Chapter Fifty-one: What A Wicked Game

Lillianna’s Point of View

Mr. Fiore's frown deepened as he approached the host and me.

"That's not the Woods' table," he said firmly. "Nonso, please take your break now."

The host, Nonso, quickly nodded and hurried away, surprising me with his agility for someone his size. Mr. Fiore then turned to me with a kind smile on his face.

“Lillianna, you look stunning this evening. Please forgive any mistakes made by my employee; I hope it didn't ruin your experience. It's always a pleasure to have you here," Mr. Fiore said with a smile.

I couldn't help but return the smile. Xavier and I had been regulars at this restaurant for years, especially on special occasions. Our friends Matt and Tom usually joined us as well. We always requested to sit at one of the larger tables in the back because we tended to get loud and rowdy during our gatherings.

“Your friends have already arrived. I’ll bring you over, my dear,” Mr. Fiore gestured for me to follow him.

All eyes were on me as I walked through the restaurant, confidently following the owner. But that swagger failed when I saw who was sitting at the table. It wasn’t Rei and Xavier.

Their expressions turned sour as they questioned my presence. Mr. Fiore glanced back and forth between them and me, clearly perplexed, before muttering something about the younger generation and walking away.

Alex spoke first, breaking the tense silence. "What are you doing here, Lillianna?"

My mouth hung open as I struggled to find an answer. I wasn't prepared to see my ex-boyfriend Matt, along with Tom, Alex, Chloe, Sam, and a stranger practically hanging off of him. It had only been a day since we broke up; I knew he would move on quickly, but this quickly?

"They're not here. And neither should you be," Sam snapped back at me with venom in her voice. "Please just leave."

I clenched my fists tightly, refusing to give this spiteful little bitch the satisfaction of seeing me react. Her disdainful gaze made me feel like I was worthless.

“This looks like quite the celebration. I thought Rei and Xavier would be joining you tonight,” I said, hoping to glean more information from the haughty little bitch.

Sam's smug expression widened as she replied, "Oh, this is definitely a celebration. But it's actually a going away party."

My interest was piqued. "Who are you all saying goodbye to?"

With a sneer, Sam spat out her response, "You, bitch. We're thrilled that you're finally out of Xavier's life. And Alex's too; thankfully it didn't take much persuasion for him to move on."

“What’s wrong with you?” I snapped.

“Grace filled us in on how you lost it on her and we were worried you’d ruin Rei and Xavier's date. They went out, but to a different spot. We all gathered here to celebrate just in case you showed up,” Sam stated, giving me a look of disdain.

“Lillianna, we’ve always known you have feelings for Xavier. But he has made it clear from the start that he only sees you as a friend. Xavier has been in love with Rei for years and now they are finally together. We won't let you come between them,” Matt said sternly.

I stared at him in shock. We had been close friends for so long, where was this hostility coming from?

“Lillianna, I’m pretty sure that Xavier told you we weren’t interested in hanging out anymore. There’s nothing left for you. It’s time to let Xavier go,” Tom added.

I knew they felt this way; it was no secret. I’d been trying to spend more time just with Xavier for this very reason before Rei found a way to insert herself into our lives again.

I had no problem with Xavier secretly following her, but I always made sure to divert his attention back to me. I also made sure that any girls he dated didn't stick around for too long, although I thought I did it subtly. Apparently not.

“I'll fucking walk her out,” Alex snarled, jumping to his feet and forcefully grabbing my arm. He dragged me towards the door, his grip tight and painful.

“I can't believe I let you use me to worm your way into our group of friends. I thought what we had was real, but you just played me like a fool. And now that I know the truth, I never want to see your face again, Lillianna. Get out of my life,” Alex spat with venom in his cold tone.

Damn it. I never expected him to turn on me like this. If I wasn't so angry and hurt, I would have tried to manipulate him into bringing me back home for rough, angry sex.

Alex stood in the doorway, his eyes burning with rage as I revved up my motorcycle. Every muscle in my body tensed, ready to go back inside and unleash my suppressed fury on those annoying fucks.

I fought the urge to turn back and take care of them all in one swift move; after all, I had a silencer with me. But there were too many of them, and disposing of them would surely attract unwanted attention. With a roar of the engine, I sped off recklessly into the night, consumed by anger and thoughts of revenge for what they had just done to me.

My mind raced, consumed by a whirlwind of terrifying possibilities. The ease with which everything fell into place was a clear sign of Aamon's manipulative hand. A chill slithered down my spine as I realized that the mafia was now directly intertwined with Rei Draven. Sooner than expected, our paths had merged and the stakes were higher than I could have ever imagined. But I couldn't run from this twisted game - no, it was time to play along and show them what I was truly made of. With claws bared and a savage hunger in my eyes, Xavier Woods would soon learn that he belonged to me and me alone.

Aamon’s Point of View

"Boss, she's gone. I managed to slip away to the bathroom without raising suspicion," she reports breathlessly.

"You were right. This plan was brilliant. She never expected all of us to be here tonight," her voice filled with admiration and excitement.

A sinister smirk spread across my face as I thought of Lillianna, so confident and arrogant. She had no idea what was about to come crashing down on her. But with every calculated push we gave her, Lillianna teetered closer to the edge, a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

“I have someone tailing her. Stay and enjoy the celebration tonight. Mr. Fiore will be compensated generously for his outstanding performance welcoming Lillianna and for the meal this evening. We will surely be frequenting his restaurant often in the near future for our...business endeavors," I said with a menacing glint in my eye.