Xavier’s POV
I sat in the large study of the Aprilio residence, but the atmosphere brought me no comfort at all. The crystal chandelier glittered on the ceiling, its shadows cast over the long table piled high with documents. Yet my mind could not focus on the reports before me.
In front of me, Jefri—my right hand—stood pale and trembling. His voice shook.
“Forgive me, Sir. I failed my duty. I lost the Madam.”
I slowly raised my head. My gaze cut through him, making him swallow hard in fear.
“How could you be so foolish? So many guards in this house, and not a single one is useful!”
My cold tone split the air. The sound of my shoes tapping against the marble floor made the men waiting outside stiffen all at once.
Jefri bowed lower. “Madam suddenly regained awareness and went out by herself. While everyone was distracted, she slipped away. We only realized after checking the C
Amelia’s POVEarlier, I was worried that once the old lady’s family arrived, they would misunderstand me.I was never good at handling situations like that. So when I saw a police officer on patrol, I decided to leave the old lady in his care. That seemed like the safest option. At least I felt relieved, knowing she wouldn’t be alone anymore.I drew a long breath when a sleek black car stopped at the end of the street. Even behind its dark tinted windows, I could feel the cold, sharp aura radiating from inside. I quickly lowered my head and walked away. Deep down, I knew—that must be the old lady’s family.I didn’t want to get involved any further.I had only intended to help. Nothing more. I was never good at facing rich families, especially when they might take things the wrong way. So when I spotted that police officer earlier, handing her over to him was the best thing I could do.But as I walked
Xavier’s POVI sat in the large study of the Aprilio residence, but the atmosphere brought me no comfort at all. The crystal chandelier glittered on the ceiling, its shadows cast over the long table piled high with documents. Yet my mind could not focus on the reports before me.In front of me, Jefri—my right hand—stood pale and trembling. His voice shook.“Forgive me, Sir. I failed my duty. I lost the Madam.”I slowly raised my head. My gaze cut through him, making him swallow hard in fear.“How could you be so foolish? So many guards in this house, and not a single one is useful!”My cold tone split the air. The sound of my shoes tapping against the marble floor made the men waiting outside stiffen all at once.Jefri bowed lower. “Madam suddenly regained awareness and went out by herself. While everyone was distracted, she slipped away. We only realized after checking the C
Amelia’s POVI took a taxi back to my rented place. The whole ride, my mind was restless, haunted by the image of the man I had seen at the party earlier.I didn’t know why I was so curious—when I shouldn’t be. I was married, wasn’t I? I wasn’t supposed to be thinking about another man.But when I thought about my own marriage, a bitter smile curved my lips. What kind of marriage was this? Too rushed, without love, nothing but a business arrangement. Nothing else behind it.With hesitation, I picked up my phone and sent a message to Samuel, asking him to dig up information about Xavier Aprilio. The moment the message was sent, regret instantly washed over me. Why was I bothering with him at all?But my thoughts scattered when my phone rang. It was Samuel calling.“You’re asking about Xavier Aprilio? What business do you have with him?” he asked suspiciously.&ldqu
Amelia’s POV Xavier’s cold, commanding gaze shifted back and forth between Raisa and Lidya. I could feel the air in the room suddenly grow tense.“I was only looking for the bathroom,” he said flatly. “Since everyone was busy and there was no one I could ask, I went on my own and got lost. Who would’ve thought I’d stumble upon such an unpleasant scene.”I saw Raisa’s body stiffen. “I–”But before she could finish, Xavier cut her off. “Is this the attitude of Kevin Aprilio’s chosen fiancée? Harsh and without a trace of gentleness. Completely unfit to marry into the Aprilio family.”I almost couldn’t believe those words came out of Xavier Aprilio’s mouth. Raisa froze, clearly stunned. Lidya quickly jumped in, pointing straight at me.“Mr. Xavier, Raisa isn’t at fault. It’s actually her mistake.”I froze, my blood running cold. Just as I was about to speak, Xavier turned his piercing gaze toward me, and my tongue went numb.“What did she do to make Miss Raisa want to slap her?” he asked
Amelia’s POV I was utterly confused. How could that man look so much like my husband?I held my breath for a moment when our eyes almost met, but I quickly turned my face away. Impossible—of course it wasn’t him. That man was Xavier Aprilio, the first grandson of the highly respected Aprilio family. Everyone knew him—at least through stories and rumors that spread around. From the way he looked at people, the way he spoke, even the way he walked—it was all completely different from my Xavier.My husband’s name was Xavier Lewis. He was a nobody, just a simple man with gentle eyes and a soft expression. His golden-blond hair fell to his shoulders, warm like sunlight. But the man standing in that room… was nothing like him.His jet-black hair was neatly cut, every strand arranged as if to emphasize his authority. He looked so handsome, so charismatic—like a star shining too brightly to gaze at for long. I swallowed hard, trying to convince myself. Just a coincidence. Just a face that lo
Amelia’s POVI was still standing at the side of the room when Tomi Rinov’s voice rang clearly in my ears. His tone was deep and commanding, enough to draw everyone’s attention at once.“It’s only natural that you don’t know him,” he said. “Even I have never met him before. But he is Kevin’s older cousin. He is the first grandson of the Aprilio family, from the family’s eldest son. He is the one who holds the true power of the Aprilios.”I froze. His words echoed in my head. Kevin’s older cousin? The first grandson of the Aprilios? The one who holds the real power? Everyone around me looked shocked, but I forced my face to remain expressionless.Lidya, who was standing not far away, quickly added, “Doesn’t that mean he would make a better match for Raisa than Kevin?”I turned toward Lidya, frowning slightly. Her words were so blunt. Deep inside, I muttered bitterly, Always Raisa… everything has to be about her.I knew Lidya’s way of thinking all too well. To her, whoever held more pow