24: This is all a game

XAVIER

“She’s such a bitch,” Sarah spat out as soon as Lillian disappeared at the end of the stairway and into the bedroom. I chuckled and gave her a look.

“I thought that term was solely invented for you, Sarah,” I teased her, my lips tugging in a smirk. She rolled her eyes in response, folding her hands across her chest.

“This isn’t the time to be smug, Xavier,” Sarah’s voice was serious, her tone laced with bitterness. “Even stripped of everything, she’s still such an arrogant brat. Who the fuck does she think she is?” Her words dripped with disdain, revealing a hint of vulnerability beneath her usual composed exterior.

I watched Sarah carefully, noting the rare flicker of agitation in her demeanor. I have never seen Sarah so off her game and so affected by anyone like she was right now. She was usually the epitome of composure, the one of the very few most intimidating women I have ever met and I guess that was as a result of her background as Mafia Princess.

Yet here she was, visibly affected by Lillian’s presence.

“You need to know that Lillian, despite the loss of her family’s wealth, can never be rattled,” I said to her. “She’s the most stubborn woman I know,”

“Then she hasn’t met me,” Sarah fired back, and I chuckled again.

“Sarah, trust me and I don’t mean this as an insult, Lillian is even more stubborn than you. I know that first hand,” I said and Sarah scoffed. “Only a few things can rattle Lillian and I’m one of those things.”

“Yet, you didn’t even bother stopping her from talking down on me when she did!” She retorted, and I held my hands up in mock surrender.

“Hey, you know me,” I said. “I don’t get in the middle of women drama. And you don’t expect me to pick sides. Lillian might be a Wright, but she’s still my wife,” I reminded her.

Sarah gave me a quizzical look before letting out a chuckle.

“Your wife?” She repeated, her tone mocking. “Xavier, do I need to remind you that this is all a game? She is a game, and you shouldn’t get attached? Do I need to remind you how she and her entire family treated you and your mum?”

The smirk playing on my lips disappeared and a frown creased across my forehead. Sarah mentioning that brought back a lot of memories, memories I didn’t want to relive. But had to because Sarah just mentioned it.

“Of course I haven’t forgotten,” I bit back the through gritted teeth. “And I’ll never forget it. I have everything under control and I am handling it.” I stated matter-of-factly.

“Do you? Do you really?” Sarah bobbed her head at me, her gaze piercing and intense. “Because you seem to be enjoying this a little too much, Xavier. Sponsoring her lavish life style in Santorini and allowing her to post about it online,”

“What has that got to do with anything?” I asked, my hands folded across her chest.

“Everything, Xavier!” She exclaimed, throwing her hands up in frustration. I watched on, waiting for her to continue. “You are supposed to make her life a living hell, not make her enjoy being married to you.”

“Trust me, she’s definitely not enjoying being married to me and I am not enjoyed being married to her,” I stated shrewdly. “I am doing this at my own pace, on my own terms,” I said to her.
“And how long is it going to take for you to completely obliterate her and her family from existence?” She asked.

“When I deem it fit, Sarah.” I responded, my voice thick and authoritative, to show that I wasn’t playing around and I didn’t appreciate her constant prodding. She exhaled, shaking her head.

“I’m just looking out for you, Xavier,” she said.

“I know, and I appreciate it, Sarah,” I replied. “But I don’t appreciate you questioning my plans or reminding me of what happened with my mum just to get a reaction from me. I know what I am doing, Sarah.”

She exhaled again, closing the remaining space between us and placing her hands on my chest. The aggravation in her eyes was replaced with remorse, her red coated lips in a pout.

“I’m sorry,” her voice sounded calmer now, more understanding.

But I knew for a fact that it wasn’t because she was sorry for what she said or apologetic about it. Sarah is never sorry about anything she does or say, even if it’s blow a person’s head off with a gun.

“I’m honestly just looking out for you and your best interest,” she continued speaking and I let her. “You know all I want is the best for you—“

“What you want is for the Wright’s to suffer excruciatingly,” I smirked and she shrugged, a similar smirk tugged at the corners of her lips. “I still don’t know what you’ve got to gain from this. You don’t have to do this, you know? They didn’t do anything to you.”

“But they hurt you,” she stated matter-of factly, bringing her hands to cup my face. “And that’s more than enough for me to want to destroy their lives.” she finished with fierce determination.