Chapter 59

Chapter 59
I buried my face in the pillow, letting the sobs consume me. My body shook uncontrollably as I cried, the tears streaming down my face like a river. I felt like I was drowning in a sea of despair, unable to escape the pain that threatened to suffocate me.

Every breath I took was ragged and painful, my chest heaving with the effort. My eyes burned from the tears, my vision blurry from the constant flow. I felt like I was losing myself, like I was disappearing into the abyss of my own sorrow.

I thought of Xavier, of his kind eyes and gentle touch. I thought of the way he made me feel, like I was home. And I thought of Marco, of his cruel words and heartless actions. I felt like I was trapped in a nightmare, unable to wake up from the pain.

As I cried, I felt like I was releasing all the emotions I had been holding inside. The grief, the anger, the sadness - it all poured out of me like a tidal wave. I was exhausted, drained from the effort of holding it all in for so long.

But even as I cried, I knew I wasn't alone. I felt Xavier's presence, his love and support enveloping me like a warm embrace. I knew he was with me, even in spirit, and that gave me the strength to keep going.

As the tears finally began to subside, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. I knew I still had a long way to go, but in that moment, I felt like I could face whatever came next. I was broken, but I was not defeated.

I lay there, my body still shaking from the sobs, when I heard a knock on the door. I barely had the energy to whisper "come in".

The door creaked open and my father-in-law, Xavier's dad, walked in. He looked at me with a mixture of disappointment and frustration.

"Avery, what's going on here?" he asked gruffly.

I tried to speak, but my voice was hoarse from crying. I cleared my throat and tried again. "Just having a moment, sir."

He walked over to me and sat down beside me. "Avery, you need to pull yourself together. You can't be crying like a baby right now."

I felt a surge of embarrassment and shame. "I know, sir. I'm sorry."

He put a hand on my shoulder. "Avery, I'm here to tell you that I and the board have decided to make you the acting CEO of the company. I ordered them though so you have to make a good impression tomorrow."

I stared at him in disbelief. "What? But...but why?"

"Because you're the best person for the job, that's why. And I'm not going to let you let me down. You need to stop crying and start leading."

I felt a spark of determination ignite within me. I took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes, sir. I won't let you down."

He stood up and looked at me expectantly. "Good. Now, Get ready for tomorrow."

I followed Xavier's dad downstairs, my heart racing with excitement and nerves. The whole family was gathered in the living room, their faces curious and expectant.

Xavier's dad cleared his throat and began to speak. "Family, I have an important announcement to make. As you all know, Xavier is currently unable to lead the company due to his health. After careful consideration, the board has decided to appoint a new acting CEO."

He paused for dramatic effect, and I felt my palms growing sweaty.

"And that person is... Lilith!" My Father-in-law said, addressing me as Lilith in the presence of his family as no one knows I'm Avery.

The room erupted in a mixture of gasps, whispers, and congratulations. I felt like I was in shock, my mind struggling to process the news.

But not everyone was happy.

Marco's face turned red with anger, his eyes bulging in disbelief. "What?! No way! This is a joke, right?!"

He jumped up from his seat, his voice rising in indignation. "She's not qualified! She's just a...a...gold-digger!"

I felt a sting from his words, but I stood tall, my head held high. "I may not have the same experience as some of you, but I'm capable and willing to learn. And I have the support of the board and Xavier's dad."

Marco sneered at me. "This is a travesty! I demand a recount!"

Xavier's dad frowned, his voice firm. "Marco, the decision is final. Lilith is the new acting CEO, and we will support her fully."

The room fell silent, the tension palpable. I knew this was just the beginning of a difficult journey, but I was ready to face the challenge head-on. Bring it on!

Xavier's dad stood up, his eyes flashing with authority. "Marco, that's enough! You will not question my decision or Lilith's capabilities. She has been chosen for this role, and you will respect that."

Marco's face turned beet red, his eyes bulging in rage. "How dare you! You're just doing this because you want to control the company yourself! You're using Lilith as a puppet!"

Xavier's dad took a step closer to Marco, his voice firm. "Marco, you are out of line. Lilith is a capable and intelligent individual who has earned this opportunity. You will not disrespect her or me in this way."

Marco's anger boiled over, and he began to yell at everyone in the room. "You're all just sheep, following each other blindly! You don't care about what's best for this company! You're just a bunch of sycophants, sucking up to father because you're afraid of him!"

The room erupted into chaos, with Marco and my mother-in-law arguing and shouting over each other. I felt overwhelmed, trying to make sense of the chaos.

Xavier's dad raised his voice above the din. "Enough! Marco. Your behavior is unacceptable, and you will leave the living room immediately."

The room fell silent, the tension still palpable. I took a deep breath, trying to process what had just happened. I knew this was just the beginning of a difficult journey, but I was ready to face it head-on.

I watched in disbelief as Marco begged his father to make him CEO instead of me. "Father, please, I'm your son, your family. You can't seriously be considering putting her in charge over me?"

Xavier's dad looked at Marco with a mixture of disappointment and disgust. "Marco, you have never shown any interest in the company or its well-being. You have only ever cared about yourself and your own selfish desires."

Marco's face turned red with desperation. "But father, I'm your son! You have to give me this opportunity!"

Xavier's dad stood up, his eyes blazing with anger. "Marco, you are not worthy of this opportunity. You have proven time and time again that you are not capable of leading this company. And as for being my son..." he spat the words out, "you are no son of mine. You are a bastard, Marco. A selfish, entitled bastard who only cares about himself."

I gasped in shock at the harsh words, but Xavier's dad continued. "Lilith, on the other hand, has proven herself to be hardworking, intelligent, and capable. She is the right person for this role, and I will not let you or anyone else stand in her way."

Marco's face crumpled in defeat, but I could see the anger and resentment burning in his eyes. I knew this was far from over.

Marco's face was red with rage as he faced me, his eyes blazing with fury. "You think you're so smart, don't you, Lilith?" he spat, his voice low and menacing. "You think you can just waltz in here and take what's mine?"

I stood my ground, refusing to back down. "I'm not taking anything that's yours, Marco. I'm simply trying to do what's best for the company."

Marco sneered at me. "You're a fool if you think you can run this company. You're just a weak little girl playing at being a CEO."

I felt a surge of anger at his words, but I kept my cool. "I'm not afraid of you, Marco. And I'm certainly not going to let you bully me into backing down."

Marco took a step closer to me, his eyes glinting with malice. "You should be scared of me, Lilith. I can make your life very difficult if you don't do what I want."

I stood my ground, my heart pounding in my chest. "I'm not going to let you threaten me, Marco. I'm the CEO now, and I'm not going to let you undermine my authority."

Marco's face twisted in anger, and for a moment, I thought he might hit me. But then, he seemed to regain control of himself, and a sly smile spread across his face. "We'll see about that, Lilith. We'll see who comes out on top in the end."

With that, he turned and stormed out of the room, leaving me feeling shaken but determined to stand my ground.

I watched in shock as Xavier's mother, my mother-in-law, slapped Xavier's father across the face. "How dare you!" she spat, her eyes blazing with anger. "You have no right to call our son a bastard!"

Xavier's father looked taken aback by her outburst, but he stood his ground. "I have every right," he said firmly. "Marco has never been worthy of this family's name."

My mother-in-law's face turned red with rage. "You're just doing this to spite me, aren't you?" she hissed. "You're trying to hurt me by elevating this...this...stranger to CEO!"

She turned to me, her eyes flashing with venom. "You're just a manipulative little gold-digger, aren't you?" she spat. "You think you can just waltz in here and steal our family's business from us?"

I felt a surge of anger at her words, but I tried to remain calm. "I'm not trying to steal anything," I said firmly. "I'm just trying to do what's best for the company."

My mother-in-law sneered at me. "You're not even family," she said. "You have no right to be here, let alone run our company."

Xavier's father stepped forward, his eyes flashing with warning. "Enough, dear," he said firmly. "Lilith is the acting CEO now, and we will support her."

My mother-in-law's face turned purple with rage. "Fine," she spat. "But this isn't over. I will make sure you pay for this, Lilith. You just wait and see."

With that, she stormed out of the room, leaving me feeling shaken but determined to stand my ground.

I tried to approach Xavier's father, to talk to him and understand why he had made me the acting CEO, but he waved me off and walked away.

"Father-in-law, wait!" I called after him, but he didn't turn back.

I felt a pang of loneliness wash over me. Without Xavier by my side, I felt lost and alone in this new role. I had so many questions and doubts, and I desperately needed guidance and support.

But Xavier's father was gone, leaving me to navigate this new landscape on my own.

I sighed and rubbed my temples, feeling the weight of responsibility settling onto my shoulders. I missed Xavier terribly, and the pain of his absence felt like a fresh wound.

Why had he done this to me? Why had he left me with this enormous burden, without even being here to support me?

I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes, but I blinked them back. I had to be strong now, for Xavier's sake, and for the sake of the company.

But oh, how I wished he was here with me, to hold my hand and guide me through this storm.

I trudged upstairs to my room, feeling defeated and alone. As I opened the door, I was greeted by the familiar sight of my bed and the comforting silence of my sanctuary. I closed the door behind me and leaned against it, letting out a deep sigh.

I felt like I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. The responsibility of being the acting CEO, the tension with Marco, the distance from Xavier... it all felt like too much to bear.

I walked over to my bed and collapsed onto it, burying my face in the pillows. I let out a muffled cry, allowing myself to release some of the emotions that had been building up inside me.

As I lay there, I couldn't help but think of Xavier. Where was he? Was he okay? Why had he left me with this enormous responsibility without even saying goodbye?

The questions swirled in my mind, making my head spin. I felt so lost and alone, like I was navigating a stormy sea without a compass.

But as I lay there, something inside me began to stir. A spark of determination ignited, and I knew I couldn't give up. I had to keep going, for Xavier's sake, and for the sake of the company.

I took a deep breath and sat up, wiping away my tears. I knew what I had to do. I would face whatever challenges came my way, head-on. I would prove myself as a capable leader, and I would make Xavier proud.