CHAPTER 3

XAVIER'S POV

"Thank goodness you're here sir," I heard a call as I alighted the car closing the door gently behind me. Turning to face Alex, I rushed past him into the hospital where my father was being taken care of.

Running past the security men at the hospital, I hurried for the counter. Arriving there, I turned to the nurse at the counter and blurted, "Excuse me nurse, which room was my father kept?"

"Oh, Mr Xavier, good to see you again..." She bickered licking her lips seductively while staring hungrily at me. "Can you shut the fu*k up and tell me what room my father is in."

Shaken by my sudden yell and the stares she got, I watched as the nurse hurried with the files on the counter. "He is in the platinum vip treatment room at the top floor."

Hearing her words, I walked over to the elevator, waiting as it's doors finally chimed open and I entered. Tapping the numbers of the floor I was headed, I waited patiently as the elevator, paused, the doors opening as someone else got in.

I was shocked out of my wits to find out it was Ella. Why do I keep running into her? It all didn't look like a coincidence anymore. She was also shocked to see me, and turned to a side trying to avoid eye contact with me.

I watched her from the corner of my eyes, she was dressed in a black top that revealed small parts of her breasts.

"What do you want, Xavier?" She spat out, "I can't have you stalking my every move any more."

"You know what I want, Ella," I replied softly, my voice breaching the elevator's silence. I watched as she immediately spat out, "You are not going anywhere with my daughter, she isn't yours!"

"I accept that but don't you think it's just too much of a coincidence that she is four years old, just around the same year we had the one night stand." I said turning at her.

"She's not yours Xavier," I heard her beam out as I noticed the glints of fright in her eyes.

"I can easily tell you're lying Ella, we both know she's mine." I went on, waiting for her to snap anytime from now like all the others do. I really wanted to know if really ivy is mine, I wanted to confirm it all from Ella herself.

"What if she's yours, I'm not going to back down without a fight?" She threatened clutching her purse harder.

I watched her eyes, the fiery anger subsiding softly, "I'm not here to fight, Ella."

"Then what do you want, why can't you just walk way from my life like you did years ago." Ella sniffed as she immediately broke into tears. I tried to stretch an hand to console here but she snapped, "get away from me!"

"I am so.." I was about to finish when she interrupts with a stern frown, "what do you want Xavier?"

"I want you, ivy, a second chance to give both you and ivy the lives you deserve," I replied sincerely as I gazed at her features, she was still as sexy as our one night stand, her curvy body just a step away from me.

Those eyes, lips, it all called unto me. I couldn't help but feel a sudden pull as I pulled my face closer to her face to kiss her when she turned away all of a sudden.

Watching as she turned away, I held her, making her face me and I immediately took no risk and kissed her. She didn't fight back, our kiss deepened even more for a second not until she immediately pulled away.

"I have to leave." She hurried, some files in her purse falling down, as the elevator door chimed open and she alighted heading off. I wanted to rush after her but before I could, the doors had chimed close.

The elevator doors slid shut with a soft whoosh, and I leaned against the mirrored wall, my mind racing. Ella. It had been years since I last saw her, and yet the moment I laid eyes on her, it was like no time had passed at all. The kiss we shared just moments ago was unexpected, but it stirred something deep inside me, something I thought I had buried long ago.

As the elevator descended, I noticed a small, laminated card on the floor. Ella's ID. I picked it up, my eyes scanning the information. She was a nurse here. Of course, she was. It made sense, given her nurturing nature, but it was still a shock to see her name and face staring back at me from the plastic card.

The elevator came to a stop with a gentle lurch, and I stepped out, sliding the ID into my pocket. I needed to focus. My grandfather had just had a heart attack, and I needed to be there for him.

The sterile scent of the hospital hit me as I walked down the hallway to the ICU. I pushed open the door to my grandfather’s room, my heart heavy with worry. He lay in the bed, frail and pale, but his eyes were as sharp as ever.

“Xavier,” he rasped, his voice weak but determined.

“Grandfather,” I replied, taking a seat beside his bed. “How are you feeling?”

“Like hell,” he said with a faint smile. “But that’s not important right now. We need to talk.”

I nodded, knowing what was coming. “I know.”

He reached out and grabbed my hand, his grip surprisingly strong. “You’re all I have left, Xavier. After your parents died, I took you in. Raised you as my own. And now… I want to see my great-grandchildren before I die.”

I swallowed hard. “Grandfather, you’re going to be fine. You’ll be around for a long time yet.”

He shook his head. “Don’t placate me, boy. I know my time is limited. I want you to get married. Settle down. Have a family.”

I looked away, the weight of his words pressing down on me. “I understand. I’ll… I’ll do my best.”

“Promise me, Xavier,” he insisted, his voice breaking. “Promise me you’ll make this happen.”

“I promise,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Satisfied, he closed his eyes, his breathing evening out. I stayed by his side until he fell asleep, the beeping of the monitors a constant reminder of his fragile state.

Leaving the room, I found my assistant, Alex, waiting for me. She was tapping away on her phone, her face serious for once.

“How is he?” He asked, looking up.

“He’s stable,” I replied. “But we need to move forward with the plan. He wants me to get married.”

Alex nodded, his usual light-hearted demeanor replaced with a rare seriousness. “Understood. What’s the next step?”

I handed her Ella's ID. “Find out everything you can about her. I need to know why she was here, why she left so abruptly, and what’s happened in her life since we last met.”

Alex took the ID, his eyebrows raising slightly. “Are you sure you want to dig into this?”

“Yes,” I said firmly. “I need to know what’s going on. I need to know why she disappeared. And if she’s… if she’s hiding something from me.”

Alex nodded, slipping the ID into her bag. “I’ll get on it.”

We left the hospital and headed to a nearby bar, the atmosphere a stark contrast to the sterile environment we’d just left.

As I left the hospital, a sense of unease settled over me. Ella was back in my life, and I was determined to find out why. But this time around, I am ready to give it whatever it took.