Mayor’s POV:I’ve been out of town for two days, looking for something. And finally, here it was: the house I’d been looking for."Who are you looking for?" a lady answered once I rang the bell. Definitely, it wasn’t my town, so she had no idea who I was."Mr. Morgan lives here?" I asked her, closing one eye as if I had tried and failed to recall his last name."Yes. Who are you?" the lady in black jeans and a white shirt asked me. I failed to notice the frown on her forehead; my mission was to make her even sadder."I’m his friend," I replied, giving a rough eye to the house. That bastard had actually built a very nice house. My guards were now surrounding the house because they were aware that something was going to happen."Then you should know he isn’t home." She acted like a lady who persuaded herself that she knows her husband very well. The fact that instead of guessing that maybe I didn’t know, she just tried being cocky with me."That’s why I came here so that I can bring you
Mayor’s POV:"How’s she?" The instant we entered the mansion, Jace asked Miranda with a concerned look on his face. I watched Miranda’s face in rage as she explained Phoenix’s condition to him. I didn’t wait for them and headed straight to her room. Jace had no right to ask about her after he put her life in so much danger."No!" Phoenix yelled at the sight of me. I didn’t like it whenever she was startled by my image. I remember wanting everybody to be afraid of me, but it no longer felt good."It’s me, Phoenix!" I made an attempt, but she screamed again and hid her face while pulling up her knees closer to her chest. She was still sitting in one corner of the room."Phoenix," I uttered, sitting on the floor on my knee."You --you hi--t me." she said through sobs and not raising her face."No, I didn’t. I did raise the belt, but it wasn’t for you." Basically, she was thinking that she passed out because of me."GOOOOO, LEAVE ME ALONE." Her shout made me shiver. Her hate was breaking
Mayor’s POV:She ran into my arms, wrapping her hands around me and tugging her face against my chest. I held my breath for a moment so I wouldn’t scare her. It was something I’d never felt before. As much as I have craved this day, the fear that it was a dream was making me worry.If it indeed was a dream, didn’t want to wake up from it. The scent of her hair was slowly intoxicating me. Her warm body in my embrace gave me chills down my spine. It was this moment when I felt like crashing my lips against hers, but I didn’t even hug her back for a moment. I was too scared to do that. I didn’t want to alarm her with my touch.It was like having a bird that flew away and sat down on a tea branch. One could see her, but making a move would alarm her into flying away. You want to touch her, but the situation is so fragile that all you can do is sit nearby and watch her. Phoenix was that bird for me. I didn’t want to scare her, but I had to get her closer, so I lightly pulled my arms around
Phoenix’s POV:I woke up on the door’s latch as a maid entered my room, giving me a smile. I yawned, stretching my body while shifting sides on the bed. Actually, it was Xavier’s room, and I’d been staying here for days, but he didn’t complain. The last night was unbelievable. The gift he gave me was the most precious thing to me.He helped me recover from the trauma so easily. I don’t know how he does all that, but he really is able to make my day."Morning sweetheart," the maid finally spoke when she realized I was too busy stretching."Morning," I replied, with a glimpse of a smile for her and also a sight of the breakfast. I stared at the fresh roses decorated decently on the tray."Mr. Mayor had picked them up himself from his garden," she said with a cheeky smile, and she closed the door before she walked out of the room.Why is he being so sweet to me?I mean, it wasn’t every day that Xavier would act so nice. Also, he was the first person after my mother to do so much for me.
I was annoyed with him for not telling me exactly what he had been doing to that poor boy.“Xavier,” I yelled in annoyance, making him let out a sigh and understand I wasn’t in a playful mood anymore.“Fine,” he rolled his eyes, getting up and placing the pen and the sandwich away at the same time, “he got what he deserved.” I heard him say.“Really? then I deserve the worst punishment too, from you.” I knew he would say that I’d already gotten my punishment. So I added the next two words for him.“You know I will never do that.” The beast in him showed up. I backed off a bit but then straightened my back again.“So you are not a good mayor who thinks everybody deserves the same punishment then,” I questioned him, not backing away and keep looking in his eyes.“Phoenix! You are asking something from me that I can never do. No matter how much you poke me around, I will never lay a finger on you,” he grunted, sounding sad that I was demanding that from him.“I’m telling Jace to set him
Although Jace has been nothing but a prick, his claims did alarm me. I have been through many struggles in my life which made me not believe anyone entirely.Even now, I badly wanted to believe I am not Felicity, nor Olivia to Xavier but somewhere inside my heart, the trust issues because of my experiences were itching me."You are saying this now because?" It was stupid of me to expect a straight answer from Jace. He was raging, and his motive was to convince me somehow."Talk to Felicity. Ask her what she went through; ask her how long Xavier and she had dated and how easy it was for him to toss her out of his life." The mention of them dating shocked me. That thought has never crossed my mind before. I remembered clearly the day Felicity was punished, and all I could hear was her wanting to marry some other guy. So, was that the reason for Xavier’s anger?She made it clear that day that she didn’t want to be with Xavier, so did she cheat on him, or did he throw her away?"Why now?
My chest tightened, and my breaths became increasingly louder. I couldn’t seem to shake that incident from my mind. I was watching the sight of the house get clear as I kept walking in its direction."Hey, Phoenix!" I was startled by the cheery greeting from one of the neighbors. They used to complain about me all the time, and now they are talking to me. However, they were not a part of that incident, and I know they have never liked me."Aww, you look so beautiful," the wife faked a sweet tone when watching me. She was obviously faking it now for some reason."How are you feeling now?" the lady continued to ask me, making me wonder what she was up to now."I am good," I mumbled, trying to avoid having eye contact with them. I wasn’t ashamed or guilty of anything, but just looking at them was a reminder of everything that happened the other night."I’m so glad you decided to come back." Her husband followed in her footsteps, acting all phony. I frowned, looking at their fake sweetnes
The arrival of Mr. Xavier was met with shock from everyone. Even I never thought he would come here to defend me."Mr. Mayor?" Derrell took a step back and quickly tied his hands behind his back, standing like an obedient student. I felt a tingling sensation just looking at him. I don’t know what to call those feelings because every time I see him, my heart jumps up and down in my chest. I would feel butterflies fly around and give me tingles."Oh! So you still remember you are not supposed to be rude to her?" Xavier shoved his hands in his coat and raised a brow. The clenching of his jaw when staring at Derrell should have been a hint for him not to call me again."Sir, she wanted to see my daughter and I don’t want her, aro---" I don’t know if Xavier noticed my frown or what, but he pointed out the exact thing that bugged me."I believe Phoenix is your daughter, too. Why are you such a bastard?" I noticed how calmly Xavier abused Derrell, and Derrell didn’t really dare utter a word