Love's Rebirth

Chapter 15

Xavier's POV

"A virgin?" I asked her, shocked and elated at the same time. "Don't look so happy about it. I was busy with school and my career. Plus, something just kept me from taking that step with your brother. Thank goodness I didn't, or else I'd be devastated. And who knows what diseases I would've caught from him." she said quickly. I lifted my hands in surrender and decided to be fully transparent with her. "I am honoured that you would be willing to let me be your first. Your virginity is nothing to be ashamed of. It's a badge of honour. I think you're amazing." My voice lowered with the last words, showing just how awestruck I was. She looked down at her hands, but not before I caught the shy smile that appeared on her face. "We'll announce the change publically once I've spoken to my family, and once both families have had a chance to sit and discuss everything." I nodded at her words. We finished off our lunches, making polite conversation. By the time Delia left my office, I felt lighter than air.

Mildred noticed my elation, but wisely chose to remain quiet. The work day moved quickly, and I managed to complete all the tasks on my to-do list. I left the office with a noticeable bounce in my step. Just before I entered the elevator, Mildred looked at me and said, "This might be highly inappropriate of me to say, but I'm glad you've finally found a woman strong enough to stand beside you without disappearing in your shadow." With that, she walked into my office to tidy it up before leaving. I smiled to myself the whole elevator ride. I reached the basement parking lot, entered my car, and rehearsed what I'd say to my parents once I got home. The drive was peaceful, with light traffic on the way. Once I entered through the gates, I sent a silent prayer to God to keep Leon away while I talked to mom and dad.

Heaven was on my side because I was immediately confronted by Leon, and he was on his way out. I didn't care to ask where he was going, afraid my question would make him change his mind out of spite. We nodded to each other, and he left the house, leaving a cloud of strong perfume in his wake. I coughed lightly, waving my hand in front of my face to dissipate the perfume. I found my parents in the study, both of them looking older than their actual ages. "I'm glad you're both here. There's something we need to discuss while Leon is out." I said to them hurriedly. I closed the door tightly behind me and moved closer to them to minimise the risk of being overheard. Leon had left, but I didn't want any of the household staff hearing this either. I was 100% certain none of the staff were loyal to Leon, but gossip could reach his ears easily. My parents looked worried, but they waited patiently for me to say what was on my mind.

"I had a lunch meeting with Delia Cooper. She knows about Leon's betrayal. She approached me with an amendment to the merger agreement between the families. It will minimise embarrassment for all of us except Leon." I said quickly. My mother looked horrified but seemed to be clining to hope that the change wouldn't punish our family severely. My father remained stone faced, refusing to show any emotion until he had all the information. I continued, "Delia proposed a change in groom. She'll be marrying me instead of Leon, but Leon will only be informed closer to the time, if not on the actual wedding day, to avoid any interference. So once she confronts him, we'll pretend the wedding is off to keep him from suspecting anything." Once I'd finished, I waited for their reactions. Dad was the first to speak. "The Coopers agreed to this amendment?" he asked, seeming suspicious. I understood his reticence. "She is probably discussing it with them as we speak. She'll give me the final confirmation either later tonight or tomorrow." I replied. My mother looked hopeful, but fear still lurked in the outskirts. "Xavier, do you want to marry her?" she asked me quietly.

My mother has always suspected I had feelings for Delia, so lying to her would probably worsen her anxiety over the situation. "Mom, you know I've always cared about Delia. Marrying her won't be a hardship at all. She's beautiful, smart, successful, and kind. She'll be a great partner." I said to her gently. She seemed relieved by my answer. Looking at my father, she put her hand on his and said to him, "Xavier has never let us down, and Delia has always been a sensible young lady. I believe this is a better match. Let's hope the Coopers think so too." My father nodded, and we quickly concluded the conversation. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and my parents took that as a sign to leave. I answered on the 4th buzz. It was Magnus. His guy had completed his investigation and wanted to know if he could see me tomorrow to give present the findings. We agreed to meet tomorrow morning before my first meeting. He emailed me the dossier as we were talking. Once I'd hung up, I left the study and went to my bedroom. I quickly shed my work clothes, showered, and made my way downstairs for dinner.

My parents, especially my mother, were much livelier during this meal. Leon's absence played a huge role in their comfort, but Delia's proposal also gave them a little peace of mind in the midst of the chaos. Once the plates had been cleared, we all went our separate ways. I went back to the study, settling into the chair behind the big mahogany desk dominating the room. I opened my laptop, went into my emails, and opened the email sent by Magnus. The dossier was detailed, including dates when the relationships started, the personal information of the women he cheated with, the duration of the affairs, and his last STD panel. It also included information about Leon's financial indiscretions. He had been embezzling money from Knight Global Enterprises for the past two years, putting the money in an offshore account in the Cayman Islands. I ignored his medical information, focusing on the most important information. I went through it twice before closing my laptop and sighing deeply. Leon really was a piece of s**t. He had been cheating on Delia since they started dating. Most of the girls he cheated with knew he had a girlfriend, but there were a few who weren't in the know. I debated with myself on whether I should send this to Delia, and I decided sending it to her would help build the trust and help cement the decision in her mind. She would also see how much of a financial liability he was. I forwarded the email, praying that I wasn't making a mistake. Once that was done, I poured myself two fingers of scotch, sipping slowly as I watched the flames dancing in the fireplace. I hoped the information wouldn't destroy the relationship I was building with her. I also prayed that she wouldn't fall for any of the excuses Leon was bound to make to get her forgiveness. I gulped the last bit of scotch down and left the study. Inside my bedroom, I paced for a little bit, trying to formulate a plan to properly court Delia in the six months we had of wedding prep. I was going to show her that I was always the better choice.