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She sips her wine achingly slow and nods. “My husband is no angel. He may look like the doting husband, but I don’t exist to him within these walls. I am a showpiece for the world – the perfect CEO with a darling wife on his arm.”
“So why have a baby with him?” I retort.
She smiles. “I didn’t always resent my husband. The resentment grew when I would wake up and sleep alone. The baby is mine. I will raise it alone the way I have been in this marriage alone. Men like Xavier want things until they have it. Once it’s in their clutches, it loses its shine and is tossed aside.”
8
Iclutchthepaperworkclose to my chest and open the back entrance door. I wince when I almost drop it, knowing Huxley would slaughter me if any damage was done to the contract.
“I was trying to help,” Emery snaps. Her voice travels down the staircase to me, standing in the hallway.
“You’re drunk, and it’s barely the afternoon!” he booms loud enough for me to recoil.
Emery’s response comes out as a mumble before her footsteps tumble down the stairs.
There’s not enough time to walk out and pretend I heard none of it, so I act as if I just walked in. I smile at Emery. “Is Xavier in? I have some papers for him to sign.”
Her smile is so convincing I question if I misunderstood what I overheard. “It might be better to come back another time. He’s a little preoccupied right now.”
I nod at her, but the weight of the papers reminds me of Huxley’s impending rage. He already berated me for not getting it signed yesterday, and I don’t dare to tell him I failed again.
“This will take two minutes. Is he in his office?”
She eyes me as if she doesn’t believe me. “Yes.” Her smile is plastered back onto her face. “I’m off for lunch with my friends. I’ll be back soon.” She turns on her heels and walks away.
I stand at the bottom of the stairs and take a deep breath. Xavier in a foul mood is no easy feat, and I don’t plan on being on the receiving end. I take each step with false confidence until I am outside his office. With three sharp knocks, I wait for permission to enter.
“Not now, Emery!”
I clear my throat. “It’s Savannah. Huxley needed something signed.”
He calls for me to enter. The midnight blue walls, mahogany desk and dark chairs throw me off momentarily. This room doesn’t look like it belongs to this house. The bookshelf is stocked with neatly placed boxes that are precisely labelled. This room is the only room that has character and looks lived in. Even with the blinds open, the room still has a darkness that I like.
Xavier is casually dressed in jogging bottoms and a t-shirt. His usually styled hair is in its natural state and surprises me with its slight curl. His biceps bulge as he leans his arms on his thighs. This is the first time I have seen his arms… and feet.
Why am I staring at his feet?
I snap out of my reverie as I remember what I came to do. Xavier doesn’t pay much attention to me as he stares at the marble chessboard before him. He appears to be mid-play with himself, so I stand awkwardly and wait until he acknowledges me.
A few minutes go by before I sit on the other side. “Shall I leave these here and go?”
He finally moves one of his pieces. He hums in agreement with himself. When he looks at me, I find it hard not to become mesmerised by his hypnotic eyes. “What is that?”
“Contract extension. Huxley asked for these yesterday, and I forgot.” The silence is making me feel suffocated, so I continue my ramble. “I think he might kill me if these don’t get to him in the next hour.” My awkward chuckle makes me cringe.
Xavier offers a small smile. “I’ll let him know it has been sorted. Leave it on my desk.”
I follow his instructions and awkwardly stand in front of him. “Thanks.”
What I thought was anger, I realise, is sadness. Xavier isupset. Even with the failed transfers, I never saw this type of sorrow in his eyes. He doesn’t look at me, returning to play the opposing move.
“Do you play chess?” he asks, analysing the board for the next best move.
“No. Chess is for nerds,” I joke.
A small smile makes an appearance, and it makes me giddy thatImade it happen. “Take a seat. Let this proud nerd teach you a thing or two.”
I don’t care to learn, but I sit opposite him. He points at each counter and explains the rules of them. There are too many rules for me to keep track of, but I nod.
