Chapter 88 TRUST NO ONE
\[CASTELLAN'S HOUSE\]
Drexton's car halted as he stepped out. He got there as soon as he left Joanna's place. He had checked her location before coming, and he knew she was at home, worried about her mother.
As he stared at the very house he swore never to return to, memories flooded in. His eyes darkened with hate.
He might have come here to drop Ixora off, but he had never gone past their gate.
Today, he was inside the very same house that ruined his life.
In the parking space, he could see his father watching their cars while walking on his knees. His blood dirtied the ground, but the Castellan stood there and watched with satisfaction in their eyes.
At the front door, he saw his mother getting whipped in front of the entire house help. His pleading self crying for her release, but they all fell on deaf ears.
He thought not visiting the house for many years would have healed the painful memories. He was wrong; everything was still fresh in his head.
They didn't just traumatize him; they made sure they destroyed his living self. Now, he's just like a walking dead person, with a bleeding and vengeful heart.
He focused his gaze on the main door, trying to forget about those memories.
He got to the door and pushed it open.
\--
Ixora stared at the ceiling, giving up on trying to call her mother. There were traces of tears in her eyes, meaning she had cried a lot.
She had just returned from the police station with Blake and Nelly. The police had arrested her and, after a series of investigations, she was released. She knew nothing after all.
She hadn't seen her father all day, and her mother, no one could trace her location.
She couldn't believe her mother could do such a thing.
As she watched the video, she felt her blood run cold. Her mother was capable of cutting a woman's life short, all because of greed.
She knew she didn't have the perfect mother. She suspected it, but what she didn't know was that her mother would be involved with such a crime.
If her mother were innocent, she wouldn't be hiding.
Another round of tears fell before she could stop herself. She didn't bother wiping them off.
"What did I tell you about your tears?" Drexton said, his eyes fixed on Ixora.
Ixora faced him, the tears pouring down more.
"I can't help it," she sobbed.
In the next minute, he was standing before her.
He leaned in and wiped the tears for her.
"I don't like my possession getting wasted," he muttered, locking their gazes.
"You don't get it. M... My mother is not reachable. She's guilty, and I... I'm the deep one..."
He hugged her, and she wet his shirt with her tears.
Aside from calling her tears his possession, he didn't know any soothing words. He let her cry while patting her hair gently.
He stopped himself from looking around the house. If the memories come in, he might choke her with a hug.
"Your tears should only be for the people who deserve them," he mumbled when he didn't hear her sobbing sound again.
"She gave birth to me."
"And that's where it ends."
They both went into silence.
Drexton, for once, decided to look around the house, and they fell on the dining table.
That place did worse as it opened the memory of when they broke a hot teacup on his mother's face.
The way his mother wriggled in agony. When he wanted to go to her aid, they forced him to pick up the broken glass with his mouth.
Also, how his father and mother died on that staircase. They were vivid in his mind.
"Drexton," Ixora's soft voice whispered, drifting him back.
"Hmm."
She broke the hug so she could look directly into his eyes.
"Did my parents ever hurt you?"
Inwardly, Drexton reacted, but he was so good at hiding his reactions.
Ixora saw nothing.
He wasn't expecting that question; it threw him off guard.
"Why'd you ask?"
"I feel like your hatred for me back then is tied to your past. I asked Joanna, and she told me to ask my mom. My mother said she hadn't met anyone named Drexton before. But something within me doesn't want to believe it. Our paths only crossed when I became your secretary," she sighed, and continued. "Tell me, did my parents wrong you? At this rate, I feel like I don't know my parents again."
Drexon took his hand and caressed her earlobe. "Yes, but let's not talk about it today, okay."
Ixora smiled and wrapped her arm around his neck.
He has lessened the guilt inside of her. At least she knows her parents are not nice. She wouldn't be feeling sad for her mother again, because despite not knowing what she did, she knows her mother is bad. She deserves all the failure life is throwing at her.
One thing she wished for was that whatever they did to Drexton wouldn't be too much.
"I don't know who to trust again," she mumbled.
"Trust no one, firefly," he said. "No one," he repeated.
"I guess you are the only person I trust, then. I-"
"Not even me."
He cut her off.
Ixora nodded, though she didn't understand why he said that last one, as if he was warning her-warning her against him.
Calm down, Ixora.
You had the choice of choosing a sweet and nice guy, but you stayed to be ruined by the devil.
"It's late, are you going to stay over?"
Drexton broke the hug, a smirk dancing on his lips.
"Do you want me to stay?" he leaned in.
Ixora's body flushed.
"I didn't say that. I'm just looking out for you. It's dangerous to go out at night."
"And you snuck out a lot of times to see me at the outhouse."
Ixora pouted. "You were scary and dangerous back then. Who knows what you'd have done if I refused?"
"I've always been dangerous."
"Then it was in a bad way."
"And now?" he asked, running his eyes along her face as if searching for something.
"It's still in a bad way," she laughed, bringing her face close to his. "You needed to see yourself back then. You were like 'I'll hide, you'll seek, if you don't find me, I'll take my price'."
A small genuine smile appeared on Drexton's face as he stared at her. She squeezed her face, trying to keep his blank expression as she acted like him.
"Not only that," she said, and grabbed his arm in a rough grip. Her tiny hand barely covered his arm. "You can't run away from me-my wrath-my ruination. Like I said... I'm just getting started. Seek me," she laughed, falling on Drexton's body.
"You needed to see how you looked back then."
Drexton wasn't hearing the things she was saying again. His eyes were fixed on her lips as he watched them move and curved into a smile.
He turned her neck to him and pressed his lips to hers. He didn't move immediately, just allowed their lips to stay on each other as they held their gaze.
Ixora stopped talking, shocked by his actions, but didn't try to pull out her lips.
In slow motion, he began kissing her passionately.
Ixora eyes closed as she kissed him back, surprised at the slow kiss. Not that she wasn't enjoying it, but she wasn't used to Drexton kissing her like that. It's always rough and feral, both fighting, biting, and hitting each other with their teeth. But this time, it was so slow, almost like long-lost lovers feeling each other's lips on theirs.
Suddenly, Drexton broke the kiss, staring at her as if he had done something he shouldn't have done.
"W... Why did you stop?" She couldn't help but ask.
"You were talking non-stop, so I had to do it."
Ixora wasn't surprised. Typical Drexton, always having an excuse for everything.
"I will take you to your room."
\[LORRAINE'S HOUSE\]
"Yes, Frat, I can't wait for one month. I will leave the day after tomorrow," Lorraine said.
"Why?" Doctor Frat asked, looking at her.
"You know, my husband found out, and I killed him to keep the secret. The maid died mysteriously at the police station. I have no doubt Drexton and his friends were behind her death. Staying here is not safe for me. They are lying low, probably planning how to kill me right now," Lorraine said in one breath.
Ever since she returned from the hospital, she hasn't stepped out of her house, nor has she had a good sleep. She's scared that if she sleeps, Drexton will kill her while she's asleep. She has never felt as restless and out of place in her life before.
Her eyes are always running around the house, watching out for any wrong movements. Thankfully, Bonnie bought her lie, but she's sure Drexton and his friends can't be fooled easily.
"Okay then, I'll make the proper arrangements for you."
"I won't be returning until after three years. By then, they must have forgotten, and I would also have gotten my desired shape."
Frat nodded and kept his hand on her exposed thighs. "You know I care a lot about you and your safety? I won't let anything happen to you." Slowly, he began sliding his hand upwards.
"I know, Frat," she replied, staring down at his hand.
It's been a long time since she felt like that. She just realized how much she'd been missing those feelings so much.
Just this last time, do not think about Drexton. He wouldn't come to you.
She convinced herself by flashing Doctor Frat a smile.
"Make me feel like a woman," she whispered, throwing her body at him.