Chapter 30 TWO
Hazel tightened her arms around her. Tight.
Too tight.
Ixora breathed, hitched. The strain etched itself into every line of her body.
"H...Hazel," Ixora breathed.
"You are rich," Hazel began. "Pretty. Intelligent. Curvy. People's favorite. Stole my mum, and also the only man I've ever wanted."
Ixora's smile faltered as she broke the hug.
"Hazel," she muttered, almost unsure.
"Yes, Ixora Castellan," she said through clenched teeth, her hand going to her back pocket.
"You are a fool to think I wanted to be friends with you. I hate you with my blood, sweat and tears. I will make sure I rip you off everything you love. I stabbed my mother to death—" a slap flew across her cheek.
Her face turned the other way.
"You are lying! Aunt is still alive!" Ixora yelled, tears slipping down her cheeks.
Hazel smirked, pressing her inner cheek with her tongue.
"I'm not here for jokes, sweetie". Hazel smiled.
"Believe it or not, your dear Aunt Maria is...."
She leaned closer, "Dead".
Hazel moved backward to get a better view of her expression. She bit her lips insanely, enjoying the drama.
"No...No...No!!! She was your mother! How could you be so cruel as to kill your mother?!" Ixora yelled tearfully, grabbing Hazel by her collar.
"Yes, she was my mother!" Hazel yelled back, jerking Ixora's hand off her collar.
She grabbed Ixora's cheek— hard, unforgiving, earning a sharp yelp from her.
"But like always, you stole her from me! She was ready to forsake me just to protect you from me! So I had to kill her. Now, who's going to save you from me?" She smiled menacingly, moving backward from Ixora.
She brought out the acid.
"No, please, don't do it, I'm still your best friend, remember?" Ixora pleaded.
"I didn't hesitate to kill my mother. So don't even think I'll think twice before burning you with this acid," Hazel spat.
"No," Ixora mumbled, her tears flowing uncontrollably.
Hazel opened the acid bottle.
"Goodbye...friend," Hazel muttered hatefully.
She glared at Ixora one last time.
She raised her hand midair and made to pour it when Ixora held her hand.
"Let. Go. Of. It," Hazel said, through clenched teeth.
Ixora held her hand tightly, trying to collect the acid.
"I won't, Hazel. You have gone mad!" Ixora yelled.
She and Hazel dragged the acid.
Hazel wanted to use the opportunity and pour it on Ixora, but—
Bang.
A bullet was fired straight into Hazel's stomach.
Both she and Ixora's grip loosened on the bottle...
"Ahhhhhh!!!!" She let out a loud, shrieking scream when the acid poured all over her face.
It slowly peeled her face, sending a burning sensation down her skin.
She struggled, cried, and screamed, her blood trailing down her body.
Ixora covered her mouth as she witnessed Hazel's condition.
Hazel's back hit the bridge edge, and she fell over the top, straight into the water with a loud
SPLASH.
"Hazel!!!!!!!" Ixora's voice tore across the loud splash.
Her tears resumed again.
She held the edge of the bridge, looking inside the water, which was now mixed with Hazel's blood.
The unusual feelings settled in. Goosebumps, hairs on the nape all standing up.
The feeling of Drexton.
She turned and saw a shadow. The tears blurred her vision until it cleared.
She saw him standing, a gun in his hand. Looking so tall and mighty.
His eyes were on her, still deadpan and emotionless.
She returned the gaze before running to him. She wrapped her hand tightly around his body as soon as she got to where he stood.
The gun fell from his hand, but he didn't hug her back. He didn't break it either. He traced his gaze down to her, letting her wet his shirt with her tears.
"H... Hazel is... We," she sobbed, increasing her grip around him.
Aunt Maria was gone, and Hazel too. It was too much for her to handle in a day. She needed to hug it out. Somebody to hug and the person to hug her back. She needed an arm to cry on. The person had to hug her back and make her feel safe, because she was scared. She was frightened. Shocked.
"H... Hug me back," she said between sobs.
She wanted to forget he was her tormentor. The same man who was messing with her physically, mentally and emotionally. She just wanted his arm to be around her, even if it was just for a few minutes.
"Please," she added.
"Two," he whispered, slowly wrapping his arm around her.
She was shocked. She never expected him to agree so easily. He counted 'two'. She had no idea what he meant. All that mattered was that she was crying, and he was hugging, not with hatred, nor with affection. But she felt safe. Calm. Protected.
"T... They can not be gone. They can't," she muttered, choking on her sobs.
Drexton stayed silent, letting her cry out. His one hand on her back and the other at the back of her neck. He had always enjoyed seeing her cry, but today...it felt different.
She was crying, but it was not for him. Only he had the right to make her cry. He slid his hand into his pocket and brought out a handkerchief. The same one with the DO. NOT. CRY stitch.
He pulled her neck with his palm, not too hard to hurt her. He began wiping her tears.
Ixora's eyes caught the stitch on the handkerchief.
"I... It was you," she mumbled.
Drexton remained silent as he continued wiping her tears.
If only he would say something to her. She must be dreaming. It's the same deafening silence.
She sniffled, hugging him back again.
Blake arrived at the bridge in hurried steps. He saw what happened on the news and rushed here directly from his studio.
He halted when he saw Ixora hugging a man. He couldn't see his face, just his height and shadow.
"I've found her aunt," Blake said over the phone and hung up.
Georgia was worried about Ixora as soon as she heard the news. She had to call Blake. Blake had asked her to calm down, that he would find her, and he did.
But she was hugging another man. He felt his heart shattering into pieces.
"Ixora," he called out.
Ixora recognized his voice and raised her head to meet Drexton's eyes.
"Tonight, outhouse, 9 pm," Drexton whispered, and slowly pulled her away from him.
He glanced at Blake and turned. He walked away like he had never come. But he left his presence behind. His cologne. Ixora could still smell it all over her.
He smelled like obsidian veil. Beautiful, black, suffocating. Like smoke from a slow-burning promise, it clung to her skin. Unwelcome but impossible to shake.
Blake tapped her shoulder. "Xora, are you sure you're okay?" he asked, his tone soft.
Ixora looked at him. She nodded before sniffling.
Blake breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Xora," he mumbled and pulled her into a tight hug.
Ixora hugged him back.
"I was so scared. I saw the news. I wouldn't have survived it if something had happened to you," Blake whispered, tightening his arm around her.
"I'm fine," Ixora said, her voice barely audible.
Blake broke the hug and cupped her cheek, checking out her body.
He exhaled, feeling convinced.
"The safety team is looking for Hazel's body."
"I...It hurts. She was a sister. I considered her my sister since Nelly does not stay in this country. I have never held any grudge against her, and all because of me... Aunt Maria is gone," Ixora muttered, breaking down.
Blake held her hand. "It's okay. She was never your friend. You have me, Nelly, Audrey and even Skye. We are all here for you," Blake said, pulling her into another hug.
Ixora cried silently on his shoulder.
"Xora," Blake called, slowly pulling her away from him. "Can I ask you something?"
Ixora nodded, her eyes locking onto his.
She could see he was being a little bit hesitant.
"The man you were hugging, who is he?" he asked.
Ixora's body went cold, her eyes refusing to leave his. What was she going to tell him? That Drexton was her boss, or the man who had been tormenting her. She couldn't talk. She had no idea what to say.
"H...He is—"
"Mr. Blake," the head of the rescue squad called, interrupting Ixora.
Ixora quickly stepped away from Blake, feeling relieved.
"Are you Ixora?"
"Yes, sir," Ixora replied politely.
"I'm sorry for what happened. My team and I searched the entire water, and we could only find her pair of slippers," he said, showing them the slippers.
Truthfully, it belonged to Hazel.
"And her body?" Blake asked.
"We couldn't find the body," he replied.