Chapter 6 Best Friend's Boyfriend's Request

"The Education Department had a last-minute meeting, so Mr. Keller couldn't make it. I tried calling for ages before I finally got through. We'll have to reschedule." Samantha sighed in frustration, already feeling exasperated at being stood up. Her frown deepened when she caught sight of Xander sprawled on the floor, looking like a corpse. Anyone familiar with Xena would despise this worthless brother of his. Ever since their father was imprisoned, only Xena had been left to shoulder the burden. Xander and their stepmother didn't just fail to help. They had even pressured Xena to sell the art center that her mother worked hard to run to pay off the debt. If it hadn't been for her determination to protect her mother's legacy, Xena wouldn't have fallen to selling herself, wouldn't have met Philip, and certainly wouldn't have endured the heartbreak that followed. From the very beginning, Samantha had a sinking feeling that Xena would fall for Philip. She knew it was inevitable. Just as an artist was drawn to their muse, a person lost in despair would inevitably cling to their savior. With these thoughts swirling in her mind, Samantha's patience snapped. She gave Xena a sharp nudge with her pointed heels. "What are you going to do about your brother?" "I'll call a cab and take him home." Xena slipped a few bills to a waiter, asking him to help lift Xander's not-so-small frame and carry him out. Before leaving the buzzing club, Xena passed by the booth where Philip and his friends sat. Samson spotted him first and called out, "Hey, earlier Zena helped you out. Don't you think you owe her a 'thank you'?" Zena playfully swatted his arm, scolding him with a pout. "Don't mind him, Miss Wheeler. Samson just has a quick tongue." Philip stayed silent, but his gaze softened as he watched her act coquettishly. Xena froze, rooted in place. She knew it was true. If not for Zena sending Samson over, she might still be caught up in a tiresome exchange with Simon. Yet, a bitter truth lingered. Xena had spent the past three years as Zena's stand-in, standing in her place, echoing her presence. Now, seeing the real Zena beside Philip, rightfully and openly, was a brutal reminder. The invisible label of "stand-in" clung to her, making her embarrassed. Zena stepped forward and gently took Xena's hand. "Did it scare you?" she asked. Xena lowered her eyes, avoiding Zena's gaze. "Thank you for your concern, Miss Dunne. Samson was right. It was my oversight." She then offered Zena a small, polite bow. "Miss Dunne, thank you for today." Zena smiled warmly, her eyes clear and bright. "No need to be so formal," she replied. Yes, this was Philip's true love, and she truly did shine. She tried to steady the storm of emotions churning in her heart. She couldn't quite understand it. Even after being treated as a stand-in for three years, why couldn't she simply lift her head and face the person she had been substituting all this time? Yes, there was a faint resemblance between her and Zena. But Zena carried a natural grace and elegance, an innate superiority that made her seem like she belonged by Philip's side. Together, they looked like a perfectly matched set. After a hurried farewell, Xena left as quickly as she could, almost fleeing, not daring to look back for even a glimpse of Philip. … Only when her cab finally came to a stop at the entrance of Harmony Heights did she feel herself begin to breathe again. She pulled out her phone and called her stepmother, Catherine Matthews, asking her to come down and help her carry her Xander back to their apartment. "Well, well, well, did you take Xander out for drinks tonight?" Catherine's voice rang out the moment she saw Xena, loud and unfiltered, not caring that it was the middle of the night. "As if I'd ever do that," Xena muttered, rolling her eyes. Together, they hoisted Xander between them, each taking a side as they guided him toward the elevator. Once inside, the air turned heavy with silence. The two of them had always been at odds. After Xena's father had gone to prison, Catherine made no attempt to hide her disdain for Xena. She couldn't hide her distaste whenever she looked at Xena as the girl resembled her mother, Melody, far too much. Xena, on her part, had no love lost for Catherine either. To her, this woman was the intruder, the one who had ruined her parents' marriage, the uninvited third party who had forcefully inserted herself into their lives. She couldn't stand her. After brewing a pot of tea to sober up Xander, she wandered down the hallway and paused by the door, catching sight of Xena in her childhood room, her fingers gently brushing the worn fabric of an old stuffed animal. "Well, well, look who finally decided to visit this place. I thought you'd traded all this in for a luxury house and a shiny new car," she remarked, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she stepped into the room. Xena didn't miss a beat. Her sweet, graceful demeanor concealed a sharp tongue honed over years of sparring with her stepmother. She turned to Catherine with a calm but cutting reply. "For someone who loves to lecture, it's a wonder you never managed to teach Xander any better manners." Catherine's expression hardened, but she pushed on, her tone taking on an accusatory edge. "And now that your father's doing time, you barely treat us like family anymore." The words barely fazed Xena, who countered with a steady gaze. "If you really consider me family, you wouldn't have forced me to sign that transfer document. And let's not forget about all those luxuries you enjoyed were bought with the Wheeler Family money. Tell me, have you ever paid off a single cent of the debts we owe?" Catherine's face flushed with anger. "You..." With a tired sigh, Xena pressed her fingers to her temple, the ache in her head intensifying. "Can we skip the argument, just once? Every time I step foot in this place, you start in on me." This was one of the many reasons she rarely wanted to come back here. Her head throbbed. Enough had happened tonight. With Xander safely dropped off, her responsibility was done. All she wanted now was to close her eyes and fall into a deep, undisturbed sleep. Catherine, realizing her reliance on the financial support Xena provided from time to time, pursed her lips and reluctantly held back any further complaints. Without another word, she retreated into the bedroom, returning with a blanket to cover Xander. … Xena finally left Harmony Heights and returned to Ezra's place. When she saw the soft glow of a lamp left on by Ezra in the living room, warmth blossomed in her chest. In this cutthroat world of schemes and self-interest, Ezra was perhaps the warmest light Xena had ever known in her life. After her evening shower, Xena slipped quietly into bed beside Ezra and fell into a deep and untroubled sleep. … The next morning, bright sunlight nudged Xena awake. She blinked against the glare, her mind still hazy with sleep. The space beside her was already cool. Ezra had left for work hours ago. She worked as a sales associate at a high-end brand store and needed to be out early every morning. Still, knowing Xena had been out drinking the night before, Ezra had prepared a pot of congee as breakfast for her. When Xena wandered into the kitchen, the congee on the table was still steaming. She took a sip, feeling the gentle warmth settle in her stomach. As she drank, a thought drifted through her mind. Who needs a man? A friend like this is all I'll ever need in this lifetime. Just then, her phone chimed with a message notification. She picked it up, noticing it was from Ezra. 'Xena, Romain and I are going to the movies tonight, so you'll have to sort out dinner for yourself, okay?' Xena couldn't help but smile as she read the message. Romain Parks had been Ezra's boyfriend for over a year now. He was a department manager at a publicly traded company and was polite, patient, and deeply attentive to Ezra. Even when he learned about her background, about her growing up as an orphan, he didn't judge her or turn away. If anything, it had made him care for her even more, treating her with an extra dose of kindness and respect. Because of that, Xena held him in high regard. Quickly, she typed a reply, 'Sure thing, have fun tonight!' No sooner had she sent her message than another notification lit up her screen. When she played the voice messages, she was so startled that her fork slipped from her hand and fell to the floor. "Xena, I had planned to propose to Ezra tonight, right after we finished watching the movie. I'd arranged everything to happen in the grand rooftop garden at Comez Mall. But because of a mistake with the reservation system, they've pushed back the booking by two days. "But tomorrow, I have to leave for a week-long business trip to Safilo, and I can't wait that long. I want Ezra to know just how committed I am, as soon as possible. Do you think you could help and ask Mr. Barnum if he could make an exception?" Romain's messages came through one after another, his voice quick and filled with urgency. "I'm really sorry. Once, when Ezra got a bit too drunk, she kept saying your name, worrying about you, and I realized your connection with Mr. Barnum. She didn't tell me on purpose, I promise. And please, don't worry. I would never talk about it with anyone else." Romain was worried that Xena and Ezra would have misunderstandings, so he added another explanation.