Page 178 of King of Ruin

But now, all of it disappeared.

Because the one thing he had been trying not to admit was standing right in front of him.

He was losing Elise.

The woman he loved was slipping further away from him, and for the first time, he could no longer pretend that he was in control.

His hand tightened around the phone as he brought it back to his ear.

“Send me the fucking location,” Xavier ordered.

His voice was rough, almost shaking beneath the anger and urgency that filled every word.

The moment Lucius sent it, Xavier ended the call and walked out of the office without wasting another second. He moved quickly through the building, down the stairs, and straight toward his car. He unlocked the door, got inside, and drove away from the Chen Group, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.

The drive to the restaurant felt endless.

The traffic at night was heavier than usual, with streams of headlights filling the roads and the constant glow of traffic lights slowing him down at every turn. Every second that passed only made the pressure in his chest grow heavier.

His mind refused to stay quiet.

All he could think about was Alice sitting with that man.

What was he doing with her?

Was he touching her?

Was he holding her hand?

Was she touching his face?

Was he holding waist?

Was he kissing her?

The thoughts came one after another, each one feeding the jealousy burning inside him until he could barely breathe.

His grip tightened around the steering wheel as he fought against the images his own mind created. Every moment of waiting felt unbearable, every red light feeling like it was keeping him away from her.

His patience finally snapped.

The moment the road cleared, Xavier pressed down on the accelerator and drove faster, unable to tolerate another second of distance between them.

When he finally reached the location, he barely had time to throw his car keys toward the valet before he started toward the restaurant entrance, his entire body moving on instinct.

But before he could reach the door, Lucius appeared in front of him and grabbed his arm, pulling him sharply toward the side of the building.

"Come here."

Xavier immediately turned on him, his patience already hanging by a thread. "What the hell are you doing? Let me go. I want to see what the fuck is going on."

Instead of answering, Lucius dragged him behind a parked car, forcing him out of sight from the restaurant entrance.

Xavier's temper exploded.

"What the hell are you—"

Lucius slapped a hand over his mouth and glared at him. "Shut the fuck up. They're coming out."