Business Always
CHAPTER 30—AMELIA POV

You are the most alive when you are in love.

At least that's what people say.

For me it was the driving force that almost killed me.

After everything I put him through and everything he put me through, wondering about him is a laughable activity I often spent time doing.

Walking out the cafe with him, I allowed myself to indulge in a brief fantasy-that I was with Xavier, in whatever context, and we usually got coffee together after work.

I sigh to myself after he walks away. His assistant's distasteful tone towards me is expected. In fact, it's a wakeup call to everything I have done to Xavier and to point out that everyone else notices too.

I used to believe that it was only between us-he'd hurt me, and I'd hurt him, but eventually everything would fall in place. Whatever 'in place' would mean. Whether it meant, we would have our endings together or apart.

But soon, I realized that I wasn't only causing him pain but also hurting the people around us.

Everyone pitied Xavier, cursing him for chasing me after the numerous times I had hurt and left him. I was embarrassing him, and he was so shamelessly wearing that humiliation for me.

By the time I had learn how true and sincere his feelings for me really were, mine had died out.

My love for him was like a faint heartbeat. There but ever so quiet and slow that it was barely traceable.

Until I saw him again-then it was like my blood suddenly started pumping and my body was brought back to life.

In California I'd often spend my evenings thinking about him.

Life with him. Life without him.

Both were ways I was okay with.

1 'praisecrimysent funr Jenings unlay with utlenirea un filié withach him Juctar title saînentines" hated myself for not having the same undying love he so brazenly showed me.

For me, he was a luxury, something I wanted but never needed. I'd hold my hand out and ask for him, but I would be alright if he denied.

Making peace with the position he held in my life, I sat into my car and asked the driver to take me to Jasmine's house where she and Jodie were waiting for me.

"Amelia!" Jasmine pulls me into a tight hug when she finally saw me, almost spilling the drinks in my hand.

I put the coffees down on her dark oak table before pulling her back into my embrace, squeezing her equally as tight.

Jasmine pulls one arm away from me, dragging Jodie in to make it a group hug. "I missed you two so much," I whisper between both their ears.

"How was California?" Jasmine asks after we all sit down on the carob-coloured couch.

"Great," I say enthusiastically before taking a gulp of my coffee which had cooled down significantly. "But I think it's time for me to come back home."

Jodie squeals. Her hand clutches her drink, making the lid pop off.

"Just to be clear-home as in New York?" Jasmine clarifies and smiles when I nod.

"What made you change your mind?" Jodie asks, pushing the lid back onto her cup.

"Well, business is always better in New York, and no matter where I go-Eva was a true New Yorker." I laugh, listing all my reasons to stay.

There's one more reason, but I won't tell them that.

"Can I put this in your washing machine?" I show her the coffee-stained coat in my

arms.

"You spilled coffee on yourself?" Jodie sniggers childishly.

"Not me!" I say defensively. "I bumped into Xavier and Leroy in the coffee shop, and he spilled it on me."

"Leroy spilled coffee on you? Just wait till I get home, that bastard!" Jodie grumbles. "No, no." I laugh at her comical anger. "Xavier did."

"Hmm...what does this remind me of?" Jasmine rubs her chin pretending to be deep in thought. I shove her playfully before getting up and walking to her laundry room and putting my coat in for a wash.

The memory of the first time I ever saw Xavier appears in my mind as I press the buttons of the washing machine.

His mischievous eyes, his cocky smirk, and his powerful aura. It was as if it was all perfectly copied into my brain.

On the way back to the living room, a soft cooing catches my attention. I turn to hear it

better and see the door, left slightly ajar, of Jasmine's daughters' nursery.

She was bright and awake now. Her brown eyes, which her almost identical to Jasmine's, were twinkling with a playful glint.

She had grown significantly, which was expected since babies tended to grow quite

fast.

"Hey," I whisper, kneeling down on my knees to meet her eye to eye from her cot. I put my finger out to pat her nose, but she grabs it, her entire hand clutching onto one finger.

In that moment, I imagined what it would be like having my own child. Motherhood is something I don't tend to think about, and neither is it something I strive for.

Sure, in the future I imagined myself, eventually, having children but it always seemed like something that would just happen.

The more I thought about it the more one name was being screamed into my mind. I snap my eyes shut, shaking anything to do with him out of my mind.

"I think I really do love him, Isabella," I say out loud to the 10-month-old in front of

me. She squeals quietly, clapping her hands together.

I laugh, at least someone is happy about that.

"Let's go to mummy!" I pick her up and bring her to the living room with me.

Jasmine's face lights up at the sight of her daughter. "I found her awake," I say. Jasmine's mumbles something about her having 'another goddamn stinky diaper' and leaves to change her.

"Leroy called while you were there," Jodie mentions, pointing to the laundry room. "Right," I say, not knowing where she was going with this.

"Xavier is still..." She pauses, unsure of what words to use. "He's still feeling the way he used to."

I knew she was avoiding using the word 'love' because at this point neither of us could call it that.

"If you're going to try this again, go to him," she instructs before I have any time to say something next.

"What are you talking about?" I ask her quietly.

"You think I believe that you came back to New York for business? Jasmine might be an idiot but I'm not," she says. Jodie, who was normally the more relaxed one, was dead serious this time.

"Jodie. I'm afraid," I confess. "I'm afraid I've done too much damage."

"Well, there's only one way to replace out," she says reassuringly.

"Right now?" I raise an eyebrow. "It's late and-"

"What's a husband for if he won't drive me and my friends around?" Jodie winks. "Leroy is already on his way here."

I nod but my breath becomes shaky, Leroy wasn't my biggest fan and although Jodie would be there it was seeming to be an awkward drive.

We both say our goodbyes to Jasmine, who was a little bummed out that we were leaving so early but, as soon as she learned why, was eager to let us leave.

I'm really going to go tell him.

I had to wipe the smile off my face, but I couldn't help thinking what would happen if everything went well.

"Hey, Miss Davis," Leroy greets as Jodie and I sat in his car, her in the front. His tone was uninviting but polite.

"Amelia is fine," I say, and he nods but doesn't address me again for a while. The silence in the car is painful, apart from the quiet humming of Jodie who continually tried to break the silence to no success.

"Boss man's house is down that road." He stops the car.

"Okay, thank you for the ride," I say, undoing my seatbelt.

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"Amelia," he says my name awkwardly. I hum in reply. "Please don't play him anymore. He's going to pine after you for the rest of his life otherwise."

"I'm not planning to anymore," I reassure him. He gives me a small half smile before driving off with Jodie.

I walk down the road, the grand gates with the nameplate 'King' soon come into sight. Usually, I would have to wait for his security to let me in, but today the gates are, wide open.

Maybe this is a good sign.

I walk in. Any apprehensiveness I had in the car has turned into straight fear now, but I'm going to face it head on. I'm tired of being scared.

His gates, weirdly, weren't in front of his front door but rather next to the sides of his

house. I walk down the path, now pressed against the side walls.

I freeze. The doors click open, and the porch lights turn on. Did he see me?

"It was nice seeing you, Xavier. I'll see you tomorrow night," a feminine voice calls out.

My eyes widen.

I peek my head around to see a woman walk out of his house. She was attractive from the glimpse I caught of her.

Long, shiny blonde hair fell to her hips and her tall and curvy figure was highlighted in tight pale purple trousers and a black crop top.

Another woman, in his house at night.

My chest feels heavy, and I press myself as close to the wall as possible to hide from

them both.

"I look forward to seeing you, Layla," Xavier's unmistakably amused voice replies.

She turned to him, throwing a dazzling smile and a quick wave before walking out the

gate.

Dejected, I pause for a few moments and wait for 'Layla' to leave before planning to get out of here myself.

Was I surprised? No.

It was only a matter of time before someone else was going to come into in his life.

Perhaps he was just holding onto these emotions for me until someone better came along I didn't blame him at all.

After being certain she had left, I turn on my heel to walk out myself.

A brief moment of panic hits me when I hear the heel of my shoe break, and before I

can register it, I trip onto the floor, succumbing to the broken footwear.

"Is someone there?"