Chapter 15
1258 Words
Jade didn’t have a hard time convincing Xavier to go to the seafood restaurant with her.
“You know, we could just stay in and I promise to make you feel really good,” Xavier complained on their way to the restaurant.
She loved the way they walked in the sand under the bright stars.
“No. I’m tired of staying in,” she wrapped her hands around his waist. “Don’t you want to go out with me? Are you ashamed, or do you just want to pick work over me?”
“Fine!” He tickled her, making her jump with a giggle.
“Xavier Stone!” she exclaimed.
“Whoa… the full name now, huh?” He tickled her some more until she got away from him.
“Stop it! If you haven’t noticed, we are in public!”
“Isn’t that what you wanted?” he smiled.
“Stop being a rascal!”
They walked into the restaurant and placed their orders.
“I’m not really a big fan of seafood.” The way he made a face when he tasted the food made her laugh.
“What? It makes my throat—”
“…say yikes,” she completed the sentence with a sad smile, making Xavier look at her.
“What?” he asked.
“What!?” she smiled, quickly erasing the sad expression from her face.
“It makes my throat say yikes,” she repeated with a smile. “It’s something someone used to say.”
“Well, come to think of it, it does make my throat want to say yikes,” he chuckled.
“Oh please,” she laughed.
“You’re not going to tell me who he is?” Xavier questioned.
“No.”
Jade ate in silence, quietly watching Xavier play with his food, which was kind of cute.
“Wanna get out of here and get hamburgers?” she grinned.
“Yes, please!” he didn’t hesitate as he stood up.
Her heart skipped a beat.
What was happening to her? Why was she suddenly feeling sad?
Yes, she would miss his smile, his touch… those dimples…
“Snap out of it, Jade!”
Jade collapsed the moment she stepped into the house.
“Jade!” Xavier picked her up.
“Raquel! Call the doctor!”
He placed her on their bed and impatiently waited for the doctor to finish examining her.
“You’re wasting my time!” he growled.
The doctor shivered. “She is fine,” he said, turning to Xavier. “It’s just an allergy.”
“Then why isn’t she waking up?”
“She will, but she needs bed rest because she is very weak. I’ll send in the medication she needs. Please ensure she takes it.” He walked out.
Xavier sat beside her. He hardly left her side as he took care of her.
Jade slowly opened her eyes.
“What happened?” she looked around.
“You passed out. Food allergy,” he said simply.
“How long?”
“Since last night.”
Jade smiled inwardly when she saw familiar drugs on the side table.
Perfect.
She did take her drugs, but not completely. She couldn’t afford anyone figuring her out.
“Ma’am, I’m sorry but you can’t be in here.” The chefs stood in front of the kitchen.
“Come on, I just want to make pie for everyone,” she stomped her foot.
“Last time you cooked, everyone lost their senses. What made you think we’d let you poison anyone again?” Carrie said from behind.
“Oh don’t worry, you don’t need to eat anything I make,” Jade turned to her. “If I want you dead, you’d be dead by now. And I don’t need poison to do that.”
Carrie’s eyes widened.
“What is it?” Xavier walked over to them.
“She wants to cook for everyone,” Carrie informed.
“No,” he simply said and walked away.
“Come on,” Jade followed him. “All I do is stay in bed! I feel useless! I want to make something.”
“I don’t want to repeat myself,” he said dismissively.
Jade turned to Carrie, who looked satisfied.
She stomped back to her room.
Fools. They will never see it coming.
Xavier took off his suit and ordered water.
Jade put on an angry face and sat on the bed.
“I have a surprise for you tonight,” he said, turning to her with a diamond necklace in his hand. “I’m sure you’ll like it.”
“So what’s the necklace for?”
“For you. I want you to wear it with something elegant. Not too sexy, not too plain,” he said, placing it on her vanity before drinking his water.
“I’ll do just that,” she said, staring at him.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” He sat beside her, checking her temperature.
“Nothing. I just like it when you smile,” she said softly, caressing his face.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. I like you like this.”
He took her hands and kissed her knuckles.
Then suddenly, he slumped to the side.
“Xavier!” she shook him. No response.
She quickly got up and grabbed a duffle bag, packing what she needed. She needed cash—no cards. She had to cover her tracks.
She found a locked drawer.
“Key…” she searched around but found nothing. She checked him and found exactly what she needed.
“Oh my God,” she gasped when she saw a bag of diamonds.
No time to think.
She packed her bag, headed for the door, then stopped. She returned and kissed him again and again.
“Gosh, I’ll miss you,” she whispered. “Am I sorry? No.”
It was bound to happen. He took her life—she was only taking it back.
Jade rushed out. Everyone in the house was unconscious.
Thanks to Lily. She had poisoned the entire water supply. All she needed was distraction.
“Jay!” Lily ran into her.
Lily drove her to the train station.
“Do you have enough money? You can’t be traced,” Lily said.
“I’m not sure. I stole his diamonds,” Jade admitted.
“You deserve more than diamonds, but you need cash. The train is coming. This is the safest way.”
“What would I do without you?” Jade spotted a pawn shop. “I’ll be back.”
She walked in.
“I need cash.”
“What do you have?”
Jade looked down at her fingers.
“This,” she said, removing her wedding ring. “How much?”
The man checked it.
“It’s authentic. Five hundred thousand.”
“Five hundred thousand? That’s worth more than ten million!” she gasped.
“Take it or leave it.”
She looked at Lily, who signaled time was running out.
“Fine.”
She took the cash.
“Here’s your ticket. Go!” Lily kissed her. “Keep in touch. Carefully.”
“I will.”
Jade boarded the train.
She watched as it began to move.
Then she saw Xavier running toward it.
He reached it too late, slamming his hand against the door.
The train pulled away.
His eyes locked with hers.
A message clear in his gaze:
I’ll find you.
No, Xavier. You won’t.
But her heart still skipped.
- Writer
