Her Plans

Zyxhiaxy

Who knows that this is how it feels to see your enemy almost turn pale while wearing a shocked face? It is kind of satisfying, as well as my favourite moment so far.

"How's the meeting with the board? You weren't gatecrashing the ongoing meeting, were you?" I rolled my eyes and began smoothly shaking the glass of my wine while a small yet sarcastic grin plastered on my lips.

"Zy, you have no permission to interrupt their meeting, yet you did," he added.

"As far as I know, I am now the chairman of the board after Dad passed away. What's wrong with that?" I looked at Duex, who suddenly sat up on my couch and secretly laughed when he saw I was pissed.

I took a deep breath and crossed my legs while playing with the ice in the drink. I froze for a moment when I remembered Styx's reaction. It looks like he saw a ghost, but maybe he did. the ghost of his past.

"Tsk. I'm just concerned about you, babe. What does your beloved husband say?" I almost spit out what I was drinking at the term he used. And he really emphasised the last word he uttered.

"He said nothing... and please take note of this. He's not my husband." I looked at him, stood up from sitting in the office chair, and faced the view outside from the glass wall.

He is not my husband.

But he was my fiancé.

My jaw clenched as I looked at the small cars from where my office was. I was on the twentieth floor, so it was easy for me to see what was going on below.

I heard his annoying laugh again.

"Babe, don't tell me that you're still affected by your ex.

"No freaking way," I answered quickly and faced him. I let my heels create a sound and approached him annoyed. I tried to calm myself down, but I couldn't stand it anymore because it seemed like he was telling me that I still had feelings for that asshole.

The hell I care about him!

He ruined me.

I lost myself in the process of loving him.

I loved him so much that it reached the point where I was consumed, and I would never let that happen again. I want to see him kneeling and begging for my forgiveness. I want to see every drop of his tears come out of his dark eyes while he is in pain. I want to see him wrecked and miserable, as I was years ago.

"Okay. Okay, I'm just joking. How 'bout Tito? Did they ask about him?" he asked gently, as if he were assessing whether he had asked the right question. I sighed heavily in amazement when I felt the wetness in my eyes. I felt my leg give out from standing up, so I sat next to Duex, and he moved forward a little so I could sit down. He put his arms behind my back and rested them on the back of the couch while staring intently at me.

"They didn't. They thought no one would inherit Dad's shares, and as expected, they didn't see me coming. They were all shocked, especially Styx." I bit my lip while shaking. "He changed a lot. Compared to then, he's really better now." I closed my eyes to get rid of the tears that had accumulated in my eyes.

I don't like this.

I had just started, and here I am trying so hard to fight my tears not to fall, and I want to slap myself for that.

My Dad, Antonio Xedler, and Duex were the ones who helped me during those times when I almost forgot how to breathe without feeling the pain inside my chest. I almost died, but he saved me. And now he's gone, and all I have now is myself and Duex.

Dad really hid from everyone that I was his daughter. I'm not his biological child, but I carry his last name, and all his property is named after me based on his last will. At first, I didn't know how to start again. He was the one who helped me get up again and continue living, even though I couldn't convince myself to continue living.

I tried to end my life, thinking that would be the solution, but he gave me reasons to live and be happy again. He treated me as his own daughter, and I am forever thankful that I met him.

He's not my flesh and blood, but he poured out the same love for his daughter to me, who passed away a few years ago.

"I hate that man for making you cry. I'll always despise him for ruining my girl," Duex whispered, who I didn't realise was hugging me. I smiled bitterly because, no matter what I did, the tears that were gathering in my eyes could not be followed.

"Do you think Dad will hate me for doing this?" I asked hesitantly as my chin rested on his shoulder.

I heard him swallow several times and take a deep breath. Duex grew up living with dad. He was the first one who had been treated as own child by the man since the old man's wife died. He was also the one who had been with Dad for the longest time, which is why it was so hard for him when Dad passed away.

I saw him crying all night while hugging Dad's picture frame inside his room. He's so... wrecked, and I can't stand seeing him in that state, so I'm happy to see him getting better after a month.

"Whatever you do, he's always proud of your achievements." I smiled at that.

I hope so.

But I know he's just saying that so I won't feel guilty for making my plans.

For proceeding with our plan.

I was restless as people stared at me; they all had the same reaction when I stepped inside the big hall where a grand celebration of Syruis Corp was being held.

Styx originally owned the company, but something happened, and he had to sell his shares and lose his position in the company. Now, I am the new chairman of the board, and he's just one of my employees.

Well, most of them still weren't informed about the new chairman of the company.

Some were looking at me as if I were a gatecracker; maybe they were the ones who felt intimidated by my presence, but a few of them didn't care.

"Jerk, where have you been?" I lowered my voice when Duex called me. I said we'd go together, but the crazy guy didn't bother picking me up, so I went here alone.

"We've only been apart for a few hours; do you already miss me?" He let out a silly laugh that made me cringe.

"Duex. The stares of the people here are almost stabbing me. Are you still not coming?" A waiter passed in front of me with a bottle of wine; he smiled at me, but I couldn't return it. I maintain my blank yet elegant look. I was wearing a red dress that fitted my body. My thigh is also exposed because there is a cut there, and my shoulders and the small cut on my chest are also exposed, making the night hotter than ever.

"Chill, babe. It's been a while since I passed by the motel." I hang up the phone before getting the red wine and pouring it in my mouth. I didn't pay attention to the waiter, who was dumbfounded by what I did and reached for the glass. I looked around until my eyes met the man who had been watching me from afar. His dark orbs widened, and his lips parted as if he didn't expect me to look in his direction while his gaze had been almost melting me. From our distance, I saw how he swallowed several times while watching me carefully. Instead of looking away, I also stared firmly at Styx while playing with the empty glass on my lips.

I felt someone's hand wrap around my waist, so I focused my attention there. I looked at Duex, who was staring at me with dark emotion. I bit my lower lip before reaching for his face with my damn cold hands.

"You're late," I said weakly but emphatically as the man's gaze pierced me, almost freezing where I was standing.

"Yeah, because you're too early." He grinned goofily and ran his finger over my cheek. My red lips curled, and I leant closer to him to whisper in his ears. "He's looking at me now. Kiss me," I said, and before he fucking did, someone grabbed my hand and pulled me away from Duex.

"Don't fucking touch my girl." He gritted his teeth while his dark eyes were now bloodshot. I winced when I felt his grip on my arm tighten.

"Sty—"

He didn't let me finish and quickly pulled me out of the hall. I can see in the people's eyes that now the attention is on us. Before we could even go out, I looked at Duex again, who was now smiling. He raised the glass of liquor he was holding and winked at me before I could go completely out.

A cold wind hugged me, along with Styx's dark gaze. I gulped when I saw three buttons undone on his blue long sleeve paired with black pants.

"What?" I asked without emotion after a few minutes of exchanging sharp glances. His facial expression gradually softened. I swallowed after the wind passed, blowing out his hair, which fell on his forehead and slightly covered his eyebrows and eyes.

"Xhia..." I was just waiting for what he had to say, but I tried to harden my heart even though I was slowly getting weak from the way he was staring. It is slowly making my knees weaker as time passes.

The way he looks at me

It was nostalgic. After three years of longing for his stares, I was able to feel them again. Standing close to him, hearing and feeling his warm breath.

"I didn't know that—

"You don't have to know," I said, cutting him off.

His brows furrowed, and his jaw started to move aggressively.

"I fucking have the right to know that you're alive! I fucking suffered because I thought... I lost you." I was surprised when he suddenly shouted, and soon his eyes watered. He breathed heavily as I took one step away. I closed my eyes after feeling his cold hand, despite my emotionless face. I continued to harden myself even though I could feel my discouragement.

"And now, I saw you again. Xhia, you don't know how happy I am. I suffered, and now, all of it was worth it because I have you now." His voice broke while tears were uncontrollably streaming down his face.

And me, didn't? I wanted to shout, but I remained silent despite the anger rising inside me. I clenched my fist as everything he did played in my mind like a fucking tape.

The memories of how he hurt me

I almost died because I couldn't take it anymore; everything was too much.

How I gradually gave up on myself because I couldn't take it anymore.

"I miss you, love," he whispered, full of tenderness and love. He moved his lips to mine, but before they could meet, an arm pulled me and placed me on his broad back. It was only then that I breathed a sigh of relief because I hadn't realised I had been holding my breath for a long time because of our closeness.

"Too much interaction for this day," Duex uttered, and without saying goodbye, he pulled me away from Styx and guided me inside his car.

I glanced at Styx, who was now knocking on the window of the car while moving his mouth, as if he were calling me, but I ignored it.

I remained blank. No emotion could be seen, and my eyes seemed lifeless.

"Are you okay?" The concern in Duex's voice was obvious, but I didn't look at him.

I'm not okay.

I think my heart was still stupid for reacting that way. It beats fast and is pounding hard inside my chest.

I don't want this. I don't like how my heart reacted to his damn tears.