Chapter 56 - Want Me To Come With You Or...?

"Quit making all these assumptions, you're not realizing it but you're slowly starting to sound like a conspiracist with everything you've been coming up with."

Madeline whined, "Oh come on, you know I overthink all the time."

"And seeing the man that tried killing you with the man that happens to be my soulmate can't be a coincidence, can it?"

"They're planning something," she insisted.

"You know you could just wait for what they have to say instead of worrying yourself over this."

"He wouldn't let anything happen to you."

"Who knows, maybe they're having a rematch and Xavier's using that as some excuse to beat him up," Briar accidentally said aloud.

She slapped her hand over her mouth.

"I was kidding," she said non-convincingly.

"Sure," Madeline retorted, becoming more and more suspicious over time.

What were they doing together?

Xavier seemed pissed, so what was going on?

Did he call Emilio here to discuss matters of importance?

'Emilio mentioned it was Xavier that trapped him there, don't you remember? So why would Xavier invite him here to talk about something unimportant,' she reasoned with herself.

Madeline knew she'd drive herself crazy if she kept assuming and creating fake scenarios.

Ah yes, fake scenarios. Madeline had developed a fancy for them lately.

'Remember that dream you had,' she reminded herself.

Madeline wished she could forget it, feeling her heart tighten.

Sometimes, she took her imagination to a whole other level. This was an accurate representation of what a 'whole other level' meant.

Obviously, Xavier knew nothing about the dream she had. If he did… Madeline couldn't comprehend how she'd survive with him knowing of what she dreamt of.

It was mortifying.

What she didn't know was that - compared to her conspiracies and theories she made up in her head, the truth was far more crazier and nonsensical.

A knock came from Madeline's door.

"I'll get it," Briar insisted, her protective instincts taking over.

She was made to guard Madeline in case anything happened, and she'd do just that. Say, if Emilio was the one who knocked, they were in trouble indeed.

Thankfully, it wasn't Emilio.

Just Adrian waiting outside the quarters.

"What is it?" Briar asked him curiously.

Clearing her throat, she corrected herself, "Ahem, I meant… What is it, Beta Adrian?"

"Xavier's looking for the both of you."

Muddled, Briar questioned, "The both of us? Not just Madeline?"

"Are you sure?"

Questioning why she'd just questioned Adrian, she shook her head, "Uh, never mind."

Madeline walked over to Briar and Adrian, pleased to know Xavier wanted to talk.

Finally, her questions would be answered.

Well, she hoped they would. Better this than her continuing making stuff up.

If Madeline didn't know, she assumed.

"Do you know what he wants to discuss?" Madeline asked Adrian hopefully.

Adrian grumbled something before he said, "If I knew we wouldn't be having this conversation right now."

"All I know is that it has something to do with Emilio."

They stopped at Xavier's office doors.

He asked her, making sure she was ready since he'd postpone the entire thing if she wasn't.

If Emilio was involved this wouldn't be a walk in the park. It must've been a serious discussion, what with Xavier having not killed Emilio yet for disregarding the punishment he had sentenced him to centuries ago.

"Are you ready?" He asked just her.

Briar stared at him, feeling slightly left out.

"Is Emilio in there?"

"He is," Adrian nodded, "But in the case something happens Xavier's there too."

"Unless you want him to leave that is," Adrian added, as Xavier told him to.

"No no, it's fine," Madeline refused.

Being left in a room with that man. Never again.

"Want me to come with you or?"

Gulping, she nodded, bracing herself for what was to come - like she had many times this month already.

Walking into Xavier's office, she felt like a student walking into a principal's office after being discovered doing something wrong. And frankly, Madeline never knew what that felt like. Never had she gotten into trouble at school. Instead, she got straight As, topped her class etc.

Xavier gestured for her to sit.

Madeline squirmed uncomfortably in her seat once she was seated.

Xavier shot her a look, reassuring her with his gaze alone.

Madeline looked downwards at her lap. Frankly, she found it nice Xavier was there. At least someone else was.

Emilio didn't notice that little moment between them.

"So, Madeline," Xavier began, speaking in a hushed tone.

Madeline looked back up, waiting for what he had to say.

Xavier kept quiet, not saying anything.

'Is it Xavier that has something to say or…'

Madeline wondered if he was here to extend an apology. No, an apology wasn't enough. He'd tried killing her! Was an apology supposed to fix that in one fell swoop? She didn't think so.

Yes, Emilio's life had turned a complete 360 degrees, but Madeline didn't know that. And how he felt couldn't compare to how Madeline the moment she discovered who Emilio really was.

Madeline couldn't even recall what he was going on and on about. She'd never seen him like this. He looked… normal. There was no aura about him, it was as though she was sitting beside a completely different person.

Was she sitting beside a completely different person? Did he change as soon as he left the cave after ages of being trapped there?

And why wasn't Xavier doing anything?

Madeline caught Xavier looking at her mid-conversation. He looked away immediately after he was caught, but Madeline had already noticed.

Why did he look so… guilty? And unsure?

So many insignificant questions, so much more important and relevant answers.

No preparation she made beforehand could brace herself for what was about to hit her.

That was the exact moment Madeline felt a whole planet-sized meteor practically crush her tiny self flat.

The words Emilio had been wanting to say all along finally stumbled out of his mouth.

"…I'm your father."