LEAVING

Andrew was sweet; he was an artist and who took life easy. It was a considerable change for Xenia. There were no verbal fights with Andrew, unlike it was with stressed-out, you-know-who. Xenia felt they were back in college; her heart fluttered lightly. Not passionately like with Mr. Big Bucks but steadily and felt good.

"When are you going to let me spend the day with your daughter?"

"Please, Andrew."

"I like kids, kids like me," Andrew beamed.

"I know, Andrew; it's just I don't think she's readyㅡ."

"Is it she or you?"

Andrew pressed where it hurt. Xenia hesitated. Sia still asked about Gregory. Sia even requested that they go back to their old apartment to check he was there, for she was sure Gregory was sad alone.

"Okay, this weekend."

Xenia surrendered. There would never be a good time anyway.

Andrew hugged Xenia, "good, I'm excited."

"I can see that," Xenia replied. She knew the man had good intentions. Xenia could not do anything without her daughter being comfortable.

"If I pass the test, maybe mom will accept my proposal."

Andrew was honest and did everything he said. The man wanted Xenia to move in with him; the problem was where. New York, he was an architect based there, and he also worked in Asia. No matter the location, they would be nowhere near Paris.

Embracing his status as the ugly duckling of his family, Andrew lived freely. His brother presided over InTech, which was in contract with Astoria.

Things went quickly between Xenia and him. The couple picked off where they left off in college, skipping a few stages, and now three months later, Andrew was eager to spend time with Sia, who Xenia kept from him.

Xenia couldn't even push Mark forward as an argument. Mark concentrated all his efforts on Sophia's pregnancy. The man didn't want to make the same errors as he did with Xenia. Mark was more than invested and forgot Sia in the process thought Xenia, who still was unaware of Gregory's intervention concerning the custody issue.

Xenia first got with Andrew to forget, and finally, she realized Andrew possessed all she desired in a man. Calme, thoughtful, joyful, and reassuring, the man gave Xenia all the guarantees possible, Xenia's broken-hearted days were over.

"Stay the night."

"I can't; my sister is going to kill me," Xenia put her arms around Andrew's neck.

Andrew put his arms around her back and kissed her.

Xenia had a little time left, a few weeks to be exact, to decide whether she would go and live with Andrew. The incident with Niki speeded things to Andrews's advantage, but there was Sia. How could Xenia take Sia away from all she knew?

Xenia was cautious. She didn't want Sia to get used to someone who could disappear.

But now, she was almost Andrew's fiancée.

The scenario was so surreal Xenia wondered how it happened. She felt like she had an out-of-body experience. It was her, but not her, who was living all this, and the fairytale just kept getting better.

"Oh, close your eyes."

Xenia closed them; she felt something slide on her neck.

"Okay, don't open your eyes till I tell you," Andrew took Xenia by the hand and led her in front of his dressing mirror.

"Open your eyes."

Xenia found her neckline dressed with her bracelet's matching pendant.

Andrew gave Xenia a back hug, and they start at their reflection, "I realized I bought you the bracelet, but there's also a necklace, so I bought the necklace."

It was too much; the Cartier pieces were worth at least six months' rent.

Xenia freed herself from his embrace and turned to face him, "Andrew, I can't."

"Don't say a word; I don't get why you are protesting. Don't you like the ensemble?"

"I doㅡ."

"Then it's settled," Andrew kissed her on the nose.

How to not be in love?

Any woman would want this; it was perfect, too perfect. And somehow, it bothered Xenia. Thinking it was strange to be annoyed forced Xenia to wonder if she weren't crazy. Many would die to have an Andrew Woo in their life.

What was wrong with her?

XX XY

"Gregory."

"Yes, Wendon, I'm listening."

If Xenia was moving along, there was not a day where Gregory, aka, The Prince of Finance fka. The Auditor thought of the woman.

"I'm talked to Miss. Wright, as you asked."

Wendon paused, letting silence ring the bells of drama to build up the tension, which immediately triggered Gregory's reaction.

"And Wendon?"

Wendon sighed, not knowing how to break the news, "you are not going to like it."

Wendon knew the stress Gregory had with the company's problems and how the news about Xenia was going to make the man erupt in anger, but he couldn't keep the information to himself any longer. His friend carried an entire empire on his shoulder. A little more weight would not break him, or would it?

"What can be worst than the fact Xenia left Astoria?"

"Xenia is leaving, Gregory."

"What do you mean?"

"She going to New York with her daughter to live with Andrew Woo."

The news was like a bombshell in Gregory's ears, which almost wanted to smash the phone he held. He felt like he missed three seasons of his favorite show or like a character waking from a coma and discovering his fiancee married someone else.

"What do you mean she's leaving with Andrew Woo?"

"Listen, Gregory; Miss Wright said she isn't speaking to Xenia, and the last time she saw her, this was what she said."

"Why isn't Xenia talking to Niki?"

"I'm sending you a link; it's Miss Wright's book. She wrote a fiction romance-chick-lit whatever about Xenia and you. Xenia went crazy when she found out and decided to leave."

This reaction was so Xenia. Gregory recognized his woman's impulsivity in every way. The slightest thing which didn't sway in her direction made the woman run. It seemed Xenia just didn't wear sneakers to get to work. In her mind too, she darted like Usain Bolt at the sight of any issue.

"What was this about Andrew Woo?"

Gregory couldn't conceive Xenia left him to run in Andrew Woo's arms. It just didn't add up in the man's thoughts.

What punishment could he inflict on this woman who shamelessly snuggled up to the first man she crossed to flee her heartache. Gregory was angry; it was a euphemism. He was furious.

How could she, how dare she? He thought.

Didn't their relationship mean anything to her?

It was impossible; Gregory was sure if their feelings were mutual. Right now, Xenia suffered just like he did every day since he left Paris. Ashton&Ashton still navigated in troubled waters. Gregory could not come back before clearing everything up and making sure there were no more financial losses. His one hundred thirty-eight thousand employees counted on Gregory to get the company out of the turmoil; he naively thought Xenia would understand and wait. Okay, it had been months since he left, and yes, he didn't contact her, but for his defense, Xenia was mad, and he couldn't let Ashston&Ashton go bankrupt for Xenia's kinky coils even if he loved them.

"I know what you are thinking, Gregory Carlton Ashton III. Read Niki's book before making any drastic decisions."

"Have you read it?"

"A few chapters," Wendon replied.

"And?"

"I don't want to influence you. Read it, okay."

"I don't have time, Wendon," Gregory protested.

"Hey, do you want the woman, or don't you? And don't think about making one of your PA's read it. They'll piece it together and know it's about you."

"Okay, okay, I'll read, oh, God Almighty, please help me. It's all that lovey-dovey woman stuff, Gregory said as he clicked on the link. "Wendon, tell me the outlines. Please don't make me go through this."

"Read it, Gregory. I have to go now. I have a meeting. The Solas backlash is still impacting us."

"I know. I'm trying my best here too. A lot of investors are skeptical."

"I'll talk to you later, Gregory."

"Yes, thank you, Wendon, for everything."

Chromosome Attraction, as if he and Xenia's story was about DNA. Yes, the woman was under Gregory's skin, but he wouldn't go that far, thought the baffled lover.