Boss's Right-Hand Lover

CHAPTER SIX

                       Xander's POV

I shut the to the office behind me and walked inside.

"Would you care for a drink? " I suggested with a soft smile on my face. McKenzie stared at me quizzically.

"Um s-sure" I walked to my mini-bar and poured us both a drink in separate glasses.

"Here,"  I smiled at her and handed her her drink.

"Thank you," She sat down and sipped it. I sat down shortly after.The room remained quiet and the atmosphere felt awkward. I stared at her as she focused on everything in the room except my face. Taking little sips of her drink once in a while.

"How's Charles? I haven't heard from him for quite a while" I asked as I took a big sip of my drink.

"He's fine. Sorry, he hasn't come for a visit. He's too busy these days,"

"And why's that? Surely he should have a reason why he wanted you to be here, by explaining it to me up close. Face to face. Especially when his precious daughter tried to kill me," She stared at me. Her eyes danced with anxiety.

"Or did daddy know all along?" McKenzie froze. The fear she had been masking had finally shown and she started shaking with uneasiness.

"X-Xander, I-I-," I stood up and began to slowly pace the room.

"You know McKenzie, before I met you, I had never felt so much hatred for anyone in my entire life, except for your father of course. I'll be very honest with you here. I hated you so much that your existence was a mere bother to me. I hated you because you're a Swann. After all, you're related to me. Which was why you were my first target. Getting to you means getting to your Father. Honestly, that was my plan when you started living with us. Get you close, be your friend. The only one you can rely on. Until you become vulnerable. So vulnerable, that I could use you to do whatever I want and daddy will have no choice but to do according to my bidding," She was crying by now. It took everything in me to not go and comfort her.

"Of course that all changed when I got to know you, and when you started dating Ralph. I couldn't help but feel comfortable with you. So comfortable, that I wanted to get to know you even more. See you from a different angle, and as the days grew by, I started seeing you less as an enemy and more as family. You have no idea how badly I wanted to trust you and be myself around you, and when I finally could, you betrayed me." So many emotions flooded my mind, making me feel uneasy. But I showed her the only one I felt that was suitable to give her at that moment. One I had been feeling for a week now.

"And all that hurt turned to anger and hatred," I stared at her with anger-filled eyes.

"B-but Xander, why did you agree for me to stay if you hate me so much?" Her voice shivered as she spoke. I stared at her coldly. Her eyes held pain, fear, and regret as she stared back at me. I walked over to her and squatted down to reach her at eye level.

"I agreed for you to stay here because I want an explanation. I want to know why you did it and why you broke up with Ralph. Why did you ruin the good friendship you and Eva had? I want to know why you put yourself and our trust in you in jeopardy. For all I know, we could have tracked you down. Found you and killed you," She looked at her lap.

"Eva wanted to, but Ralph didn't think it was necessary as he was too hurt he didn't want anything to do with you. As for me, I wanted an explanation, and I still do," She looked to the side. The hesitancy was clear on her face. I sighed inwardly.

"You know McKenzie, I know what it's like to want to please my Father. So much that he would at least notice my efforts. I know what it's like to want him to waste his precious time, spending it with me, to want him to at least get to know me other than being his heir. I know what it's like to be lonely, abandoned, and pushed aside. I know what it's like to feel like you're an item hung on the shelf waiting to be used and appreciated. You and I alike McKenzie. We suffer the same problem. We come from the same mother but different fathers, but aside from that, we're family. We know our strengths and weaknesses. We're so compatible but yet so different. A closer look at us clearly states we're not related, but we are. The main thing that makes us different is that you open you're feelings to those you're close to. While I'm barely open with anyone, including Eva. Till today, there are still some things I keep from her. Although I don't understand the reason behind your actions," I held her hand.