Chapter 31 WHITE TULIPS

Chapter 31 WHITE TULIPS
VERONICA POV

Moni? After everything she did, she still had the nerve to call me?

I thought I’d blocked her the moment I landed in Atlanta five years ago. But the second that number flashed on my screen, my stomach dropped. I’d memorized it years ago—photographic memory was both a gift and a curse.

My hands shook as I answered.

“What do you want, Moni?”

Her voice dripped with fake sweetness. “Just calling to congratulate you, bestie.”

“On what?”

“On playing house in Los Angeles again,” she purred. “Enjoy it while it lasts.”

My jaw clenched. “I have nothing to say to you.”

“You should, bestie. Because we still have unfinished business. You better pack your things and crawl back to whatever hole you came from… or I’ll make your life miserable— Like I always do.”

“Don’t you ever get tired of this, Moni? It’s been years. I’ve moved on from you and Jason. You should too.” I paused, then added, “Or are you obsessed?”

She let out a bitter laugh. “Obsessed with you? Eww. You’re just as

worthless as your sister—always stuck chasing unrequited love.

My chest tightened.

‘You’re just as worthless as your sister—always stuck chasing unrequited love.’ The words echoed in my head. Diana? A whore according to Jason, now “stuck in unrequited love” according to Moni. That didn’t sound like my sister at all. Diana had always been the most unbothered, nonchalant person I knew. Has she changed that much in years?

“Does your whole life revolve around my family? Just leave me alone and let me live my life in peace.”

“For the last time, Veronica,” she hissed, “get the fuck out of Los Angeles. Walk away from the Vanguard mall deal and out of Xavier Cross’s orbit. Do that, and I’ll pretend you don’t exist. Keep pushing, and this won’t end well.”

“Okay. I’m hanging up now.”

“You think this is a joke?” Her voice turned venomous. “I’ll do something worse than setting that fire at the soirée five years ago. And trust me… I won’t hesitate to do worse this time.”

I quickly tapped the record button, my heart hammering.

“Sorry, I didn’t catch that,” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady. “Come again?”

“Don’t make me repeat myself, bitch. I said I’ll do something worse than setting up that fire to kill you five years ago.”

A cold smile tugged at my lips. “So you just admitted you tried to kill me. How perfect. I’m recording every word right now. Back off, Moni, or I’ll hand this straight to the police and watch you rot in prison.”

“What—how—”

I hung up before she could finish.

I let out a shaky breath, pressing a hand to my racing chest. “God… no one warned me standing up for myself would feel like committing a crime. My heart is pounding like I just robbed a bank.”

I knew coming back to Los Angeles was clearly a mistake.

A server stepped up to our table with a polite smile, but my mind was still spinning from Moni’s threat. “I’m sorry, I don’t want anything. I’m not hungry.”

“It’s alright,” Xavier said smoothly, taking the menu from my hands and handing it back. “We’ll have the spaghetti Bolognese, a medium-rare steak, and two coffees with extra cream.”

The server nodded and disappeared. Xavier leaned back, elbows on the armrests, watching me with those intense eyes.

“What’s wrong, kitten?”

I shook my head. “Oh no…it’s nothing.”

“Forgive me, but I couldn’t help overhearing. Moni wasn’t calling to wish you well.”

I let out a weak laugh. “No… she definitely wasn’t.” Then I narrowed my eyes at him. “How did you know it was Moni?”

“You said her name while you were talking,” he replied, a small smile tugging at his lips.

“Oh. Right.”

The server returned with our food just as my stomach decided to betray me with a loud grumble. We thanked her quietly as she set everything down.

The food smelled incredible. I picked up my fork and we ate in comfortable silence for a while—until I realized I’d cleared my entire plate, plus the extra portions Xavier kept quietly adding to it.

“This tastes so GREAT,” I chirped, taking a sip of coffee. A bit of cream must have stayed on my lips because Xavier suddenly stopped drinking and narrowed his eyes, amused.

I leaned back, sipping my coffee, and smiled at him without thinking.

He stopped mid-sip, eyes narrowing playfully. “Do you girls do that on purpose to seduce men?”

“Do what?”

“Smear coffee cream on your lips like that.”

I glanced down and saw the faint white streak on my bottom lip. 

“Oh!” I picked up the napkin on the table to clean it, when he got up, he leaned across the table and caught my wrist gently but firmly, stopping me.

"No, you can't clean it with that, kitten.”

Confused, I blinked. “Then how?”

He leaned further, his voice dropping. “Since you put it there so beautifully… I’ll take care of it myself.”

Before I could protest, his lips crashed softly against mine. He licked the cream away with deliberate slowness, then sucked gently on my lower lip, letting out a low, satisfied groan. I pushed against his chest, but it was like trying to move a wall. When he finally pulled back, he looked far too pleased with himself.

“Don’t do that again!” I hissed, cheeks burning, even as I bit my lip.

He grinned, wicked and unrepentant. “Mi amor, I absolutely will.”

“I’m not your mi—”

“Do you want me to kiss you again, mi amor?” he teased, voice low and dangerous.

This shameless man.

By the time we stepped outside, the driver was already waiting. I tried to compose myself as I slid into the car.

“You have a public image to maintain, you know. You can’t keep doing stuff like that in public.”

Xavier flashed that signature wicked smile. “That’s exactly the public image I want to maintain.”

I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t hide my smile as I reached for the door. Before I could close it, he caught the handle and leaned in, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to my cheek.

“I don’t want to stay away from you.” he murmured, voice warm against my skin.

Butterflies erupted in my stomach again. I tried to play it cool.

“Uh…that sounds like a you problem.” I said quickly, shutting the door before he could see how red my face had gotten.

Strangely, the entire ride home felt… light. Like the sea after a storm had finally calmed.

When the car pulled up to the house, I noticed the small army of workers immediately. Delivery trucks lined the curb. Men carried furniture and boxes inside while electricians ran cables along the hallway. Out front, a gardener was already turning soil and planting beds of pristine white tulips.

Natasha spotted me first, practically bouncing over with both kids in tow. Agatha’s pigtails were lopsided from excitement, and Adrian’s cheeks were flushed pink.

“Mommy!” Agatha squealed. “I have a playhouse now!”

“Oh my God, that’s amazing, baby!” I laughed, scooping her up.

“And we have all our favorite treats in the fridge!” Adrian added proudly. “So many chocolates, Mommy!”

“These people showed up right after you left,” Natasha said, slightly breathless. “They’ve been working nonstop. Look—your favorite ornamentals are everywhere now.”

I chuckled softly. I’d never actually told Xavier about my favorite flowers… Yet here they were.

The house had been luxurious before, but now it felt warm, lived-in, and perfect. Like someone had reached into my dreams and made them real.

Later, when I finally had a quiet moment, I slipped into my bedroom with a handful of blueberries from the fridge (because apparently everyone in this house was obsessed with them too) and called Xavier.

“Thank you,” I said softly the moment he picked up. “For everything. But you really didn’t have to spend so much. The house was already beautiful.”

“Highly impossible,” he replied, voice warm and teasing. “Do you like it over here or do you want to move to the edge of the city?”

I smiled, curling up on the new plush couch. “I like it here. A lot.”

“Good. See you later, Kitten.”

“Don’t —”

The line clicked off before I could finish. I stared at my phone, half-annoyed, half-smiling like an idiot.

I had forgotten what it felt like to be taken care of like this.

And God help me… I was starting to like it way too much.