Chapter Fifteen- Cairo
1870 Words
Was it crazy that I liked it?
Every single time Xander said it—
I wanted to see you.
Or—
I just came to check on you.
Something inside me softened.
I didn’t know why.
Maybe because Xander didn’t say things like that to people.
Xander wasn’t affectionate.
He wasn’t expressive.
He wasn’t the kind of man who casually admitted that he’d gone somewhere simply because he wanted to see someone.
Yet with me, he did.
And I liked it.
A lot.
Which was probably the most dangerous part.
Because Xander was still Xander.
Possessive.
Controlling.
Intimidating.
The man who had practically taken over my wardrobe and my birthday plans without asking.
But somehow, beneath all of that, there was something else.
Care.
And lately, I had started noticing it.
More than I wanted to admit.
⸻
Tonight was the night before my birthday.
I’d only seen Xander once all day.
Once.
He had been ridiculously busy, and earlier that morning he’d texted me:
I’m going to be very busy today. Don’t wait up for me.
So I hadn’t.
At least, that was what I told myself.
But somehow, at eleven-thirty that night, I was lying on my bed staring at my phone.
Nothing.
No message.
No call.
I frowned.
Why was I even checking?
Why did I care whether Xander texted me?
He was busy.
Everybody knew Xander worked late.
He practically lived in his office.
He managed Carrington Holdings, handled the other business interests attached to it, sat on multiple boards, and somehow still found time to interfere in my life.
So why was I waiting?
I tossed my phone onto the bed.
Then picked it up again.
Eleven forty-five.
Nothing.
Eleven fifty-seven.
Nothing.
Then—
12:00 a.m.
My phone vibrated.
I grabbed it immediately.
A message.
From Xander.
I opened it.
Happy birthday, Cairo. May this year bring you everything you’ve worked for, everything you deserve, and more. I’m glad you’re home.
I stared at the message.
Then read it again.
And again.
My cheeks warmed.
He remembered.
Of course he remembered.
But somehow, knowing he had stayed awake until midnight just to be the first person to wish me—
It made my chest feel strangely warm.
I smiled.
Actually smiled.
Then I typed:
Thank you, Xander.
His reply came almost immediately.
You’re welcome. Sleep. Tomorrow is a long day.
I laughed quietly.
Of course.
Even his birthday wishes came with instructions.
A few minutes later, Caleb called.
“Happy birthday, Princess!”
I smiled.
“Thank you.”
We talked for a while before I finally went to sleep.
⸻
The next morning, my phone rang.
I groaned and reached for it.
Xander.
I answered.
“Hello?”
“Happy birthday.”
His voice was deep and calm.
I smiled despite myself.
“Thank you.”
“Come downstairs.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“There’s a car waiting for you.”
I sat upright.
“I haven’t even showered.”
“I know.”
“Xander—”
“Don’t shower.”
“What?”
“Don’t do anything. Put on your pajamas, come downstairs, and get into the car.”
I stared at the phone.
“You want me to leave my house in pajamas?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I said so.”
I sighed.
Of course.
Ten minutes later, I walked downstairs in pajamas.
And stopped.
A limousine was waiting outside.
A huge one.
The windows were completely covered.
I looked at the driver.
He couldn’t even see me.
I immediately understood.
Xander.
Of course.
He probably didn’t want some random driver staring at me.
I climbed inside.
And the moment we reached Xander’s estate, I understood why he had told me to come in my pajamas.
The front doors opened.
And I froze.
There were flowers.
Balloons.
A huge birthday arrangement.
And gifts.
So many gifts.
I counted at least thirty.
“Good morning.”
I looked up.
Xander was standing there.
He was holding the most beautiful bouquet I had ever seen.
He walked toward me.
“Happy birthday, Cairo.”
He handed me the flowers.
I took them slowly.
“Xander…”
“Yes?”
“What is all this?”
“Your birthday.”
“I can see that.”
“Then why are you asking?”
I laughed softly.
He had no sense of humor.
I looked around again.
There were boxes everywhere.
Hermès.
Louis Vuitton.
Fendi.
Bottega Veneta.
Jewelry boxes.
Designer clothing.
Shoes.
Accessories.
Everything.
Then my eyes landed on one particular box.
I stopped breathing.
“No.”
Xander looked at me.
“What?”
I walked toward it.
The Hermès box.
My heart was already racing.
I opened it.
And there it was.
The bag I’d been searching for.
The one I’d asked my Hermès SA about months ago.
The rare crocodile Birkin.
I covered my mouth.
“Xander.”
He watched me quietly.
“You wanted it.”
“I’ve been looking for this.”
“I know.”
I turned around.
“How?”
He shrugged.
“I asked.”
I stared at him.
“That’s not something you just ask for.”
“It is when I want something for you.”
My heart did something strange.
I looked away quickly.
There were diamonds.
Jewelry.
Clothes.
Shoes.
Bags.
Everything I loved.
It wasn’t that I’d never seen luxury before.
I grew up surrounded by it.
But this was different.
Because every single thing had been chosen.
For me.
By him.
“You bought all of this?”
“Yes.”
“All thirty?”
“Yes.”
I shook my head.
“This is insane.”
“Probably.”
I looked at him.
He didn’t even look apologetic.
Instead, he simply said:
“You’re worth it.”
I went quiet.
⸻
The moment Xander left to finish some work, I called Caleb.
The second he answered, I turned the camera toward the gifts.
“Look.”
Caleb screamed.
“WHAT?”
I laughed.
“Look!”
“Cairo!”
“I know!”
“Princess, you’re eating my brother’s money!”
“Stop!”
“Do you know how expensive those are?”
“I know!”
“You have thirty designer gifts sitting in that house!”
“I know!”
“Wait—”
I lifted the Hermès bag.
Caleb went silent.
Then—
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No!”
“Yes!”
“Cairo!”
“He got it for me!”
“That’s a rare Birkin!”
“I know!”
“That thing costs—”
“I don’t care!”
Caleb laughed.
“Okay, Princess. I have officially decided you’re my favorite person.”
“Why?”
“Because apparently being your best friend now comes with access to my brother’s bank account.”
I rolled my eyes.
“You’re ridiculous.”
“Enjoy your birthday.”
“I will.”
⸻
After breakfast, Xander looked at me.
“Go upstairs.”
“Why?”
“Shower.”
“Why?”
“Because you have an outfit waiting.”
I stared at him.
“Another one?”
“Yes.”
I went upstairs.
And when I entered his room, I stopped.
The outfit was laid across the bed.
White.
Soft.
Silk chiffon.
Elegant.
Luxury couture.
And surprisingly—
revealing.
My arms were exposed.
The cut was graceful and slightly feminine.
Exactly my style.
I touched the fabric.
It was beautiful.
I couldn’t understand why Xander had chosen something like this when he’d spent months complaining about my clothes.
Still, I showered.
Changed.
And when I came downstairs, Xander looked up.
He went completely still.
His eyes moved over me.
Slowly.
Then he said something that made my heart flutter.
“You look beautiful.”
I looked at him.
Beautiful.
That word always sounded different when it came from Xander.
I smiled.
“Thank you.”
He walked toward me.
He was dressed in beige, something soft and relaxed that complemented my outfit perfectly.
Then he held out his hand.
“Come.”
“Where?”
“You’ll see.”
⸻
The woods were beautiful.
I had seen them before.
But not like this.
There was a blanket spread across the grass.
Flowers.
Soft cushions.
A beautifully arranged picnic.
Food.
Champagne for the adults who wanted it.
Desserts.
Everything was elegant without being excessive.
It felt like something from a dream.
I sat down.
“This is beautiful.”
Xander looked at me.
“I knew you’d like it.”
We spent hours there.
Talking.
Eating.
Laughing.
At one point, I realized something.
I wasn’t thinking about his controlling behavior.
I wasn’t thinking about his intimidating stare.
I wasn’t thinking about the office.
I was simply enjoying being with him.
And that scared me a little.
Because I was beginning to understand something.
I liked being cared for by Xander.
⸻
By sunset, we returned to the house.
“You need to change,” Xander said.
I stared at him.
“Again?”
“We have dinner.”
“There’s more?”
He smiled faintly.
“Go.”
I went upstairs.
And there it was.
Chocolate brown.
My favorite.
The fabric was soft.
The cut was elegant.
Perfect.
I changed quickly.
When I came downstairs, Xander was waiting.
He was wearing an Armani suit.
He looked unfairly good.
I tried not to stare.
I failed.
He noticed.
Of course he noticed.
“Ready?”
I nodded.
“Yes.”
⸻
The white Porsche was waiting outside.
Xander drove.
The city lights passed by the window while I sat there smiling to myself.
I didn’t know where we were going.
But I didn’t care.
For once, I didn’t want to ask.
I trusted him.
And when we arrived at the restaurant, I immediately knew something was different.
The private room doors opened.
I stopped.
Mom.
Dad.
Caleb.
I looked at Caleb.
His eyes widened.
I pointed at him.
“You knew?”
He raised his hands.
“Don’t look at me!”
“You knew!”
“He only told me tonight!”
I turned toward Xander.
“You planned this?”
He simply looked at me.
“Happy birthday.”
I couldn’t speak.
My mother stood and hugged me.
My father hugged me next.
Caleb immediately started teasing me.
And suddenly the room was filled with laughter.
Food arrived.
Stories were exchanged.
My father talked about the company.
My mother talked about how quickly I had grown.
Caleb made jokes.
And Xander—
Xander sat beside me quietly.
Watching.
Making sure I ate.
Making sure my glass was filled.
Making sure I was comfortable.
At one point, I looked at him.
He caught my gaze.
“What?”
I smiled.
“Nothing.”
His eyes softened.
And for some reason, I thought about his message from midnight.
I’m glad you’re home.
Maybe that was the greatest gift of all.
Because for the first time since returning from Milan, I was beginning to wonder if home wasn’t only a place anymore.
Maybe sometimes—
home was simply the person who made you feel like you belonged somewhere.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD