Defying The Devil

Chapter 5: The Devil's Gambit

The following morning... Xavier Knight woke up feeling a strange, intoxicating rush of adrenaline. He had a singular mission now: to deliver a lesson that Aria would never forget. His focus had narrowed down to one point—crushing her sky-high defiance and bringing her pride down to the dust beneath his boots. Never before had anyone struck a blow so deep into his ego, and the fact that he hadn't crushed her yet was an insult to his very existence. This wasn't just a petty grudge anymore; it was war.

Xavier freshened up, dressed in a sharp black silk shirt, and sat at the sprawling breakfast table with a regal air of relaxation. As he picked up his silver cutlery, Jack called. Xavier answered immediately, his voice cold and steady. "Sir, I’ve found the perfect location for the new office in the suburbs," Jack said, his voice brimming with excitement. "It's secluded, high-end, and fits the profile. You should see it for yourself."

Xavier’s lips curled into a thin smile. "Good work, Jack. Come to the mansion immediately. We’re heading there now. I don't want to waste another second."

As he hung up and prepared to eat, a sleek Mercedes pulled into the driveway. His father stepped out. Xavier’s father lived elsewhere with his second wife, a woman whose arrival had effectively severed the bond between father and son. Since the day Xavier turned eighteen, he had regarded his father as a complete failure—a man who abandoned his son for his own selfish desires. It had been nearly four years since their last encounter, and seeing him now made Xavier’s blood boil.

His father entered the dining hall to find Xavier eating with cold indifference. Xavier didn't offer a seat. "What brings you to my domain today? Did you lose your way or are you here to beg for something?" Xavier asked, his voice dripping with venom.

His father forced a small smile. "Can't a father share a meal with his son after all these years?"

Xavier internally scoffed. He knew his father never moved a muscle unless there was something in it for him. He pushed his plate aside and glared. "I know you didn't come here for a family reunion. Cut the drama and tell me what you want. My time is far more valuable than yours."

His father sighed, taking a seat across from him. "I’ve heard rumors, Xavier. Rumors that you’re neglecting the company and Isabella. Word on the street is that the great Xavier Knight is wasting his energy on some common, middle-class girl. Is it true? Don't forget, your engagement to Isabella is the backbone of our family's prestige."

Mentioning Isabella and 'that girl' in the same sentence was the final straw. Xavier slammed his fist onto the mahogany table, making the fine china rattle in fear. He stood up, towering over his father like a shadow of doom. "Prestige? Since when did you care about me or this family? You got married and left me alone in this massive tomb of a house years ago! Did you ever once ask if I was okay? Go back to your new family and your other children, Dad. No one except my mother has the right to breathe a word about my personal life! And as for that girl—there is no 'love.' She is my greatest enemy, and I won't breathe easy until she is destroyed."

His father looked up at him with knowing eyes. "Xavier, I know you better than you know yourself. Enmity with you usually results in a casket. If she is truly your enemy, why is she still breathing? You never give second chances, yet you’ve spared her life multiple times. Are you losing your grip?"

Xavier was momentarily silenced. He had no logical answer for his own hesitation. He stood like a statue for several seconds before hissing through clenched teeth, "Threatening someone who doesn't fear a bullet is a fool’s errand. I don't want her body in a grave; I want her spirit shattered. I'm going to dismantle her piece by piece... I won't stop until I see her weeping at my feet."

His father stood up and tried to reach for Xavier’s shoulder, but Xavier recoiled. "Fine, do as you wish. But remember, you're not getting any younger. Get married first, then play your games."

Xavier let out a hollow, mocking laugh. "You clearly weren't listening, Dad. I won't touch another project until she is crushed. And mark my words—if you or Isabella’s men dare to lay a finger on her before I’m done, I will grant them a death so agonizing it will be written in history. Are you getting your intel from Isabella now? Careful... if I decide to discard her, where will your precious information come from?"

His father smirked, though his eyes were cold. "Killing Isabella would be a chore for you, I know. But your hand trembles when it comes to that girl. That is your true weakness, Xavier."

Xavier calmed down, a thin, lethal smile spreading across his face. "Dad... Isabella and that girl are not in the same league. That girl has a fire and a spirit Isabella couldn't dream of. She is unique."

His father looked stunned. "Fire? Spirit? Do you realize what you’re saying? You’re finding virtues in your sworn enemy? Have you forgotten that even sweets from an enemy's hand are poisoned? And here you are, looking for honey in that venom."

"I know exactly what I'm doing. I don't need your outdated advice," Xavier replied, checking his watch with iron-clad confidence.

His father looked him in the eye and chuckled. "I see it now. The great Xavier Knight has finally met his match. You’re in love with her, aren't you?"

Xavier burst into a roar of dark laughter that echoed through the mansion. "In love? Me?" Xavier’s laughter was a jagged, hollow sound that filled the hall with a sudden chill. He leaned in close to his father, the scent of expensive tobacco and raw power radiating from him. “Love is a fairy tale for the weak, Dad. It’s a crutch for men who don’t have the stomach to rule. What I feel is far more potent. It’s an obsession to break a spirit that dares to defy me. Dad, listen to me carefully… I don’t want her heart; I want to see it stop under the weight of my shadow.” Don't ever bring this up again. Now, leave. I have an empire to run." Xavier marched out, leaving the household staff trembling in the wake of the father-son storm.

Outside, Jack was waiting by the armored Hummer. Xavier snapped at him, his temper still flared. "Why are you standing out here? Why didn't you come inside?"

"Sir, I saw your father’s car. I thought it best to give you some privacy," Jack replied carefully.

Just then, Xavier’s father walked out of the mansion. To humiliate him further, Xavier looked at Jack and spoke loudly, "Listen, Jack, you’re the most loyal person I have. Not everyone sharing my blood is family, but you’ve always been like a brother to me." His father froze at his car door, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the handle. He knew the insult was meant for him. He shot a look of pure resentment at Xavier and drove off.

Once his father was gone, Xavier and Jack climbed into the car, followed by a convoy of four vehicles filled with armed guards. "How is the location?" Xavier asked, exhaling smoke.

"Perfect, Sir. It’s very close to Aria’s apartment. She won't suspect a thing."

A sinister, predatory smile crept onto Xavier’s face. "Excellent. Make sure she doesn't find a job anywhere else. Block every coffee shop, every office. Drive her into a corner."

"Consider it done, Sir. I’ve already begun blocking her access to every job portal in the city," Jack assured him.

Xavier looked out at the city, his eyes cold and calculating. "The game is finally beginning, Miss Aria... You will walk into my office as my employee, and I will devour that ego of yours piece by piece. Welcome to the Devil's web."