Part 4: Our Night Unexpected Tragedy

[Mama: Shena, mama's boutique is still getting bad reviews. The loan sharks came to collect some of the debt and insulted mama and papa. What will you do if it comes to this?"]

Shena hasn't replied to any messages from mom since three hours ago.

Today was Shena's second day at Xavier's apartment. After the agreement between the two of them had been made, Shena did not respond to any messages from anyone. Including Ola who was looking for her because Shena and Ola lived in the same apartment.

Shena let out a long sigh. Her head was dizzy now because of the alcohol she had drunk an hour ago.

From the side, the smell of alcohol wafted in after Xavier poured more into the glass. The conversation between them was interrupted because both of them felt dizzy from the alcohol.

"Why are you looking so gloomy?" asked Xavier between sips of his alcoholic drink.

Shena shifted her scrutinizing gaze to Xavier. "It's nothing. Just... I thought of something..."

Xavier, who was not yet fully under the influence of alcohol, only wore a confused expression. He looked at Shena curiously. Actually Xavier had been watching Shena since yesterday, like there was something this woman was hiding.

"How... does it feel to have power?" asked Shena in a drunkenly stammering tone.

"Power?" Xavier was surprised, then frowned for a moment. "What's your reason for asking that? Do you want power?"

"Who wouldn't?"

Xavier chuckled. "You really have a problem, Miss Shena. Now..." Without hesitation, Xavier grabbed both of Shena's shoulders to face him. "What's going on? I'm your boss, so I can help you-"

Shena laughed sarcastically. "You don't want to help at all. Nonsense. In the end... ah, you'll ask for a deal."

"The deal is favorable for both parties." Xavier grinned at the end of his sentence. "You've seen those articles have all but disappeared from media circulation, right?"

"Yes, that's true. Unfortunately... it was still detrimental. My parents' boutique got bad reviews," Shena said, making Xavier instantly fade his smirk slowly. "Damn. How unfortunate for me to kiss a powerful person like you."

Watching Shena's drunken laughter instantly brought out an uncomfortable feeling in Xavier's heart. For some reason Xavier could not say anything. A shred of guilt arose so that Xavier could not bear to look at Shena.

This wasn't the first time Xavier had faced women who had to pay the price after the media leaked their relationships to him.

Xavier never felt sorry for any of them, as they were from conglomerate families. Approaching Xavier only for personal gain-even trying to trap him into their love traps.

Unfortunately, it was different now. Shena was not someone from the family conglomerate. Shena had done nothing wrong, nor did she intend to harm Xavier.

"Are you doing this on purpose to be pitied by me?" Xavier asked sarcastically. But honestly, he couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

"No," Shena replied as her body swayed to all sides due to drunkenness. "I'm just telling you the facts. If I were a powerful person like you, I could pay... pay all parties to cover up my ugliness."

Xavier laughed sarcastically. He did not answer Shena's words. His sense of attraction to Shena had somehow increased compared to before.

Then with an intense look in his eyes, Xavier reached out one hand to Shena's hair. He gently stroked Shena's hair, occasionally tucking strands behind her ear.

"If you really want to gain power, why not become my partner?"

Shena looked at Xavier through her guttural eyes. Her eyebrows knitted together in astonishment.

"Don't joke," Shena said with an amused laugh. Her eyes widened. "You won't be able to handle someone like me."

"Are you sure?" asked Xavier, defiantly.

Hearing Xavier's answer instantly made Shena stop laughing. Shena immediately fell silent. There was silence between the two of them as their eyes looked at each other intensely.

I don't know what happened. Shena felt a swish in her chest when Xavier's hand traveled from her hair down, touched her jaw, then moved slowly to the back of her neck. Shena's heart skipped a beat as her nerves spiked because the atmosphere between them suddenly felt different.

"I am attracted to you, Miss Shena," Xavier said very softly.

Xavier's hand stopped at the nape of Shena's neck. Very slowly, while Shena was still stunned, Xavier pulled her nape closer. At the same time Xavier moved his face forward while closing his eyes, landing his lips on Shena's lips.

Tonight, there was no compulsion at all.

There was no prompting.

The kiss between Shena and Xavier just flowed. Time seemed to slow down that second. Shena had closed her eyes and was enjoying the movement of Xavier's lips which were getting more and more passionate. Letting her heart beat faster and faster until it choked her chest.

Shena was no longer aware of anything as she was lost in the atmosphere that night. Xavier's kisses descended very slowly to her neck, tasting the fragrant scent of her skin, occasionally biting to leave a mark.

Shena raises her head as she closes her eyes, enjoying all the touches of Xavier's lips on the surface of her skin. There was no resistance. Xavier even strips off her outer shirt, pulls up the layers of her underwear, then resumes the delayed kiss while playing with the two objects on Shena's chest.

The events of that night left a serious mark on Sherin. The next day, Sherin received a stack of messages on her cell phone. All sent by Alex, her boyfriend who had been searching for her for the past three days.

Sherin looked at her phone screen guiltily. She couldn't reply to anyone's messages. Including Ola's message asking how she was doing even though Sherin had said goodbye - under false pretenses, of course.

"Good morning," a hoarse voice from the side startled Sherin.

Sherin gasped as she pulled the blanket up to cover her upper body. Moments ago, she had woken up naked. Sherin had realized what she had done last night with Xavier.

"Why are you so scared? Have you forgotten how we enjoyed last night-"

"Argh, stop it! Don't say anything about last night, please!" Sherin immediately cut off Xavier's words.

When Xavier was dumbfounded after being yelled at by Sherin, the ringing of the cell phone immediately sounded together with vibration.

Sherin picked up her cell phone and saw the caller's name on the screen: Alex.

"Alex?" said a surprised Sherin. She almost threw her phone because she didn't expect it. "Why is he calling?!"

Xavier took a deep breath and curved a casual smile.

"Just pick up your lover's phone," Xavier replied as he pulled up the blanket and leaned his back against the back of the bed.

"Are you crazy? What am I supposed to answer when he asks where I am?" chirped Sherin without hesitating to give Xavier a glare.

On the other hand, Xavier immediately did not accept it when Sherin shot a sharp sentence at him.

"Hey, you're being disrespectful to your boss."

"I don't care! What can you do when my situation is like this? You're in charge!" Again Sherin blamed Xavier.

Xavier frowned even deeper. Without further ado, Xavier immediately took Sherin's cell phone away. Not caring about Sherin who panicked, the phone that had been ringing was then picked up by Xavier.

Sherin just wanted to grab her cell phone, but her whole body froze after hearing Alex's words.

"Sherin. I know you're inside that man's apartment. Come out now, I'm waiting out front the apartement."