Lahat ng Kabanata ng Xavier's Obsession : Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

Audrey.The first thing I register when I wake up is that it's too bright. The second thing? I’m late. “Shit,” I breathe, bolting upright. My heart lurches as I stare at the wall clock Talia had placed in my room some days back, fingers shaking as I hurriedly strip. The wall clock glares at me. 8:02 AM. I’m supposed to be at work. Scratch that, I was supposed to be there an hour ago. My chest tightens as I throw the covers off and stumble out of bed. I have never been late before, not to Coffee & Crumbs. I don't bother showering. I just grab the first clothes I find—a wrinkled t-shirt and jeans that Talia had gifted me—before pulling them on with shaky hands. My sneakers are by the door, and I shove my feet into them, not bothering with socks. I should have known this would happen. Talia had gone to her boyfriend’s place last night, leaving me alone. And without her alarm, I slept through the morning. I barely slept at all, actually. The nightmares kept me trapped, ima

Audrey.I step into the apartment, kicking the door shut behind me with a tired sigh. The scent of vanilla candles lingers in the air, mixing with the faint traces of coffee still clinging to my skin from my shift at Coffee & Crumbs. It’s a beautiful Saturday night. The kind that should be spent curled up in bed, wrapped in a blanket, doing absolutely nothing. At least, that’s what I thought—until Talia bursts out of her room like an excited child on Christmas morning. “Audrey!” I jolt, my heart slamming against my ribs. “Damn it, Talia! What—” But she’s already in front of me, eyes shining with mischief. “You’re back. Finally.” I blink, my body still catching up with the sudden whirlwind of her energy. “Yeah. Long shift. I just wanna—” “Nope.” She grabs my wrist, dragging me toward her room before I can finish. “You are not spending another night sulking in this apartment.” I frown. “I don’t sulk.” She snorts. “You absolutely do.” I sigh, too exhausted to argue. “

Xavier. The Skype meeting is dragging longer than necessary. I sit at my desk at home with my fingers steepled, barely listening as one of my senior designers drones on about fabric choices. Normally, I would have engaged in the discussion—this fashion show was mine, after all—but my mind has been elsewhere all day. I straighten as the meeting finally wraps up, giving a clipped nod before ending the call. I lean back in my chair, exhaling through my nose as I run a hand through my hair. The fashion show is in less than two months, and the pressure is suffocating. The designers are competent, yes, but I'm the problem. Everything has been set in order, apart from the masterpiece I'm supposed to create. I still haven't been able to draw anything. And I can't postpone the show, even though I'd love to. The date has already been concluded and adverts are already flying. I scrub a hand down my face and shut my laptop. I need to figure out how to get my groove back. Suddenly, th

Xavier.I promised myself I wasn't going to drink anymore. But as I stand by my counter, I pour myself a swig and down it.The whiskey burns going down, but it doesn’t burn enough to erase the way her lips felt against mine. It doesn't burn enough to silence the words that left my mouth before I could stop them. ‘I don’t want to lose you again.’I squeeze my eyes shut, gripping the glass tighter, hating myself for letting the words slip out. For actually meaning them. The promise I made to myself—no more Audrey—was broken the second I saw her on that dance floor. The moment I grabbed her, dragged her outside, and kissed her like I had any fucking right to. So what’s one more promise to break? I pour another drink, the ice clinking as I down it in one gulp. “You swore you weren’t drinking anymore,” Ethan says from his position on the couch. I left the club after Audrey left, needing to be alone but the shit head followed me home.I let out a dry laugh and tilt the glass towa

Audrey.The moment Xavier steps into the café, my heart reacts before my mind does. It seizes in my chest, like it forgot how to function for a split second. Then it picks up again—too fast, too hard—thudding against my ribs in a way that makes me feel alive and terrified all at once. I grip the tray in my hands, my fingers tightening around the edges like it’s the only thing keeping me tethered to the ground. He’s here. He came for me.That has to be the reason, right? That’s the only thing that makes sense. But he only glances at me for not more than a second. Then, his eyes sweep past me like I’m just another face in the crowd, and then they land on Talia. And he walks straight to her. Something inside me withers. I feel it like a physical thing, like a flower blooming for the sun, only to realize the light isn’t for her. For a moment, I stand there, frozen and breathless, watching as they exchange words I can’t hear. Then Xavier gestures toward the door, and Tali