"I should have known you would try to take Arabella away from . You’re Xavier Wallace after all, your father’s son," he spewed.
"Can you even hear yourself?" Xavier question. "You’re talking like a maniac. Arabella nearly fell and all I did was to catch her."
"Yeah right, and you expect to believe that?"
Arabella couldn’t believe what was happening.
Earlier, Xavier had visited the salon where she worked, asking if Xander had reached out to her—a question that lingered in her mind, leaving her uneasy. She eventually learned that Mr. Wallace had kicked Xander out. Now, as she mopped the floors, preparing to close for the night, she barely noticed the puddles forming beneath her.
She slipped, her heart racing as she braced for the fall, only to find herself steadied by strong hands. Xavier had caught her. But his timing couldn’t have been worse; a frown settled on his face, and she could see suspicion flickering in the eyes of Xander as he began to misunderstand the scene.
Her body was still shaken by what she’d heard Mr. Wallace say over the phone, and she couldn’t bring herself to tell Xavier and now, she doubted she would be able to.
"Xander, it’s not what you’re thinking," Arabella said.
His gaze finally t hers since he arrived at the salon, and they softened instantly.
"Xander only ca to tell about what your father had done to you yesterday," she added, her eyes finally settling on the bandages around his body. "What happened to you?"
"It’s nothing," he replied as fast as that question flew out of her mouth.
"Where did you spend the night?" Xavier questioned with concern laced in his tone.
Xander tore his gaze from Arabella to et with Xavier’s. The latter truly sounded concerned but after rembering what he’d just witnessed a few minutes ago, he couldn’t bring himself to believe Xavier was concerned about him.
"At a family friend’s house," he replied.
Confusion clouded Xavier’s expression. "Whose?"
Xander ignored Xavier and refocused on Arabella.
"It’s getting late. I’ll help you get close to the shop," Xander offered.
The girl glanced between him and Xavier, understanding that their relationship had deteriorated even more.
She nodded and began cleaning up while Xander assisted in whichever way he could.
When they were done, he dropped her at her house in Bruce’s car, while Xavier drove right behind them. He still had questions he needed to ask his brother.
Xander waved goodbye, and Arabella returned the gesture, though her smile faltered under the weight of what she’d overheard their father discussing earlier. The knowledge pressed heavily on her chest, desperate to be set free. Her hands trembled ever so slightly as she struggled to suppress the fear simring in her heart.
Even so, she casually waved him goodbye and entered her house.
"Where did you spend the night and how did you get these many injuries on your body?" Xavier asked as soon as Arabella’s back disappeared behind her door.
"That’s none of your business," Xander responded, his tone sharp. "You must be happy because I’m no longer living in the house. You’re dad’s favorite and all of his attention will be on you. You must like that, right?"
"You’re being a dickhead again," Xavier comnted. "I know you won’t comply but—"
"I’m never coming back ho." Xander rejected the idea even before Xavier could finish the sentence. "I was attacked by so bandits and t one of Dad’s friends. His na is Bruce Vlarie. He took in and I’ll probably be living with him until God knows when."
"Mother is worried about you and she wants you to co back ho." Xavier tried to convince him but Xander looked like he wasn’t having it.
"I’ll co visit her if need be. Now, about the little charade you displayed in the salon earlier, don’t ever try it again," he warned and Xavier could only scoff.
"You’re making it seem like I kissed her or sothing. Arabella is just a friend to . I don’t harbor such feelings like that towards her," he tried to explain, but Xander only believed what his eyes saw.
He hoped that Xavier didn’t have any feelings for Arabella and that he was only just trying to save her from falling flat on the ground.
All his life, he’d always felt overshadowed by Xavier and he could only hope that Xavier didn’t have such feelings towards his girlfriend. He would really despite fighting his brother over a girl, although he’d already done so.
Xander glared at Xavier before he turned to head back towards the car. But then he halted. "I won’t be attending school any longer," he said.
Xavier’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion but Xander didn’t explain anything any longer as he got into the car and vanished.
Xavier could only shake his head in disappointnt. He was disappointed in his father for what he’d caused. They were so happy and close before, that one would think an invisible glue had been applied on them.
But now, they’d started to fight, throwing punches at each other.
Xavier sighed, knowing there was nothing he could do, especially since Xander acted like he didn’t need any help at all.
He got into his car and the driver asked, "Are you going sowhere else, sir?"
"NO! Just take ho."
Mr Wallace glanced at the window wherehe assud would be Arabella’s room before looking back at Xavier’s departing car.
"That girl must have bewitched my sons to have them wrapped around her fingers like that, with no sha at all," he thought out loud, his grip tightening on the steering wheel.
Mr Wallace had been unsure about Arabella overhearing his talk with Bruce in the morning, and he feared that she might have already told soone, especially Xander.
However, from their interaction, he concluded she hadn’t told him anything.
"But not for long. I’ll have to get rid of her before she leaks out my secret to the public," he added. "Most especially to her parents."
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