Isabella~
"Oh my god, Mr. Thompson, you scared me." As I turned to see who was standing behind me, the sight of Xavier in front of me filled me with fear.
"I apologize if I scared you, but what are you doing late at night?" He gave me a perplexed expression.
"I'm simply attempting to gather fresh evidence for the ongoing murder investigation." I shrugged my shoulders with nervousness as he looked at the fake murder scene in my room.
"Humm, so to investigate this murder case further, you set up the identical murder scene." He put his hand on his chin.
"Well, I believe if we understand the psychology of criminals, then we will be able to solve the case with ease." To free up space on my bed so I could sleep, I shut off my laptop and returned the file to the rack.
"That's fantastic; you are outstanding." I get a little uncomfortable when I hear him compliment me. In the past, he never acknowledged my achievements, and now, when he attempts to praise me, all I can feel is resentment.
"What are you doing here? You haven't told me yet." In the midnight silence, my heart beat loudly upon realizing his proximity.
"I had planned to go for a walk, but when I noticed the light in this room was on, I decided to come and take a look. I apologize for bothering you." He rubbed his back nervously when he saw my cold gaze on his face.
Although I am not pleased with his presence in this house, I am compelled to allow him to spend the night here due to Alan's influence. I don't understand what magic he did to my son—that he wanted Xavier around him.
"Goodnight, Mr. Thompson." I gestured to him to leave my room. He left my room quietly. His silence affected me more than his anger, and I felt guilty for treating him rudely. Even if it's not his fault, I must treat him cruelly to keep my son safe. I tried turning around on the bed for a while, but I still had trouble falling asleep.
Despite my concerns over Alan's fever, I don't want to enter that room because of Xavier. Even though I'm sleeping in a separate room today, I don't understand why I feel so restless. My throat dried up when I saw his number vibrating on my phone at midnight.
What am I going to tell him now? I took the water mug to wet my throat before receiving his call, but it was empty. I headed to the kitchen to grab some water, but I accidentally bumped into Xavier's chest.
"Ouch.. what are you doing, Mr. Thompson?" When I discovered him standing outside my room, I rubbed my head and gave him a perplexed face.
"I apologize, but I came here because I was having trouble sleeping." I briefly felt his loneliness as I gazed into his deep blue eyes. I wanted to scold him for trying to cross his limits, but a small part of me wanted to talk with him and get to know him better.
"Wait here; I will be back in a few minutes." I nodded and went to the kitchen.
My phone buzzed again, and I received his call with irritation.
"Why are you doing this, Bella? I didn't expect you to bring that bastard into our home, especially when I wasn't around." His anger-filled voice pierced my ear. As I glanced at the phone screen, I realized that I had accidentally received his call before I had opened the door to my room, and he had overheard me talking to Xavier.
"Calm down; I didn't do anything. Alan forced him to stay with him tonight until you would not return, and he requested Xavier to stay with him."
"Bella, Alan is just a kid; you should behave maturely. How did you allow that rascal to enter our home?" He didn't agree to understand my situation.
"Can I do anything else? I was compelled due to Alan's poor health condition." I pleaded with him to understand the gravity of the situation.
"It's not about Alan; it's about you, Bella. He was sitting in your room at midnight. I'm worried that you'll make the same error you did years before."
"No, that's not possible." I became terrified when I heard his remarks again.
No, I can't allow him to touch me again. Why does he always evoke my deepest fear whenever I contemplate forgiving Xavier and embarking on a fresh start with him?
"Don't you trust me?" When I recalled my painful past, tears welled up in my eyes.
"I trust you completely, Bella, but I don't trust that jerk at all. I am afraid that he will take advantage of your innocence and easily know the truth, which we were trying to hide from this entire world." His voice turned into a serious one.
"No, I will do whatever it takes to conceal the truth from him." I clutched my phone to keep my panic in check.
"Bella, I must intervene if you don't maintain your distance from him. I won't let you make the same mistake twice." He gave me another warning before hanging up.
For a while, I stared at the phone's screen, contemplating his warnings. He is indeed right, but I can't ignore Xavier like a stranger. He is not only my client, but he has also become Alan's close friend. I'm finding it difficult to ignore him. I can choose to ignore my emotions, but how can I break my son's tender heart to keep him from seeing Xavier?
After making coffee for the two of us, I went back to my room. I noticed he was sleeping on the couch. Despite my desire to wake him, I refrained from doing so after observing his serene expression. Rather, I wrapped a blanket across his body and switched off the light in the room.
I entered Alan's room to rest briefly before heading out to gather more evidence for this murder case. Tomorrow is a significant day for me as I will not only gather additional evidence but also confront my past. I am determined to confront her again after all these years, even though it's not easy for me to go back into those memories that I've tried to put to rest. They're essential to solving this murder case.