CHAPTER 15

Alexa’s POV

Still shocked with my lips slightly apart from the news from earlier, I force my eyes closed as the car comes to a slow stop.

When the car makes an effort to move forward towards the gate, I finally summon enough courage to force the word out of me. “Stop the car.”

I am sure Xavier is watching me from the other side but I don't care. What I care about right now is me.

About my safety. My future.

Everything happening is beyond me. It's happening too fast. I am not getting any breathing space. Xavier is taking me from one situation to another.

I need space. To think. To know what to do next.

Pretending to be his bride isn't as much of a big deal as having a child for him. Having a child is a big deal. Never have I imagined the possibility of having a child at this point in my life.

I understand that he needs this but a lot of things are wrong about him and his game of vengeance.

Why do I have to be the ploy for his game? Why does a child have to be one too?

For us to have a child, then it means we need to have sex and I am not ready for that.

The car stops abruptly and I throw the door open without sparing him a glance. I step out, rushing towards the road where I can get a cab back home.

Suddenly, it hits me.

I don't have a home if I don't go there with some money to pay my landlady. Quickly, I turn back to go back to the car so I can ask him for my pay when I bump into him.

He is standing right behind me with his two hands in his pants pockets. How he got right behind me without alerting me amazes me.

Stretching my hand towards him, I ask. “I need my pay. I should go pay my rent before that old hag throws my things out.”

He doesn't say anything. He is just watching me in silence.

Feeling embarrassed for asking him for money, I drop my hand.

“Why are you upset?” he demands suddenly, making me dart my eyes back to him. He doesn't look mad knowing full well that I am upset. He doesn't look happy either and it makes something stir in me.

He needs this. But this is to the detriment of my future and safety if I am to help him.

That woman is evil and he has no one. But I can't just jump at this without thinking about it properly.

“Just give me my pay. I need some space…”

“To think about what I asked you?” he interrupts sharply and I nod, avoiding his gaze. I am scared he will see how flustered I am.

I can't imagine sex with him. Not because we both want it but because we need a baby for him to get his inheritance.

So much for coming from a wealthy home.

“There is nothing to think about, Alex…”

“Xavier!” I find myself shouting, cutting him short. I shut my eyes, trying so hard to calm my nerves before fluttering them open again to stare hard at him. The fact that he calls me Alex naturally annoys the shit out of me.

I am Alexa, not Alex.

He never called me Alexa.

“You want me to just jump at that like some desperate chick who has no life to live for herself? What exactly do you take me for? A fool who will do anything just for money?!”

He remains mute but I can see he is becoming pissed.

“I don't need to be your baby mama. If you want this to be the end of our agreement then so be it. Give me my pay!”

I didn't mean to say that.

I didn't mean to sound rude and harsh but I can't just help it. He makes me feel helpless.

He dips his hand into his pocket and brings out a card. Without a word, he places it gently on my palm before walking back to the open car.

It is his credit card.

What the hell!

Did he just give me his card? What for?

My jaws drop slightly but I am quick to mask my surprise.

Feeling annoyed, I march forward towards the road where I can get a cab. I need to go home, clear my bills and think things through. When I have everything figured out, I would return his goddamn credit card.

I would prove to him that I am not a gold digger. Because I was desperate for some money doesn't make me an opportunist.

I'm sure he did this just to test me. I will definitely prove him wrong.

A cab approaches and I wave it down but it doesn't stop. This goes on for several minutes until I become tired of standing.

I don't need a soothsayer to tell me why I am this exhausted. We were supposed to go to his mansion and rest well from our trip but here I am making an effort to go to my home instead.

After waiting for another minute, I give up and begin to walk, fishing out my phone to order a taxi when it beeps and goes off.

Shit!

My battery is dead.

Letting out a long sigh, I drop the phone back in my purse before looking straight ahead to see a black car approaching.

Quickly, I step away from the road but it keeps coming my way and my heart jumps into my stomach.

Without warning, I take to my heels in the opposite direction, my heart drumming widely, my head spinning with questions of who wants me dead.

It does not take too long to figure the answer out.

There is only one person who would want me dead. One person who is powerful and rich enough to send assassins to get rid of me. The same person who wanted to get rid of me the easy way but failed. And now she wants to do it the hard way.

If what I felt earlier was fear because of my involvement with Xavier and his step-mom, what I feel right now is terror.

This is what I was scared of. The same thing I was trying to avoid by telling Xavier to pay me off.

My safety. It is no longer guaranteed.

I can no longer go out as I used to because I am no longer an ordinary person.

If I am not recognized as Xavier’s bride, then there will be assassins running after me.

Remembering Xavier is the only person who can save me, I try to put on my dead phone as I race towards the direction of his house with the car still behind me.

It is just inches away from me so I throw my phone back in my purse and increase my pace.

The screeching sound comes closer and I let out a terrifying scream hoping someone would at least appear to save me.

Miraculously, I see a narrow road ahead and I race towards it. The screeching sound stops and the car does too, making me stop running as I drop to my knees.

The car won't be able to come in here. I'm sure of that.

Does that mean I am safe now? Did she do this on purpose to serve as a warning to me and not to actually kill me?

Before I can pick between the two on which answer it is, the answer appears in the form of a human.

No. Humans.

Three men dressed in all black and a mask covering their faces are pointing guns at me as they stand at the edge of the narrow tunnel which has me shooting to my feet again and running.

Three different shots ring out and a sharp pain pierces my skin. I don't know which one hits me but I am sure they will definitely kill me.

It is sure.

Though, I am still hoping for some sort of miracle so I don't have to die meaninglessly.

Just before my body can hit the ground, I vow within myself to make Mrs Gold regret ever stepping on my toes if I manage to survive this.