CHAPTER 12: DINNER

Maddox went to his room and slammed the door, making sure to lock it. He took out a knife from his pocket before sitting on the couch. He stared at the sharp edge of the knife, which gleamed under the red light—he smirked.

In the next second, he sank the knife deep into his arm—the smirk deepened the more as he watched his blood crawl out of it. He removed the knife from his arm. The sight of the blood on the knife made him chuckle like a madman. He sniffled the knife, the smell of his metallic blood made his eyes darken so much.

"That sweet smell of blood," he laughed, menacingly—just like a vampire—he was obsessed with blood.

He touched the blood that was trailing down his arm, looked at his palm before rubbing it on his face.

"I can feel it... I can feel it... I can feel it," he grinned, looking like a demon.

A fist banged on the door.

Maddox stared at the knife again, his eyes turning darker as he raised it to stab himself in the same spot, but somebody held it.

"Keep your calm," Drexton snatched the knife away and threw it aside.

Drexton actually kicked the door open.

Jaxon ran in.

"No," he muttered, seeing his brother's condition.

"I will be the one to end his life," Maddox muttered, his blood having completely stained his clothes.

Drexton glanced at Jaxon and saw the bruises on his face. The old man had done it again.

Maddox started walking out of the room when Drexton held him back.

"Madd," Drexton said, holding him tightly as he struggled to release himself.

Jaxon took out a shot and tried to inject him when Maddox swiftly freed himself from Drexton and kicked it out of his hand.

"I don't need it," he muttered, standing straight.

Jaxon looked at his arm. "Let me dress it for you."

"If you care about Madd, stop letting the old man hit you, or kill him. He only cuts himself, but today he stabbed himself," Drexton said directly to Jaxon.

"Well, I can't stop it. Do you know the kind of pleasure I get when the old man hits me? It's fucking fun to see him yelling at the top of his voice—and I... I don't plan on stopping him anytime soon. You've got to keep your temper in check, Madd!" Jaxon said in a raised voice.

Maddox grabbed Jaxon's collar. "Look at your face, you punk! I am not killing him because you asked me not to, but that will not stop me from—" 

Drexton removed Maddox's hand from Jaxon's collar.

"I don't..." A notification popped up on their phone at the same time.

They needed no one to tell them it was about the dinner from Joanna.

"She won't give up. Get your wounds treated," Drexton muttered.

"Touché," Maddox and Jaxon said in unison as they walked out.

Drexton wasn't surprised at their behavior. They might argue this minute and the next—they are bonding.

****

[IXORA 'S ROOM, 7 PM]

Ixora wore a simple gown as insisted by her mother to dress well. She had no idea who was coming to dine with them, and why would they even ask her to deck up? 

She packed in hair in a loose ponytail and smiled when she saw how satisfied she was with the dress.

She picked up her phone and saw Drexton hadn't replied to her message. She stared at his message, but her mother walked into the room.

"Xora, why aren't you ready? "They will soon be here," Georgia said.

Ixora hid her phone.

"Mum, I'm ready. Can't you see it?"

Georgia traced her gaze through her daughter's body.

"What are you wearing? You have no idea who is coming. Come on, go and change."

"Mum, I..."

A maid announced their arrival from outside the door.

Georgia exhaled.

"Forget it. Let's go downstairs."

"Go ahead, mum. I'm right behind you."

"Sure. And I think you look pretty in whatever you wear, after all, you are Georgia's daughter," she said, pecking her cheek.

A smile found its way through Ixora's lips.

"Who knows, maybe this dinner wouldn't be about her," she thought and kept her phone.

"Let's go."

As they climbed down the stairs, they saw Smith exchanging pleasantries with a man she hadn't seen before.

Smith noticed their presence, and both men shifted their attention to them.

"My wife and my daughter, Ixora," Smith introduced.

Georgia smiled, and they shared a light hug.

Ixora greeted the man politely.

"I didn't imagine her being this beautiful in person." Mr. Miller complimented.

"Thank you, sir."

"Come on, let's go and sit," Smith said, and as they went in, she was behind them. 

She felt someone coming in and looked back to see a man, good-looking, wearing a suit, his hands tucked in his pocket as he walked in.

For a moment, she paused, blinked. The face looked familiar. She was sure she had seen, but where?

The man got to her and smiled, and that's when the memory resurfaced in her head. Right, he was the one at Mr. Blackthorn's meeting.

"But what is he doing here?" 

"Hi, I'm James Miller," he said, stretching out his hand.

Ixora's mind whispered to her. He was the same man. The same man who insulted Mr. Blackthorn's project. The one whom her parents had told her about. She wasn't sure about it because they hadn't met in person...but his name was the same as his.

"Ixora," her mother called, pulling her back to the present.

"Sorry," Ixora apologized, accepting the handshake.

James' smile deepened. Ixora slowly released her hand.

"Since that is over, the two of you should join us," Smith said.

Ixora was the first to go and sit down. She needed it to clear the awkwardness between them. 

"Dear, let me formally introduce us. I am Mr. Miller, and this is James Miller, my son." 

Ixora smiled. "It's nice to meet you, sir," she said, waiting to know where this meeting was heading.

Smith suddenly dropped his cutlery on the plate.

"Since we are done with the formality, let's get straight to the point. Ixora, you should start seeing Mr. Miller as your father. This dinner is to talk about your marriage to James Miller," he said.

Ixora dropped her cutlery and sprang up.

"What! My marriage? I thought we had already discussed this." 

"Ixora, have your seat. You shouldn't behave like that in front of our guest," Georgia said, attempting to touch her hand, but Ixora jerked it off.

"What do you mean, mum? I should keep quiet and watch you both marry me off. I haven't said it officially, but I will say it today: I am not interested in getting married to anyone," she said, and left the dinner.

Her parents tried calling her back...she didn't reply.

"I'm so sorry for how my daughter behaved. She's usually not like this," Smith apologized.

"That's fine. If the kids are not interested, then we shouldn't force them," Mr. Miller said.

"What are you saying, Dad?"

"You shouldn't say that. We just have to find out if your son is interested, then leave the rest to us," Smith said.

They all shifted their gaze to James.

"Son, are you interested in her?"

"Ever since I met her at the office that day, she has been on my mind," James answered, smiling to himself.

****

[DOCTOR JOANNA 'S HOUSE]

The tears hadn't stopped falling from Joanna's eyes on seeing Jaxon and Maddox. Jaxon with a bruised face and bloody Maddox.

She was their doctor. That brought them closer, and she began to care for them just like her kids.

"What have we told you about tears?" Jaxon teased.

Joanna immediately wiped her tears if she wanted them to stay.

"Why do you keep doing this to yourself? You should look after yourself, and Drexton, why would you allow this to happen to them?" Joanna asked, trying so hard to hold back her tears.

"I can't do it," Drexton replied, going inside.

Joanna sniffled. "Come and get your wounds treated."

"Oh, Joanna, you are the best," Jaxon said, going to hug her, but she kept a straight face.

"You know you can't be angry for long," he said. 

Joanna smiled. He was right. She loves them so much, maybe because she does not have a... either way, she loves them.

She broke the hug. Jaxon sat down, and she began dressing his wound. When she was done...

"Madd," she called in a soft tone, knowing how stubborn he can be.

He groaned before going to sit. She began cleaning the wound. He tightened his fist to prevent himself from making a sound.

"Your condition is getting worse. You stabbed yourself," she said.

"I'm fine, and if that old man hadn't tried shit, I would have been okay," Maddox replied.

"Stop causing yourself harm," Joanna said.

"Not again. You wouldn't let me enjoy the sweet aroma of the food you prepared without your self-pity."

Joanna shook her head before concentrating. Her brain reminded her of something, and she turned her eyes to Drexton.

"What about the girl? Ixora Castellan."