Entrapped

Chapter 15.

The room was dead silent as the pillars of Black clan were all present in one single room, summoned by the soon to be mafia leader. Everyone rushed to the home office where Xavier had ordered them to gather on time. He claimed he had an important announcement to make and now everyone was looking forward to it because Xavier only asked them all to gather together if the matter was really important otherwise, he wouldn’t have bothered anyone.

Everyone was all serious, assuming that this meeting must be related to the underworld business. Xavier’s father, Alejandro, who was also the official leader of the Black clan cleared his throat before he looked at his son who sat across him on the head chair.

“what’s the purpose of the sudden meeting, Xavier?” His father was the first one to break the calming yet deadly silence of the atmosphere by taking the lead to question his son as the leader he was.

Xavier shifted in his seat, feeling slightly anxious as he was not sure how they all were going to react but he knew he needed to tell them. It wasn’t like Xavier needed their permission or opinion, he was a man who liked to decide for his own self but he considered all these four men his family and just wanted them to agree with him.

“Tiara has given her consent to marry me.” It did not matter to any male present in the room except for her father but even he knew she had no choice to begin with.

“that does not matter, we are Blacks and if we want something we take it as simple as that.” Alejandro’s tone was venomous, indicating that he had not ruled over the underworld all these years for no reason. He was a merciless man that made him a great leader and he hoped the same from his son, Xavier who had apparently become too soft for a girl.

“It does to me, dad.” Xavier claimed, reminding his father that he loved that girl with all his heart much to Alejandro’s dismay because he no longer liked Tiara and found her fit for Xavier.

“How does that concern all of us?” Noah, Xavier’s right hand man who was also his childhood friend, questioned him in a voice that clearly showed that he was annoyed with the found information.

“I would like to discuss the weddi-“

“darn it, Xavier!” Noah interrupted him, not being able to stay quiet and let his friend make a foolish decision, “you know how she had betrayed you and you are still thinking about getting married to her!” he snapped at Xavier in front of everyone but all of them were aware that apart from work relationship they were like brothers and was used to Noah losing his calm over Xavier.

“exactly!” Luca, Xavier’s second trusted man and also his high school friend decided to make his presence known and let out his thoughts, “she had tried to burn herself alive a few days ago and now she agreed to marry you?” he let out his suspicion on Tiara.

Xavier clutched his fingers in a fist as he was once again reminded of that horrible day, that dreadful sight where she was in between those murderous flames invaded his mind making him feel guilty because he was the reason that compelled her to take such a drastic step.

“She is just buying time and simultaneously trying to gain your trust only to shatter it once again at the right time.” Noah commented as he rolled his eyes in annoyance. The very name of that woman who had deceived his best friend disgusted him.

Xavier hated what Noah was saying about Tiara and he despised that Noah could be right, he knew it was strange of Tiara to suddenly say yes but he just could not waste this opportunity just because of his anxiety. He wanted to trust her and his heart was compelling him to trust her, he had seen this sincerity in her eyes which he had never seen before up until now when talking about the marriage.

It was highly possible that she could be scheming something and planning to escape but he chose to ignore that fact for now, his love was blinding him and everyone was afraid for Xavier because every single person in that room knew how much Xavier loved her. Tiara had nothing to lose now but Xavier would end up with a broken heart once again if she had planned to betray him again.

“I know you love her but don’t make the obvious fool of yourself by falling in her trap again” Alejandro advised his son, he just wanted Xavier to be happy. He knew his son had so many responsibilities and many hardships to face as he was born as a ruler and he did not want the marital problem to be added to the list.

“Tiara has made a mistake but my daughter is not a bad person.” Dante, who kept looking down the whole time as he was ashamed of what his daughter had done, spoke for the first time, “she is innocent and naïve and is incapable of plotting against us.” Tiara’s father defended her, he  was angry and disappointed with her for betraying Xavier and running away from home but now as she had decided to rectify her mistake by marrying Xavier, he was quite glad.

Alejandro snickered and frowned upon hearing his words and spoke, “that girl is very much capable of plotting against us and just to remind you, she had already betrayed us once.” He had always been great when it came to reading people but even he had mistook her as an innocent girl but not anymore as she had shown her true colours.

Xavier felt like he was slapped right across the face when his father mentioned her betrayal. It pained his heart to even think about it though he had forgiven her and decided to move on yet he could not get rid of the wound he had gotten on his heart from her with a dagger of betrayal.

“I am disappointed to say but your daughter is not trustworthy unlike you, Dante.” Alejandro claimed and gave a pitiful look to his right hand man who also happens to be his one and only friend, “she is a serpent.”

Dante bowed his head feeling ashamed, he had known Alejandro for thirty years and had been working for him for twenty five years and not even for once the thought of disloyalty occurred in his mind, it was not in his blood then from where did his daughter get this disease in her.

“all of you can leave now.” Xavier dismissed everyone as he neither tolerated his father saying anything against her nor he could stop him.

Dante, Tiara’s father was first to obliged and left without saying anything while keeping his head low and he was followed by Alejandro who left Xavier giving the freedom to decide for himself.

Xavier lumped down on his chair when the elders left them, he let out a loud sigh of exhaustion and massaged his temples with his forefinger and thumb and his friends decided to take the vacant seats across from him.

“I asked you to leave.” He said looking at the two men who made themselves comfortable before him as they completely ignored his order.

“we will when we feel like there is nothing more to say and to listen.” Noah announced as he visibly leaned more onto his chair and stretched his arms as if mocking Xavier who in return just let out a few curses.

Luca admired Noah for his boldness in front of Xavier after all he was their leader and a person with whom even the devil would think twice before messing.

“How is Tiara?” Luca asked suddenly, out of Xavier’s two friends Luca was one who cared for Tiara a little bit as he was the one who had followed her during high school as per Xavier’s orders and he knew she was a naïve and kind hearted girl.

“she is fine.” Xavier answered, “I made it on time fortunately.” He nodded at Luca, observing him with his dark grey eyes. He knew that Luca was just concerned yet he could not help but feel possessive.

“has she hit her head somewhere?”

“yes, she has but the doctor said it was nothing serious.” Xavier answered casually, not picking up the meaning behind Luca’s words.

Luca chuckled and made a weird face before speaking, “that makes sense now otherwise she would not have agreed to marry you.”

Xavier curled his fingers in a tight fist at his remark, his knuckles were turning white. He gave Luca a menacingly cold glare and gritted his teeth in anger, his friend’s remark seemed to erupt inside him, “do you mean to say that I am that despicable that no one in their right mind would marry me?”

Luca turned visibly pale upon hearing the coldness in his voice and the playfulness in him flew away in thin air leaving him with dread and nervousness. He shook his head in negative before trying to explain himself, “no, I didn't mean it like that!” he moved his hand in air while trying to defend himself, “but you know since it’s Tiara who had done everything in order to get away from you like from running away with another man to trying to take her own life, don’t you think it’s little suspicious?” Although Luca could be a little playful in nature, he had also been a man with intelligence, who would always put two and two together right away.

“yes, Xavier. Luca is right, she has not come this far just to give up like that.” Noah exclaimed, giving worried looks to Xavier.

Xavier nodded and took a deep breath. Leaning back on the chair to relax his muscles, he looked at the dark ceiling.

“even I was shocked when she said that she is ready to marry me, I thought she must be overwhelmed with that suicide attempt. I did not bring that topic up to her for a week but yesterday when I went to check on her, she asked me if I had made any decision.” Xavier closed his eyes and almost instantly an image of her from yesterday flashed in his mind. Her beautiful green eyes looked at him as she expectantly waited for his answer.

“I couldn’t say no because deep down in my heart I want the same thing. I love her so much that I know that it all could be a trap and yet I couldn’t help but fall in it. I have become helpless, Noah.” Xavier let down his guard and opened his heart about how he was feeling lately to his friend.

He was not sure that if hoping to be loved by the woman he loves was too much to ask for? He knew he had made so many mistakes in the past but he was clueless and did not know what to do. He just let his heart guide him down the way he had assumed as love but she claimed it was an obsession.

Xavier was hurting, each day more than before. She had put him in a dilemma, he did not know whether to listen to his heart or to his mind because he had tried them both and none of them turned out to be useful. He had listened to his mind when he decided to make his distance from her so that she would not feel burdened but it only drove her further away from him. He followed his heart when she pleaded with him to let her go to England for further studies to achieve her dreams but was betrayed in return. He had tried everything and now he did not know how to cope with this battle of war he seemed to fight against the very woman he loved.

“We know Xavier, we were there when you fought with your father and let her go to England against his order for her happiness. We know how much you love her.” Noah pitied Xavier at that moment. He knew how much that woman meant to his friend that he could do anything for her yet she had turned blind eye to his love.

As per Noah, the people who do not appreciate the love they receive did not really deserve any love. They were just simply ungrateful and selfish and for him Tiara was on top of that list. If it was not for Xavier then he would have killed her by now for being so ungrateful.

“I am sure she is playing something because I have seen the love she had for her husband. The way she kept crying and looking at his dead body with so much desperation and love, there is no way she would marry the man who had killed the man she loves.” Luca made a valid point and Noah sided him because he found whatever Luca had mentioned was right.

“what should I do?” Xavier groaned in confusion and looked at his friends for help.

“you want to marry her, you marry her and let her plan whatever she is planning.” Noah said with determination as he wanted Xavier to be happy and if his happiness was Tiara then so be it.

“she won’t be able to escape and would be trapped in her own plan.” Luca smirked at Noah and then looked at Xavier with the same determined look as the other man.

Xavier nodded his head as he had already said he was going to be selfish this time and would think about his own happiness first and besides it was Tiara who wanted to marry him this time. A part of him still prayed that it was not her scheme to run away and she truly meant what she had said earlier about the realization of his love. He just hoped that this time there would be no traces of deception and hues of lies between them.