All Chapters of The Kind of Love That Breaks You: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

With insufficient evidence to hold me, I drained my savings to get out of prison and landed a job at a bar. On my very first day, my ex-wife showed up at the place where I worked."Well, if it isn't the great piano prodigy, slumming it here?" My ex-wife, Helga Steele, perched on a barstool, sneering. "Get me a whiskey."In the past, I would've reminded her that her stomach couldn't handle alcohol. But after her people broke my hands and ruined my face, I knew the more I spoke, the less she'd listen.I set the freshly mixed whiskey down right in front of her. Sure enough, she took one sniff before slinging the icy drink straight at my white button-down."It tastes yucky. You are bad at this."I didn't care. She had money, so I kept mixing. After all, I made 20 bucks off every drink I mixed.Mom was in the hospital, racking up thousands in medical bills every day. I didn't have any better way to make money.A single piano gig would've paid me hundreds of thousands back then. Medic

Chapter 2

Maeve quickly turned to Helga with a flattering gaze and said, "How would that even be possible, Hel? I was just messing with you. You know me. I've never been short on men. I just wanted to see if you're still a lovesick fool, if you'd actually teach some scumbag a lesson."I was speechless. Helga and I had been each other's first and only love. When had I ever been a scumbag to anyone?Still, the customer was always right, so I kept pouring their drinks in silence. My heart stayed calm as I served them like other customers with unusual tastes.Helga looked at me, her expression unreadable."Feel like opening a bottle of wine?" I asked with a faint smile.All I cared about was making the sale. Here I was, kneeling and pouring drinks for a lousy 500 bucks. If they weren't going to order some overpriced wine and give me a decent cut, I couldn't even be bothered to humor them."You!" She paused, then smiled in understanding. "Right. I promised I'd send some business your way. Bring

Chapter 3

Zeke got to his feet, staring at me like I was the worst kind of monster. "Mrs. Steele was still barely conscious when I arrived. She told me you pushed her down the stairs. Why would I frame you?"Do you honestly think someone like me, the heir to the Lannings, would go out of my way to set up a gold-digging social climber like you?"The alcohol from my hair trickled into my eyes, stinging and blurring my vision. Around me, Helga's friends kept chiming in."Exactly. Why would Mr. Lanning frame you? You're just greedy. How could you hurt Mrs. Steele after everything Helga's done for you?""You're not climbing back up, Xavier, not while we're around."I didn't care what they said. I just needed Helga to hold on a little longer. Not that I was afraid, but with Mom being sick, I had responsibilities. I couldn't risk another incident or losing my job.I turned to Helga, my voice nearly pleading. "Ms. Steele, just wait until Rosa comes to. Then we'll know what really happened."A fli

Chapter 4

Helga and Maeve were about to start fighting when some friends jumped in to break it up. Not wanting to escalate things, I decided to find another shower area instead.However, Helga walked over in her heels, cutting me off. She tilted her chin up and said, "Maeve told you she'd give you six figures. That got your heart racing, didn't it?"I nodded. "Who wouldn't be tempted by six figures?"She raised her hand like she was about to slap me again, but I cut in, "Too bad she's the type to write checks she can't cash."Helga sneered. "And what if someone actually does pay you?""Everyone loves money, Ms. Steele," I said with a smirk.She nodded with a mischievous grin and pulled out her phone to make a call. "Mr. Wilder, fire Xavier."The thought of losing tens of thousands of dollars hit me like a punch. That kind of money wouldn't have meant a thing to the old me, but now, it was for Mom's medical bills."You don't even know the whole story about how Rosa got hurt, and you're re

Chapter 5

My online loans had piled up to thousands, and the medical bills were due. I needed another way out.Then my phone rang, and it hit me—maybe I still had options after all.I couldn't play the piano anymore, but I still had all those compositions I'd written for Helga, a testament to my love.Back then, I promised her I'd never sell the rights, that the music would be hers alone. We even used those melodies as our ringtones.But now? There was no love left between us. What was the point in keeping them? I might as well sell them for money and pay Mom's medical bills.I used the money to pay off all my online debts, then went to the hospital to arrange Mom's transfer.If I couldn't handle Helga, Jasserton's prized heiress, couldn't I at least steer clear of her? I wouldn't believe they still had this much power over me after Mom and I moved to another city."Xavier, you really have no shame, do you? So now you're officially mooching off some rich woman?"I'd just finished paying

Chapter 6

In that case, I'd have to refund Maeve over a million dollars in copyright fees.Helga really wasn't leaving me any way out, was she? She studied finance and jewelry design. Since when did she know anything about music, let alone jump into production?She wouldn't even let me have a moment's peace. She wanted me penniless and trapped. Did she really hate me that much? Did she not trust me at all?When I finished producing those tracks, I told Helga they were for her alone. I never imagined they'd end up being used against me.She even gave them the video where I'd promised the tracks were just for her. In the end, Maeve had no choice but to return them. "I don't mean anything by it, Xavier. I just wanted to remind you to be careful with copyright from now on, even with people you're close to. I heard you've been having a tough time lately. Don't worry about paying me back until you're in a better place."Maeve comforted me over the phone. I was already grateful she didn't deman

Chapter 7

"I'm sure you know how much I hate being misunderstood by someone I trusted," I said.I watched Helga stammer in panic, but my heart stayed cold. I thought I'd finally feel satisfied once she knew the truth, realized her mistake, and apologized.Even so, the misery lingered. The scars on my face were nothing, but my hands were ruined now. I'd never play the piano again.She'd destroyed the one thing I loved most without a second thought. Of course, I'd never get over this. Helga kept tugging at my injured arm, refusing to loosen her grip.I had no choice but to cut deeper. "Just go. The best thing you can do for me is stay out of my life. I never want to see you again."She burst into hysterical screams. "I don't believe you! How can you not love me anymore? How can you just be over me? You'd rather kneel and serve me and my friends than sell those compositions that meant something to us."You only sold them when you were desperate! You even called your mentor and begged his w

Chapter 8

"What do you mean?" I asked.Helga gave me a sweet smile. "I paid a fortune to bring in a cardiologist from abroad to treat Fiona. What do you think of that?"Was she about to threaten me with Mom?"If that's true, then of course I'd be grateful," I said, keeping my eyes on her, waiting for the catch.Her grin widened."Then let's give us another chance. When Fiona wakes up, she'd want to see us happy together, wouldn't she? We shouldn't give her any more reasons to worry."So that was her game, using Mom to manipulate me.I met her gaze and asked, "So if I say no to getting back together, you won't hire that doctor for my mom?"Helga stayed silent. She finally released my hand and walked to the window, her back turned to me."Xav, after my mom woke up and told me the truth, I-I looked into everything you went through back then. I knew I had to do this, or you'd never talk to me again. I didn't have a choice."She turned and walked back toward me. "Xav, believe me. I'll treat

Chapter 9

"I'm so sorry. We did everything we could, but the patient's condition worsened too quickly. There just wasn't enough time."When the doctor stepped out and said those words, it hit me like a thunderbolt.Mom was gone?"Xav, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I-I should've gotten that doctor here sooner. Maybe Fiona could've—"Helga clutched at me desperately, her face twisted with guilt, but I cut her off. "We're divorced, Ms. Steele. My mother is none of your concern."The nurses wheeled out the gurney, its shape hidden beneath a white sheet. I stepped forward and helped push Mom into the morgue.My heart was shattered and my grief unbearable, but no tears came.At Mom's funeral, my relatives muttered that all my schooling had been for nothing. They called me heartless, blamed me for her death, and said I wouldn't even give her the dignity of my tears."I told you, we're divorced. You don't get to mourn my mother."I stepped in front of Helga, blocking her path. She stood there in all

Chapter 10

Just then, Rosa suddenly dropped to her knees in front of me. "I'm sorry for what Helga did, Xav. This is my fault. I spoiled her, made her reckless and quick-tempered, and now you've gotten hurt because of it."She's my only daughter, Xav. If she ends up in prison, I won't be able to live with myself. Please, just let her go this once. I promise I'll make sure she straightens out."Rosa had always treated me like her own son. Seeing her like this, fresh out of the hospital and on her knees, tore at me.I quickly crouched beside her. "Please, get up, Rosa."But no matter how much I tried, she wouldn't budge."Xav, does that mean you'll…"I could tell she wouldn't move an inch unless I said yes. I gave her a helpless look. "Just keep her away from me, Rosa. That's all I ask.""Go ahead and sue me. Send me to jail," Helga said, yanking Rosa roughly to her feet.Rosa slapped her hard across the face."Have I spoiled you too much these past few years? Well, starting now, I'm cutti

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