"I am so glad to meet you, Candace. I have heard so much about you from Louis.", Vera says. Her voice is light, but confident, as if she used to be shy but recently started speaking up for herself.

"I've heard a lot about you too. Most of it from Xavier", I say plainly, and I notice that she winces.

"Xavier and I – it's a long story, but I heard what happened between you two, and I wanted to tell you my story."

I shrug, and she goes on.

"Xavier and I knew each other ever since we were six. He had just been brought to America. He was so shy, and the other kids didn't make it easy for him. He was adopted you see – everyone made fun of him because his parents were dead. And of course, there was Asher. Asher never liked Xavier, and it broke Xavier's heart because, back then, I think the only thing he wanted was a friend – he was a young child who was brought into a new world, and he was all alone. One day, Louis and I saw him crying under the slide. We became his friends and from that day on, we always had each other's backs. But Xavier never really got over it all. I think he was always scared that we would turn on him or something. He always kept us at a distance."

"Except Beatrice", I cut in.

Vera frowns. "Beatrice was different. Xavier saved her from being bullied – it was on the first day of sixth grade and her mom and dad had just gotten a divorce. She saw him as her savior, and he felt like he related to her because they were both victims. He always wanted to protect her – to shield her from all harm – because he felt that they were the same. But she was always in love with him."

I sigh. This is not what I want to hear. "Let's move on to when you and Xavier started dating."

She visibly tenses. A waiter passes by us with glasses of lemonade, and she grabs two from the tray, handing one to me. After a long sip, she continues.

"Xavier and I started dating in our senior year. He had been in a huge argument with Asher, and I could tell that he was upset and... I just kissed him, and he kissed me back", she says, a wistful look on her face. I really don't want to hear this, even though it happened long before Xavier and I even met.

"From then on, we were official, but I don't know if it really changed anything between us. Xavier and I had always been friends, and I guess we somehow both knew that we would end up together. We had many events together and we just clicked. But I never felt like we were in a real relationship. He was always like a brother to me."

"Then why didn't you tell him? Why did you lead him on?"

"I just couldn't. he was already traumatized by the death of his parents and the bullying. I couldn't make him think that he was unlovable. Sometimes, he confided in me that he felt that no one would ever want him. I couldn't just break his hear by saying that I didn't love him the way he loved me."

"Well you broke his heart wither way. You cheated on him, you ruined his trust in people.", my voice breaks at this point. Xavier has been through so much.

Vera looks pained. "I know that it sounds so horrible but you don't understand. Asher was so sweet and understanding."

My breath hitches in my throat. "What do you mean?", I ask, and my voice sounds strangled, even to my own ears.

"The person I cheated on Xavier with... it was Asher."

No. It can't be Asher. He would have told me something. Wouldn't he?

Vera continues, oblivious to the internal dilemma that I am going through. "We were about to go to college – Xavier and I had been dating for two years, and trust me, it had not been easy. Beatrice had been constantly looking for a reason to make me and Xavier break up – she had spread lies and rumors, but Xavier never saw her as the issue. He always tried to encourage peace between both of us, but it had reached a point where I couldn't even stand to be around her anymore. Of course, she always played the victim, so it looked like I was unnecessarily jealous, when in reality, I was just trying to hang on to my boyfriend. Sometimes, I wanted to leave, but I knew that it was what Beatrice wanted. She knew that Xavier loved me, and she wanted me out of the picture.

"Anyway, Xavier wanted to celebrate her eighteenth birthday with a pool party. He organized a huge event and it was going well until Xavier left me and her alone, to 'talk out our differences'. Immediately he left, Beatrice told me that she was tired of me hanging on to Xavier, and told me to break up with him. Of course, I refused. I told her that she could kill herself with begging, but I still wouldn't break up with Xavier. Then she smiled and...", Vera breaks off.

"What did she do?", my voice is just a whisper.

"She broke the bottle of alcohol, and stabbed herself, then she started to scream. Xavier rushed in and when he saw her, he instantly carried her to the hospital. I didn't follow – I couldn't. I knew that she would blame me, and the truth was too crazy to believe. I just started crying, and then Asher appeared. I told him everything, and he believed me. I was so relieved; I remember crying tears of joy. He hugged me, and offered me a drink and soon we were... we kissed."

"Then what?", I ask as she breaks off. I want to know the full story.

"Xavier came back to meet me and Asher in his bedroom. Asher had taken me to Xavier's bedroom, and we had sex. That was how Xavier found us.", at this point, the pain in her voice is so deep, I almost feel sorry for her. But I imagine how Xavier must have felt when he saw his girlfriend of two years in bed with the brother that he hated, and all my pity dissipates.

"What happened then?"

"Xavier was distraught. In all my years of knowing him, I have never seen him like that. He screamed and cursed and then he broke down sobbing. Meanwhile, Asher watched with a smile on his face. I knew then that I had been used. Asher had used me to break Xavier's heart, and he had succeeded. I didn't even know what to say. Eventually, I just left without saying a word. That same week, I moved to LA. I couldn't face either of them again."

"What about Beatrice? And how did Louis know?"

"I told Louis much later. Of course, he blamed me for cheating on Xavier – and with his own brother too. He didn't speak to me again, until a few days ago. As for Beatrice, she told Xavier that she accidentally cut herself. There was no need to lie with my name anymore. I had already done the damage with my own hands."

I am just about to comment when suddenly, there is a loud crash from the front door. I jump up and turn around to see Xavier leaning on Louis. My first reaction is relief. He is here and he is alright. He hasn't done anything rash or irrational. But then, anger sets in as I see the state that he is in. He is completely drunk, and he is basically being carried up the stairs by Louis. That's not what angers me though. It's the blonde who is sobbing hysterically as she tries to explain what happened to Xavier's parents who have now gathered around him.

Jordan shows up beside me. "Is that...", he gasps.

"Yes, it is", I say, as she runs to the kitchen. "I have to follow her. She has a lot to explain."

Jordan nods, and I set off after her. I am about to open the door, when I hear two voices inside. One of them is obviously Beatrice, but the other one surprises me.

"I can't believe you told him everything", Asher groans. "You could just have pretended for a little bit longer."

"But I couldn't", Beatrice whines, and I can imagine her blue eyes widening. "He was so emotional. I had to let him know that he didn't actually sleep with me that night."

"What else did you tell him?", Asher groans. "Did you tell him that I helped Candace's friend post the pictures?"

I stifle a gasp. Asher helped Audrey post the pictures? But why?

"Of course I didn't say that silly", Beatrice responds. "I'm not stupid"

"Obviously you are if you told him anything at all", Asher responds.

"Why are you worried?", Beatrice asks. "I thought that you were going to seduce the Candy girl just like you seduced Vera."

"It's different with her. It's like she's still in love with him or something."

Beatrice scoffs. "You're not trying hard enough idiot. Seduce her and make it seem like she has moved on from Xavier or something. Then he will be mine."

At this point, I can't take it anymore, and I barge into the kitchen, startling both Asher and Beatrice. It takes a moment for Beatrice to regain her composure.

"Well, look who came to join the party."

"Cut the crap, Beatrice.", I yell. "You planned all this didn't you. and you...", I turn around to face Asher "...were in on this all along. You helped Audrey put the picture online so that it would become popular didn't you?"

Beatrice laughs. "All the clues were always there – you were just too stupid to see it. I mean, what were the odds that two brothers liked you? Do you think you're the main character in a Wattpad story or something?"

"Besides, do you think I took you to all those fast food restaurants for fun?", Asher asjs with a grimace. "I've ruined my diet for you."

"Fast food is awesome", I glare at Asher.

Then I turn to Beatrice, "When Xavier hears this, he will hate you.", I snarl at her.

"Oh you plan to tell him? I'll deny it of course. Who do you think he'll believe? Me, his childhood friend for years, or you, a slut he met a few months ago?"

"In this case Beatrice...", Xavier said, walking in, his face angrier than I had ever seen it, "In this case, I think I'll believe the slut."

And then all hell broke loose.

***

It took forever to drag Beatrice and Asher out of the house, and I enjoyed every moment of it. When Xavier's parents heard what happened, they were so pissed they even threatened to write Asher out of their will. However, everything settled down eventually, leaving me where I am right now.

Seated on a couch beside Xavier.

"Hey", I whisper, reaching out to touch his arm. He immediately tenses and I withdraw. "look, we don't have to talk okay? Just listen to me." He doesn't make a move, so I continue.

"You need to get yourself together. This whole drinking stuff – it isn't you okay? Please, I need the old Xavier back. If anything happened to you I can't even-", my voice breaks for like the tenth time today.

I am shocked to feel Xavier's arms around me, hugging me.

"I thought you didn't care.", he whispers against my hair.

"I do care. I need you to be sober again."

"Then give me another chance.", he says, and I pull away.

"say what now? This is not a bargain Xavier."

"Yes it is.", he says. "All things are a bargain. You want me sober, and I want a chance."

I am aghast. Are we really discussing this right now?

"Why did Beatrice come here?", I try to change the subject.

He looks away. "I went to her hotel with a bottle of vodka. I was going to try to get the truth from her, no matter the method."

"Then how did you end up getting drunk?", I ask, genuinely puzzled.

He grins at me sheepishly. "I might have finished the whole bottle before she even took her first shot."

I gasp. Has he learned nothing from the past month?

"Hey, I was jealous okay? I had just seen you and Asher being all over each other at your graduation. I thought you had forgotten me.", he defends. "It worked though. She told me the truth. She isn't who I thought she was."

"Yeah, no kidding", I roll my eyes.

"So will you take me back?"

"I don't know. I'm moving to New York for university soon, and I don't trust long distance relationships so..."

"Then I'll move with you."

I gasp. This was not how I expected our conversation to go.

"I'll move my business' headquarters to New York. That way I can follow you."

"Are you sure about this?"

"Come here", he says, gesturing to his lap. Hesitantly, I walk over to him, and he pulls me on to him.

"I've made a lot of mistakes Candy. But this isn't one of them. I don't want to lose you again, and I am willing to do whatever it takes to prevent that. I will probably mess up again – I can't promise that I won't. however, you are the girl I want to spend my days with. I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

"I will probably force us to go to fast food restaurants all the time. Are you sure you can handle that?"

He grins at me. "For the girl I love, I am willing to risk my diet to the cruelty of heart diseases. I love you Candy.", and he kisses me on the lips.

How can I say no to someone as sweet as that?

A/N: So this is the chapter that answered everyone's questions. So happy to have confirmed all your assumptions.

(Note: Xavier did not call mean that Candy is a slut. He was just using the words that Beatrice used earlier to prove that he would believe anyone over Beatrice at that moment. Please don't give him too much hate)

I loved writing this chapter so much. There were moments when I was literally screaming to myself. I can't believe that in maybe two or three chapters, this book will be over ☹️☹️

However, I would like to know your opinions on this chapter. What were your favorite moments (if any)? For me, it was when Xavier walked into the kitchen. I was totally hyped at that moment. 

So I will be updating the last chapters soon. I can't wait. see you loves 💋💋💋