6. Villin

She did end up skipping school the next day.

She watched with eyes half open as the sunlight flowed in through the window the moment her mom drew the curtains, just like some water flowing out of a damn dam.

"A little longer please." Alexandra groaned, flipping onto her stomach. Her hair sprawled out around her in a tangled mess of waves. Her mom sat beside her, softly smoothing it out while running her tender fingers through it, softly massaging her scalp.

"Didn't sleep well?" She asked.

Alexandra let out a half groan, rising just a little to put her head in her mother's lap.

Sophia smiled down at her daughter gently, "I made your favourite breakfast."

Alexandra hummed, wrapping her arm around her mom's waist, as if she was afraid she would leave her.

"Your friend came by earlier." Sophia said, barely managing to keep the smile growing on her face as Alexandra asked who a little too eagerly. She seemed to be fully awake the moment she said friend.

"Is he really your friend though?" Sophia teased, " The way he looked when I said you weren't feeling well... I really like him." Sophia winked and Alexandra, who had now staring at her mom in anticipation felt heat creep up her cheeks.

"You do?" She asked in a small voice.

Sophia flicked her forehead. "Of course. He reminded me so much of Je-" she stopped before the word was out of her mouth. Her expression was full of remorse. Alexandra could only guess it was the person she spoke of last night, the one who gave Sophia the ring.

"What happened between the two of you?" Alexandra asked slowly, taking her mom's hand in hers.

Sophia wiped a tear from the corner of her eye before it could descend down her cheek like the waterfall of sadness and pain, still choking her muddled heart, no matter how many tears she shed.

"It's a really long and complicated story... something your dad never wants to talk about ever again. Neither does he want you to know-"

"I don't care." Alexandra sat up, squeezing her mom's hand. "You're the one who told me that keeping in your pain only leads to more pain. Please talk to me mom. I can clearly see how much it's bothering you."

Sophia gazed outside the window, at the stormy grey sky with clouds floating like the chunks of memories she'd been unable to remove from her heart.

"Jordan..." Alexandra knew it was going to be bad when she said her uncle's name. That man just had to meddle in every single fucking thing and ruin it. "was the reason we separated-"

"So you were dating?" Alexandra asked curiously. Although the thought of her mom with someone other than her dad did not sit well with her but if that person had really kept her mom happy, she wouldn't mind even if he shows up, wanting to take her back... That's how stressed things were at home.

"Kind of?" Sophia said, a light pink hue coating her cheeks. Her mom was blushing! Alexandra found it adorable.

"I met him briefly after I married George. He had changed completely, like he was a whole new person. I still sometimes feel like I betrayed him in a way, especially since he still-"

There was a sudden knock on her door, halting Sophia mid sentence, followed by a shout of Alexandra's name by her dad.

Alexandra gave her mom a questioning look, who looked quite confused herself.

George entered after Alexandra answered with a yes.

He looked freshly showered as his light brown, almost blonde hair was still wet, the drops of water dripping down his strands. He was wearing a white dress shirt and black slacks, like he was getting ready to attend the court.

He looked a little surprised as he noticed Sophia but covered it up. "Would you like to go somewhere with your uncle and aunt? They're taking Cole and Olly to an amusement park-"

"No." Alexandra answered, noticing the expression on her mom's face. "I'm not feeling well. I want to rest."

George looked like he wanted to say something more but didn't, instead, he walked in and checked Alexandra's temperature, completely taking her by surprise.

"You don't have a fever." He said, his face dawning in realization. "Do you still have your pain killers? Do you want me to get some for you?"

Alexandra blinked at him. No, I want you to get out of my room and leave me alone.

Instead, she shook her head, standing up, trying to keep herself from wincing in pain. She was so glad she wasn't in school right now.

"I'll be down in a few seconds mom." Alexandra said, completely ignoring her dad and disappeared into the bathroom.

She leaned against the door, trying to hear what her parents were talking about when her dad started speaking.

"Will you still not talk to me?" He asked. Judging by the strained tone of his voice, Alexandra could tell that he was trying to make up for whatever fight they'd had last night. It happened every single time her uncle and aunt came over. Though, what the fights were about, her mom never told her.

She heard some shuffling on the other side and then her mom's determined voice. She sounded extremely angry. "I will not have my kids stolen from me."

Stolen from her? Alexandra frowned, having half the mind to just barge in and ask what the hell they were talking about. But her dad's reply stopped her. "They're my kids too."

Alexandra felt her heart go thump, like it had fallen down a pit. ' Don't tell me...' she thought as she pressed her ear to the door. They weren't planning on divorce, were they?!

"Are they?" Her mom asked. There was sarcasm in her tone along with mockery. "I'm surprised you even remember the way to Alexandra's room. Oh wait. Is it going to be your Olivia's room after my daughter leaves for college?"

Silence, followed by the sound of the door shutting loudly. Alexandra ran a hand through her tangled hair. She couldn't let Cole know, or else he'll be worried.

Pushing away from the door, she got ready for the day, her mom's words repeating in her mind.

By the time she went down for breakfast, it was already half past 11. No one was in the house. Alexandra found her mom's note on the fridge saying she'd left for her college and to heat up the food before eating.

Her mom was a Psychiatrist in the local community college and Cole's middle school. Her schedule was pretty busy as she also taught a few classes. She'd been pretty disappointed when Alexandra said she wouldn't study psychology but was really supportive of her interest in astronomy. While her dad always let her have free reign over her studies.

As she was eating her breakfast while watching random things on the TV, she noticed a journal on the coffee table. It was an old leather bound book with the edges peeling off at a few spots. She had noticed that journal plenty of times in her uncle's hands, and he'd never let anyone read it, let alone touch it.

She had a wicked thought.

Gently taking it in her hands, she flipped open the cover. The first paper was blank, the next one had the name 'Jordan George Villin' scrawled out on bold calligraphy.

On the page after that was a list of names, both male and female, male more than the female ones, all sharing the same last name - Villin. She was about to turn the page when her eyes caught the name George Henry Villin, which was her dad's full name save for the Villin and the other name was her uncle's, also save for the Villin.

At the very bottom, just below her dad's name was her own name in pencil.

Alexandra White Villin.

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, Alexandra flipped the pages. It looked like a diary, with all the dates and everything marked at the top right corner. Most of them dated back to the 1600s. Her eyebrows went up to her hairline as her eyes skimmed over the contents.

This Jordan George Villin, who had her uncle's and dad's first name looked like some underground mob boss of his time, often using the names Knight and Frazier in his entries. They looked like allies but he was planning on betraying them. Almost half of the papers were him ranting about how this Hagann Knight and Jace Knight had always spoiled his plans no matter how hard he'd tried. It was almost like they'd known what he was going to do before he could even do something.

There was more about a princess Athena who had apparently been in a relationship wit-

The bell rang before she could finish the sentence. Alexandra noticed her uncle's car parked right outside the window.

She cursed internally. Glancing down at the book, she thought placing it back on the table but a voice inside her head told her not to. There was something about it that wouldn't let her want to place it back.

"Well...schist." She ran to her room, trying to make as less noise as she could and hid the book in her closet. Then she descended down the stairs as if she'd been in her room all the time.

Just like she expected, it was her uncle. He looked to be in a hurry as he rushed in the living rooms and began searching for something, no doubt the diary. Thank goodness she'd turned off the TV when she was reading the diary or else she could've been caught.

"Everything okay?" She asked, peeking in through the door.

He was on his knees, his hand searching for something under the sofa. "Did you see my diary anywhere? I was sure Olivia put it on the coffee table. That damn girl just doesn't know when to know her bounds." Although he murmured the last part, it was loud enough for Alexandra to hear and hold in her snort.

"I don't know, I haven't been down since morning." Alexandra replied with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Of course you haven't." He muttered, nodding to himself and resumed his search. Alexandra hid her relief. She was a pretty good liar, she knew that but the fact that she'd stay cooped up in her room for hours until someone called clearly helped this time.

See mom, she wanted to say, staying cooped up in my room does have it's advantages.

"Do you need my help?" She asked.

Jordan shook his head, giving her a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "It's fine. You don't need to trouble yourself. Olivia probably left it in her room."

Shrugging, Alexandra made her way up to her room, trying not to go too quickly.

After locking the door properly, she sat in front of her closet and fished out the journal. The handwriting where her name was, looked so similar to her dad's.

Why had he written her name there and why had he written Villin and crossed out the White?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

He was worried.

Not just because she'd texted him saying she wasn't feeling well - he'd shown up at her house for that - but also because Tobias returned with some news.

"I investigated like you asked." Tobias had said after he'd finished reporting about the Callisto situation. "I couldn't find anything except that they are pretty close...The rest of the information is blocked...by your father."

"So it's confidential."

"Highly."

Why? If the information is being blocked by his dad himself, it meant that he was either protecting that person...or hiding it to make use of it himself.

And besides, why would uncle George, his dad's best friend, be close with someone who was his dad's worst enemy?

"What else?" Xander had asked.

Tobias looked troubled. "There was nothing I could find on George White. Not a single thing except what is already known."

After a brief pause, Xander asked. "What about Alexandra?"

"I didn't search anything about her."

Xander nodded. Good. He didn't want to find out about her behind her back. He wanted to know her personally, to hear every single thing from her mouth, to hear her every little secret and memory, her complaints and rants, anything about herself. He just wanted to hear her voice.

This might not be just a crush after all.

Dismissing Tobias, he propped his elbows on his desk with his head in his hands. He should back up and consider what this could mean. Was he ready to trust someone else? All his life, he had put his faith and trust in the wrong people and gotten himself hurt in a million different ways. He thought he was broken beyond repair, his shattered heart behind an ice cold wall.

Yet, why did he feel like she would be different? That she could melt down his walls and mend his scars?

He let out a deep sigh. Something was definitely wrong with him. It's only been like what? Barely a week since they met. This was way too fast.

Pushing his chair back swiftly, he got up. Dialing a familiar number in his phone, he waited. Leaning his hand on the window rail, he closed his eyes, the soft breeze ruffling his messed up chestnut hair, almost making it look a darker shade.

"Well well well," the person spoke, his thick British accent dripping with feigned surprise that almost made Xander smile. "Pray tell, to what do I owe this pleasure? Mr. Blood heir? Or is it the crimson heir now?"

Xander rolled his eyes. "Don't you roll your eyes at me." The voice said before he could reply.

"I already did." Xander deadpanned.

"Mhm. So what happened? Is everything okay? Do I need to beat someone up?"

Xander shook his head. "Everything's fine. I wanted to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"You knew dad and his friends pretty well right?"

A short pause. "Yes?"

"Who is George White?"

"His best friend-"

"Yeah I know but who is he really? I couldn't find a single thing about his background, except that dad personally blocked info on him."

"Why do you want to know about that fu-" he inhaled sharply. "-about him?"

Xander smirked. "You hate him, don't you?"

"Yes. So why do you want to know about him?"

Removing his hand from the grill, Xander sat on the window seat, propping up one of his legs. " You might want to sit down for this." He started, "or you're probably gonna faint or something."

"Ooh what is it?" He asked, excitement lacing his voice, like he was some teenage girl eager for gossip.

Xander began slowly, "I think I have a crush on someo-" he heard the should of something breaking on the other side of the phone. "Say that again."

"I think I like someone."

He had to keep his phone away from his ear at his uncle's scream of delight. "Yes!" He screamed. "About time! You know I was seriously beginning to worry you'd be, what do kids call it these days? Asexual? I dunno. So what's her name?! Who is she?!"

"Her name's Alexandra." Xander said, smiling at the memory of her inhaling the scent of roses he'd gotten her, "she's George White's daughter."

"What?" His voice was barely above a whisper, like he couldn't believe what Xander had just said. "You're serious?!" There was something different in his tone, something that confused Xander.

He frowned. "Yeah." He stood up, pacing in his study. "Do you disapprove?" He asked, a feeling of dread spreading in his chest. It wasn't too late, maybe he could still take a control over his emotions and stop liking her. Was that even possible? He would try if-

"What? No!" His uncle said, his voice incredulous. "If you really like her then you should go for it. Before it's too late. Don't care about what others think Xan, this is your life, you make the choices, not them."

Xander sighed in relief. "Okay."

"So what? You're doing a background check on her?" His voice dripped with disapproval.

"Of course not. It's just..." He explained what happened in great detail, sure that if there was something his dad didn't want him to know, his uncle definitely would.

After hearing everything, Xander's uncle said, "Well this isn't exactly my place to tell you this but...Jordan is George's brother."

"What?!"

Liam had just entered the study, carrying a covered canvas and his bag. His hair, a similar shade of Xander's had a blotch of blue paint stuck to side. He was wearing his painting clothes, something their mom always insisted him to do since he was a kid, to not mess up his other clothes and paint however he liked to his heart's content.

Liam raised his brows in question, silently asking who Xander was speaking to.

Xander, who still hadn't comprehended their uncle's words didn't notice his look.

He heard his uncle sigh. "It's a long complicated story. Something you kids weren't supposed to know. But it's true. They're brothers. George left the Villin Empire."

"That's why dad tried to keep his info a secret."

"Who's info?" Liam asked.

"Yes." Their uncle said, "to protect him."

"Huh." Xander glanced out through the window, his eye catching a movement in the huge garden below. It was his mom and dad, immersed in what seemed like a light hearted conversation. Xander looked away as his mom chuckled at something his dad said.

"I hate my life."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Alexandra was sitting below the tree right outside her room, a book in her hand. Cole had dragged her out saying he had to show the new trick he'd learned at school. Everyone was outside, including Olivia who was pestering her mom asking when George was coming back.

"You're not even watching!" Cole grumbled, putting his foot on the ball.

Alexandra closed her book. "Now I am."

Narrowing his eyes at her, Cole readied himself to hit the ball. That's when a familiar honk sounded out from the road.

Everyone turned their heads to the mini gate by the fence. Her heart drumming inside her chest, Alexandra rose, the book in her hand falling down, the pages fluttering open.

"Is that-" Alexandra's aunt, Elizabeth could barely get the words out of her mouth before Alexandra ran.

There he was, under the twilight sky, raking his eyes over her form as if checking for injuries, as if he couldn't bear to miss out a single detail. She stopped in front of him, and a killer smile lit up on his face.

"Hi."

"Hey." It was contagious. And so damn breathtaking.

"Are you feeling better now?" He asked, his smile replaced with gentle concern.

Alexandra, who was busy staring at him, blinked. "Huh? Oh yeah. I'm fine now."

His gaze pierced her, those sapphire blue eyes showing so many emotions at once that she couldn't understand what was what. Then there was relief in them. "Okay."

The two were oblivious to the poisonous words Elizabeth was spitting out like a venomous snake, barely able to contain her disdain.

"I brought your other books." Xander took out few books from his bag and handed them to Alexandra who raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Did you write the notes too?" Her tone was accusing, that automatically brought a sheepish smile to his face.

"What?" He asked in a teasing tone, "You weren't planning on writing the entire notes for the day, were you?"

That sounded familiar. "A shame." His mouth curved in a loop sided grin. "When I already did it for you. You can allow yourself to be lazy now." He winked.

She shook her head, not even bothering to stop the grin spreading on her face. "Thank you. But you seriously didn't have to."

Xander shrugged. "If I hadn't I wouldn't have had an excuse to see you today."

Was he aware of the intensity of his words or how they warmed her heart up to a hundred degrees?

"Too bad you're gonna leave now." She said, trying not to let her own words affect her.

He smirked. "We'll see."

Before she could ask what he meant, Alexandra's mom waved at Xander, Elizabeth left behind to glare daggers at Xander.

"Stay for dinner?" Sophia asked, a knowing smile on her face.

Xander briefly flickered his gaze towards Elizabeth and Olivia. "You know I'm really tempted to."

Glancing back at Elizabeth, who was now making her way to them, Sophia rolled her eyes. "Just ignore her. We always do." She said, earning a snicker from Alexandra.

"I can imagine why." Xander twisted the accelerator, it's loud sound cutting out Elizabeth's words.

Sophia squeezed his hand. "You're just like your mom." Xander's smile slipped from his face, something that didn't go unnoticed by Alexandra when he tried to cover it up quickly.

"I'd love to stay but Liam's waiting for me." Xander said before Elizabeth could speak up again. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Xander flashed her a grin. "Of course."

"Tell your dad to send me some of his fried chicken along with the recipe this time, okay?" Sophia flashed Xander a sweet smile that he just couldn't say no to.

"Okay."

"Thank you." She then winked at him and dragged Elizabeth back, suddenly speaking about the new store that opened up in the city Square.

Alexandra, who was very confused by the whole conversation flashed Xander a helpless glance. Chuckling, Xander put on his helmet. "See you tomorrow."

Before she could ask more, he flashed her a wink and turned his bike away.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth was fuming at Sophia like a raging bull. The only thing left for her was to attack Sophia physically.

"How could you let her meet that boy?! Do you even have the slightest idea what this could lead to?! Do you?! That boy rejected father's good grace-"

"That has nothing to do with my daughter."

"She belongs to the Villin family! To us!"

"She does not belong to anyone but herself!" Sophia raised her voice for the first time, silencing Elizabeth with the sheer shock of being talked back to. "You and your husband would do well to remember that."

Elizabeth twisted her mouth into a sneer. "Are you threatening me?!" There was disbelief in her tone, laced with venomous anger.

"What will you do if I say I was? Kill me?" Sophia raised her eyebrow, mockery drilling her tone. "Oh honey you failed countless times, what makes you believe you'll do it now?"

"You!" Elizabeth raised her hand in order to slap Sophia but it never came. Instead her hand was held in a death grip by Alexandra who had now slid between the two of them, her back facing her mom, trying to protect her.

"If it was someone else, I would have broken their arm." Alexandra said casually, giving Elizabeth sarcastic smile, yet in her eyes was a swirling flame of rage, ready to devour everything in its path.

"You of all people know should know that." Like her mom, mockery dripped her tone, the grip on Elizabeth's hand tightening.

Elizabeth tried to remove it from Alexandra's grasp but failed. "So, what was that about trying to kill you?" Alexandra asked her mom, her eyebrows raised.

Before Sophia could answer, George's surprised voice sounded out from the door.

"Alexandra! What are you doing?!"