Page 66 of King of Ruin

He had absolutely no desire to see the expression Mr. Chen was wearing now.

Several long seconds passed before Xavier finally released the car door.

He straightened his cuff with slow, meticulous movements, every gesture controlled despite the anger simmering beneath his composed exterior. Then he ducked into the back seat, pulling the door shut behind him with enough force that it echoed through the quiet street.

"Drive."

Benjamin didn't waste another second.

"Yes, Mr. Chen."

Nearly an hour later, the black Rolls-Royce glided to a stop in front of the Chen Group headquarters once again.

The lunch had been thoroughly unenjoyable.

The food had been prepared by one of Manhattan's finest restaurants, every dish cooked to perfection, yet Xavier hadbarely tasted any of it. After only a few bites, he'd set his utensils down, his appetite disappearing long before the meal was over.

His thoughts had refused to stay at the restaurant.

Again and again, they drifted back to the scene outside the Chen Group headquarters—the way another male had wrapped his arms around Elise without hesitation, the ease with which he'd held her hand, and the smile that had appeared on her face whenever she looked at him.

Each memory left a bitter taste that no expensive meal could erase.

By the time Benjamin pulled the Rolls-Royce back to the office, Xavier's mood had only grown darker.

He stepped out onto the curb, fastened the front button of his suit jacket with practiced precision, and walked into the building without breaking stride.

By the time Xavier stepped out of the elevator onto the executive floor, his expression had settled back into its usual impassive mask. Employees greeted him as he strode past, their voices respectful and polite, but he acknowledged none of them. His attention was elsewhere, his long strides carrying him straight toward the office at the end of the corridor.

The moment he pushed open the door, his eyes found Elise.

She was seated behind his desk, completely engrossed in the contracts spread neatly before her. One elbow rested lightly on the polished wood while the other hand moved across the page in smooth, practiced strokes, making notes in the margins. A few loose strands of hair had escaped from her neat hairstyle and fallen against her cheek, and every so often she absentmindedlytucked them behind her ear without ever lifting her eyes from the paperwork.

The quiet domesticity of the scene stopped him in his tracks.

She was exactly where she always was.

Exactly where she belonged.

The knot that had been tightening in his chest ever since he'd watched her leave with another man loosened, if only by the slightest degree.

Hearing the door close behind him, Elise finally looked up. The instant she saw him, her lips curved into a warm, familiar smile that reached her eyes.

"Xavier. You're back."

There wasn't the slightest trace of awkwardness on her face.

No guilt.

No nervousness.

Just the same calm smile she greeted him with every day.

Without thinking, Xavier found himself studying her more carefully than he'd intended.

He crossed the room in unhurried steps, setting his phone, wallet, and keys onto the desk with a quiet clink before stopping beside her chair.

Elise had already risen to her feet.