Calix decided to follow Xander to the latter’s car before shooting him any questions. Edward and one of Xander’s personal assistants, Mr. Wei followed from behind as they headed to the basent parking lot.
The basent was quiet, save for the occasional low hum of the engines coming from the coming and going vehicles. Two security stood safeguarding the entrance that connected the complex to the parking lot.
The lights above basked on the n’s figures as they walked in silence. Calix eventually saw Xander’s driver, Mr. Gong standing outside his friend’s luxury sedan.
"Good evening, CEO Qin and CEO Xu."
Calix returned the middle-aged man’s greeting. He was familiar with Mr. Gong because the latter worked as Xander’s personal chauffeur for years.
Mr. Gong joined Edward and Mr. Wei waiting outside the car. The forr had already heard from the personal assistant that their boss would be having a private talk with Calix in the car.
"Get in," murmured Xander to which he earned a scoff from Calix.
"No need to tell ."
Opening the door, Calix sank into the backseat of Xander’s sleek, black luxury sedan. He closed the door softly behind him as his friend entered from the other side.
Calix leaned against the plush, dark leather of the seat, making himself comfortable. He took in the scent of rich cologne in the air, mingling with a faint trace of sothing minty.
"Speak now. I don’t have the entire night to wait," Calix parted his lips, letting the words roll out of his tongue, "Unlike you, I have my wife and daughter waiting at ho ah."
Xander winced, thinking how straightforward Calix’s attack was. Turning to look at his friend’s side profile, his movent was stiff.
"This is long overdue," Xander replied after a mont of heavy silence in the air, his voice asured yet, with a slight edge, "But, we need to settle things."
Calix arched his brows, recalling the surprising remark Xander uttered when they waited for the elevator earlier. He really didn’t expect to hear his friend talking about feeling guilty over the situation.
That stuck-up, self-absorbed and annoyingly rigid Xander Qin felt so guilt?
Were there any other similar words he could use on this man?
Resting his hand on the armrest, Calix mused, "I wonder whether the guilt you ntioned just now is a fake or genuine one."
Xander loosened the tie around his neck, uncomfortable with the clear mockery in Calix’s voice. Even though he disliked being talked to like that, he knew he had to endure it this ti.
After all, he had fucked up for a long ti already.
Calix threw his gaze outside, seeing Edward talking to Mr. Wei and Mr. Gong. He couldn’t help but think how chatty that younger man could be.
Tearing his eyes from the car window, Calix locked his gaze on Xander’s face. Without saying anything, he seed to challenge the man in the black suit to speak more.
Clearing his throat awkwardly, Xander relayed his intention to seek Calix tonight, once again surprising his longti friend.
"I want to apologize to you and your wife. Will you allow to et her?"
Calix was dumbstruck upon hearing more unbecoming words from Xander. His whole face clearly defined how shocked he was.
"Apologize to us? Allow you to et her?"
Xander nodded once, his countenance expressing his awkwardness. Calix rembered his thought from earlier again.
What if this Xander was not the Xander he knew?
Did another soul, a much more kindhearted one, transmigrate into him?
Narrowing his eyes, Calix muttered, his tone brimming with suspicions, "Did a Grim Reaper visit your dream? Is your lifespan ending soon?"
"What the..."
Xander was dumbfounded. He blankly stared at Calix as if his friend was being dumb, but...
Well, he couldn’t deny that his action right now was indeed out of his norms.
Xander was so used to being catered to that he never felt the need to lower himself to apologize despite knowing so of his actions were flawed.
Even when Xander dealt with the elders in the Qin family, including his grandmother and father, he didn’t really change his ways.
"No Grim Reaper visited my dream. I believe my lifespan is still long so no, I’m not dying soon."
Calix shrugged, thinking nothing was wrong with his questions, "You can’t bla . I thought the world would end first before you did any apologizing."
Expelling a loud sigh, Xander rubbed his face. He could feel the weight of Calix’s doubtful stare on him without looking at his friend anymore.
Urgh... Was this how frustrating people felt when no one believed their words?
Up until now, Xander never cared about what people thought of him. He was still the sa when courting Violet. It was one of the reasons why he didn’t bother to act gently when pursuing her.
But... he couldn’t afford to do this anymore. At least, not with Calix and Violet.
Calix shook his head slightly, thinking he should act more serious now. Seeing Xander with his back hunched, looking defeated felt so weird.
"You said that you want to apologize to and my wife but, have you really reflected on your wrongdoings? We don’t need an empty apology, Xander."
Despite thinking it was already a good yet small change in Xander, Calix didn’t want to be in a rush to forgive him. He also wanted to hear what really led his friend, the epito of arrogance, to do this.
"I have been thinking for a while, but... I didn’t think much about it until way later," Xander paused, seemingly being careful in choosing his words, "I think... I’ll lose a friend... a good friend forever... if I keep this up."
Calix squinted his eyes, thinking there was so truth in Xander’s words. Even though he still cared for the latter as a friend, he would rather keep the distance if it ant shielding Leslie from Xander’s biased judgnt.
Still...
What made him change?
Calix received the answer soon after.
"I can say Ryken’s punch was the wake-up call I need."
Calix’s eyes widened, a gasp escaping his mouth before he quietly asked, "...care to repeat that? What do you an... you got punched?"
Xander visibly grimaced, seemingly unpleased with the mory but, he still answered Calix.
"Ryken punched last week."
The words hung in the air as Calix’s eyes almost popped out of his sockets.
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