Chapter 88: A Sudden Attack

Meanwhile, the meeting with the board of trustees went well.

They also tackled the issues circulating inside the school. They mentioned Zarah's name in their discussion.

The main instigator was Celia Mayer. She wanted to persuade the board to kick her out of the school.

"This student named Zarah Jansen was embarrassing our school. She dared to sue another student while being embroiled in rumors. She could hardly explain herself."

"Since when did you become a gossip body, Mrs. Gil?" Xavier directly asked.

"Mr. Lockhart, I know you're biased against student Jansen since she's a family member. Nevertheless, you should not tolerate it." Celia Mayer said.

"Who said I'm tolerating her actions?" Xavier refuted.

"You don't? Why was she seen with her sugar daddy inside the campus? A student captured it and posted the photo on the forum!"

"Are you aware that your words can be used against you, Mrs. Gil?" Xavier said to shut her up.

"Please! Don't spread unfounded rumors, Mrs. Gil. Miss Jansen had not done anything indecent in the photo," the Chairman of the Board of Trustees cut her off.

As soon as this post went viral in their forum, Chairman Sanchez called the Dean and the head of the disciplinary committee.

Mrs. Richard explained everything based on what she observed. She had a good assessment of Zarah's character. Hence, she never believed the rumors were true.

The disciplinary committee head also said the photo didn't contain anything illicit. The post was maliciously targeting Zarah.

She examined the post, and she could not agree more. Indeed, Zarah was the victim!

"These people are deceiving you, Chairman Sanchez!" Celia Mayer argued.

"I'm not a fool to be deceived easily, Mrs. Gil," she refuted.

"*Sigh!* You must be aggrieved because of your daughter, Mrs. Gil," she added in sympathy.

Mrs. Gil was speechless. She was busted!

"What about your daughter, Mrs. Gil? Is she innocent? I'm surprised! She managed to remain at school despite her ill behavior."

There was a hint of mockery and sarcasm in Xavier's voice.

Xavier swept his gaze across everyone.

They were either looking down or trying to avoid eye contact.

They were utterly embarrassed.

"Chairman Sanchez, Zarah wants to have justice. That's why she was suing Mrs. Gil's daughter. And I seek justice, so I support her."

Xavier adjusted his seating position before he continued.

"This was not the first time that this happened. The school failed to punish the culprit."

"We were compelled to take drastic measures against her bully. A mere suspension or expulsion is not enough punishment," Xavier added.

"I understand, Mr. Lockhart. The school will not interfere. Both can present evidence in front of the jury." Chairman Sanchez reassured.

Xavier was satisfied by this.

"Aren't you afraid that the school's name would be affected by this case?"

"Are you truly referring to the school? Or perhaps to your family's reputation, Mrs. Gil?" Xavier retorted.

"I'm not afraid. It would be more inappropriate should the school dissuade Miss Jansen from filing the case."

Chairman Sanchez changed the topic then.

"Anything else?"

Xavier pulled back after he attained the result he wanted.

The meeting finally adjourned after an hour.

Xavier went to the Chairman's office to privately talk to her. Celia Mayer wanted to say something, but all gazes were on her.

"I think you should focus on finding a lawyer for your daughter, Mrs. Gil," Xavier mocked her.

Celia Mayer squinted her eyes, but she didn't say anything.

She was fuming with rage deep down.

She thought Xavier was a pushover. However, she didn't expect that he wasn't.

She left the building with heavy steps since she didn't achieve her goal.

Xavier and Chairman Sanchez entered her office.

"Have a seat," Chairman Sanchez invited him.

Xavier comfortably sat on the chair.

"I'm here to discuss an important matter, Chairman Sanchez."

"Is this about Zarah Jansen?" Chairman Stevens guessed.

"Yes. It's about Zarah," he confirmed.

"I understand your concern. Even the late Chairman Stevens came to me. He wanted Miss Jansen to be out of trouble. It was during his funeral that I understood why."

Xavier's expression shifted.

"Let me clarify something, Chairman Sanchez. I'm not here as her adoptive brother," he seriously said.

Chairman Sanchez adjusted her expression.

'Does he want us to punish Zarah?'

"I came today as Zarah's husband."

Xavier saw Chairman Sanchez's eyes turning into saucers.

'Is it such a big deal?' he asked himself.

This news was shocking!

Xavier waited until Chairman Sanchez returned to normal.

Chairman Sanchez felt embarrassed by her actions.

"I'm sorry," she immediately apologized.

The atmosphere became awkward.

"It's fine. It seems like I have to get used to this reaction from people," Xavier humored.

"As much as possible, I don't want to interfere with my wife's University affairs. She's not ready to go public."

"She admitted that she's married." Chairman Sanchez refuted this.

The rumor would stop should they go public now.

"She did. Anyways, I respect her wish. However, I won't let others bully my wife," he strongly emphasized.

Chairman Sanchez saw deep affection in Xavier's eyes. She could tell that their relationship was unforced but genuine.

"I understand. Nothing like this will happen again."

Xavier nodded in satisfaction.

He excused himself and came looking for his wife.

He waited outside his wife's department building.

Dwight Dawson looked at Xavier from afar.

He messaged Antonio's hired hitman for an update.

He received confirmation. They would accomplish the job before the sunset.

He was not satisfied and complacent.

Carla Kent held his most beloved hostage. He, of all people, knew how evil she was.

He only had himself to blame for falling for her tricks.

Zarah left her room and exited the building when she saw a familiar figure waiting for her outside.

The crowd was forming because of him.

Chris was warning the students about taking stolen photos.

Xavier's chilling aura compelled them to stop.

"What are you doing here?" Zarah thought that he was bringing her trouble.

"I'm here for you," his response stirred the people into a frenzy.

"Oh my goodness! Are they dating?!"

"That's nonsense! They're legally siblings!"

"They're not blood-related!"

"Zarah's married to an old man, folks. There's no way for a dashing Chairman Lockhart to like her."

Xavier ignored the commotion, and they headed to the parking lot.

They reached their car after a few minutes. Chris unlocked the car and opened the backseat for them.

Xavier asked Zarah to get in the car first before him.

Chris shut the door and ran to the driverside.

"It seems the rumor helped us," Xavier told her. Zarah sighed in response.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't mention it. I do hope you won't feel embarrassed around me."

"Other than your husband, I'm legally your brother and your boss. I have more reasons to seek you out."

She could not find words to refute it.

"Where are we heading now?" she asked to change the topic.

"Let's have lunch first."

Thirty minutes later.

The couple was inside the private room of the restaurant.

Zarah was taking Kelsey's call. Zarah's face was solemn in their conversation.

Xavier dotingly looked at his wife. He smiled affectionately at her while he placed food on her plate.

Zarah ended the call and resumed lunch.

"Husband, are you going to hate me for being bad?" she asked him mischievously.

"Why am I going to hate you?" Xavier scooped on her plate and brought it closer to her mouth.

Zarah opened her mouth subconsciously.

"You can do anything you want, mon amour, and I don't mind. You kill someone, and I'll bury the body," he calmly added. He was so calm as if he was talking about the weather.

Zarah could use him as a gun, and he would not mind.

Zarah was deeply touched. She felt herself falling deeper for this man.

"How can I be so lucky to have you as my husband?!" Zarah reached out to pinch his cheeks.

Xavier allowed his wife to do so. All he cared about was making her happy.

After their meal, they left the private room and exited the restaurant.

They started their journey to the courthouse.

Xavier was on the phone with the lawyer. Xavier was making sure everything was set for the afternoon's trial.

Carla Kent must be convicted! Only then that Xavier's people could punish her.

Locking her up in jail was not the ultimate punishment.

He vowed to return the pain he and his mother had suffered ten times.

They finally arrived after fifteen minutes.

Zarah got off first, and he followed.

Zarah gently looked at her husband when she felt something. She felt a strong sense of danger.

The sound of gunfire echoed not far from their position.

*Bang!*

On instinct, she pushed Xavier hard inside the car.

Zarah saw the bullet passing in between them before it hit the doorframe.

The bullet missed its target. The bullet passed from the left side. The marksman was aiming for Xavier's head.

Had she miscalculated, the bullet would hit her head instead of the car.

Due to inertia, Zarah fell together in the car. Xavier hit his back against the seat.

Xavier could feel the danger, too. Yet, he reacted slower than Zarah.

He shook his head as everything happened in a blink of an eye. Xavier was known for his lethal reaction time.

However, his wife was faster than him!

This amazed Xavier.

"A sniper!" Chris yelled to alert Xavier's men. They were secretly following the couple from a safe distance.

The crowd around the entrance of the courthouse panicked.

Women screamed while men ran away to hide.

Xavier's men immediately gathered around them.

"Master! Are you okay?" Chris asked.

Since everyone had gathered around them, the hitman had no clear target.

He collected his gun and abandoned the mission.

He was wearing a silver mask and a hood to conceal his identity.

"Are you okay?" Xavier asked his wife.

He thought it must have scared her.

Zarah got off him and worriedly checked Xavier instead.

"Are you okay? Does your back hurt?"

Zarah heard a groan escaping from Xavier's lips earlier.

"I'm fine," he said in reassurance.

Xavier looked at the hole in his car, and his gaze darkened.

"Secure the perimeter! Call Jackson for assistance!" He roared.

Since this was Oakridge City, he knew he could not act rashly.

He had not visited the mafia boss who reigned the city to ask permission.

His men were in the process of completing the requirements to operate in this city.

Their name was Wraith. A bizarre name to have as a mafia group.

However, they lived up to their names and only appeared when you less expected them.

They existed to bring peace and order to the entire Country A.

Although their main base was undisclosed, their presence was strong.

The mafias and gangs in Country A feared them.

They were everywhere. No one knew their recruitment process. They were very secretive, and loyalty to the founder and the elders was important.

No gang or mafia could operate in Country A unless they received permission from Wraith.

That was how influential they were.

The wealthy families in Country A sought after them. However, they declined any offers.

They remained neutral.

Xavier thought that Wraith was either a worthy opponent or a good ally.

Zarah and Xavier remained inside the car.

Their car was the safest place to hide from the assailant.

Jackson arrived ten minutes after to personally supervised the investigation.

His arrival shocked his subordinates responding to the emergency call.

He was the police commissioner. He should be in the office and not on the field.

However, this had become a common occurrence every time that person was involved.

"Commissioner Wagner!" the responding officer saluted him.

"There's a failed assassination attempt on the victims inside the car. However, we could not get their statements yet."

They wanted to get the victims' statements, but Xavier's group was uncooperative.

They were on high alert for the next attack.

They even suspected that one of them could be the assailant.

"Don't worry. I knew the victim. They called me for help."

The officer heaved a sigh of relief.

Jackson asked about the development.

Statements from the eyewitness showed the sound came from the left side.

"We're checking the CCTV footage on the nearby establishments. We're taking over in securing the perimeter."

Jackson knew the assailant had fled.

"Do you have any guesses of the culprit's identity?"

"Well, there are three known top-level marksmen in the city. Two of them were snipers."

"Good. Let us start the investigation in these three that you've mentioned."

"But they belong in the mafia," the inspector protested.

"Who oversees cases involving the mafia?"

"The Special Task Force unit handles them, Commissioner."

"Then, ask their assistance."

"Okay, Commissioner!"

Jackson walked toward Xavier's car. Chris unlocked the car door after he saw Jackson standing outside.

"Get in!" Chris told him. Jackson quickly opened the front seat and slipped inside.

A soft *bang* echoed inside the car when the door shut.

"Are you both okay?" Jackson asked them in worry.

The couple was sitting comfortably at the back.

Xavier's face was cold and dark, while Zarah's was calm.

"We're fine," she uttered.

"The culprit might belong to a mafia in the city."

"I don't think so," Zarah suddenly said.

***