XAVIER’S POV
I stood outside Erin’s door, my fist clenched and ready to knock. The morning sunlight streaming through the hallway windows did little to ease my tension. Yesterday’s revelations still simmered in my mind-Erin’s calculated games, Sarah’s unwitting vulnerability. I wouldn’t let it continue.
My knock was firm, a declaration of intent. Erin’s door creaked open, and she gazed up at me with feigned innocence. And I saw right through it.
“Can I come in?” I asked, keeping my voice as calm as possible, but my intention was very clear. My gaze was burning with intensity.
Erin nodded with a wry smile and allowed me in; her fingers were clinging together, her lips pressed into a thin line.
I also saw right through that; she was feigning nervousness.
I took a deep breath to control my emotions; my gaze returned to her, my expression calm and collected, but I was inwardly brewing with anger.
“Erin… what did Sarah do to you? Why do you want to hurt her?” I locked eyes with her, and despite my efforts to conceal my anger, my voice sounded fierce and laced with exasperation.
Erin gazed up at me, her blue eyes sparkling with innocence, her feigned expression that she used to win me over all these years. “I didn’t want to hurt Sarah…” she replied, her voice soft and gentle, and it only brewed the storm raging in me.
“You didn’t want to hurt Sarah, and you hurt her. Can you even hear yourself, Erin?” I snapped, my voice trembling. “I gave you everything, and this is how you repay me-by hurting the one I truly care about.”
Erin’s expression faltered for a moment before she regained her composure.
“So you’ve fallen for her,” she said, her voice sweet yet laced with curiosity. “Really? You love her? Why? She is younger than you…”
“THAT IS NONE OF YOUR CONCERN!” I bellowed, my voice bouncing off the walls, my anger flaring despite my efforts to contain it.
Erin’s gaze remained fixed on me, her eyes flashing with disbelief. All of a sudden, she burst into a fit of laughter, the sound mocking and mirthless. “You’ve got to be kidding me, Mr. Clinton. You love her,” she chuckled, crossing her arms as she stared at me incredulously.
I turned speechless, unable to respond to her words. I came to confront her, and it seemed she was the one confronting me instead.
“Mr. Clinton, you should leave her. She will only bring bad news,” she added, her voice firm.
Instantly, my eyes blazed with more intensity, my face contorting in anger. “How dare you…” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “How dare you come pry into my life and tell me what to do? I think you’ve forgotten you are a stranger.”
Erin looked away, her lips twitching as my words sank in. There was not a glint of guilt in her eyes.
Silence followed, thick and oppressive, adding more intensity to the already palpable tension in the room.
“I want you out,” I broke the impasse, my voice firm and resolute. “In order to protect my own, I’m kicking you out. And I want you gone before Sarah wakes up, understood?”
She returned her gaze to me, her expression softening. “Mr. Clinton, I don’t have anywhere to go, and I don’t want to run into the loan sharks,” she pleaded, her eyes welling up, but she blinked back her tears.
“You should have thought of that before tormenting Sarah. I have decided,” I replied, my voice cold and firm. “Pack your things now and leave; don’t make this any harder.”
As I turned to leave, she gripped my wrist, her nails digging into my flesh.
“You can’t do this to me, Mr. Clinton. I… I…” Her voice quaked slightly, her fear evident as her grip tightened around my wrist. “I’ll do anything you ask of me, but don’t kick me out, please.”
I tilted my head, looking down at her as she went to her knees. Her face was pale and devoid of her usual facade.
I averted my eyes, feeling a punch of sympathy. Erin’s mask of innocence had cracked, revealing a glimmer of desperation. Her eyes, once bright with manipulation, now seemed dull, like polished stones worn by tears. The dim lighting in the room emphasized the shadows on her face, and for a moment, I saw the fragile person beneath the facade.
Still, I refused to give her a chance-not a glimmer of hope that she could continue staying here. Sarah’s safety was my priority.
“I have come to a compromise,” I told her, and instantly a shimmer of hope flashed in her eyes. She smiled, climbing to her feet. “Really? Thank you.” But my next words shattered her hope like broken glass.
“Don’t think for a second that I will let you leave here. I’ll give you an apartment at the edge of the city. Don’t come back here, don’t call me, live your life, and don’t ever cross paths with Sarah. I mean it,” I clipped, emphasizing every word.
Her face dropped, her hands drooping in defeat as her gaze lingered on the floor. “Thank you. I appreciate that,” she managed to say in a whisper as her lips twitched.
“Good, now start packing,” I turned to leave, but stopped halfway.
“I heard what you told Sarah about your childhood, and honestly, I don’t care about your past.” I glanced at her, my face devoid of any sympathy. “It was sad to hear you had an abusive father and the young girl that wrecked your home. But your reaction to your past-your rage, your resentment, your bitterness…” I trailed off, my voice filled with disgust as my eyes bored into her. “They are all pathetic.”
My words sliced through the tense air, cutting any touch of self-esteem she had left. Erin’s face crumpled, the color drained from her cheeks, leaving her pale and shaken. Her mask of facade had shattered, revealing the vulnerability beneath her sly countenance.
I turned around to finally leave, but Erin’s next words made me halt.
“How could you say that to me?” she said, her voice quaking, and I sensed she was hurt by my blunt honesty.
She continued, closing the distance between us. “How could you be so harsh, Mr. Clinton? All for that girl-that… bitch… who…”
“No… no, no, Erin, don’t say another word.” I shook my head, trying to stay calm, a wry smile on my face, a stark contrast to the tempest racing inside me. “Don’t fuel the fire that is already burning inside me, and I know you can’t handle the heat… now I am warning you… leave quietly.”