Chapter 64: Joseph Lockhart

Zarah and Xavier did not wait for another day to be stuck in the hospital. Before the day ended, they were already discharged from the hospital.

Well, they felt fine. Other than the plaster on her wound, and some bruising, she had no other serious injury. Xavier also didn't like staying at the hospital.

Before they came out, they dropped by Brian's room to check his condition.

Brian had to stay for more treatment. His leg injury was quite serious.

Xavier told him to take it as a vacation. He asked him to get rest and recuperate well and come back when he was healed and healthy.

Of course, Brian wanted to protest but he had no other choice. He was pretty useless with his injury.

Nevertheless, he was touched as Xavier prioritized his well-being and even asked him to come back. Should this happen to another employer, he was surely have been fired effectively.

Xavier understood Brian's frustration.

As someone who was born with poor legs, he could deeply empathize with him. No one could describe the despair it caused him better than himself.

"Thank you, Master Xavier! I will surely come back healthy after a month." Brian was determined to recover faster after feeling that he was being valued deeply.

"There's no rush. You can take time."

Since Brian was still injured, Rupert was the one driving them.

The atmosphere inside the car looked tense. Xavier was frowning while Rupert was stealing glances at the couple through the rearview mirror.

He seemed to be worried about something yet he dared not to speak.

Xavier grabbed her hand and held them gently.

The car then entered the subdivision and entered the mansion's gate.

"What's wrong?" Zarah finally asked him and Xavier dared not to hide it from her.

"Uncle Joseph is at the mansion waiting for us."

"Oh."

"Don't worry. He must be here at grand uncle's orders. If he said something just ignore him," he added.

Zarah chuckled as she found his reaction unnecessary.

"...", Xavier was rendered speechless.

He was worried for her sake yet she dared to laugh at him?

Though he didn't want to show it, he deeply cared for this maternal family.

He paid great respects to his granduncle whom he often called grandfather and his uncle whom he addressed as father.

However, a year ago, something happened that strained this relationship.

"I know you're worried about me. He's your family. I'll tolerate him unless he does something that is below my limit."

Zarah was not an unreasonable person. She would pay kindness with kindness otherwise she could be the most ruthless person one could encounter in this lifetime.

Xavier thought that he was worried for nothing. His girlfriend was surely not weak and so she was not easy to mess with.

As he recalled that incident at the cafeteria where in she had injured the person who tripped her, he knew that she was someone who would seek justice for herself immediately.

However, he still had the urge to thank her for giving him some face.

Rupert came out of the car first and ran to the opposite side of the car to open the car door for Xavier.

As soon as Xavier was out, she moved over and exited the car from his side.

Xavier held her hand until they entered the main door.

Just then, they saw a middle-aged man with a few streaks of gray hair on the front sitting on the couch and patiently waiting for their arrival.

He was happily chatting with Mr. Henderson over tea.

As soon as they marched inside, Mr. Henderson got up from his seat and politely excused himself.

"Thank you for accompanying me, Mr. Henderson." He sincerely said with a smile.

Zarah could tell that he looked rather familiar. He looked like the old version of Dylan. 'Could he be Dylan and Cole's father?' She made a guess.

"Uncle Joseph, why are you here?" Xavier asked him with respect but the way he addressed him made Joseph Lockhart to be displeased.

"Am I not allowed to visit you, Xavier? I just want to see if you're doing just fine here. After all, I still considered you as my son." Joseph Lockhart responded with a straight face.

Gone was the easygoing and patient character he had while talking to Mr. Henderson earlier.

This man became a father figure to Xavier when Isaiah failed to do it for him.

"You can. However, I will truly appreciate it if you'll stop looking at my girlfriend like that." Xavier did not hide his displeasure, too.

He knew that they were upset since he decided to move to Oakridge City after being gone for almost four years. He stayed in Country H where he received treatment for his illness.

Zarah was not totally to blame for this. He decided to do this himself.

Joseph Lockhart looked at Zarah from head to toe. He was sizing her up.

Zarah saw what he did. Though it displeased her, she was rather calm and unaffected which surprised Joseph.

"No wonder you neither visited us nor gave a call back home. You're pretty busy coaxing this vixen," Joseph Lockhart commented with pure hostility against Zarah.

"Her name is not Vixen but Zarah Jansen. But she'll be Mrs. Lockhart soon." Xavier shamelessly claimed which caused Zarah's face to become red as a tomato and was rendered speechless.

Xavier didn't want to give this uncle of his any idea that their relationship had a weak foundation.

He knew why he was here. And he would make sure that the latter would not succeed with their plan.

"If you and grandfather felt neglected because of what I did, come to me. Don't pester my girlfriend about it."

Joseph snorted in displeasure. He sighed as he knew Xavier was ready to protect this woman from them.

"She can only be Mrs. Lockhart should Dad allow her to be a part of the family."

Zarah frowned at first as she could feel the hostility from Joseph and it was addressed toward her.

However, after she heard Joseph's last statement, she finally understood why. Pretty much, ever since she entered, other than sizing her up, Joseph had ignored her.

She didn't mind it though.

"Why don't we sit down and have a proper conversation? Perhaps you, resume this conversation after dinner? I'm sure Mr. Lockhart's tired from the trip, Tim. Give him a breather first." She proposed while looking at Xavier and then at Joseph Lockhart.

Since Joseph did not tell her what she could call him, she resorted to addressing him formally.

Had it not for her timely interruption, Xavier and Joseph would surely do something that they would regret.

"Dinner should be ready soon. I'll go to the kitchen and check it out." Zarah prepared to head to the kitchen when Xavier grabbed her arm and let her stay.

She could tell that Xavier was holding back as he respected this man.

Joseph ignored her and waited for Xavier's say about this.

"Let's have dinner first. Zarah and I are both hungry."

His response displeased Joseph even more. He was afraid that this woman, Zarah had poisoned his nephew's mind to the point that he was under her control.

He should not allow this to happen! He should find a way to stop this!

Julie soon appeared and told them that dinner's ready. She then led them to the dining table.

They settled down in their seats. Xavier was seated at the center while Zarah was on his right. Opposite her was Joseph.

"Let's save the conversation for later. Let us not ruin the mood," Xavier proposed and he was glad that Joseph Lockhart agreed.

"Whatever the host says."

The food continued to be served at the dinner table.

Xavier placed food on Zarah's plate that almost piled up like a pyramid.

"You have to eat more. You have to put on some weight or else people would say that I'm starving my girlfriend." Xavier commented and Zarah found it hilarious.

'Was he trying to show off to his uncle?' She asked herself. However, even if he was, so what?

She didn't eat much during lunch as hospital food tasted bad and so she was hungry now.

She looked at the food in front of her and started eating.

Joseph Lockhart kept stealing glances at Zarah and Xavier. Before coming here, he learned from Rupert that these two got into a car accident.

"This is the third time that you got into a car accident, Xavier. You survived now but it didn't mean you'll get lucky next time. Will you be fine, here?"

After the car accident four years ago, Xavier was traumatized and would not get inside a car unless he was assured that was safe to ride.

They had to customize the cars in the Lockhart mansion with great importance to the passenger's safety.

"I'm not scared of them. And besides, I've been through a lot. This won't faze me." Xavier responded perfunctorily.

Their dinner continued and ended peacefully.

After dinner, Xavier, Zarah, and Joseph entered the study room to continue the conversation.

They settled down on the couch with Zarah and Xavier seated together while he was sitting opposite them.

Zarah wanted to excuse herself after dinner but Xavier requested her to join them so who was she to decline?

Joseph Lockhart frowned as it displeased him to see Zarah joining the conversation.

"Zarah's my woman. Anything that concerns me, she must know, especially if it would affect our interest," Xavier strongly implied.

He didn't like putting on the air. Zarah was touched when she heard him say it.

How could she not?

"Very well, then, I'll go straight to the point," Joseph Lockhart didn't want to beat around the bush.

"Father sent me here to check out on the matter between you and her."

"I know. Dylan warned me." Xavier snorted.

"I see. So my son's loyalty is to you now." Joseph Lockhart was not mad about this.

On the contrary, he was glad that his son valued the brotherhood bond that they shared.

Should Xavier take over the Patriarch position as planned, he would have Cole and Dylan beside him for support.

However, he was a little upset as Dylan disobeyed him as his father. He felt a little jealous about this. He felt less valued by his son.

He thought that Zarah had to play a part in it.

"Yes. Dylan knew what he was doing and I'll surely reward him handsomely."

Dylan who suddenly became the topic of their discussion sneezed while he was shaving his face thus he cut his chin accidentally.

'Is someone badmouthing me?' He asked mentally.

"I see. Well, whatever it is, I have to accomplish my mission." Joseph said indifferently before he continued.

"You should break with this woman, Xavier, and stop this nonsense."

What Joseph Lockhart said disappointed Xavier greatly.

He didn't expect that Joseph Lockhart would let him down, "What did you say?"

"You have to break up. Xavier, you already have a fiancée back home."

"I didn't approve of that engagement!" He strongly disagreed with what Joseph said.

"We made a bet. Tell Grandfather/Granduncle that I won. I found the woman I love and will marry in this lifetime," he reminded him.

"I still have respect for you since you helped in raising and supporting me. If you have nothing else to say, you know where the door is."

Zarah was stunned when she heard Xavier speak.

Why did she feel that instead of mending their relationship, it even got worse?

"Xavier! Must you do it to me because of a woman?!"

"She's not just a woman! She's my life. Take her away and you'll see me die."

"That's nonsense! You've only met for what? Three months including your vacation four years ago? Don't you dare preach about how much you love her because I won't buy it!"

These two couldn't fall head over heels in love overnight.

"Can you be rational this once? You're the future Patriarch of the family. You should marry someone who has an equal background as you!" Joseph Lockhart wanted to put sense into Xavier's mind.

As Zarah heard it, her eyes turned cold.

"Believe me, Uncle. I'm as clear-headed as the skies on a summer day. Unlike you who is clouded with prejudice against Zarah."

***