I climb out of bed, to see a box on my bedside. Surprised, I open it, and inside is the brand new iPhone 14 pro max. I gasped in surprise. There is also a note in the box; it says:

Candy,

I know that your parents restrict your phone usage (why they do that is beyond me), so I decided to buy you this to keep in touch, as I believe that we will be talking a lot.

Will be seeing you.

Xavier.

I am shocked. How did he know that I have restricted phone use? I switch on the phone, and I see a message pop up from Xavier.

Xavier: Meet me at noon

Is that a date? I think that it might be.

I slip the phone into its box and hide it under my bed. If my parents find it, Ill have no way to explain how an expensive phone came to be in my possession.

I rush downstairs. Since it is a Sunday morning, my parents are at home, but that does not mean that we spend family time together or whatever that may be. After breakfast, I stay shut up in my room with granola bars and study until dinner which is by 5pm. I'm allowed 2 hours of phone time.

Breakfast is toast and scrambled eggs with my parents. After breakfast, my mom hands me my phone. I rush to my bedroom and switch on my phone. Immediately, I see tons of messages.

Jordan: Candy are you safe at home?

Jordan: Xavier is looking for you. He seems worried. What happened?

Jordan: Gave Xavier your number. Hope you dont mind ;-)

Random number: Candace please Im sorry. This is Xavier by the way.

Jordan: Xavier looks really worried. Pls pick up.

Random number: Do you need a ride home? Are you safe? Please text me back.

Random number: Im coming to your house right now.

Jordan: Xavier just left. He looks so troubled. Call me tomorrow and well talk.

I also see 8 missed calls from the random number (Xavier) and 2 from Jordan.

What the starfish?

I quickly call Jordan. He picks up almost instantly.

"What happened last night Candace? I was so worried about you – so was your billionaire boyfriend."

I explained to him all that had happened last night and he was quiet for a few moments while he listened. I expected him to call Xavier rude names, maybe even threaten to kill him, but Jordan's words took me by surprise.

"I think you should give him a chance, Jordan said. He obviously has feelings for you and the fact that he was so upset that he got drunk just goes to show you how much he cares for you."

"What  does him getting drunk have anything to do with him caring for me?"

"Candy , I hate to say this but you are really dumb. How do you know absolutely nothing about this guy?", Jordan sounds incredulous and I am about to respond when he quickly continues.

"Xavier was found at the age of five living in an abusive home with his alcoholic father who was a pimp in England. His mother was a prostitute. When social services found him, they took him to an orphanage, and a few months later, he was adopted by an American family – the Reyes family. Even now, none of the Reyes have much to do with sponsoring alcoholism. Xavier one turned down a ten-million-dollar project because it was sponsoring alcoholism."

I am silent while Jordan speaks.

"The  fact that Xavier got drunk yesterday means he must have been really worried about you; he usually avoids highly intoxicating drinks, yet I saw him drinking rum and vodka like water when you left yesterday."

I fall onto my bed, feeling so guilty. I had had no idea; I would have to make it up to him – somehow. I was so lost in thought that I forgot that Jordan was still on the phone.

"Candy, are you still there?" , he asked.

"Yes  I'm here. I was just thinking about how I have to make things up to Xavier."

"That's  my girl. What do you have in mind?"

"Oh  I'll think of something", I said, a smile in my voice. And then to change the subject, "So what did you think of Linda?"

I listen to him rave about how awesome and sexy Linda is and how they've planned another date so soon, before I wish him luck and hang up.

I sit at my desk and pick up my calculus textbook, but all I can think about is the sexy man who happens to be my boss.

***

Xaviers POV:

Last night

I leaned in to kiss her for the second time this week. She is an Aphrodite, and I've regretted not being able to be around her for so long. I kiss her long and hard until we finally pull away from each other.

"Do you feel like you hardly know me now?", I say, my eyes searched hers.

Suddenly, the air between us changes, and she looks at me with an expression of hurt and anger.

"If you're kissing me to prove a point for your own selfish reasons, then get lost. You keep acting hot then cold – you kiss me then you avoid me for days; am I just a joke to you. Just leave me alone."

"Candy I...", I try to talk to her but she turns away from me and walks out the door. What should I do? Do I go after her? No that would be pointless, a waste of time, and I do not like wasting time. I need a foolproof way not get her attention without letting emotions get involved. And there shouldn't be any emotions involved. She's a kid for crying out loud – a mere teenager. Im only physically attracted to her because she looks like...her.

I feel a lump in my throat which I try to ignore, and I head over to the bar and pour a stiff drink. I should be thinking of the most foolproof way to get Candy back, to find out why she reacted the way she did, and I don't usually drink, but tonight I feel like it will help me to get an idea.

And now I know just what to do.

Stepping outside, I look around for Candy's friend, who I saw heading this way. I can't see him for a second and... oh. I did not expect to find him making out with my secretary. It would be proper and polite to probably wait for them to finish, or go back inside, but as I have already proven, I am not proper, nor polite so I walk up to them and cough, rather loudly.

They break apart instantly, and stare at me.

"Excuse us please Linda", I say, hardly glancing at her. I see her struggling within herself, whether she should obey me or stay, but in the end, she realizes that I am her boss and she goes immediately.

Good.

"Dude that was rude" , I hear the voice of Candy's friend – Harry is his name I think.

"I really don't care Harry. I need you to find out where Candy is and I need to know right now."

"Firstly , my name is Jordan."

Oh ...he looks more like a Harry though but still

"And secondly, what do you mean? Candy just texted me that she is feeling ill and will talk to me tomorrow."

A pit drops in my stomach. I can't wait until tomorrow to hear from her. I need to talk to her right now.

"Just call her and see if she has arrived safe at home.*

Jordan tries to call her, but it doesn't go through, so he sends her a text.

She doesnt reply.

"Give me her number. She may have blocked you or something." I know its a stupid suggestion, and from the way he rolls his eyes, he knows it too, but he calls out the number and I save it and try to call her.

It doesn't go through.

I send a text of apology to her. I hope she reads it and isn't just ignoring me.

I go back to the hall. I have a gala to host. Every ten minutes, I refill my glass with vodka and call or text Candy, but I dont get a response. After an hour, I meet up with Jordan who also hasn't heard from Candy either, but he doesn't seem worried.

"I guess her parents confiscated her phone for the night", he says nonchalantly

"Do  parents still do that?, I ask puzzled. Thats so archaic. Isn't she almost eighteen?"

"Trust me, Candys parents are as strict and archaic as a pair of dinosaurs. Even though she turns eighteen in a four days, she is still kept on a very tight leash. Hey Xavier, let me tell you a little secret."

"It's Mr Reyes to you Harry", I say childishly, rolling my eyes. Gosh I must be really drunk.

"Oh whatever. Just shut up and listen. It's important."

I've never been told to shut up before, but I do.

When Harry (Jordan) is sure that Im quiet he speaks.

"Candy is like a sister to me and I would like to see her happy and frankly, you are doing a lousy job. What do you mean by kissing her and then ghosting her, only to end up getting all cozy with her later on and pretending that nothing happened? She feels like you're playing her you dummy and if she feels like she's just your toy, she's going to stay as far away from you as possible and I will advise her to do so."

I stare at him in shock. How does he know about the kiss in the office?

As if reading my thoughts, he answers, "Candy tells me a lot of things, but don't worry, I'm the only one who knows about the kiss."

I breathe out visibly.

"I  only ghosted her because she deserves better than a guy like me who..."

"Dude that's cap and you know it. Are you scared of a little age difference? Or maybe you have secrets you dont want her to know about? Whatever it is, if you truly want Candy's friendship, you have to act with your emotions, and not cold blooded logic."

His words sink into me, and, maybe because I'm drunk, I consider them. What is the most illogical thing that I can do right now.

Well I could... Hey that might work.

I run to my car shouting, "Thanks Harry" , to Jordan who replied, "My name is not Harry"

I couldn't care less about his name. I hop into my car and tell my driver to drive me to Candy's house as quickly as possible. The time is 11:02. I hope she will still be awake.

A/N: I'm so proud of this chapter like... bruh. Hope you liked Xavier's POV - I think he's so cute when he's drunk. I won't be doing his side of the story very often, but in important scenes where I think that we should know what he is feeling, I'll do his POV. The next chapter is going to be back in Candy's POV. Don't forget to vote and comment if you liked the chapter.