With My New Love, We Made My Ex Pay

Chapter 2 An Invitation to Dinner

Xavier's POV:

I was Xavier Francis.

At that moment, I thought Davina and I had reached an understanding about who Edie belonged to.

She belonged to the woman standing in front of me, her eyes still glistening with tears.

But Davina was wary, guarded.

Edie wagged her tail eagerly, nipping at Davina's pants leg, trying to pull her towards me.

She was an Alaskan Malamute with a powerful bite.

When I found her, I ran a series of tests on her. She was healthy, and her bite was strong enough to pull a 385-pound iron plate.

And right now, like a helpless rabbit, she was dragging Davina forward with playful but determined force.

As Edie yanked her along, Davina tripped on the leash, struggling to keep her balance. I acted without thinking, catching her by the shoulder and steadying her. Then, her face pressed against my chest.

'Oh. That sweet, intoxicating scent.'

Her perfume was unlike anything I'd ever smelled.

As her face lifted from my chest, my hands, almost without my consent, moved to gently cradle her head, holding her there for a moment longer.

She struggled back, her voice trembling with embarrassment, tears in her eyes. "Mr. Francis, I'm so sorry... I ruined your shirt..."

For a moment, I had expected her to chastise me for being too impulsive, but no, it was the worry of messing up my clothes that had her so distressed.

"Well, your tears..." I said, watching the tears continue to flow down her face. "Cry as much as you need to. When you're done, maybe you can treat me to dinner. How about that?"

I slowly moved my hand from her head, offering her the space to decide for herself.

She hesitated for a second, and then, without a word, she pressed her face back against my chest, her sobs quiet at first, then louder, more desperate.

I counted the seconds in my head. After about three minutes and eighteen seconds, she finally pulled back, her hands pressed against my chest as she tried to collect herself.

She wasn't tall, about 5.6 feet, but her frame was delicate, and her figure soft and full, like a gentle, well-behaved fluffy-eared bunny.

She looks down, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm really sorry... I'll pay for a new shirt..."

I glanced down at the faint streak of beige foundation on my shirt and then smiled back at her. "It's fine. This shirt's good. I wasn't planning on throwing it away."

"I can pay for the dry cleaning," she said again, her voice hesitant.

"No need."

I turned and started walking out of the woods.

The moonlight bathed her in a soft glow, and I felt something tighten in my chest. There was a strange mix of longing and restraint inside me. I worried that, in her vulnerable state, I might do something... inappropriate.

As she cried and leaned against me, I couldn't stop myself from imagining kissing her at least a thousand times.

I knew her better than she thought.

Davina's last relationship lasted three years. Back when Andrew pursued her, it was the hottest gossip in our social circles.

When Andrew cheated, she was devastated. She needed time to heal...

I loved her. But my pride wouldn't let me be just a placeholder for her. I wasn't going to be her second choice.

I wanted her love, the kind she had once given to Andrew, with everything she had.

'No!'

I wanted her love for me to be stronger and deeper than what she ever felt for Andrew.

So, until she was ready, I would keep my feelings in check.

Davina caught up to me quickly, walking behind me with an anxious look on her face, her voice troubled. "I'm sorry, Mr. Francis. It's late, and most of the restaurants are closed..."

I stopped and turned to face her. "I know a place that's open 24 hours."

For a moment, maybe it was the intensity of my gaze, I noticed her tense up like she was bracing herself for something.

She smiled, but it was a little too forced. "That sounds perfect! Take me there, please. Let me do something to thank you."

I nodded, and we walked to my car, parked by the side of the road. Samuel, my driver, was waiting as usual.

As soon as he saw us walking towards the car, he opened the door for me.

I bend down to get in the backseat, making sure to leave enough space for Davina without making her walk around the car.

Edie got in right behind me, as familiar with the routine as ever, and settled beside me with a satisfied wag of her tail.

Davina hesitated for a moment before getting in, standing by the car door, her gaze fixed on the window.

The streetlights made the glass appear like a mirror. I could see her face still marked by the tears, her makeup smudged and streaked.

No woman ever wanted to look anything less than beautiful.

I turned to Samuel. "Take us to Lunaris Manor. Let them prepare some makeup removal products for her."

Davina didn't seem relieved by my suggestion. In fact, she seemed more nervous.

She got into the car, tucking her hair behind her ears in a desperate attempt to hide most of her face before she quietly murmured, "Thank you."

Her makeup was smudged with tears, but Even with the foundation smeared on her face, she was still beautiful.

Her eyes, those striking eyes, were what I remembered most vividly.

The first time I had seen her, they had been full of life, wild and untamed, like grass growing rapidly in spring, like a tree desperately clinging to the rocks on the edge of a cliff.

But Andrew hadn't protected her, and when I saw her again, she had changed. She had become quieter, more cautious, like a frightened rabbit.

Davina tried to move as far away from me in the car as possible, pressing her body to the window. But Edie, wanting to be near the window, kept pushing Davina towards me, wagging her tail in satisfaction when she was finally seated.

Her shoulder brushed mine, and she quickly apologized and then scooted closer to Edie to create some distance.

We sat close, too close. I could have easily held her delicate hand if I had reached out.

But she quickly started petting Edie instead.

The drive to Lunaris Manor was only ten minutes.

But at that time, we didn't speak. I found myself lost in the way Davina interacted with Edie. It was oddly soothing to watch.

As we pulled into the estate, Samuel quickly stepped out to open the door for us.

Davina gasped as she stepped out. "This place... It's a private manor?"

I smiled, stepping out and walking to her side. "I like quiet places for dinner."

At the entrance to the manor, a server was waiting with makeup wipes, and Samuel gestured towards Davina. "Ms. Ivan, Mia will show you where to remove your makeup."

Davina glanced at me, and I gave a slight nod. "Go ahead. I'll wait for you in the restaurant."

She nodded and headed off to freshen up, and I led Edie towards the dining room.

As we passed through the hallway, I ran into Hudson Hayes, my distant cousin and the owner of Lunaris Manor.

"The manager at your football club is complaining that you've turned the place into a massive dog kennel. Apparently, you've locked up over a thousand dogs in there. Xavier, care to explain?"

I was in a good mood, so I simply smiled, ignoring his loud accusations as I continued walking, Edie trotting happily at my side.