Xavier~
"Congrats, Bella." I held out a bouquet to her, feeling uneasy due to the awkward silence between us. Victor was looking at me with anger-filled eyes as he saw me approaching her.
She softly mumbled, "Thank you," before returning her attention to the ground. Why is she avoiding eye contact with me?
"Uncle, my mama looks beautiful, right?" Alan's innocent question increased the tension between us even more. After hearing Alan, my gaze returned to Bella. She does look stunning today. She looked even more stunning in her full-sleeved, champagne-colored gown. Most of the time, she dressed like a lawyer, but tonight, she looked amazing. The red roses in her bun enhanced her beauty, but my heart raced as I watched Victor apply them to her hair.
Observing their intimate bond filled my heart with jealousy. How can Victor do this to me? How can he marry Bella when he knows she is my wife? However, this is not his fault; rather, it is entirely my fault, as I have failed to recognize Bella's value in my life, while Victor has consistently shown her love and respect.
"Bella, we should go downstairs." In my presence, Victor appeared irritated. He firmly grasped her hand and hugged her waist. I regret my actions again when I see how close they are, but I can't do anything.
"Uncle, let's go. I will introduce you to my friends." He held my hand and dragged me towards the party hall. The glares of all the guests make me uncomfortable. Many of the guests attended my anniversary celebration, and many of them were familiar with me.
Alan introduced me to his friends before Victor called him. He left me alone, and I felt left out as I stood alone in the corner of the party hall. I watched Bella as she engaged in conversation with guests, Victor following her around like a shadow. They look like a powerful couple, but seeing them together, my heart is filled with jealousy.
"Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen." My dad's voice drew everyone's attention.
"I threw this party for my beautiful, loving daughter-in-law who had realized my dream. Despite being a top lawyer, I could never compete with my college friend and colleague, Mr. Merchent, whom I had always hoped to defeat. However, my daughter-in-law assured me that she would one day fulfill my dream, and today, she finally allowed me to celebrate her accomplishment." His joyful voice reverberated across the celebration space.
I had never seen such brightness in my dad's eyes before. Bella and Victor joined him on the stage. My elder brother also joined him. They all appear to be happy and form a perfect family, and I feel as though I have no place in this family. I wanted to leave the party hall, feeling left out in this lavish party, but a nagging question compelled me to stay. Bella seemed preoccupied and lost in her world when I tried to talk to her to get answers.
"Xavier Thompson, how did you feel after winning the case?" When I heard Derrick's voice, I froze. In the party hall's corner, he was drinking whisky. His face looked sad, and his body language told me that he consumed too much alcohol.
"I didn't think you would be at this party, Mr. Merchant." His presence at this party astonished me.
"I want to tell you the same thing, Xavier: I didn't think you would be at this party." He glanced in the direction of the center of the party hall before downing another tumbler of whisky. Even though his remarks made me feel even more embarrassed, I continued to attend the party.
"Bella didn't mean to offend you in court, so don't harbor resentment toward her, Mr. Merchant." I noticed a hint of hatred in his eyes as he consumed whisky.
"Xavier, you care for her. I brought up your relationship with her in court to help win this murder case, but I was unaware at the time that you were truly in love with her." His gaze fixed on my face. I took a whisky glass and asked him to celebrate her victory, hoping to divert his attention away from the topic he wanted to discuss.
"As a lawyer, I understand exactly what you desire, so please don't attempt to manipulate me, Xavier, regardless of my level of intoxication."
I was unable to conceal my feelings from his keen gaze.
"Please don't be angry with her, Mr. Merchent; she went above and beyond to get justice for me." To prevent Derrick from causing Bella any problems in the future, I did everything in my power to support her.
"I don't harbor any resentment toward her, so don't worry about me. She taught me the true power of truth by shattering my pride. However, I fear that by bringing up Jordan Lucas in court, she may harm herself. You already know that he is dangerous." As he brought up Jordan Lucas, fear entered his eyes.
He was correct. I'm also afraid of what will happen in the wake of this murder case. Bella was deep in conversation with the judge when I glanced back at her. Although I couldn't comprehend what they were talking about, I could tell from their facial expressions that they were discussing a crucial topic. A few minutes later, I received a shocking announcement from my dad.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have some wonderful news to share with you." My daughter-in-law's selection as the prosecutor has prompted the court to reopen the Jordan Lucas case. Although there was a range of emotions in the party hall—some people were astonished, while others were excited—I was not pleased with this news.
To quell the rage that was rising inside of me, I downed a bottle of whisky. I had to speak with Bella right now, but she is busy with guests, so I don't want to cause any trouble at her party. Nevertheless, my intense need to keep her safe from Jordan Lucas compelled me to approach her, so I got up and moved toward her.