Chapter 34: Meeting Elena
Axena Clinic, France-Italy Border.
The armored Maybach stopped at the back door of a modern building hidden behind a pine forest. This place was not an ordinary hospital, but an illegal plastic surgery clinic where high-class fugitives changed faces or stitched wounds without worrying about being chased by the police.
"Remember," Xavier warned before getting out, his hand holding the door handle. "Elena is indeed aggressive, but she is the best surgeon in this radius. We need her to ensure your stitches are ready for war, and Frans needs medicine stock."
Agatha rolled her eyes, shoving the dagger into her coat pocket. "Yeah, yeah. I won't kill her. Unless she crosses the line."
"Your tolerance line is as thin as tissue paper, Honey," muttered Xavier.
They got out. Frans led the way carrying an empty medical case. The clinic door opened automatically, the scent of antiseptic mixed with expensive Chanel perfume stung the nose.
A woman in a tight white coat with a low cleavage was waiting in the lobby. Her blonde hair was rolled up neatly, her lips bright red. That was Elena.
"Xavier!" shouted Elena. Her voice was high-pitched and spoiled.
Without caring about Frans or the woman next to Xavier, Elena immediately rushed to hug Xavier tightly. Her hands wrapped around Xavier's neck, her chest pressed against him without any gap, pressing even closer to Xavier's chest.
"I missed you! Why did you only stop by now?" whined Elena, her fingers playing on the nape of Xavier's neck.
Agatha stood silently beside them. Her hand clenched inside her coat pocket, squeezing the dagger handle until her knuckles turned white.
Xavier released the hug firmly, pushing Elena's shoulders back. "Enough, Elena. We are here for medical business."
Elena pouted, but her eyes still looked at Xavier hungrily. "You are always stiff, Xav. That is what makes me curious."
Only then did Elena glance at Agatha. Her gaze was dismissive, sweeping over Agatha from head to toe.
"And this must be... the patient," said Elena in a bored tone. "The wife Frans told me about? Xavier, your taste has become very ugly. She looks like... a malnourished street kid."
"My name is Agatha," cut in Agatha coldly. "And I need a check-up, not your useless commentary."
"So fierce," chuckled Elena. She looked back at Xavier, her hand deliberately touching Xavier's muscular arm. "Come into my room, Xav. Let me check this new toy of yours."
Agatha slapped Elena's hand away from Xavier's arm roughly.
"Keep your hands off," hissed Agatha.
Elena just smiled crookedly, not scared in the slightest. "So possessive. Relax, Miss. Xavier and I are used to touching each other."
They entered the examination room. The atmosphere inside felt suffocating. Agatha sat on the edge of the examination bed, opening her coat and shirt, turning her back to them.
Elena put on gloves, but her eyes kept stealing glances at Xavier who was leaning against the wall.
"Wow," commented Elena when she saw Agatha's back. "Who stitched this? Xavier? So rough. Like stitching a gunny sack."
"That was emergency stitching in a speeding car," defended Xavier flatly.
"Still ugly," sneered Elena. She began cleaning Agatha's wound.
While working, Elena kept talking to Xavier, as if Agatha was not there.
"Remember that time in Monaco, Xav?" asked Elena with a seductive tone. "You wore a dark blue shirt with two buttons open. You were so sexy back then."
Xavier did not answer, his eyes focused on watching Elena's hands on his wife's back.
Elena did not give up. She deliberately bent down when taking cotton, showing off her body curves towards Xavier.
"I heard you are going to Italy. It is dangerous, Xav. Better you just stay here with me," coaxed Elena. "I have an empty room upstairs. The bed is soft, there is a jacuzzi too. We can... relax. Let your wife rest down here."
Agatha, who was holding back the sting of alcohol, suddenly straightened her back.
"Done?" asked Agatha sharply.
"Not yet, chatterbox," replied Elena. She pressed the cotton a bit hard onto Agatha's wound.
"Sshh!" Agatha hissed.
Elena laughed softly. "Painful? That is why don't pretend to be strong. Xavier needs a gentle woman, who can take care of him. Not a rough woman full of scars like you."
Elena took off her gloves, then walked towards Xavier. She stood very close, her hand touching Xavier's jacket collar, tidying it with slow and sensual movements.
"Xavier, think about my offer," whispered Elena, ignoring Agatha who had gotten off the bed. "Leave her. She is just a burden. You need a woman on your level, like me. I am sure Mommy Melynda likes me better."
Agatha's patience ran out.
Slash!
In the blink of an eye, Agatha was already behind Elena. Her folding knife pressed coldly against the doctor's slender neck.
"Agatha," called Xavier warningly, but he did not move to stop her.
Elena gasped, her body stiff. But insanely, she still managed to smile cynically.
"You want to kill me?" challenged Elena. "Go ahead. Xavier won't let you kill his best doctor."
"You are too confident, bitch," whispered Agatha in Elena's ear.
Agatha pressed the knife slightly, enough to make a thin scratch that released a drop of blood.
"You said I am a burden? You said I am rough?"
Agatha turned Elena's body roughly to face her. Agatha's hazel eyes flashed savagely, meeting Elena's blue eyes which started to fear but remained arrogant.
"Listen carefully, cheap woman. Xavier doesn't need a gentle woman. He needs a partner who can guard him when the world wants to kill him. And you? You can only offer a jacuzzi and your plastic body."
Agatha pointed her knife at Elena's face.
"One more time you touch my husband... one more time you offer yourself to him... I won't kill you. I will carve my initials on this pretty face of yours. So every time you look in the mirror, you remember who owns Xavier Calestiano Valois."
Elena swallowed hard, her breath panting. But her eyes still glanced at Xavier, looking for defense.
"Xav... look at your wife. She is crazy," complained Elena with a trembling voice. "Are you sure you want to live with this monster? Come back to me, Xav. I can satisfy you without dangerous threats."
Xavier sighed long. He walked closer, then wrapped his arm around Agatha's waist from behind, resting his chin on his wife's shoulder.
"Sorry, Elena," said Xavier casually. "But I prefer this monster."
Xavier looked at Elena with a piercing cold gaze.
"And a little correction. I don't need a woman on my level. Because to me, Agatha is above anyone's level. Including you."
Elena's face went deadly pale. That rejection was far more painful than Agatha's knife scratch.
"We are leaving," said Xavier to Agatha. "Frans already got the medicine."
They walked out leaving Elena frozen in the middle of the room holding her slightly bleeding neck.
However, when they reached the door, Elena screamed desperately.
"You will regret it, Xavier! She will drag you to hell!"
Xavier stopped for a moment, turning his head without releasing his embrace on Agatha.
"I have lived in hell all my life, Elena," answered Xavier calmly. "And she is the only demon willing to love me."
The clinic door closed.
Inside the car, Agatha remained silent while cleaning her dagger with a tissue. Frans drove in silence, not daring to comment because Agatha's aura was still dark.
"You didn't need to entertain her that extremely," said Xavier softly, breaking the silence.
"She is annoying," muttered Agatha. "Who does she think she is, touching you in front of me."
"Jealous?" teased Xavier.
"No," said Agatha. She turned, staring at Xavier sharply. "Don't ever let her touch you again. Or I will really carve her face."
Xavier laughed freely, pulling Agatha into his arms.
"Ready, Mrs. Valois. Order accepted."
Agatha rested her head on Xavier's chest, listening to the man's heartbeat.
"Xav," called Agatha softly.
"Hm?"
"Is it true I am rough? Do you prefer gentle women?"
Xavier lifted Agatha's chin, staring into his wife's eyes intently.
"Gentleness is boring, Agatha. I like your fire. I like the way you look at the world as if you want to burn it. Don't ever change."
Agatha smiled faintly, her insecurity vanishing instantly.
"Alright. In that case, let's go burn Luigi's stage in Italy."
Xavier grinned. "Let's go."
The Maybach car sped through the border, leaving the cheap love drama behind, heading towards the real battlefield, melting the slowly thawing ice.