Semua Bab Xavier's Obsession : Bab 11 - Bab 20

Xavier.I get back home pretty late from work—later than I planned. As soon as I step through the door, I barely have the strength to close it behind me. I drop my briefcase onto the couch with a dismissive thud and head straight to the kitchen, needing something to dull the headache creeping at my temples. I start to reach for a bottle of whiskey before I change my mind. A glass of milk should do. I pour a generous amount, my thoughts swirling as I make my way toward my bedroom. For a moment, I stop at the door of the guestroom where Audrey is supposed to be. I think about calling out to her, maybe checking in, but then I decide against it. She’s probably resting. I'm so tired when I get to my room and I kick my shoes off as I plop down on the bed. I place the glass of milk on the bedside stool and take off my socks. After an internal debate, I get up and head to the shower, stripping off my tie along the way. The cold water hits me like a shock, but it does nothing to clear my

Xavier.It’s been a week since Audrey left. Seven days. One hundred and sixty-eight hours. And still, no sign of her. I had woken up that morning and set out for the office, without knowing that she was gone. It wasn't until my housekeeper called and told me that there was no one in her room when the personal shoppers I sent to the house—to stock her wardrobe—arrived.I had waited. Leaving work early to come home. I thought she had gone for a walk or something like the last time, and she didn't know the code.So I waited all night for the doorbell to ring. And then, I skipped work the next morning but she didn't come back.That was when I made calls. I hired people to search for her, but she’s nowhere. It's like she just vanished into thin air. I don't know what to do anymore. I can't go to the police about the news because there's a chance it might get aired and then, Brandon will catch wind of her location.And Manhattan is too big for someone who doesn’t want to be found. If y

Xavier.I barely register the drive back from my therapist's office to the building where my company is situated. My mind is muffled as my driver pulls up to the parking lot. I step out of the car, adjusting my cuffs as I push aside the tension still lingering from my session with West. I should be thinking about my collection, about the show that’s coming up in less than two months but I can't concentrate. I push through the revolving doors, making my way towards the elevator as I ignore the way my staff are shuffling about. My company, Beautiful Beam Lingeries, popularly known as Double B, is buzzing with designers as they murmur over fabrics, while assistants hurry between meetings. Normally, I’d be in the middle of it all. Probably correcting some sketches and making last-minute changes before the show but right now, I need to get to my office. I had planned to handle the most delicate pieces of this collection myself, but because of the stress I've been under these past few

Xavier.My ringtone jolts me awake, sending a sharp pulse of pain through my skull. I groan, dragging my phone off the nightstand without opening my eyes. My head is pounding aggressively in a way that has become way too familiar.‘The consequence of too much whiskey. Again.’ Pressing the phone to my ear, I rub my forehead, trying to ease the ache. “Xavier Kingston,” I mutter, my voice still hoarse from sleep. The voice that comes through the speaker makes my teeth clench. My father.“Xavier, I’m calling to notify you that there’ll be a family dinner at the Sylvester mansion tonight. Before that—” I don’t wait to hear the rest. I pull the phone away and drop it back onto the nightstand. I already know why he’s calling. Isabella must have reported me to him again. I’ve been avoiding her since Thursday — since I left the office just to escape lunch with her. I haven’t gone back since then. And now, my father is dragging me into a dinner that I'm not interested in. I sigh, s

Audrey.The air is thick with the stench of sweat and alcohol as the mattress creaks beneath me with every movement. A pot bellied man grunts in my ear, his breath foul with his sweat dripping onto my skin. I feel dirty and used, yet I don’t move. Instead, I lay still and emotionless, staring at the ceiling as my mind wanders while I wait for it to be over. His fingers dig into my thighs as he thrusts harder, chasing the pleasure he paid for. Right now, I am nothing to him, just a vessel to use. The walls of the brothel are thin and I can hear the girl in the next room sobbing quietly. I sigh and close my eyes. When I open them back, I realize I'm home—if I can even call it that. It's a crumbling abandoned building that barely keeps out the cold. Liam is huddled under a pile of threadbare blankets, his body curled in on itself. His face is too pale and his breathing is coming out in pants. I hurriedly kneel beside him, pressing a hand to his forehead. Burning hot. “We’