Chapter 67: Provocation
Agatha sat on a long wooden bench facing the fountain in the center of the mall. Her right hand held a vanilla ice cream cone that was melting bit by bit, wetting the tips of her fingers. She licked the drips with a calm, practiced ease. Her eyes never drifted from the crowd of people passing by, yet her ears caught the sound of hurried footsteps approaching from behind.
The sharp click of dress shoes against the marble floor was a sound she knew all too well. She did not turn around. She remained there intentionally, allowing herself to be discovered in the most conspicuous place possible.
"Madam!"
Dion’s voice was hoarse. He emerged from behind a massive pillar, his face completely drained of color. Sweat dampened his forehead and temples. His breaths were shallow and jagged, a clear sign that he had just sprinted across every floor of the building.
Agatha turned her head slowly. She lifted her ice cream cone slightly toward him. "You look exhausted, Dion. Would you like some ice cream? I can buy you one."
Dion did not accept the offer. He stood frozen in front of her, hands resting on his knees as he caught his breath. "Madam, please do not do that again. I truly thought something terrible had happened to you."
Agatha finished the last of her ice cream. She cleaned her hands with a wet wipe pulled from her shopping bag. "I simply wanted to eat ice cream without four men staring at my back as if they were preparing to shoot it. Is that such a difficult request?"
"Master Xavier’s instructions were to never let you out of our sight for even a second," Dion said. His voice was beginning to stabilize, though a tremor of panic still lingered. "The Master is already on his way home. He knows you are not at the residence."
Agatha stood up. She smoothed out the slight creases in her blouse. "Then what are we waiting for? Let us go home. I have finished exhausting my husband’s credit limit for the day."
Dion immediately signaled to his men, who had just arrived with equally pale faces. They formed an escort far tighter than before. Agatha simply walked toward the main exit with a casual air. She climbed into the car without a word. Throughout the drive back, the interior of the vehicle was heavy with silence. Dion, sitting in the front seat, constantly monitored the rearview mirror with a look of deep anxiety.
When the car passed through the grand gates of the Valois estate, Agatha saw Xavier’s black car already parked in front of the main terrace. The house lights were blazing, projecting an image of magnificence that felt biting and cold.
Agatha stepped out of the car. She carried the shopping bag containing the sapphire ring herself. She walked into the living room and found Melynda sitting on the long sofa. The older woman looked more refreshed than she had that morning. She was sipping warm tea while reading a book.
"Are you just getting back, Agatha?" Melynda asked. She set her book aside and looked at Agatha with a gentle gaze.
"Yes, Mother. I felt like I needed some fresh air. Are you feeling better?" Agatha replied. She approached Melynda and kissed her cheek.
"My head isn't as throbbing as it was. Xavier came home early because he couldn't find you in your room. He is in the study upstairs now," Melynda said. There was a faint note of warning in her voice.
"I will go see him now," Agatha answered briefly.
She climbed the stairs one by one. The atmosphere on the upper floor felt significantly heavier. The door to Xavier’s study was slightly ajar. Agatha pushed it open slowly.
Xavier was standing before a large window with his back to the door. He was still in his full suit. His white shirt looked crisp, yet his shoulders were rigid with tension. He did not turn around, even though he surely heard the door open.
"Put your things over there," Xavier’s voice was low and gravelly.
Agatha placed her shopping bag on Xavier’s desk, which was crafted from aged teak. She walked closer and stood behind him. "You returned sooner than Frans said you would."
Xavier turned slowly. His eyes pinned Agatha with a sharp, piercing intensity. There was a flash of anger held back behind a face as cold as ice. He slid both hands into his trouser pockets.
"I came home because my head of security reported that they lost track of my wife in the middle of a crowd," Xavier said. He stepped forward, erasing the distance between them. "Do you have an explanation for that?"
Agatha shrugged her shoulders. "I just wanted to try some beauty products in an area where men are not allowed. Your men were simply too slow to keep up with me."
"Do not twist the facts, Agatha. Dion said you intentionally evaded them," Xavier’s voice rose an octave. "You know how dangerous the world is for you right now. My enemies will not care whether you are shopping or hiding."
Agatha actually smiled thinly. She stepped even closer until the tips of her shoes touched his. She looked directly into her husband’s green eyes. "Are you afraid of losing me, or are you afraid of losing control over me, Xavier?"
Xavier’s jaw tightened. He took a long, slow breath. "This is not about control. It is about safety. You are my responsibility."
"I am not a display piece you can keep in a glass cabinet forever. I can take care of myself. Have you forgotten who I am?" she challenged.
Xavier gripped Agatha’s chin, his touch gentle yet firm. He forced her to maintain eye contact. "I have never forgotten who you are. But in this house, you are my wife. And as your husband, I have the right to determine what is best for you."
"And you think what is best is locking me in here with your boring guards?" Agatha laughed softly, her tone laced with provocation. "The money you give me is plenty, Xavier. But it isn't enough to buy my freedom. If I want to leave, I will leave. And you will not be able to stop me."
Xavier stared at her smiling lips. His anger seemed to collide with the obsession he felt every time this woman defied him. "Have you had your fill of playing today?"
Agatha pulled his hand away from her chin. She walked to the desk and took out the sapphire ring box she had purchased. She opened it, letting the blue stone catch the light of the room.
"Not yet," Agatha answered calmly. "I am not satisfied yet. You still have too much money to spend in just a few hours. Perhaps tomorrow I should go out again and buy something even more expensive."
Xavier walked toward her. He stood right behind her, enveloping her in his distinct scent. "Do you think that by spending my money you can retaliate for me forbidding you from going out?"
"Perhaps," Agatha murmured. She turned around and leaned her back against the edge of the desk. "Or perhaps I just want to see exactly where the limit of your patience lies."
Xavier placed both hands on either side of her body, locking her in place. "Do not test me, Agatha. You will not like what happens if I truly lose my patience."
Instead of backing down, Agatha looped her arms around Xavier’s neck. She pulled him down slightly lower. "Then why don't you do it now? Why are you just standing here lecturing me like a child?"
Xavier gazed at her with an intensity that could intimidate anyone. But Agatha did not flinch. Instead, she relished the tension vibrating between them.
"I want you to understand that what I do is for our own good," Xavier whispered directly into her ear.
"Your good, Xavier. Not mine," Agatha countered. She released her hold and pushed gently against his chest. "Now, let me go bathe. The smell of ice cream and the mall makes me feel dirty."
Agatha walked past Xavier toward the bedroom door that connected directly to the study. Before she stepped through, she paused and looked back.
"Oh, and the ring is beautiful, isn't it? I bought it in your name," Agatha said before disappearing behind the door.
Xavier remained standing where he was. He stared at the open ring box on his desk. He clenched his fists tightly. He knew Agatha was playing with fire, and she was well aware that he could never truly stay angry with her because his love had curdled into a dark obsession.
Xavier loosened his tie. He walked to the desk and snapped the ring box shut with a harsh click. The sound echoed through the silent room. He had to find another way to tame his wife, or he would truly lose his mind every time she stepped beyond the gates of this house.
Inside the bathroom, Agatha turned on the shower. She let the cold water soak her entire body. She knew Xavier was holding himself back out there. And that was her victory for the day. She would not let anyone, not even Xavier Calestiano Valois, extinguish the fire that burned within her.