Hate
Emma glanced at Kai, who was driving as fast as he could. They were running late, and he couldn’t afford to follow traffic rules. Reaching home was crucial.
Emma sighed. She wasn’t obliged to explain her actions to Kai. But more than her own brother, Kai was the one who had always protected her, not just physically but emotionally. In fact, she felt more accountable to him than anyone else.
"Kai," she called softly.
"..."
"Kai," Emma called again, persistent.
"Later, Emma," Kai immediately cut her off.
Emma looked down at her hands in her lap and kept quiet. Kai glanced at her and pursed his lips. He knew she felt accountable to him, and he had no right to demand explanations from her. But at that moment, he felt a deep sense of disappointment and anger over what he had witnessed. He couldn’t accept someone taking advantage of his little girl. It was unacceptable. Rationally, he knew Emma had stumbled upon Xavier, and it wasn’t Xavier's fault. But those hands that had held Emma’s waist did not go unnoticed. He simply wanted to cut off those fingers. He always saw Emma as his little sister, and being a brother, he found everything infuriating in that moment.
They drove to her mansion in silence. Emma felt suffocated but remained quiet. Soon, they arrived. Emma got out of the car and expected Kai to follow, but he didn’t.
Emma turned back to face him. “Kai, are you coming in?”
Kai stared straight ahead, gripping the steering wheel tightly. “I need some time alone, Emma. Go inside and rest.”
She nodded and walked toward the mansion, feeling the weight of unspoken words between them. She walked straight to her bedroom, relieved that her dad hadn't reached home yet. She was safe for now.
Inside her room, Emma took a moment to reflect. Initially, she had been affected by what had happened. But now, looking back, she realized she wasn’t as shaken as she thought she would be. Instead, all she felt was guilt. It was her fall that had caused Xavier to suffer, and it was her fault that Kai had witnessed something so distressing. Her emotions were a tangled mess of guilt toward both Xavier and Kai, and nothing else.
---
Xavier sat inside his car while Albie occupied the passenger seat and Mason took the wheel.
Albie couldn't decide what surprised him more—the near kiss he had witnessed or Xavier's calm demeanor afterward. Deep down, though, he silently judged his friend as a pervert.
On the other hand, Mason wasn’t particularly shocked. One of the main reasons was that Xavier himself didn’t seem surprised by the turn of events.
Xavier stared out the window. Everything outside seemed peaceful, but inside, his heart was in turmoil. He couldn’t understand his own feelings. Part of him felt that nothing was wrong with what had happened between him and Emma. There was no shock, only a surprising sense of rightness.
When he felt her lips on his, his heart had raced in a way it had only done once before—and that was with her. But then, seeing her with Kai had turned all those feelings into anger. He hated every moment of it, resenting Emma for being with Kai.
After all these days he knows what exactly was he feeling. It was nothing but jealousy. He is possessive about Emma and he can not see her with him.
Now finally knowing and understanding his feeling he didn't like this side of his. He didn't want go be this way and that too for a woman. All his feelings turned into hatred towards Emma and Kai.
"Xavier," Albie called.
"Hmm."
"Aunty asked us to come with you to the old mansion. That’s where the party will be held. It has to be grand, and Aunty won’t tolerate any mishaps or mistakes," Mason said without looking back.
"The date has been set, the invitations sent, and the venue secured. There's nothing for us to do," Albie remarked. "Everything is being taken care of by our parents. Even our attire is arranged. What’s left for us except to show up?"
"There is more to it. We need to know our guests and how we should present ourselves," Mason replied plainly.
"Hmm," Xavier murmured, his thoughts still revolving around Emma.