Chapter 138 EVERY BREATH I TAKE
\[ERIC'S HOUSE, IXORA'S ROOM\]
Ixora neatly folded her clothes and arranged them in her box. They are traveling tomorrow, and they are never coming back to New York.
They have accomplished their mission; there's no need to stay here again.
Just like Eric wanted, they would be staying in a cool, quiet country. An island. No drama, just peace.
They will be staying in Paris.
She was pushing through her hangers when her eyes caught a dress.
Slowly, she brought down the hanger and removed the clothes.
She had forgotten about it. The clothes he gave her. The dress and the jacket. First one, when they went to Sicily, and the second one, on his birthday.
She chuckled to herself, reminiscing about the event. In Sicily, James came to her. They chatted until he started throwing advances. Drexton came. Threw her on his shoulder like she weighed nothing. The tease and all.
On his birthday—She wanted it to be the best. Forever remembered. And, indeed, it was never forgotten. The gifts—piercing.
She trailed her finger to her cleavage and rubbed her skin. The ring—it's not there. She took it off. Everything. Every single thing in her life to Drexton.
She was too focused on her mission. Hazel and Nikita, that she hadn't noticed any of these. Now, everything feels like it has fallen in place, and she's thinking about Drexton. His choices. Life. Even the mission couldn't stop her, just that they kept her preoccupied.
She kept the clothes on the bed, recalling the number of times they met after eighteen months.
She was so in that she didn't notice the time Alexa and Nelly entered her room.
"You still miss him?" Nelly asked.
Ixora went back to packing her clothes. "He's part of my chaotic past, and stays in New York. It's normal to miss him and everything else."
"Xora," Alexa muttered. "That's not what she meant."
Ixora sighed. "I decided to leave the country when Dad brought up the idea. Do you think I would have agreed to it if I didn't want to?"
"Besides, I'm not forcing you both to come with me. You can stay if you want," Ixora said, resuming her packing.
"It's fine. We are going with you wherever you go," Alexa said.
Ixora laughed, shaking her head. How would her life be without them?
She feels blessed to have them.
"Have you finished packing?"
"We were on it before we decided to check on you," Nelly replied.
"I'm fine. Go and finish packing."
They nodded and left.
Ixora's eyes fell on the clothes.
\[HELL DEVIL'S HIDEOUT\]
"I tried to hate you, Drexton," Ixora sniffled, cupping his face. "I tried to forget about you, but I couldn't. I love you," she stood on her toes and crashed her lips on his.
The doorbell rang.
Drexton opened his eyes. He looked around the room, realizing there was no Ixora. It was only his illusion.
He stared down at his thigh; the tab was still playing. He was watching her father's event before he entered his dream world. A world that can only be possible in his dream. A world he has lost the right to make a reality. But deep down, he's wishing that world would be a reality. Ixora would be standing before him, and he would tell her how deeply he loves her. How he wishes to change the hands of time and make her his, without deceit.
"Is someone at the door?" Maddox asked, coming out with Jaxon.
Drexton nodded without looking at them.
Maddox opened the door and met no one, just a box on the floor.
He carried the box and kicked the door closed.
"Who's it from?" Jaxon asked.
Maddox looked around the box, but saw nothing.
Regardless, Maddox opened the box. "A dress and a jacket..." He trailed.
Drexton looked at the dress. Instantly, he recognized it as the dress he had bought for her during their Sicily trip, and the jacket he gave her on his birthday.
A paper slipped out.
Maddox picked it up.
IXORA was written on it.
"Ixora," he muttered, looking at Drexton.
Drexton quickly stood and collected the note and clothes.
The clothes still have her intoxicating scent. Haunting as usual. Velvet kiss.
Without sparing them a glance, he walked away, slowly.
Maddox and Jaxon's eyes met, a text notification popping up on their phone at the same time.
It was from Alexa and Nelly telling them that they were leaving for Paris tomorrow.
Maddox stared at the text longer than usual. By the time he looked away from his phone, Jaxon was no longer around.
He exhaled and ran his hand through his hair, dialing Nelly's number.
\[A BAR\]
The night felt alive as Eric sat at the quiet corner of the bar, sipping casually from his drink while waiting for Drexton.
Just as you guessed, he asked Drexton to meet up with him. He checked his watch, tapping the glass cup gently.
Drexton appeared before Eric, his shadow towering over him.
Eric gestured to Drexton to sit, which he did.
"What would you like to have? I—"
"Don't bother. I don't feel like drinking," Drexton declined, not taking his gaze off Eric's face.
He could see the slight resemblance between Ixora and him. Though she took after Georgia, she has some features of her father, too.
"I'm sure you must be wondering why I called you here."
Drexton nodded.
"Do you love my daughter?" he asked, staring deeply into Drexton's soul.
Time paused for some seconds. No one said a thing, just two grown men reading each other through the eyes.
"I don't know about love, but I'm sure of one thing: I want her to be in every breath I take," Drexton replied, not flinching a bit at the question.
Eric smiled a bit, taking a sip of his drink.
"Ixora? Do you think she still loves you?"
Drexton stared back, but he felt tongue-tied. He's sure about his feelings for her, but does not know if she feels the same for him. She didn't give him the chance to read her eyes, no matter how hard he tried. He does not know what she feels for him.
Have her feelings for him died? Has she found somebody else?
"No. She's still single," Eric answered, as if he had been reading his mind.
Eric sighed. "She can't move on from you. She's still in love with you. I have seen it."
Something panged in Drexton's chest. Guilt. He couldn't believe she'd still love him after everything he did to her.
Is he even worth her love?
He lowered his gaze, guilty of looking into her father's eyes.
"Listen to me, Drexton, my happiness lies in my daughter's happiness. I will do everything in my power to keep them happy," he paused before continuing.
"You must be thinking what kind of father would want a man who wronged his daughter to be with her. All I should do is hate you, right?"
"You are wrong to have channeled the hatred you have for Georgia and Smith to her, but it's revenge. Revenge can make people do the unthinkable, I understand. When it comes to Ixora, she's my everything. I've seen how deep your love for her is, and I have no doubt in my chest that you will be able to keep her happy. You've grown past your revenge, and that is what matters," he drew in a deep breath. "The heart chooses who it wants. That is something we can't change."
He stood and gave Drexton one last look. His words weighed down on every nerve and fiber in Drexton's body. He hasn't found his words or the right words to say. His eyes followed Eric's gaze.
"We are leaving the country tomorrow," Eric said his final words and left, leaving Drexton to drown in his thoughts.