

Only a few lamps had been left on, casting a soft golden glow across the otherwise quiet mansion. The silence wrapped around him, but unlike before, it no longer felt cold.

His gaze slowly drifted around the house.

Somewhere along the way, he realized, the mansion had changed.

When he had first bought the place, everything had been white, modern, and meticulously designed. It had been impressive, luxurious... and completely lifeless. It was nothing more than a place to sleep between endless days of work.

Then Elise had moved in.

Little by little, without him even noticing, she had filled the house with warmth. Fresh flowers appeared on the dining table every week. Soft blankets were draped over the couches she liked to curl up on while reading. The faint scent of vanilla and fresh linen lingered in the air instead of expensive room diffusers. There were books on the coffee table, candles in the living room, and small decorations that somehow made the enormous mansion feel... lived in.

It no longer felt like a house.

It felt like a home.

Xavier came to a slow stop in the middle of the foyer. She had woven herself into every corner of his life so quietly that he had never noticed it happening.

Now...

He couldn't look anywhere without seeing her.

His gaze drifted toward the kitchen, and almost immediately, another memory surfaced.

It had been only a few months after Elise had moved into the mansion when her birthday arrived.

He hadn't even known it was her birthday until late that evening.

She had spent the entire day working beside him at the office without saying a word, and by the time he found out, every bakery in Manhattan had already closed for Christmas.

For the first time in years, Xavier had actually panicked.

He had wanted to buy her a cake.

Instead, after finding every shop closed, he had walked into the kitchen and made the only thing he knew how to cook.

An omelet.

It had been embarrassingly simple.

Still warm from the pan, he had carried it upstairs himself and awkwardly wished her a happy birthday.

He had expected disappointment.

Instead...

Her entire face had lit up.

She had looked so genuinely happy that it had caught him completely off guard. She had happily finished every bite before looking up at him with those soft, gentle eyes that always seemed to look at him as though he could do no wrong.

"As long as you make it for me, I'll always be happy,"she had told him with the brightest smile."This is my favorite thing to look forward to now. Every time you make it for me, I promise I'll be over the moon."