Chapter 9

I was still in a terrible mood when Stacy and I walked into the mall. The security following us officially ruined whatever excitement I had felt about leaving the house.

I understood that my father was worried.

I really did.

But there was a difference between being protected and being watched like I was some kind of prisoner.

I glanced behind me again.

One of the guards was standing several feet away, pretending to be interested in one of the stores.

I rolled my eyes.

"Unbelievable."

Stacy looked at me.

"Just ignore them."

"That's easy for you to say."

She laughed.

"Come on. We're here to shop."

I sighed.

She was right.

There was no point allowing my father's overprotectiveness to ruin my day. So I decided to enjoy myself.

And surprisingly, it worked.

The first store we entered had an entire section dedicated to clothes, and within minutes, my attention was completely captured.

"Try this."

Stacy held up a dress.

I took it from her.

"You just want me to spend all my money."

"You have money."

"That isn't the point."

"umm It is exactly the point. What use is money if you can't spend it..."

I laughed.

Soon, we were moving from one store to another.

I tried on clothes I would probably never have considered buying before, and Stacy kept insisting that I needed them.

Eventually, I gave in.

By the time we were done, I was carrying several bags. We bought clothes, shoes, and a few pieces of jewellery. It felt strangely normal.

For a few hours, I wasn't Arthur King's daughter. I wasn't the sheltered heiress who had spent most of her life behind gates and security.

I was simply Cassandra.

A twenty-three-year-old woman shopping with her best friend.

We stopped for food afterward.

I ordered more than I needed, and Stacy laughed at me when I complained that I was too full to move.

"You did this to yourself."

"I was so hungry, I let the glutton in me free."

"You ordered enough for three people."

"you know I have a large appetite, so don't judge me."

She shook her head.

I smiled.

For the first time since my father left, I felt relaxed.

Maybe I had been worrying too much.

Maybe everything really would be fine.

Then I saw them again.

The guards.

They were still following us.

My smile disappeared.

I stopped walking.

"Alright."

Stacy looked at me.

"hmmmm?"

"I've had enough."

Before she could stop me, I turned around and walked straight toward one of the guards.

He immediately noticed me approaching.

"Miss King."

"Did my father send you?"

He said nothing.

I folded my arms.

"I am just shopping. Can I not do that in peace?"

Silence.

I frowned.

"Tell him that I'm safe and he doesn't need to do this."

Nothing.

The man simply stood there, I stared at him and he just stared back.....this guy was ignoring me, like some kind of freaking fly....

"Are you ignoring me?" He still didn't answer

I let out an irritated laugh.

"Hmm. Okay, then I'll—"

I stopped.

Because someone had just walked into my line of sight, and my heart forgot how to beat.

Xavier.

He was walking toward me.

For a moment, I simply stared.

How was it possible?, how did this man just happen to be wherever I was?

First I could understand the gala, maybe even the bar but now........ the mall.

I narrowed my eyes.

Was he following me?

He stopped directly in front of me, he seemed even more intimidating up close.

Tall.

Impossibly composed.

His dark suit fit him perfectly, and his expression was as unreadable as ever.

But his eyes...

His eyes remained fixed on mine.

They were cold.

Yet there was something swirling beneath that coldness.

Something I couldn't explain, something almost familiar.

My irritation returned.

"Are you following me?"

His expression didn't change.

"No."

I raised an eyebrow.

"oh so you just happen to be wherever I am?, what a coincidence" I said sarcastically

His jaw tightened slightly.

"Don't flatter yourself, you are not that important, Maybe you're the one following me." he replied

My mouth fell open.

What?

He continued looking at me as if he didn't just insulted me.

"So you're saying that I must be the one following you, you're calling me a stalker now?"

"Well..."

I tilted my head.

"If the boot fits." he replied with his eyes narrowed.

This bastard.

He was so annoying.

I opened my mouth to respond, already preparing something much sharper.

But I never got the chance.

Xavier suddenly grabbed me.

"What are you......"

He pulled me toward him.

Everything happened so quickly that I barely understood what was happening.

His arm wrapped around me, dragging me against his chest.

And then—

Bang!

The sound exploded through the mall.

For one horrifying second, everything stopped.

People screamed, dropped a shopping bag.

Another gunshot rang through the air.

Bang!

My entire body went rigid.

I looked up at Xavier.

His expression had changed.

The coldness was gone and there was only something fierce in his eyes.

Fear and focus

But the fear was not for himself, but for me and that was when I realised why he pulled me into his arms.

He wasn't trying to scare me, he was protecting me.

But from what?

My heart pounded violently as another scream echoed through the mall.

I clutched the front of his jacket without thinking.

Xavier tightened his hold around me.

And suddenly, the man I had been arguing with seconds ago wasn't a rude billionaire anymore, he was the only thing standing between me and whoever had just fired that gun. As if he knew this was going to happen......wait

was that why he was here....?

I looked over his shoulder.

People were running, security guards were shouting and the mall had descended into chaos.

And somewhere beyond the crowd, I heard another sound, a gun being cocked and I was closed to me....

My blood ran cold.