Chapter 14: What He Yearned the Most

The journey started quietly as Zarah did not start the conversation. She thought it was a bad idea to approach this man about it.

"Speak." Xavier finally said and broke the silence.

"Are you always like that, Mr. Lockhart?" Zarah didn't like his tone when he was talking to her. There's a much more polite way to say his words.

However, it won't fit his personality if he would talk softer.

"Why? What's wrong with it?" Xavier innocently asked her.

Zarah closed her eyes and calmed herself as she didn't want to argue with him.

"Anyways, do you know who the owner of East Pacific Property Development Corporation is, sir?"

"Is my name Google? Try and look at it online." Xavier sarcastically told her.

She did google the company when they reached the office earlier but their website was pretty generic.

The CEO was Malcolm Merlin. The only Malcolm Merlin she knew was a fictional character. She was sure that he was working under a big shot.

Aside from that, the company was established just months ago and they were able to purchase that land and building from Nikolai.

Nikolai was not someone who would sell the property cheaply. She was aware of Nikolai's gambling addiction.

Maybe he was forced to sell it.

"Their website only showed the company's CEO and not the owner. I need the owner's name and not the puppet working for him. Chris said that you knew him, Mr. Lockhart." She told him.

Chris, who was left on the bar, sneezed the moment Zarah mentioned his name. Should he be worried?

"Why do you have to know the owner? Do you have any intentions of meeting him?" Xavier didn't answer her directly but decided to ask her questions.

"Him? So it's a man. Wait, you did not answer my question." Zarah whined.

"The question that you're asking is top-secret information. What can you offer me in exchange?"

"Must you have to talk like everything is a business deal, sir?"

"I'm a businessman, hon. I only count profits and not losses."

Zarah felt the hairs at the back of her neck standing up and like a chain reaction, she felt goosebumps all over her body as she heard how he intimately addressed her.

Zarah found her reaction odd and should not happen again as it was embarrassing.

"See? You failed the moment you stopped and started thinking."

Xavier thought that she stopped because she was thinking about it.

"You should be prepared every time you talk to a businessman like me. I don't want my time to be wasted just because I have to wait for your answer," Xavier added.

"Other than driving, you're not doing anything at the moment." She tried to refute him. She had forgotten who he was talking to.

"You are right, however, we're getting closer to your apartment complex. And I don't want to wait until tomorrow to get your answer, Miss Jansen."

"Then, give me a task and I'll accomplish it, Mr. Lockhart."

Xavier looked at her through the mirror and he saw the determination in her eyes.

"If I say I want you to warm my bed for a month, will you do it, Miss Jansen?" He seriously uttered which made Zarah's jaw drop.

She didn't expect this man to be this perverted. However, she did not expect him to laugh at her reaction.

"Hahaha!" Seems like Xavier was having fun at her expense.

"Miss Jansen, do you think that I'm attracted to your body? You're not my type." He tried mocking her figure this time.

"Be careful with what you ask for next time, okay? Men could be predators sometimes."

Now, he was trying to give her a piece of advice.

There's no way that Zarah would do that task.

"Your question started with the phrase "what if", and you can still change it." Zarah didn't even know what she was trying to imply as her mind was in a fuzz.

"Then what if it's my final answer?" Xavier continued to challenge her.

Zarah took some time to think. She looked outside and saw they were getting closer. She knew she had to think quickly and answer this man or else he would think that she was an easy target.

"Is warming your bed the thing that you yearn for the most? If yes, then I won't do it."

"Is it because you have a man waiting for you to come home?" Xavier asked her.

She immediately thought about Josh and how he would feel.

'Wait, why am I thinking about Josh's sake?', she asked herself because she promised to forget about him.

Maybe because he's the only man she had been romantically involved with in her life that's why she immediately thought of him when Xavier asked about her man. Though it was yet unofficial, Josh was no longer her man.

They're still dating though and she didn't want to be called a cheater as she wanted to have a clear conscience once she broke things up with him.

Just because one was unfaithful, then the remaining party would also do the same to get even. Well, she's not like that and that mentality was toxic.

Then, what did she mean earlier that she wanted Josh to feel the pain he had caused her?

There were different forms of revenge and cheating back was not one of the best options.

"You're right. I am indeed dating someone. Therefore, I can't do what you asked, Mr. Lockhart. And even if I'm not dating, I still won't do it."

Xavier felt the need to ask her, "Why?"

"Because you are the Old Man's son. And I won't date or sleep with my brother." Zarah firmly said.

However, only time could tell how long she could hold on to her words in the future.

Xavier did not comment on what she said.

Zarah tried to shake off the disappointment she felt.

Xavier was right. She failed on her first try. She was so naive to think that he was easy to talk to and won't give him a hard time.

She still had a lot to learn. She should be ten steps ahead when dealing with these kinds of people.

Somehow, Xavier taught her that this situation might happen when she finally met the man.

Zarah's initial purpose for knowing the man's name was because she wanted to research him. She would try to meet him over the weekend and then convince him to sell the property back to her.

She would take back what was hers.

It seems like the only option was to rely on herself.

It didn't take time for them to reach the apartment building.

Zarah was so preoccupied that she didn't even think about how he knew where she lived.

Before going out of his car, she looked at him and said, "Thank you for the ride. May I know your bank account number so I'll pay you my fare fee?"

Xavier suddenly felt insulted by her words. In Zarah's defense, she didn't know if a mere thank you would do to him since this man only talked about business.

And she did not want to owe him any favor.

"I don't need your cents. Keep it with you." Xavier snappily said.

"Okay. Then, how can I pay you for your time?"

"Pay me back with yours." He vaguely answered.

"What do you mean?" Zarah had to ask a

"Give me your phone." He was not asking for it. He was demanding her phone number.

Zarah contemplated for a little while but she thought that if this would give the both of them peace of mind, she grabbed her phone from her pocket and gave it to him.

"Here," and Xavier received it. However, he handed it back when he saw that it was locked, "Unlock it."

Zarah entered the pin. It was hers and Isaiah's birth dates combination.

"Here." She gave it back and Xavier registered his number on her contacts and he tried to ring his phone. His phone rang and he ended the call and returned Zarah's phone.

"Wait for my message later," he said and Zarah took this as her cue to go out.

Before she left, she peeked in the window and said, "Goodnight, Mr. Lockhart."

Xavier did not respond and shut the window instead before he started speeding on the highway.

Xavier's face looked calm but his eyes were a different story. As the distance between them grew, the more he felt his heart empty.

He didn't know that he was holding back a deep sigh until Zarah came out of his car.

He could not understand why she had this huge impact on him.

"Stop it! She's not good for you." He scolded himself.

The following morning, Zarah went out of her room wearing a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt instead of wearing her office uniform.

She wondered what Xavier was trying to do by asking her to dress in a casual outfit.

Olivia was surprised to see her in the lobby of the apartment building and was carrying a backpack behind her.

"Why are you dressed like that?" She immediately asked her.

"It's the CEO's orders. I'm just obeying him."

Olivia became skeptical after hearing Zarah, "So where are you going? I'm sure it's an out-of-town trip. Wait, does Mr. Floyd knows about this trip?"

"I don't know and I'm not sure. He only said to dress casually and pack a two-day's worth of clothes, that's all." Zarah vaguely answered.

"Are you telling me that you're going on this trip alone?" Olivia became worried.

"Maybe?"

"Maybe! Zaza, are you trying to tell me that you don't know anything about this trip and you still agree with him?"

"Liv, relax. I'm just going to accompany him wherever he wants to go."

Before Olivia could say more, a car pulled over in the front of the building and a handsome Xavier got out from the driver's side of his car.

He was dressed in a grey top underneath his black cardigan. He matched it with his black jeans and black Dr. Martens boots.

When Olivia saw him, the foreboding feeling that she could not explain came to her and she immediately asked Zarah, "Zaza, do you know him?"

Zarah then looked in the direction that Olivia was pointing and she saw Xavier closing the car door, "That's the new CEO and he's Old Man Isaiah's third son," she introduced him.

"Zaza, don't go with him." Olivia immediately warned her as soon as she heard that he was the person that Zarah was waiting for.

"Why not?" Zarah was baffled by Olivia's reaction.

"He's bad news. There's nothing good about him."

Zarah chuckled when she heard Olivia, "Liv, relax. I'm just going to accompany him. Maybe this trip won't just be the two of us."

"But…he's Dylan Lockhart's cousin."

"So?" Zarah raised her eyebrows as she was getting suspicious. She didn't know who this Dylan guy was but she felt that Olivia was being paranoid for nothing.

And besides, she could feel that Xavier was a dangerous man. However, she was confident that she could handle him. 

"In Sterlington City, Dylan Lockhart is a well-known casanova. His cousin is no different."

"Liv, please relax. The last time I checked, I'm still dating your brother. And besides, I don't like him. He's not my type. Never will and never will be."

"*Ahem!* Miss Jansen, let's go," Xavier said with the same indifferent tone.

Zarah bid Olivia goodbye before she followed Xavier.

"Mr. Lockhart, wait!"

Xavier had no intention of paying attention to her but Olivia rushed to the door to stop them from leaving.

"Liv, what are you doing?" Zarah asked her best friend in a hushed tone.

"You might not know me Mr. Lockhart but please don't hurt my Zaza."

'My Zaza.' Xavier felt bitterness in his tongue when he heard how Olivia called Zarah.

"If you believe that I'm capable of hurting her, then step aside. She might get punished because of you." Xavier said in a dangerous tone causing Olivia to step back.

Zarah knew that she had to interfere before things went South.

"I'm sorry Mr. Lockhart. She's only very overprotective of me."

"Then, tell her not to. Other than that it's annoying, the first person who is legally responsible for you is me because we are siblings by law."

Legal siblings. That's right. He was Isaiah's legitimate son. So, should she call him brother now?

The thought itself gave her chills all over her body.

"See, Liv? He won't harm me for Isaiah's sake. I'll be back after two days and the first person I'll call is you."

"Does Josh know that you're leaving?"

Zarah halted as she did not inform him about this. He didn't have to know, right?

"I'll message him later. And I'll message you once we arrive if that will ease your worry."

"You better do it or I won't forgive you."

"Hurry up! We don't have much time." Xavier urged her to finish the conversation so they could leave.

***