Chapter Seven: Avi-The Message I Couldn’t Ignore
1685 Words
Not understanding Xavier would have been an understatement.
Avi didn’t understand the man at all.
Not even a little.
The previous night, Xavier had sat across from him at dinner and spent nearly twenty minutes talking about businesses, corporations, investments, Sicily, his family, and things Avi couldn’t even remember.
And apparently, Xavier thought that was how two people got to know each other.
Avi thought it was ridiculous.
Knowing someone’s net worth didn’t mean knowing them.
Knowing the companies they owned didn’t mean knowing them.
Knowing where they were born didn’t mean knowing them.
Avi wanted to know what kind of person Xavier was.
What made him angry.
What made him laugh.
What he feared.
What he wanted.
What he had been doing for three years.
But Xavier seemed to believe that giving him a corporate biography counted as intimacy.
Apparently, this was going to be a long marriage.
If it even remained a marriage.
The next morning, Avi came downstairs for breakfast.
Xavier was already there.
They ate in almost complete silence.
Avi was perfectly happy with that arrangement.
Silence was safe.
Silence didn’t ask questions.
Silence didn’t threaten to hire fifteen bodyguards.
Silence didn’t remind him that he was married to a stranger.
Then Xavier spoke.
“When are you coming home?”
Avi looked up.
“Why?”
“I asked when you’re coming home.”
“I don’t know.”
“What time do you finish work?”
“Usually around five.”
“So you’ll be home by six?”
“I didn’t say that.”
Xavier looked at him.
Avi sighed.
“Why are you so obsessed with knowing where I am?”
“I’m not obsessed.”
“You’ve asked me where I’m going every day since you arrived.”
“Because I need to know.”
“Why?”
Xavier didn’t answer immediately.
Then he said calmly,
“I’m going to call you.”
Avi stared.
“And?”
“I need you to pick up.”
Avi almost laughed.
“And if I don’t?”
“I’ll come to your office.”
The laughter disappeared.
Xavier’s face hadn’t changed.
He wasn’t joking.
Avi stared at him.
“You’d actually do that?”
“Yes.”
Of course he would.
Avi picked up his coffee.
“Fine.”
Xavier nodded as if they had just concluded a business agreement.
Avi looked away.
Yesterday, he had deliberately ignored Xavier’s messages.
Three messages.
He hadn’t responded to a single one.
Today, apparently, that wasn’t going to work.
⸻
Work was surprisingly normal.
Clients.
Calls.
Documents.
Meetings.
For several hours, Avi almost forgot about Xavier.
Almost.
Then his phone vibrated.
How is your day going?
Avi stared at the message.
He didn’t answer immediately.
Another message came.
Have you eaten?
Then:
What time are you leaving?
Avi closed his eyes.
“Unbelievable.”
He typed:
I’m working.
The reply came almost immediately.
I know.
Avi frowned.
How did he know?
Before he could ask, another message arrived.
Don’t work too late.
Avi stared at the screen.
He didn’t know what to do with that.
Was Xavier being controlling?
Was he being caring?
Was there a difference?
Avi put his phone down.
He wasn’t going to analyze it.
He had enough problems.
Then his father’s name appeared on the screen.
Avi answered.
“Hello, Dad.”
“So your husband is back.”
Avi closed his eyes.
Of course.
“Yes.”
“And you didn’t tell me?”
“I just met him.”
“You didn’t invite him to see me?”
“Dad—”
“You should have.”
Avi rubbed his forehead.
“I don’t even know him.”
“Then you should try to know him.”
Avi was silent.
His father’s voice became firmer.
“He’s very important, Avi.”
There was something in the way he said it.
Avi noticed.
“Why?”
“Because he’s your husband.”
“That’s not an answer.”
His father ignored the comment.
“We’re having dinner tonight.”
Avi frowned.
“What?”
“I’ve invited him.”
“Dad—”
“You need to come.”
Avi sighed.
“I have work.”
“Cancel it.”
“I can’t just—”
“You need to come, Avi.”
There was no room for argument.
Avi leaned back in his chair.
“Fine.”
“Good.”
His father paused.
“And tell your husband.”
Avi stared at the wall.
“Tell Xavier what?”
“That we’re having dinner.”
“Okay.”
“And make sure he comes.”
The call ended.
Avi stared at his phone.
His father’s behavior was strange.
Too strange.
But he didn’t have the energy to argue.
He found Xavier’s number.
Called.
Xavier answered almost immediately.
“Yes?”
“My father wants us to have dinner tonight.”
“Okay.”
Avi blinked.
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
“You don’t want to know why?”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then I’ll see you later.”
The call ended.
Avi stared at his phone.
“How does this man do that?”
He put his phone down.
⸻
That evening, they went together.
Avi’s parents were already waiting.
His mother smiled softly when she saw them.
She looked older than she had a few years ago.
Her health had never been perfect, but she still carried herself with quiet dignity.
Avi hugged her.
“Mom.”
“My son.”
Then she looked at Xavier.
There was a brief pause.
“Xavier.”
“Mrs. Alexander.”
She smiled.
“Welcome.”
His father stepped forward immediately.
“Xavier, welcome.”
The difference in his father’s behavior was impossible to miss.
He was too polite.
Too careful.
Too grateful.
They sat down for dinner.
Food filled the table.
His mother barely spoke.
His father, however, couldn’t stop talking.
“Xavier, we really appreciate your patience.”
Xavier remained quiet.
His father continued.
“We know the investment you made three years ago hasn’t produced the returns we expected.”
Avi’s hand stopped.
Investment?
He knew there had been money involved.
But hearing his father talk about it like this made something click.
His father continued.
“But we’re family now.”
Xavier’s expression remained completely unreadable.
“We are resolving the problems slowly,” his father said. “The company is stabilizing. We’re working hard.”
Xavier simply nodded.
His father smiled nervously.
“We truly appreciate your patience.”
Avi watched.
Something about the conversation bothered him.
His father had always been proud.
Even when things were difficult, he had never been the type to beg.
Yet tonight…
He was practically seeking Xavier’s approval.
Avi looked at Xavier.
The man barely reacted.
He simply sat there.
Calm.
Controlled.
Listening.
And suddenly, Avi understood.
This wasn’t just about marriage.
This wasn’t just about a business arrangement.
Xavier had power over his family.
Real power.
The kind of power that made his father—his father—sit across from a twenty-something-year-old man and speak as carefully as though one wrong sentence could cost him everything.
Avi’s stomach tightened.
He looked down at his plate.
The rest of dinner passed in a blur.
⸻
The drive home was quiet.
Xavier eventually broke the silence.
“How was your day?”
“Fine.”
“Busy?”
“Yes.”
“What did you work on?”
“Client matters.”
Xavier glanced at him.
“You don’t want to talk?”
“I’m tired.”
Xavier nodded.
He didn’t push.
When they arrived home, Avi walked toward the stairs.
“Where are you going?”
“To bed.”
“Why?”
Avi turned.
“Because I’m tired.”
“Don’t you want to spend time with me?”
The question almost made Avi laugh.
Why would I?
He didn’t say it.
Instead, he simply shook his head.
“I’m tired, Xavier.”
Then he went upstairs.
This time, he didn’t lock the door.
He wasn’t sure why.
Maybe he was too exhausted.
Maybe because somewhere inside him, Xavier didn’t feel quite as much like a stranger anymore.
But that wasn’t what kept him awake.
It was his father.
The way he had spoken.
The way he had thanked Xavier.
The way he had practically begged for patience.
Avi stared at the ceiling.
His legal mind began putting the pieces together.
Three years ago, his father’s business had been failing.
Xavier had invested.
The marriage had happened.
The business survived.
And now Xavier was back.
Avi swallowed.
His father had said one sentence that wouldn’t leave his mind.
But we’re family now.
Avi understood what that meant.
It wasn’t a statement.
It was a reminder.
A silent warning.
Avi knew contracts.
He knew financial agreements.
He knew leverage.
He knew what happened when someone held enough power over another person’s livelihood.
And Xavier held that power.
If Avi wanted a divorce, what would happen?
His family could lose the investment.
The companies could collapse.
His father’s business could fail.
His employees could lose their jobs.
His family could lose everything.
Avi closed his eyes.
For the first time, the marriage certificate sitting in his drawer didn’t feel like a piece of paper.
It felt like a chain.
And Xavier?
Xavier wasn’t simply his husband.
He was the person holding the other end.
Avi slowly turned onto his side.
He had spent three years believing he had been trapped by his father.
Now he realized something far worse.
His father hadn’t been the only person who had a reason to keep him married.
Xavier had one too.
And judging by the cold expression on Xavier’s face during dinner…
he wasn’t planning on letting Avi go.
Not anytime soon.
Avi stared into the darkness.
For the first time, the question wasn’t whether he wanted a divorce.
The question was whether he could afford one.
And as a lawyer, Avi knew exactly how terrifying that answer was.
He couldn’t.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD