🌸The Promise 🌸[18+]

Chapter 55

Xavier

"What's the problem father?" I ask irritated that he's taken me from Nova, who I need as much as she needs me.

"How is she?" My father asks, ignoring my question. He looks grey and weathered and completely devastated, just how I imagine I look.

"How do you think she is? She's traumatised, she's hurting." I say angrily, but notice the tears filling up in my father's eyes. I swallow the lump in my own throat and wipe my hand down my face in frustration.
"We don't know whether he actually... I mean she doesn't want me to examine her, so we don't know the extent of the assault."

I'm so fucking angry, I just hope the police find Toby soon so I can kill him. His smug face lingers in my mind, while I imagine punching him and never stopping. I pace while pinching the bridge of my nose.

I'm going to make sure that son of a bitch, wishes he was never born.

"Xavier please calm down, I know you're angry and you have every right to be - but we need to keep a clear head, your uncles and Henry are downstairs."

"What? Why the fuck are they here?" I yell, seeing red.

I can tell my father is nervous, as he fidgets with his hands in his pockets.

"They are here because they have heard what happened to Nova. They are debating on whether it's still right for you to marry her, especially now her virginity has been compromised."

"Are you serious? There is nothing or no one that's going to tell me I can't marry her father, not even you." I say through gritted teeth as my nose flairs. "I'm going to go down there and make sure they all know that fact, even if I have to give up my inheritance in the process. Fuck them and their preposterous traditions."

-

"Ah Xavier, nice to see you, my dear fellow. Hope your keeping well. I'm awfully sorry for what has happened. Quite the scandal it's turning out to be. But fear not son, we can try and come to an agreement with the whole marriage thing. I daresay, you will be looking for a new bride?" My uncle Jeffery states with mock concern. He hates me and I hate him, it's always been that way. He hates that we 'waste money' by giving medical treatment to the poor, he believes that they should be left to get on with it, that it's their fault for not having the money and for getting ill in the first place.

"Whatever gives you that idea?" I answer through gritted teeth. I'm surprised they haven't worn away by now.

"Well Xavier, you can't possibly marry a woman of loose morals." He laughs just as I clench my fist ready to take a swing and smack that laughter right off his face, but just as I raise my hand, my father pulls me away. Something explodes out of my chest that could rival king kong, as I pull out of his grasp and put my face into my uncle's shocked face. "Let's get one thing straight," I say holding him by the neck-

"Xavier! Stop! Let's just sit down, it's all been a very long day." My father says with authority, as he pulls me off his brother.

Fuck, did I nearly hit my uncle?

He's right, it has been a long day. The worst day and I need to calm the fuck down, hitting my uncle isn't going to make me feel better and I know it will deeply upset father.

I rub my face, then sit down at the table, watching my other uncle Randall in a state of shock and then my brother Henry, he seems to be looking at the floor with a smile on his lips, one I would keenly like to wipe off till he can't smile anymore.

My father commands the room as his voice starts to speak,

"Now, as you can see, this is a very hard time for us and emotions are running high. We aren't certain that Nova is no longer a virgin, as Toby wasn't there when Xavier found her." He paces while making eye contact with everyone.
"But Xavier has expressed that he still wishes to marry Miss Anderson, regardless. He feels that yes she was touched inappropriately but wasn't actually raped-"