淑女的欲望

Xander's aura is so sharp, like a sacred Katana, it feels as if it slashes the air around him. 

"How could you betray your best friend?" Xander said, his voice shaking with anger and disbelief.

Zoey hung her head in shame. "I know, I know. I was stupid and selfish," she said, her voice barely audible. "I didn't think about the consequences of my actions because I love you so much..."

Xander's eyes narrowed as he looked at her. "You love me?" he asked. 

Zoey nodded, "I love you more than anything," she said. "And I know I messed up. I'm sorry, Xander..."

Xander's hands clenched into fists at his sides, but he forced himself to stay calm. He couldn't believe Zoey had betrayed him like this. He had trusted her with everything, and she had thrown it away for selfish desires.

"I trusted you," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "And you betrayed that trust. How could you do that to me?"

Zoey stared at him, her eyes full of pain. "I don't know," she said. "I was blind because I loved you. And that time, Adeline telling me you had proposed to her pissed me off. So, I devised a plan to make you hate her."

Xander's body tense in anger.

She continued, "...That night, I gave her and Rex a drink that got them drunk. I think you already know the rest of the story."

SMACK!

Zoey's body recoiled from the force of Xander's slap. Her cheeks throbbed in pain, tears welled in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She knew she deserved a slap, but it still hurt so bad.

She slowly raised her hand and rubbed her now swollen cheek. 

'Xander Riley, did you hate me so much that you slapped me so hard?' Zoey told herself. She was still too shocked by Xander's sudden slap. 

But a few seconds later, the corners of Zoey's lips lifted slightly and formed a faint smile. After feeling a bit better, she raised her head and looked him in the eyes. 

Zoey took a deep breath and spoke softly, "I know I deserved that slap! But I'll never regret what I did back then. I've never regretted it because, over the past year, I'm grateful to be standing beside you, Xander!" 

"You bitch! You don't deserve to be in my presence!" Xander's voice sounded so cold that it made Zoey freeze when she heard it. 

Her heart sank as she saw Xander's angry face. Her shoulders slumped with grief and disappointment. She knew their relationship would never be the same again — She lost her friend and the man she loved.

"...Zoey Warner!! From now on, you are dishonorably fired from the Riley Group. And I will make sure you will never be able to get a job and stay in this country." Xander continued his words and then left the room. 

Xander's heart skipped a beat when he saw Logan coming out of Ben's office. He couldn't help feeling scared when he saw that Scarlett wasn't around. 

"Logan, where is Scarlett? Have you seen her?"  Xander asked urgently, his fingers fumbling with his phone as he tried to dial Scarlett's number.

Logan's eyes widened in surprise at Xander's sudden appearance. He had never seen Xander so distressed before. "Young Madam? I thought she was in your office!?" Logan replied, his voice sounding confused.

Xander's heart dropped when he heard Logan's words. His fears were now confirmed — Scarlett ran away.

Without another word, Xander dashed into the elevator and pressed the button. As he waited for the elevator doors to open, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He didn't know why, but he felt something wasn't right.

A moment later, the elevator door opened.

Xander motioned to Logan and Ben, who had just appeared to follow him inside the elevator. After the elevator doors closed, he looked at the two in turn.

"Ben, I just fired Zoey. Now, escort that bitch out of the building!! Throw her on the street like a dirty bitch. And make sure she leaves this country. You know what? You may take extreme action if she insists on staying." Xander said in his cold voice, hinting to Ben that eliminating her soul was not off the table. 

Even though Ben was surprised to hear Xander's order, he didn't ask anything but just nodded. He said, "Consider it done, boss!!" 

Xander's eyes deepened as he looked at Logan, "I'm really disappointed in you, Logan. Why don't you stay outside to wait for my wife?" He was furious at Logan.

Now, Xander was utterly worried about where Scarlett had gone after she witnessed what happened in his office. Scarlett must have misunderstood. Moreover, earlier, he tried to contact her many times, but her cell phone was off. 

Xander knew Scarlett had deliberately turned off her cell phone.

"I'm sorry, sir!" Logan said apologetically.

After hearing Xander's request to Ben, Logan understands why his boss looks angry. Zoey Warner must be why Young Madam got mad and left this office unnoticed. Now, Logan regrets not staying outside. He wouldn't have lost her if he hadn't gone to Ben's room.

Xander ignores Logan. He's too busy trying to contact Scarlett. 

"M-Master, I will find Young Madam..." Logan said again. Then he took out his cell phone and called the Building's Security.

When the elevator arrived at the lobby, they all split up, looking for Scarlett, but she was nowhere to be seen.

After not finding Scarlett in the lobby, Xander immediately left the building, looking for her in the parking area and the front street, but he couldn't find her. 

"Scarlett, where are you?" Xander whispered softly. After a few minutes, Xander didn't find Scarlett around the building. He immediately returned and met Logan, who had just finished calling.

"Sir, Security said Young Madam left the building in a taxi..." Logan reports to Xander after finishing talking with the guard.

Xander cursed inwardly before saying, "Logan, you go to the CCTV Center and check where she is now."

"Yes, sir, right away!" Logan said and immediately disappeared from the place. 

"Ben, I'm going to find my wife. Go back to doing what I said earlier. I don't want to hear or see that woman again!!" Xander said and went to the basement hurriedly. 

As Xander walked fast toward his car, he called Alistar.