Chapter 9
974 Words
The woman's scent danced aggressively through the dark New York night, almost choking Jade.
"Carrie." Xavier gestured for her to come over. "How was your flight?"
Carrie majestically walked to them and dropped her purse on the table.
"Relaxing!" She looked at Jade with a frown but turned to him with a smile. "So Raquel was right after all."
"Jade, this is Carrie. She is one of my subordinates. And Carrie, Jade. She is my fiancée," he introduced.
Jade offered a handshake, but Carrie didn't take it.
"Nice to meet you again." Carrie threw her a fake smile.
"You know each other?" he asked, looking from one woman to the other.
"She bumped into me at the mall and ruined a five-thousand-dollar blouse," Carrie smiled. "But don't worry, I don't hold grudges. We're good, right, Jade?"
Jade ignored her.
"Why don't you freshen up? Your dinner will be served in your room." Xavier changed the topic.
"This looks fine to me. I'll just eat a little and call it a night." Jade maintained a practiced smile.
Xavier asked for an extra chair for Carrie.
Jade faded into the background. She felt alone watching them talk and clink their glasses a couple of times.
She was now the third wheel.
Who the hell is this girl? What kind of relationship do they have?
That is none of your business, Jade. Your top priority is to run away.
But the way they naturally blended together didn't sit well with her.
She felt like stabbing Carrie with her fork.
Look at her smiling as if she hadn't insulted her at the mall.
"Are you okay, Jade? You're so quiet." Carrie pouted. "Xavier told me he was getting married, but I didn't think it'd be so soon."
"You want me to pretend to be friends with you?" Jade rolled her eyes.
"We should forget what happened at the mall, Jade. The past is in the past." Carrie drank her wine.
"Why? My dress isn't distasteful anymore? Or because Xavier isn't an old man?" Jade smiled.
"You got lucky." Carrie smirked. "Call a spade a spade. I'm only talking to you because Xavier is engaged to you, and that kind of places you on the same level as us now. Congratulations."
Jade briefly looked at Xavier and then back at Carrie.
"I mean, how did Xavier find a wife so quickly? Garage sale, maybe? So convenient, don't you think?" Carrie sat back and crossed her legs.
Jade's eyes slowly moved to Xavier.
It wasn't the coldness in his eyes that made her heart leap; it was the compliance she saw that made her think he agreed with what Carrie was saying.
Without waiting another moment, Jade sprang to her feet.
Overcome with anger and fighting back tears, she quickly turned away.
"Sit down."
She heard his cold voice command.
But she needed to move.
One step after another, Jade raced to her room and securely locked the door.
Her legs carried her to the balcony, and when the cold breeze caressed her face, it was all she needed to let everything out.
Silently weeping into the dark sky, she hugged her knees, letting her tears do all the talking.
The talking she had done all this while, but in vain.
She didn't know how long she sat there hugging herself in the cold, but she knew it was better than going back downstairs.
"Jade."
Xavier softly called her name as he approached from behind and helped her to her feet.
"Don't touch me!" She pushed him, though it was useless. He was like a solid wall.
"We weren't done with dinner," he reminded her.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Your Highness. I'm sorry because I refused to be insulted by your cheap friend!" She aggressively wiped her face with the back of her hand.
Jade walked away from him and moved closer to the railing.
"Carrie is just—"
"Save it! I don't want to hear it!" Her voice cracked. "Just leave me alone. I'm pretty sure you've taunted me enough for one night."
Xavier quietly moved closer and turned her to face him.
"What happened to defending yourself? I never stopped you from doing that." He used his index finger to lift her chin.
He wanted her to defend herself?
But she wanted him to do that for her at that very moment.
"Don't blame me for being a coward," he added with a smirk that drew her eyes to his mouth.
Jade's throat suddenly became dry—not from dehydration, but from the overwhelming urge to taste his lips.
He moved in slowly, reading her eyes perfectly, knowing exactly what she wanted, and without warning, he softly claimed her lips.
It wasn't needy or lustful.
It was gentle enough to comfort and deep enough to bring closure.
Jade's cold hands found his neck and wrapped around it.
He didn't hesitate to pull her closer, but just as quickly, he pulled away.
Jade looked up at him, perplexed.
She tried to reach for him again, but he stepped back.
Oh no. This isn't happening.
Not after finally getting what she had been craving.
"Come on..." She moved closer, but he stepped back again.
She knew she had lost this time.
He didn't have to say it.
It was written boldly in his icy blue eyes.
Jade sighed as she watched him walk away and shut the balcony door behind him.
All the sadness and tears from earlier disappeared.
Xavier kissed her.
And she kissed him back.
And she liked it.
Jade turned to look at the city lights in the distance with a broad smile on her face.
The smile quickly fell when she remembered where she was.
She was still in this prison.
But who cared!?
Jade happily took off her dress and climbed into the hot tub.
- Writer
