Xavier's heart was pounding, and his footsteps thundered as he descended the stairs. The scene before him was a twisted tableau: Avery's arm was outstretched, her gun aimed directly at Cathleen, his wife, but Cathleen stood firm, unflinching, like stone.
"Aaa, right on time, babe," Avery cooed, her gaze sickly sweet upon Xavier. "I wanted you to watch when I shot her; she is the wall blocking our love from blooming."
"Fuck," he muttered under his breath, his hands lifting in a gesture of surrender. "Avery, you must have forgotten; I am Cathleen's husband, not yours." His voice was ice, calmness belying the chaos.
"Always playing saint, aren't we?" Avery's scorn sliced through the air. "It has always been simple. Live your life to the fullest, but stay away from what's mine. Was that too much to ask Cathleen?"
Her laughter was manic, echoing off the walls.
Xavier's eyes flicked to Cathleen, searching for fear, for surrender. There was none. She was a fortress, her expression unreadable. Was she done fighting? Xavier thought.
"So you made your mother kill herself?" He needed to grasp this insanity to unravel Avery's tangled mind.
"Yea." Avery's lips twisted, a caricature of grief. "Since she could kill Cathleen's mother and take over life by marrying her husband, she could help me with Cathleen too. Take over Cathleen's life, too."
"Jesus Christ..." Xavier breathed.
"It hurts to lose someone you love, doesn't it?" Avery's voice cracked like a whip. "I loved my mother, but she refused to help me kill this bitch." The gun jabbed forward, punctuating her venom.
Cathleen remained motionless, a pillar amidst the storm. Avery's finger twitched on the trigger, each second stretching into eternity.
Xavier's voice, silk-wrapped steel, sliced through the tension. "Babe." Avery turned, a grin splitting her face, as if she had won some perverse game.
Cathleen's head jerked up, disbelief etched into every line of her face. Why? Why was he betraying her with terms of endearment meant for her ears alone?
"Darling, Cathleen is not worth all this," Xavier cooed, his hand resting on Avery's quivering shoulder, a toxic mimicry of affection. Cathleen felt the sting, the urge to lash out, but pride clamped down on her emotions like a vice.
"Would you like some coffee so we could talk about how we're going to raise Bella?" Xavier's words were honey-laced poison, the offer dangling before Avery like a lure.
"Stand there," Avery ordered Cathleen, the muzzle of the gun an unblinking eye. "After all, this is going to be my house. If you move, I'll shoot. Just listen to what my Xavy has to say about our love."
Cathleen inhaled sharply, her chest tight with betrayal and fury. She couldn't-wouldn't-break. Not now, not ever.
"So tell me, how do you want to kill this bitch?" Xavier asked, his tone casual as if discussing the weather. Avery's smile twisted, a grotesque mask of delight.
"Shooting her is better," Avery purred. "Less painful than poisoning."
"Your coffee," Xavier announced, handing her a steaming mug. His touch lingered on her skin, fingers trailing through her hair. Avery sipped, her eyes locked onto Cathleen's, gloating.
"Oh, Xavy, you are so sweet. A real romantic man," Avery cooed, oblivious to the storm brewing just beneath the surface.
Xavier said nothing, his facade impeccable. Inside, he counted each swallow, each second ticking by with the precision of a bomb's timer.
Soon, Avery swayed, her grip slackening. "You poisoned me?" Disbelief clawed at her voice as she struggled to stand.
Cathleen's heart hammered, a mix of relief and rage coursing through her veins. She watched as Xavier's mask slipped for a moment, revealing the cold calculation behind his eyes. He hadn't betrayed her after all.
Avery's legs buckled, the venom of betrayal oozing from her pores. "You fucking drugged me," she slurred, a snarl distorting her once delicate features.
"Avery, take it easy," Xavier's voice cut through the tension like a blade. His eyes were ice, his stance unwavering. "Lay down the gun. You're not thinking straight."
"Fuck you!" Avery spat, defiance boiling in her veins. She stumbled, trying to regain balance, her gaze locking onto the new threat-Bella, innocent and unaware, crawling into the lion's den.
"Ah, here comes the baby," Avery cackled, the sound sharp and hollow. Her finger twitched on the trigger, a deadly promise. "You fucking think I'm weak? Think again."
Xavier closed the distance, his voice a low growl of desperation. "No one's dying today, Avery. Not on my watch. Not even you." He reached out, as if to calm a wild animal. "Sleep it off. We'll sort this mess later."
"Sort this?" Avery's laugh was bitter, mocking. "You bastard. Minutes ago, you pretended to love me. And now you want to play house with her?" Venom dripped from every syllable.
Cathleen's heart raced, adrenaline surging. She wouldn't cower-not to this madness. She moved, a silent shadow ready to strike.
"Drop the fucking gun!" Xavier bellowed, his command echoing against the walls. But Avery's finger squeezed, a manic glint in her eye.
"NO!" Cathleen's scream tore through the stillness, a raw, visceral sound. Time slowed, and the world narrowed to the space between them.
Bang!
A single shot rang out, deafening. Cathleen hit the floor, her body a mix of pain and shock. Avery shot towards Bella's direction.
"Fuck!" Xavier cursed, rage contorting his face. He lunged for the weapon, his movements a blur.
Another bang-a second shot, sudden and final.
"Shit!" Avery gasped, her body jerking as if pulled by invisible strings. Her eyes widened, confusion etching her face. "Why... why am I seeing Bella twice?"
Caleb stood there, gun smoking, his expression a grim mask of duty fulfilled. He'd done what he had to do-for Xavier, for all of them.
Avery crumpled to the ground, the life bleeding out of her with each labored breath. Caleb continued to sand there, not shaking, because it was either Bella or Avery, and he had sworn to protect Xavier's family if there was need. He was just Xavier's assistant, but he would do anything for him. Little Bella was unharmed; she continued crawling down the stairs, calling 'Papa.' Cathleen got up from the floor and saw her baby and ran to her.