Chapter 23: Secrets and Smirks

Mira's P.O.V.

Skylar's fingers kept brushing through her hair as she tried to find the right words.

"So...what's wrong?" I gently asked, trying not to push too hard.

Skylar sighed, her gaze dropping to her lap. "Okay, you were right. Something is wrong," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

I waited for her to continue, and when she didn't, I furrowed my brows and leaned forward.

"Sky, you're scaring me. What is it? Are you in trouble?"

She let out a dry laugh. "Depends on how you define trouble. You see..." She paused, chewing on her bottom lip. "ImdatingXaviersex-bestfriendbuttheyrenottalkinganymorebecauseofafightthathappened threeyearsagoIvebeentellinghimtotellXavierhimselfsoitlllookgoodbuthekeepssayingitsnottherighttimeNowIthinkImpre—"

"Okay, okay, calm down..."  "Now start over calmly."

She took a deep breath before starting again.

"I'm seeing someone." I was about to ask how that was a bad thing, but she placed a finger on my lips, shushing me.

"I'm seeing Rhys. Our relationship isn't public yet because we wanted to keep it low-key from our families and friends since we've been childhood friends. We don't know how they'll take it. I'm not worried about my parents because they've even been shipping us. I'm more worried about Xavier..." She paused for a bit. "We've been dating for a year and a half now, and I've been pushing him to make our relationship public, but he keeps telling me it's not the right time. I don't know what to do," she ended her rant, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

My initial relief was quickly replaced with worry—I didn't think it was this deep for her. I moved closer and wiped away the teardrop that escaped.

She moved away a bit and wiped her tears. "I'm sorry for ranting. I just—"

"Nonsense. It's totally fine. But who is Rhys, and why should you be worried if Xavier finds out about you guys?"

Skylar sighed heavily, brushing her hair back from her face. "It's complicated. Rhys and Xavier were best friends. They were inseparable since high school, like brothers. But then... about three years ago, things fell apart. Rhys used to be a bit of a playboy, and I've had a crush on him since high school. Xavier always warned me to stay away from him. He knew I had a crush on Rhys and kept telling me that he'd only hurt me."

When she paused, my curiosity piqued. "So, what changed?"

Skylar looked away, guilt flashing across her face. "Xavier was dating this girl, but they already broke up. To be honest, Xavier wasn't a good boyfriend—he just got tired of her and dumped her. So, to get revenge on him, she went to Rhys. Classic. She went to a club where he was, drugged him, slept with him, and then took pictures to send to Xavier."

My eyes widened. "That's..."

"Fucked up, I know. When Xavier saw the pictures, he was furious. I was heartbroken too because I was a teenager—what do you expect when I see my crush butt-naked with another girl? So, I cried my eyes out and refused to eat. But Rhys tried to explain that he didn't know what had happened, that he'd been drugged. Xavier wouldn't listen. He confronted Rhys, and things escalated. Rhys lashed out, accusing Xavier of letting a girl ruin their friendship. He even asked Xavier why he was so angry when they had already broken up."

My heart ached at the story. "So, that's why they stopped talking?"

Skylar nodded. "Rhys moved to Italy after that. But deep down, I think they both still care about each other. They're just too stubborn to admit it. Even though Rhys was originally meant to move a long time before that, he delayed it."

I let out a long breath, trying to process everything. "Wow. That's a lot, Sky."

"I know," Skylar said softly. "And now I'm seeing Rhys. I want to tell Xavier, but... I'm scared of how he'll react, I am already the reason for them falling apart even if he tried to tell me otherwise" she said the last part almost to her self.

I reached out, placing a comforting hand on Skylar's arm. "You'll figure it out. And if you need me, I'm here."

Skylar offered a small smile, but her worry was still evident. I decided to change the topic to ease her mind.

"Tell me about Rhys.

;]   ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]  ;]

It's past midnight, and I'm still wide awake. Skylar left about two hours ago, she was too sleepy to stay. She had slept most of the day, yet she was still dozing off when she was here. I couldn't help but smile, remembering the adorable way she tried to convince me she wasn't sleepy at all, and just to make her feel better i promised to go shopping with her tomorrow.

After a while, I started feeling thirsty. Grabbing my silk jacket, I slipped it over my nightgown and quietly made my way downstairs. The house was steeped in silence, except for the faint hum of the refrigerator.

As I turned toward the living room on my way to the kitchen, I noticed Xavier sitting on the couch, his laptop open, the screen's light reflecting off his face. His brow was furrowed in concentration as his fingers tapped rhythmically on the keyboard.

He didn't notice me right away, which gave me an idea. I was in an unusually good mood, so I decided to tease him a little.

"Trying conquer the world??" I teased, leaning against the wall with a playful smirk.

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Xavier's P.O.V.

Why was I even home at this time, anyway? I lazily flung my suit coat over my shoulder, fighting the urge to look at my wife's face. I smiled, remembering her flushed expression—who knew my innocent wife had such a dirty kink?

What the heck? I think I need more sleep.

I decided to do some work after dinner before starting to pack for my two-day trip to Russia. The only problem was that tiny smile that had decided not to leave my face, along with the  irritation from Mirabel's reaction earlier. It was jus—

Snap out of it.

I took my work downstairs to the living room. The partnership with the Russian company is a really profitable one. It could create room for easier access to future opportunities. I settled on the couch, making myself comfortable as I tried to focus, but my thoughts kept drifting.

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The sound of footsteps approaching the kitchen broke my concentration, and I looked up. Mira was standing in the doorway, her figure outlined by the soft glow from the living room.

"Trying conquer the world?" she asked, her voice a little too casual, though there was a glint of surprise in her eyes and a cute smirk on her face.

I smirked and turned to her. "Someone has to," I replied. "What's your excuse for being up?"

She shrugged as she made her way toward the kitchen, her movements fluid. "Couldn't sleep."

I leaned back against the couch, my gaze following her, wondering why that might be. "Must be exhausting," I quipped sarcastically.

She rolled her eyes and poured herself a glass of water. "And you're up because...?"

"Work," I answered simply, though there was a challenge in my voice. I knew she was curious, but I wasn't in the mood to elaborate.

Mira walked over, taking a sip of her water, and the way her lips wrapped around the glass made something tighten in my chest. I shook it off.

" You know, for someone who doesn't like people, you sure like their attention," she said, the irritation from earlier creeping back into her tone. I couldn't help the smirk that tugged at my lips.

"And, for someone who doesn't like me, you sure keep finding ways to talk to me."

"That's not true, "

"so you like me?"

"No, I meant, I don't find ways to talk to you and it's not hate. It's more like... extreme irritation.

The way she said it made me want to tease her further. I chuckled, the sound low and dark. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

She opened her mouth, but then paused. She grabbed her glass and turned to leave, her movements deliberate, though graceful. "Goodnight, Xavier."

I watched her walk away, the sway of her hips catching my attention more than I cared to admit. "Sweet dreams," I called after her, my voice laced with mockery, though there was something else there, something I couldn't name.

She bit her lip, clearly fighting the smile that wanted to form, and I couldn't help but feel a flicker of satisfaction. I wrapped up my work—it was almost midnight—and headed upstairs with a bigger smile.

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Hey, my amazing readers!

First off, let me apologize for being MIA for so long. I promise I wasn't abducted by aliens or running from a secret spy organization (though that does sound cooler than just being super busy). But I know I left you all hanging, and for that, I'm truly sorry!

I want to give a huge shoutout to everyone who's been reading, voting, and leaving comments on this book. Your support means the world to me—it's like fuel for my creative brain! Every vote feels like a gold star, every comment is like a warm hug, and knowing you've stuck around despite my vanishing act is honestly amazing.

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Thank you for sticking around—I promise more chapters are on the way. A belated Merry Christmas and happy new ! 💕

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