Leveling Up the Billionaire

04| They Want Me to Die

Xavier sat back on the bed, staring at Anne, who patiently placed the bowl with a packet of instant porridge on the bedside table. Shock was still on Anne's face, Xavier could see it clearly from their close proximity.

"You want to make this porridge yourself, right? Here, you just need to pour hot water and this packaged porridge into the bowl." Anne said without looking at Xavier.

Stupid, Xavier felt guilty for losing his temper and making the girl shocked to death. He shouldn't have snapped at someone who had saved his life. The atmosphere became strange, Xavier felt like an ungrateful person.

After explaining the simple steps for making instant porridge, Anne walked away from Xavier's sight, leaving the room with her laptop.

Xavier could only sigh weakly, he didn't know how to apologize properly and ended up saying nothing. Not even a thank you.

"Damn." He cursed, "What kind of crazy person snaps at the one who saved him? I'm really screwed." He complained to himself.

Everything was a complete mess, the big day that he had been looking forward to for so many years had slipped through his fingers. Now, out of foolish fear, he had hurt the girl who had willingly given up her bed. The accident that happened was still very shocking to him. Xavier never thought that such a terrible tragedy would happen to him.

This was strange. Xavier was sure there was someone behind all the tragedies that befell his family. But who? No matter how hard he thought, he never got a definitive answer.

"Why God? Why?"

What exactly had he done wrong to make God so cruel? He had lost his parents and his beloved little brother. Why was there still someone after his life? He just didn't understand.

Still shrouded in confusion, Xavier brewed the instant porridge Anne had given him. His energy was still not fully gathered, but he already felt bad about asking Anne for help after what he had done a moment ago. So, he had to do it himself.

Even though he had no appetite for food, Xavier still had to in order to recover his energy quickly. There were too many things waiting to be solved, too many questions he had to find answers to.

***

It was past midnight, and Anne was still sitting in the living room with her eyes wandering. She couldn't even focus on typing for her book because she kept thinking about Xavier. Xavier had snapped at her by surprise and dropped the spoon, but instead of anger, Anne saw fear in his eyes.

"What's going on? What happened to him?" Anne was curious. "Then, a car accident? If that's the case, why isn't there any news or police looking for the victims or maybe the car hasn't been found yet? It shouldn't be difficult to find information from the local people. Okay, I'll ask around tomorrow. Hopefully the storm will die down soon."

The sofa Anne is sitting on has become her bed since Xavier showed up and occupied the room as her emergency patient. Though Anne is an editor and writer who is looking for a new atmosphere, she ends up as a nurse because the storm traps them.

Anne got up from the sofa, "I need to see how he is. Whether he ate his porridge or not, I have to make sure of that." She muttered.

She opened the bedroom door as quietly as possible so that there was no squeaking at all. Anne found Xavier already asleep, so she walked over to the nightstand on the right side of the bed, the side where Xavier lay.

It was empty. There was no porridge left in the bowl with the empty wrapper on top. Anne also checked the medicine that Xavier had to take and found that he had already taken it.

"Thank goodness..." Anne breathed a sigh of relief, she didn't have to worry anymore.

However, before she could turn around, a soft rant suddenly escaped Xavier's mouth. His peaceful sleep was disturbed by a disturbing nightmare. His head moved restlessly with his hands clenched tightly.

Anne hurried to sit on the bed and grabbed Xavier's left hand. Worry began to surround her when Xavier didn't wake up despite her shaking his body. She didn't know how bad the dream was and that it was hard for him to escape.

"Wake up! Wake up, Vi! Please, wake up..." Anne patted Xavier's cheek repeatedly, "It's just a dream, let's wake up!" She urged, but Xavier still didn't wake up.

Anne reached for the small towel on the nightstand and wiped away the cold sweat that was pouring down Xavier's temples, forehead and face.

"Come on, wake up." She begged. "I mo-"

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Xavier jerked awake with bated breath.

Xavier woke up suddenly with cold sweat drenching his face and even his entire body. His hands were shaking badly, his eyes looked unfocused, staring far back with his breath still ragged.

"Hey, calm down... There's no one here," Anne said.

Xavier still looked agitated, "She, she was standing in front of my car. I-I saw him clearly, he was standing on the bridge there and... And just now he was in this room, he came after me." She faltered.

"No... Don't panic, there's really nobody here. It's just me, Anne." Anne framed Xavier's face to look him straight in the eye. "Breathe, breathe in and breathe out." She said, giving directions.

Xavier began to listen to her and obeyed what Anne said to make him much calmer.

"Good, keep breathing. Don't be afraid, there is only me in this house. You're just having a bad dream." Anne said.

Xavier massaged his forehead and shook his head, "It's all too clear, t-the guy I saw on the bridge that day... H-he, he won't let me go..." His eyes were waving with tears that began to well up.

Anne moved away, "Let me get you something to drink first."

Before she could leave, Xavier was already holding her hand. Then, shaking his head, "J-just hold me, don't go. Please give me a hug, I'll feel better."

Anne was silent for a while, looking so confused. She hesitated.

"P-please..."

"Okay."

Anne awkwardly sat back on the bed, then she pulled Xavier into her arms. His body trembled, was the dream that scary? Anne tightened her embrace on Xavier and stroked his back gently.

Xavier closed his eyes, enjoying every stroke Anne gave him. It felt so good. He hid his face in the hollow of Anne's neck and made her a little surprised.

"Relax, you're safe. Tomorrow, I'll try to go out and find out about the accident that happened to you." Anne said.

Xavier tightened his embrace on Anne, he shook his head hard. "No, don't. He wants me dead, so let it go. I've almost died a few times, that guy won't stop... I'm tired, very tired." Her tears flowed.

Those words contained deep hurt and trauma, and his voice alone sounded terrified. Anne could feel it too, just through Xavier's heart-wrenching sobs.

"All you need right now is rest, we can talk about this problem and figure it out later, after you've recovered." Anne whispered, "I don't know how bad what happened to you is, but one thing, right now you are safe. You are safe with me, I will hug you like this whenever you feel scared." She added.

Xavier's breathing slowly regained its regularity, his body stopped trembling as his muscles began to relax.

"Yes, good... Trust me, you're safe." Anne laid Xavier back down carefully. "Go back to sleep, okay?"

"No!" Xavier holding Anne from leaving, "Don't go, stay here. Look, this bed still has room for both of us. Sleep here, next to me." He begged.

Anne stared at the empty side of the bed, "But..."

"You said you would hug me whenever I feel scared, right? So, please stay. I'm afraid to close my eyes again, that person will definitely appear and-"

"Sssh... O-okay, I'll sleep next to you." Anne decided.

After that, she climbed onto the bed and began to lay down on Xavier's left side. Both of them were silent, staring at the ceiling of the inn that was still covered in raindrops.

"Can my hand come closer?" Xavier asked. "I-I won't do anything, I promise. I just want to be sure that I'm not alone," he said.

Anne took a deep breath, then, "Sure, just hold my hand if that makes you comfortable."

Xavier's heart was relieved, and he groped around until he found Anne's right hand. "Thank you... I owe you my life."

He turned his head towards Anne, then looked at her sadly. "I was almost once poisoned, it makes it difficult for me to accept food given by others. So, I hope you forgive me for my rude behavior earlier. I didn't mean to yell at you and scare you. I'm sorry..."

Poisoned? How cruel. Anne had a hard time believing it, but seeing Xavier's reaction when refusing food earlier, she began to understand. The fear Xavier showed was too real to be a lie.

"I understand, forget it." Anne said. Xavier had so many mysteries, every time he told a story, Anne would be dumbfounded. "You must be an important person and whoever is the person who wants to hurt you, he must be jealous."

"If he asks, I'll give it to him."

"No, you have to defend whatever you have. Don't just give up like that," Anne tightened her grip on Xavier's hand.

Xavier was silent for a while, "Are you with me?" He asked.