Nemesis, I'm not yours | COMPLETED.

Chapter Twenty One

Isla

[Frost Mansion]

"Stay at home for some time. I'm talking to both of you," my father said as soon as we reached the Frost mansion.

"This is not my home," I mumbled, looking down.

"Isla, I only meant what's best for you. I thought you were like your mother. I didn't know you had it in you. I'm sorry, Isla. I don't know if you'll ever forgive me."

"Then why are you marrying me off?" I asked, my voice breaking.

"I'm not marrying you off. Sit down. I'll explain everything." We all sat down, and my father started speaking. "When you were five, you always went to that park. With or without your brothers, you always went there. I wanted to know what drew my princess to that place every day, so I followed you. I saw the boy as he trained you to fight. He looked sad, but when you came, a smile grew on his face. The only person who gave you that smile was me. I felt angry, but I also felt happy—happy that another person could make you smile.

"I followed you for a few days, and then one day, he stopped coming. You grew sad. You grew unhappy. I couldn't make that same smile come back on your face. The only other time I saw that smile was when you met Chloe, and when she died because of Rebecca Winslow, you were heartbroken again. So, I made up my mind. I was going to marry you off to that guy.

"I looked for him everywhere, and that day when I had a business meeting, it was with his father. That day he came with that same mask, and I recognized it. When he removed the mask, I finally saw his face. I knew you didn't see him without a mask before, so when you met him, you couldn't recognize him. That day I asked his dad if his son could marry my daughter, and fortunately, his dad said yes. But then you ran away. I wanted to tell you it was him, but I was afraid you'd think I wasn't giving you privacy, so I hid it from you and tried to force you to marry him.

"Then recently, when that jerk Lucas kept annoying you, Noah came to me, telling me how Lucas was eating your brains. So, I spoke with his dad and came to get you. I made up my mind that I wasn't going to let you go this time. I can't take it anymore. I can't have you hate me. Xavier is the guy you met then. He didn't look for you because he thought you were a boy. I asked you to grow your hair, but your mom told me that you were too young to take care of your hair on your own."

I was crying by the end of this. Xavier was holding my hand and rubbing my back as I did. "I'm sorry, Dad. I'm sorry. You were just trying to see my smile again. It came back when I fulfilled my dream."

He shook his head, his eyes filled with tears. "No, it was not the same. I saw that smile today when he kept reassuring you in the police station."

I looked at Xavier, my tears mixing with a bittersweet smile. "Isla, you are my world. Your happiness is everything to me," Xavier said softly, wiping away my tears. "I never stopped thinking about you, even when I thought you were a boy, I thought of you as my brother and looked for you. You've always been in my heart."

My father nodded; his voice choked with emotion. "I was wrong to force you. I just wanted you to be happy. I see now that you've found your own way, and I'm proud of you. I just hope you can forgive me."

I hugged my father tightly, feeling the warmth of his love and regret. "I forgive you, Dad. I know you were trying to protect me. And now I understand everything. Thank you for caring so much about me."

Dad left after some time, and Xavier and I were alone in the living room. The silence between us was thick with emotion.

"When did you know?" I finally asked, breaking the quiet.

"Today," he replied softly.

"Don't lie," I said, though my voice wavered slightly.

"I'm not lying," he said with a playful smile, his fingers finding their way to my sides and gently tickling me.

I laughed, struggling to keep a straight face. "Xavy, you've always been jealous of yourself."

He chuckled, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Come," he said, grabbing my hand and leading me toward my room. "Let me teach you some more tricks."

As we entered the room, he shut the door behind us with a decisive click. The sound seemed to seal us in a world of our own. He turned to me, his gaze intense and full of emotion. Without a word, he stepped closer, his hands gently cupping my face.

"I love you, Isla," he whispered, his breath warm against my skin.

The words hung in the air between us, and I felt my heart swell with emotion. "I love you too," I murmured, my voice barely audible.

Xavier leaned in slowly, his eyes locked on mine, searching for any sign of hesitation. I saw only love and determination in his gaze. As his lips touched mine, it was like the world around us faded away. The kiss started softly, tenderly, as if he was savoring the moment, exploring the depths of our connection.

His lips moved against mine with a gentle urgency, conveying all the unspoken feelings that words could not capture. The warmth of his kiss deepened, becoming more passionate, as his hands slid from my face to the back of my neck, pulling me closer. I melted into his embrace, the kiss filling me with a sense of completeness and joy.

The kiss was a sweet, fiery blend of love and longing, a promise of a future together. When we finally broke apart, our foreheads rested against each other, our breaths mingling in the quiet of the room.

"I've always known you were meant for me," Xavier said, his voice a soft murmur. He kissed my forehead and continued, "And I'll always cherish you."

I smiled through my tears, feeling a profound sense of belonging and love. "And I'll always be yours," I replied, resting my head on his shoulder.