Beneath the Billionaire's Pride

chapter 7

Xavier pov:

As I stormed into my room, anger simmered just below the surface. That girl's audacity still lingered in my mind, her words echoing with a familiarity that grated on my nerves. What gave her the right to speak to me like that, especially in front of my friends?

Lost in my own thoughts, I failed to notice the figure lying on my bed, watching me with an intensity that made my skin prickle. It wasn't until I heard my name, spoken in a tone that was equal parts hurt and anger, that I turned to face her.

"Xavier," Victoria said, her voice trembling with emotion.

My eyes met hers, and I felt a jolt of surprise. Vicky was the last person I'd expected to see, especially after our prolonged silence. I opened my mouth to speak, but she beat me to it.

"Are you for real, Xavier?" she asked, her anger boiling over. "You haven't called me in a month, and this is how you react after not seeing me for four weeks?"

I stood there, frozen, as Victoria's words hung in the air like a challenge. I knew I'd been neglecting her, but I hadn't realized the depth of her hurt. Now, faced with her anger and disappointment, I felt a pang of guilt and uncertainty.

"I'm sorry," I said dryly, attempting to deflect her anger. "I've been swamped with office work lately."

I knew it was a weak excuse, but I hoped it would suffice to placate her. The last thing I needed was Victoria's nagging tonight. Our relationship had always been somewhat one-sided - she only seemed to remember I existed when she needed something from me. I wondered what it was this time around that had prompted her to show up at my doorstep.

Firstly, she paused for a while, took a breath and continued.

I stood there, my eyes locked on Victoria's, as she demanded to know who the woman I'd been talking to earlier was. Her hands were crossed under her breast, and she was staring at me intensely, her feet stamping the floor slowly.

"What woman?" I asked, playing dumb, hoping to deflect her anger.

Victoria's expression turned incredulous. "Oh, please don't play dumb with me," she said, her voice rising. "You know exactly who I'm talking about."

I shrugged, feeling a spark of irritation. "No, I don't."

Victoria's eyes narrowed. "The so-called cook," she spat out finally.

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you mean Leah?"

Victoria's nod was curt. "Yes, I meant her. Whatever her name is."

I wondered why Victoria was getting so agitated by the mention of Leah's name. "What about her?" I asked, my tone neutral.

Victoria's response was immediate. "I want her sacked."

I raised an eyebrow, surprised by her demand. "Why?"

Victoria's expression turned scornful. "Seriously, you're going to ask me why I want an employee sacked? Well, if you insist, I'll give you the answer. It's because I don't like her. She gives me an eerie vibe."

I studied Victoria's face, trying to understand what was driving her behavior. But her expression was unreadable, and I was left wondering what had really sparked her anger.

I couldn't believe Victoria's audacity. Did she really think I had a thing for Leah? The idea was laughable. I also wanted Leah sacked, but that was beside the point. Victoria's agitation stemmed from seeing me talk to Leah, but hadn't she noticed the tension in the room? Even a blind person could have sensed the hostility between us.

I shook my head, incredulous. "Why would I have anything for a common cook like Leah?" I asked, my tone rising in annoyance. "Don't get me annoyed, Victoria."

I turned to leave, but Victoria's voice stopped me. "Really?" she asked, her tone softening as she took a step closer to me.

I didn't bother responding. Instead, I strode out of the room, leaving Victoria behind, and rejoined my friends in the sitting room.

Hey man, your phone has been ringing non-stop, it's your dad. I asked Leah to head, hope you don't mind. Liam said while handing over my phone, I waved my hand to signify it was okay.

I took the phone from Liam, my eyes scanning the screen to see the numerous missed calls from my dad. A sense of unease crept over me as I wondered what could be wrong. I quickly dialed his number, hoping to catch him before he called again.

As the phone rang, I turned to Liam and nodded in appreciation. "Thanks, man. I owe you one."

Liam smiled and clapped me on the back. "No problem, buddy. Just go see what's up with your dad. He sounded pretty urgent."

I nodded, my mind racing with possibilities. What could be so important that my dad would call me nonstop? I waited anxiously for him to pick up, my heart pounding in anticipation.

Where the hell did you drop your phone Xavier? He sounded so angry.

I Left it in the sitting room to take care of some needs upstairs, I answered.

Save that to yourself, he said.

What the hell is happening at the company, why is everyone complaining about how the project given to you is about to fail totally?

I felt a surge of defensiveness at my dad's words, but I knew better than to interrupt him when he was in a rage. I took a deep breath and let him continue, my mind racing with explanations and excuses.

"Dad, I can explain-" I started, but he cut me off.

"Explain? You'd better have a damn good explanation, Xavier! I trusted you with this project, and you've let me down. You've let the entire company down. What's going on with you? You're not even taking your responsibilities seriously. You're missing work, not returning calls... it's like you're not even interested in the business anymore."

I felt a sting from his words, knowing that I had indeed been slacking off lately. But I also knew that there were no reasons for my behavior.

"Dad, please listen-" I tried again, but he wasn't having it.

"No, Xavier, you listen. You need to get your act together, and fast. You need to take this project seriously and see it through to the end. And you need to do it now, before it's too late. Do you understand me?”

I stood there, holding the phone away from my ear, feeling a mix of emotions: guilt, frustration, and relief. The call had ended abruptly, but I knew my dad's anger would linger. I let out a deep sigh, feeling the weight of my responsibilities bearing down on me.

My dad, Richard Thornton, was a force to be reckoned with. He was a self-made billionaire, who had built his company from scratch. He was a man of few words, but when he spoke, people listened. And when he was angry, it was best to stay out of his way.

I couldn't understand why he insisted on me taking over the company whenever he was away. I had told him countless times that I had no interest in running the company, but he wouldn't listen. It was as if he thought I would eventually come around to his way of thinking.

But I knew that would never happen. I had my own passions, my own interests, and running the company wasn't one of them. I felt trapped, stuck in a life that wasn't mine. And my dad's anger only made things worse.

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I knew I had to face the music eventually, but for now, I just wanted to escape. I pocketed my phone and headed out of the room, searching for a distraction from the turmoil brewing inside me.

Is everything okay with you? I heard Liam say from back.

No Liam, everything is not okay with me.

My father is very furious with me, the company is in shambles due to my negligence.

We are about to lose some of our prestigious clients also, and my dad is not having it.

Don't worry Xavier everything will be fine just give it time, and you need to sit up, and give your all to that company, you know when it comes to anything concerning the company, your dad doesn't joke about it.

He really went through a lot for that company to be what it is today, and he can't have you thwart his efforts.

I nodded slowly, taking a deep breath as I tried to process everything. Liam's words of encouragement were helpful, but I knew I had a long way to go to make things right.

"You're right, Liam," I said, my voice laced with determination. "I need to step up and take responsibility for my actions. I've been coasting for too long, and it's time I put in the effort to prove myself."

Liam smiled, his eyes gleaming with approval. "That's the spirit, Xavier! I know you can do it. You're Thornton, after all."

I chuckled wryly, feeling a surge of gratitude towards my friend. "Thanks, Liam. Just knowing you've got my back makes me feel better."

Liam clapped me on the back again, his expression serious. "We'll get through this together, Xavier. And who knows, maybe this is the wake-up call you needed to take your life to the next level."

I nodded, feeling a spark of hope ignite within me. Maybe Liam was right. Maybe this was the opportunity I needed to prove myself, not just to my dad, but to myself.