Chapter 6
After my shower, I stepped out in a silk robe, my hair dripping wet.
Xavier handed me a dry towel, grabbed the hair dryer from the drawer, and began drying my hair as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
His movements were gentle, and the warm breeze against my scalp felt incredibly soothing.
Feeling a bit uneasy, I tried to do it myself.
"Don't move," Xavier said, gently holding my shoulder. "It'll be done soon."
We went silent, only the soft hum of the hair dryer filling the room.
When my hair was dry, Xavier switched off the dryer and, out of nowhere, wrapped his arms around me from behind.
His chest was feverishly warm. Through the thin silk of my robe, the heat sent a jolt through my skin.
My whole body went rigid in an instant.
"Charlotte," he murmured in my ear, his breath hot and ticklish against my neck. "How about we talk about a partnership?"
"What kind of partnership?" I asked, my voice trembling.
"I know you married me mostly to get back at Eric, and for your family's reputation.
"And I didn't marry you just because our families go way back," Xavier said.
His hand started to wander along my waist, moving with a lazy touch.
"I need a Mrs. Lewis, someone who can deal with the family elders and shut down all the public gossip.
"And you need a powerful backer, who can crush Eric and make you feel secure.
"We'll both get what we want, and play our roles."
His voice turned low and seductive. "During the day, we'll be the loving couple everyone admires. But at night..."
He paused, then whispered in my ear, "We'll be the same."
My heart raced. I couldn't tell if it was anxiety or something deeper.
Noticing how tense I was, he let out a soft chuckle and released me. "If you're not willing, I won't push it. There's no point in forcing things."
He stepped back, putting some distance between us. That lazy, distant look returned to his face.
"Get some rest, Mrs. Lewis. Tomorrow's going to be a tough day," he said.
With that, he turned and walked into the study next door.
I stood alone in the bedroom, staring at the closed door, a swirl of emotions tangled up inside me.
A tough day? What was in store for me tomorrow?
Before I could think it through, my phone buzzed.
It was a message from Sophie. [Eric is making his move.
[He made a public statement claiming you're pulling your investment out of spite, that it's revenge, and that it's throwing Starlight Tech into chaos.
[And he sent Grace's miscarriage diagnosis to every news outlet.
[Now the internet is blowing up, calling you a cold-hearted bitch. Someone dug up that you're the Goodman family's heiress. Public opinion is totally against you."
[Plus, Starlight Tech's PR team bought up all the trending spots on the major platforms. The headlines are savage.]
Sophie sent me a few screenshots of the trending topics.
[Goodman heiress goes off the rails for love, pushes her entrepreneur boyfriend over the edge.]
[Petrico's notorious Charlotte makes her rival miscarry.]
[10 billion dollar love scandal: the truth about the woman behind Starlight Tech.]
Every word was like a blade, stabbing straight into my heart.
Eric was really ruthless.
Since he couldn't win my forgiveness, he decided to destroy me instead.
He was going to use the entire internet to drag me down.
I stared at all those vicious comments, my fingers quivering in fury.
Just then, Xavier pushed open the study door and stepped out.
He was holding his phone too, clearly having seen the same posts.
He walked over, took my phone from me, gave the screen a quick look, and powered it off.
"Ignore it. It's going to upset you," he said, his expression calm.
Suddenly, he scoffed, "Is that the best Eric can do? Looks like he's nothing special after all."
I looked up at him, confused. "You're not mad?"
"Why would I be?" Xavier sat down beside me with a playful tone. "Watching a bunch of clowns work so hard to put on a show only cracks me up."
He lifted his hand to mess up my hair in a careless manner, as if soothing a ruffled cat.
"Go to sleep. Scroll through the news in the morning," he said. "Trust me, it'll be crazier by then."
With that, he stood up, about to return to the study.
Without thinking, I reached out and grabbed the hem of his shirt. "Xavier."
He turned back, raising an eyebrow at me.
The light spilled across my face, and I could feel my cheeks burning. "Stay with me tonight."
We were already married in name, and we'd stand together to get through this ordeal.
I didn't want to weather this storm by myself anymore.
Xavier paused, then an ambiguous smile tugged at his lips.
He leaned in, bracing his hands on either side of me, locking me in under his presence.
His voice was low and dangerously husky. "Charlotte, are you sure about this?
"I'm not like Eric. I'll stay loyal to you, but you will not get the chance to change your mind."
I met his gaze, made up my mind, slipped my arms around his neck, and drew him close to me.
"I've made up my mind."
Outside, the night pressed in, heavy and dark.
We didn't sleep at all that night.