I Raised My Husband's Love Child...Then He Shot Me

Chapter 12

Rachel's POV

I stormed out of the bathroom, fists clenched, my heart pounding with frustration. Every inch of my skin still burned from where Xavier had touched me. The nerve of him.

"This marriage was a mistake," I muttered under my breath, heading straight for the wardrobe. I yanked the doors open and grabbed my suitcase. "I should've never agreed to this."

Just as I reached for my clothes, Xavier's voice sliced through the tension like a blade.

"You're not leaving."

I froze.

His voice was cold, sharp, and menacing.

"Especially not now that you know my greatest secret," he added, his words dripping with something dark and threatening.

I turned slowly, gripping the handle of my suitcase like a lifeline. "You lied to me, Xavier," I snapped. "I don't care about your secret. I'm done."

Xavier closed the distance between us, his dark eyes unwavering. "And where will you go?" His voice was low, dangerously smooth. "Back to Michael?"

I stiffened at the mention of his name. "Don't."

His jaw tightened, and a cold smile curved on his lips.

"I don't ever want to hear that name from your mouth again," I warned. "I'm not involved with Michael."

Xavier let out a dry chuckle. "So you expect me to believe that? After eight years with him, you just walked away and married me?"

I met his gaze, my fingers trembling slightly. "Yes," I said firmly. "I left him. I want nothing to do with him or his family."

Xavier folded his arms, skepticism written all over his face. "Why?"

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm brewing inside me. "Because they hurt me," I said, my voice faltering for just a second. "Michael abandoned me. His son, Ivan, shot me with an arrow, and they left me to die."

Xavier's eyes darkened, his expression shifting. "An arrow?"

I nodded, rolling my shoulder slightly as if the pain was still there. "It hit me here."

Xavier stared at me, his gaze intense, as if he were processing this new information. Then, he spoke slowly, like he was piecing everything together.

"You married me to claim your inheritance," he said, his voice calculating. "And to take revenge on Michael."

I lifted my chin, meeting his gaze head-on. "Yes."

A long, tense silence filled the space between us.

Then, unexpectedly, Xavier exhaled, taking a step back. "I misjudged you," he said, his voice softer than before.

I frowned. "What?"

He looked at me, his expression almost unreadable. "I thought you were just another pawn in Michael's game. But now I see..." He trailed off, shaking his head. "I was wrong."

I blinked, caught off guard. "Are you apologizing?"

Xavier smirked, but this time, there was no arrogance behind it. "I guess I am."

I stared at him, unsure of what to make of this. And then, his expression hardened again, his voice low and serious.

"I can help you."

I narrowed my eyes. "Help me how?"

Xavier's gaze never wavered. "Take your revenge."

My throat went dry. "Why?"

His jaw tightened. "Because I have my own reasons for hating Michael and his family."

Something in his tone sent a chill down my spine.

I swallowed hard. "I don't know if I can trust you."

Xavier's eyes darkened further, his voice steady. "I won't hurt you, Rachel."

I stared at him, trying to read his expression. For the first time, I saw something different beneath his usual smugness—something raw, something almost... protective.

"I need to take over my company tomorrow," I said, breaking the silence. "That's my priority."

Xavier nodded, his expression unwavering. "And I need to keep up the act."

I raised an eyebrow. "You mean pretending to be crippled?"

A slight smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Yes. I suspect we'll have some guests soon."

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Wonderful."

Then I crossed my arms, standing my ground. "Since we now have a purpose in this marriage, I'd appreciate it if you kept your hands to yourself."

Xavier's smirk returned, but this time it was tinged with something darker.

"That'll be hard to do," he murmured, stepping closer again.

I took a step back, but he just chuckled, clearly amused. "But since I've already marked you as mine…" His eyes flicked to the hickey on my neck. "I suppose I can try to control myself."

My face burned with both fury and embarrassment as I glared at him.

Before I could respond, there was a sudden knock at the door.

I jumped, startled. Xavier turned toward the door and opened it without hesitation.

I heard a sharp gasp.

"Master Xavier!" The butler's voice trembled with shock. "Why are you—out of your wheelchair?"

I stiffened. The butler knew?

Xavier leaned against the doorframe, his expression unreadable. "Rachel already knows."

I gaped at him. "Wait. He knew?"

The butler hesitated, glancing nervously between us.

Xavier smirked. "Of course he knows. He's not just a butler."

I narrowed my eyes. "Then who is he?"

Xavier's voice became deadly serious. "My bodyguard. My assistant. And the one helping me uncover the truth."

I frowned, confusion creeping in. "The truth about what?"

Xavier's expression darkened, his eyes hardening with resolve.

"The truth about whether Michael and his family had a hand in my mother's death."