Dictate his heart

The laughter from dinner had settled into a quiet calm as Xavier's staff cleared the table. Rebecca leaned into Xavier, her fingers absently tracing circles on his palm, but her eyes darted occasionally toward her younger brother. Azuka was scrolling on his phone, pretending not to notice the unspoken weight in the room.

Xavier sensed it too. He glanced at her.

"You okay?" he asked in a low, intimate voice.

She nodded slightly, then whispered, "We need to talk."

Xavier followed her gaze toward Azuka, whose brow furrowed as he studied a framed painting nearby—one that probably cost more than his last car.

Rebecca stood and smoothed her dress. "I'll show him where he's sleeping," she said a little louder, but her voice had a slight edge of hesitation.

Azuka looked up. "Yeah, that'd be great."

She forced a smile and gestured. "Come on."

They walked through a long hallway lined with soft lighting and rich art, the silence thick between them. Rebecca stole glances at her brother, who still had a touch of wonder in his eyes.

She opened a door to the left and stepped aside for him to enter.

Azuka froze at the entrance.

"Damn…"

The room was everything he wasn't expecting—warm mahogany walls, a California king bed with crisp navy sheets, masculine touches like leather-bound books, framed vintage sports prints, and even a mini bar to the right, fully stocked. The lighting was soft, moody, and welcoming.

Azuka walked in, still staring.

"This for me?"

Rebecca nodded. "For as long as you're staying."

"This is like a five-star suite."

"I know." She paused. "Xavier had it prepared."

He turned to face her, mouth half open like he wanted to ask something… but didn't. Instead, he rubbed the back of his neck and gave a lopsided grin. "It's nice. Definitely nicer than my old room back home."

Rebecca chuckled, stepping in and adjusting a pillow. "Yeah, no more Marvel posters and plastic basketball hoops."

"Hey, I was fourteen," Azuka defended.

They both laughed, but the smile faded slowly from Rebecca's face. She grew quiet again, then said softly, "Hey, before you get too comfy… there's something I want to talk to you about."

Azuka's expression turned serious, the same protectiveness from dinner creeping back in.

"What's up?"

Rebecca closed the door behind them and turned back to Azuka with a measured smile. "Settle in. I'll come back in a bit," she said, but her voice held a strange tension—soft, secretive.

Azuka raised an eyebrow. "Sis, what's going on?"

"I'll explain. Just... rest a little first."

She stepped out and closed the door gently behind her, pausing for a moment with her back against it. Then she made her way down the hallway, her heels clicking softly against the polished floors.

Xavier was waiting by the edge of the living room, a glass of water in hand. She walked straight to him.

"He's settled," she murmured. "But I think we need to talk soon."

Xavier leaned closer, his voice a whisper against her ear. "Let's do that tomorrow dear. I know you're worried."

Rebecca nodded. "He doesn't know who you are yet, and I'm not sure how he'll react."

"I'll keep things light," Xavier replied. "I have no intention of making your brother uncomfortable. He's just a kid compared to what we're dealing with."

Rebecca glanced back toward the hallway. "Exactly why I need him to stay safe."

---

Elsewhere in the City...

Peni strolled into an old, discreet building, dropping her bag lazily on a faded velvet sofa. She sighed dramatically and slumped into the seat, resting her head against the backrest. Her exhaustion wasn't just physical—it was layered with deceit.

"How was your flight?" came the gravelly voice of a man sitting in the dimly lit room, his face shadowed but unmistakable in its ugliness.

Peni smirked mischievously. "Good. Infact, it was quite interesting."

The man—known in certain circles only as The Scorpion—let out a low, beastly laugh.

"How?"

"I saw him, actually, i met his girlfriend's brother at the airport, quite a little family show. I made an impression with the brother though"

The man sighed

"That bastard Xavier thinks he can buy me off with fifteen percent of the company after all the years I invested building it from the shadows? He'll regret every choice he made. If Annastecia and her crew couldn't finish the job… you will, my darling."

Peni crossed her legs, casually. "You're still obsessed with destroying them?"

Scorpion's bloodshot eyes narrowed. "Master Chen was my closest friend… until he betrayed me. Gave everything to that slut fiancé of his and left me with scraps. I helped him build that empire. He forgot who he owed. Now his precious son walks around in tailored suits, driving Ferraris and pretending he's untouchable."

Peni tilted her head. "I still don't see what Azuka has to do with all this. He seems harmless."

"He is harmless. That's the point." Scorpion leaned forward, a cruel smile on his cracked lips. "He's going to be our bait."

---

Chen Corporation HQ

Raymond Chen leaned against the edge of the CEO's desk, arms folded as he watched his older brother scrolling through photos on his phone with a distracted frown.

"Hey," Raymond said lightly, "She said she can manage. Why are you so worked up?"

Xavier looked up, trying—and failing—to mask his concern. "I'm not worked up. I'm just… concerned."

Ray chuckled. "You're in love, man."

"I'm just being careful," Xavier replied. "Rebecca's too fragile. With enemies coming at us from every corner, who's to say they won't target her next?"

"She's not just a target, X. She's strong. You of all people should know that."

Xavier sighed, then opened his photo gallery again. Several shots of Rebecca filled the screen—some candid, some pulled from her social media. Her smile, the way her eyes softened, the way she carried herself…

"I want her," Xavier said quietly. "She's different. She's… genuine. There's this uniqueness to her that I can't ignore."

Ray raised a brow. "So what now? You gonna propose tomorrow?"

"No," Xavier smirked. "I want to take her to dinner. Make it special. Let her know how I feel. But I'm scared… What if she runs? What if she doesn't want me because of how things started between us?"

Ray shook his head. "Fate has a way of flipping even the worst beginnings. Think about it—your enemies tried to use her to destroy you, and instead, she might be the best thing to happen to you."

He grinned, eyes twinkling. "Just go big. Romantic dinner. Good wine. Sweet desserts. No woman says no to that."

Xavier chuckled. "You're hopeless."

"Hey, I'm giving you gold advice," Ray shrugged. Then he handed Xavier a folder. "That's the transfer document for Crownlake. You're sure she can handle it?"

"I did my research. Rebecca's smart, diligent, and focused. She'll exceed expectations."

"Sounds like you already believe in her more than she does herself."

Xavier smiled faintly. "Lunch time."

"I'll pass. You're obviously going to eat with your woman."

"Obviously."

Ray grinned. "Clingy boyfriend alert."

Xavier rolled his eyes. "Shut up."

But deep down, he knew Ray was right.

This time, he wasn't going to let fear dictate his heart.