With My New Love, We Made My Ex Pay

Chapter 6 Beat Him

Xavier's POV:

I watched Davina disappear into the distance as she left Lunaris Manor, and then I made my way back into the woods.

Standing on the bridge, I reached the spot where she had once tried to end it all. I looked up at the moon, letting her words echo in my mind. "Didn't you notice? The moon in the water looks different from the one in the sky..."

A voice broke through my thoughts. "Is she the girl you've been looking for all these years?" Hudson asked.

"Yes. Her name was Avril when I first met her."

I first met Avril ten years ago.

She was sixteen. That day, she wore a simple white dress, watering the garden. Water droplets sparkled like pearls as they slid down the bridge of her nose, catching the sunlight and shimmering in the soft glow.

I sat in my car, the breeze carrying her laughter to me.

When she saw me, she came running towards me barefoot, her smile as bright as the morning.

*****

Ten years later, I bumped into Avril again at a party. She was with Andrew then, as his girlfriend, and she didn't even recognize me. To her, I was just another business client. She smiled like a polished professional, selling me on the merits of her company's products.

*****

Hudson's voice pulled me back into the present. "I don't understand. Why don't you just confess to her? She's no longer with that guy, so now's your chance to go after her!"

I chuckled, stepping off the bridge and plucking a leaf from a nearby tree.

I returned to the bridge, gently tearing the leaf in half and holding the pieces in my palm. "Can you put this back together?" I asked.

"Of course not. Not even God can do that!" Hudson scoffed.

I kept tearing, saying, "Exactly. Davina's heart is like this leaf. I can't undo what's been broken, but I'll wait. I'll wait as long as it takes for her wounds to heal and for her to grow new leaves. It might be a slow, painful process, but I'm willing to wait."

I tossed the torn leaf into the river, watching it drift away. "I've been searching for her for ten years. I thought I'd never see her again. But now, God's given me a second chance by some grace. I'm not about to waste it!"

Hudson gaped at me, his voice full of disbelief. "Xavier, you've lost your mind!"

I ignored the insult, focusing on what was more important. "Don't let her know I've been looking for Edie. She's too sensitive, too fragile. I don't want to put that kind of pressure on her."

"You're wrong. She knows you love her. She'll be happy to hear that." Hudson's voice was full of that confident, know-it-all tone. "Come on. You're Xavier. What girl wouldn't want to marry you?"

Before I could respond, my bodyguard, Aman Roberts, approached. "Mr. Francis, I found Edie's grave in the woods."

"Take me there."

Hudson insisted on coming along.

So we followed Aman through the trees until we arrived at the spot. Aman had already dug up the grave, revealing some old toys and clothes, and a photo of Edie and Davina was tucked among them. Aman handed the photo to me, and I stared at it for a long moment.

Just then, my phone buzzed.

"She messaged me."

Hudson rolled his eyes and muttered, "Look at that smug smile on your face. It's sickening." He turned to Aman. "Come on. Let's wait in the car."

I took the photo from Aman with a nod, signaling him to leave.

I returned to the bridge and checked her message. It was a video of Edie sleeping.

My finger hovered over the video call button. Without thinking, I dialed her video call.

A twinge of nervousness surged within me. 'Would she think this was some sort of prank call?'

But the call went through almost immediately.

When Davina answered, her eyes were puffy, red from crying. I imagined she must have returned to the house she'd shared with Andrew, breaking down again after leaving me.

To cheer her up, I decided to share some good news. I cleared my throat, trying to sound as casual as possible. "I spoke with Vivian. She'll email the competition details to your company tomorrow morning."

She squealed with excitement. "Mr. Francis, you're a guardian angel sent by God! I'm so, so happy!"

Her joy was infectious, but it also woke Edie. She whimpered, disoriented from the noise.

I watched Davina place the phone on the dresser and then bend down to soothe Edie. She wore a silky white nightgown with a low V-neck that exposed her graceful neck and delicate collarbones. As she bent to calm Edie, the soft curves of her body moved, her breasts gently swaying beneath the fabric.

I tore my eyes away, frustration gnawing at me as I loosened my tie.

After a moment, her soothing voice came through the phone again. "Mr. Francis, are you standing in the forest where we met?"

I didn't want her to know the truth, so I quickly made up an excuse. "Oh, I lost my wallet. It has some important photos in it."

She was clever enough to pick up on my subtle deflection, but I quickly ended the call to prevent her from figuring out the truth. "Look. I'll keep you updated if there's any progress. But for now, I'm going to keep looking for the wallet. You should get some rest. Good night, Davina."

"Good night, Mr. Francis."

I ended the call, but her tear-streaked face lingered in my mind.

I stared at the photo of her and Edie, the grave filled with toys and clothes, and a burning hatred for Landon and Andrew grew inside me.

I clenched my fists. "Aman, find out where Andrew and Landon are tonight!"

*****

Luck was on Andrew's side tonight. He was at home, not with Landon.

But Landon, well, he had a different fate. I found him at a chaotic, filthy party.

When the others at the party heard I was looking for Landon, they gasped and whispered, their eyes wide with curiosity. Landon, surrounded by admirers, swaggered towards me with his obnoxious, mocking grin. He spoke in a sleazy tone, "Xavier, I didn't think you'd be the type to hang out in places like this."

Before he could even touch my face, I swung my fist and landed a solid punch right on his face.

Landon staggered, almost losing his balance.

The room froze. People looked on, too afraid to step in, as my bodyguards stood behind me like silent sentinels.

Landon, blood dripping from his lip, finally steadied himself. He spat on the floor and calmly asked, not daring to challenge me, "Why'd you hit me?"

I slapped him again hard before answering, "I hate you. Is that enough of a reason?"

Landon didn't dare respond, fear creeping into his eyes. Afraid of getting beaten to a pulp, he quickly covered his bruised face and ran off, stumbling out of the party like a coward.