Xavier My Nemesis

Chapter 8 Announcement

I swallowed on seeing Bianca. Then all of a sudden, it was like I lost my ability to walk properly. I cowered at my desk.

Bianca threw a bored glance my way while I was setting up my desk for the day. She continues typing away on her screen. Her long, thin nails made a loud tap, tap sound as her finger typed fast.

I let out a breath of relief when I realized she didn't know anything yet. Her initial frown was the usual scowl she gave generally to people who were not Xavier.

After some minutes, Xavier strolled in, looking like the main character from a Hollywood movie. He looks unfairly good in a tailored grey suit, the fabric hugging his broad shoulders as if it were made just for him. The deep cream shirt beneath softens the severity of the suit, the open collar giving him an effortless, confident edge.

He perfectly met up to the standard of the man that was always in the blogs, whom the girls fantasize about — composed, powerful, and painfully aware of the effect he has when he walks into a room. Not flashy. Just devastatingly put together.

I saw Bianca’s demeanour change. She suddenly stood straighter, chested out, looking poised. As if trying to also catch up to the level of his confidence. Although I saw the uncertainty and sadness flicker in her eyes. She was only faking the confidence.

“Hey baby” she smiled brightly, arms stretched to hug Xavier. He avoided her touch and moved away instead. Bianca's lips thinned in displeasure for very few seconds. I wouldn't be able to tell at all if I weren't so engrossed in the exchange and watching their every move.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Xavier shoots at her.

“Well, I thought you should be over our last fight until you started talking silly. I had to come to see you in person since you're suddenly not always home”

“And by talking silly, you mean?….”

“About getting married” She paused. “Look babe, I know we both said things we both regret and wish to take back but all that is water under the bridge now. Let's go back to how things were” She says coyly.

“What gave you the impression that I was ‘talking silly’” Xavier hand quoted mocking her.

“Because you wouldn't dare marry someone who is not me,” she says in a low tone, glaring at him.

“Oh I already dared B” he says with a smirk. Then continued. “Matter of fact…. I do have an announcement to make and since you're around, you might as well listen to it. He turned to me.

“Sydney” he says with a tiny mischievous smile in the corner of his lips. I jumped immediately. I didn't expect to be called on.

“Reach out to all staff to be in the boardroom in the next 5 minutes.” I nodded and dashed out of the office, happy to be out of the tense atmosphere. Unknowingly to me, the atmosphere was about to reach its greatest degree of tension in a few minutes.

I made sure everyone got the news to gather in the boardroom and then I came back to inform Xavier.

“Sir, everyone is waiting for you in the boardroom” I said to him. He suddenly moved closer to me and held my hands. I glanced at Bianca confused and shocked. She drew holes in my head. I immediately averted my gaze and let Xavier lead me to the boardroom while she tagged along.

My heart thumped rapidly like it was going to pump out of my chest. I had a clue about what Xavier was about to do and I was petrified. I cowered beside him as he led me while he stood with his head held high.

Even in my state of frenzy, I couldn't help but notice how Xavier held onto my hands. His palm was so big that it covered my frail hands, while mine was very small and feminine compared to his, but it fit perfectly, almost like it was made to be a pair with the other. My heart warmed thinking of this until I was snapped back to reality when we got to the boardroom.

The meeting room is fuller than usual. People stand along the walls, coffee cups in hand, conversations low and distracted.

Xavier walks in holding my hand and Bianca follows behind us, fuming.

The room quiets instinctively.

He doesn’t waste time. He rests his hands on the edge of the conference table, posture relaxed, voice calm.

“I’ll be brief,” he says. “I called this meeting to share a personal update.”

My pulse spikes.

Sydney. Breathe. I tell myself.

“I’m getting married.” He says effortlessly.

The words hit the room like a dropped glass.

Silence.

Not the awkward kind — the stunned kind. The kind where no one even inhales properly. Eyes dart. Backs straighten. Someone’s coffee cup pauses halfway to their lips.

Then murmurs ripple through the room.

“What?”

“To whom?”

“When?”

I keep my gaze fixed ahead, pretending I’m not the center of gravity pulling every thought in the room.

Xavier turns slightly.

“To my PA, who you all know to be Sydney Poe” My full name rolled causally and smoothly out his mouth like this isn't just a ruse. I hated the fact that I liked the way he called my name.

Every sound dies again. I feel it before I see it — the shift. The recalculation. The quiet rewriting of every interaction they’ve ever witnessed between us. I feel like I needed to ground to open up and swallow me instantly.

A few faces soften in surprise. Others narrow with curiosity. Someone blinks too slowly. Someone else looks away like they’ve just seen something they shouldn’t have.

And then—

A laugh.

Sharp and bitter. Intended to taunt.

Bianca steps forward, heels clicking against the floor. I almost forgot she was here.

“Well,” she says sweetly, eyes dragging over me. “That was fast.”

No one breathes.

Her gaze drops deliberately to my hand.

She smiles.

“But funny thing,” she resumes, tilting her head. “There’s no ring.”

The room collectively stiffens.

Heat crawls up my neck. I resist the urge to look down.

She smirks wider. “Did he forget to propose properly, or are we just pretending now?”

Before I can react, Xavier moves.

“Baby, you left this in my closet the last time you came to my loft” Xavier reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a small velvet box. “I found it,” he says calmly, taking my hand and simply sliding the ring onto my finger.

Every head turns while mine stays spinning.

First, he referred to me as ‘baby’.

Second, he insinuated that I casually drop by his house for sleepovers.

Third and worst of all— everyone now thinks we’ve had s*x multiple times, all while pretending to be professional at work.

Including Bianca who looks like she's on the verge of tears, and also like if she were given a knife right now she wouldn't hesitate to spill my blood all over this company.

I stared down at my finger. The ring catches the light. It was simple, elegant, unmistakably real. If this wasn't fake I would have cried in joy at how beautiful it looks, sitting pretty on my long manicured nails.

Although, the ring is slightly bigger making it a bit loose around my finger. If someone looks too closely they would be able to tell that it doesn't fit perfectly. I quickly tucked my hand where he wore the ring into my dress so no one could clearly see that it didn't fit as it should.

I would be surprised if he had gotten my perfect size.

The diamond shone brightly, blinding me. I couldn't help but do a mental estimation of how much it would likely cost. The diamonds are real, it must cost a fortune.

The murmurs return, louder now.

“Oh my God.”

“Is this real?”

“No way.”

“That explains everything.”

Xavier straightens, his hand resting briefly at the small of my back.

“We appreciate your professionalism,” he says to the room. “Nothing else changes.”

Everything has changed.

He nods once. “That’s all.”

People begin to disperse, whispering openly now, glancing between me and the ring like it might disappear if they stop looking.

Bianca doesn’t move.

She stares at my hand.

At the ring.

At him.

And in her eyes, I see it clearly.

This isn’t over.

Not even close.

War is coming.