Chapter 51 My Answer
Anna's POV
My brows lifted slowly at his question. Would I rather marry Lucas?
For a second, my brain didn’t even process it properly. It just… hung there. Suspended.
Then it sank in. And my heart did something strange.
Lucas looked away so fast it almost felt like he’d been burned.
I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry, and forced myself to look at Xavier instead.
Because if I looked at Lucas for even a second longer, I might see something I wasn’t ready to deal with. Or worse… feel something.
“I didn’t say that,” I replied, keeping my voice steady, even though my pulse was anything but.
Xavier’s grip on my chin tightened just a little. Not enough to hurt. Just enough to remind me who I was dealing with.
“You didn’t answer either,” he said quietly.
His eyes searched mine like he was trying to peel me open layer by layer. Like I was some kind of puzzle he’d already decided he would solve whether I liked it or not.
I inhaled slowly. “I didn't ask for any of this, if there's anything I want right now, it's my freedom, not marriage to killers."
Then, Lucas shifted beside me. I didn’t need to look at him to know that answer had hit him.
Xavier, however… smiled. That kind of smile that made you wonder if you just said something brave… or incredibly stupid.
“I don’t recall giving you that option,” he said calmly.
My stomach tightened.
Of course he didn’t. This was Xavier. Nothing about this was ever going to be my choice.
I let out a small breath and leaned back slightly, trying to put even the smallest distance between us, but it was useless. The space in the backseat felt too tight.
“You asked me a question,” I said, quieter now. “I answered.”
Lucas finally spoke. “Boss, with all due respect—”
Xavier didn’t even look at him. “Careful, Lucas.”
Just that. And Lucas kept quiet.
The warning wasn’t loud. It wasn’t aggressive. But it carried weight. The kind that didn’t need to shout to be heard.
I felt the shift immediately.
Xavier’s fingers left my chin slowly, trailing down to my shoulder before he finally leaned back into his seat like nothing had happened.
Like he hadn’t just turned the air in the car into something sharp enough to cut through skin.
“Good,” he muttered. “I prefer a challenge.”
I didn’t respond. The car fell into silence again, but it wasn’t the same silence as before.
Lucas didn’t try to touch me again. Didn’t say anything. But I could feel it… the tension rolling off him in waves.
And Xavier looked completely at ease. Like a man who had already made his decision… and was simply waiting for the world to catch up.
My fingers curled slightly on my lap.
Marriage? The word echoed in my head like a ticking bomb.
Serena’s voice followed right after it. You must marry him.
My chest tightened.
Was this really happening? Was I actually about to walk straight into the center of the fire… willingly?
The car suddenly slowed.
I blinked, pulling myself out of my thoughts as I looked ahead.
Lucas noticed it too. His body tensed instantly.
Xavier leaned forward slightly, his expression sharpening in a way I hadn’t seen before.
“Stay in the car,” he said, his voice dropping into something cold and final.
I almost laughed. Stay in the car? After everything? But I didn’t argue.
The car came to a complete stop and the engine went quiet.
Xavier opened the door and stepped out without another word.
Lucas followed immediately after, but before he fully stepped out, his hand brushed mine quickly.
A silent warning or reassurance. I wasn’t sure which.
Then he was gone. And I was alone in the backseat.
My breathing slowed, that effort sharpened my mind
Another opportunity to kill Zack and prevent the agency from forcing a marriage I didn't want on me.
My fingers tightened. I wasn’t sitting this one out.
I leaned forward slightly, my eyes scanning through the tinted glass, watching shadows move, men positioning, guns being checked.
I reached for the door handle slowly, paused for a second.
Then smiled faintly to myself. “Stay in the car,” I whispered under my breath.
That was never going to happen. I pushed the door open and stepped out.
The moment I stepped out of the car, the driver stepped out almost immediately, like he had been waiting for me to make a move.
“Where are you going?” he asked, suspicion clear in his voice.
I didn’t hesitate. “I’m taking a walk,” I said casually, my eyes briefly flicking to the gun strapped neatly around his waist.
He followed my gaze and shook his head. “I can’t let you do that,” he said firmly. “Xavier’s orders.”
I smiled. “Is that so?” I said softly. “How about you try and stop me?”
He blinked, obviously caught off guard.
I didn’t wait. I turned like I was actually leaving but it was a trap.