Xavier~
"Oh my god, it's unbelievable. How can they put such a severe charge on you? If the media leaks this news, it could negatively impact your public image," Bella said, her voice trembling as she read the notice. I grabbed the paper from her hand, my own pulse racing as I tried to process the gravity of what she'd just said.
"What the hell is this? How can they accuse you of harassing your partner and accusing him of being a home wrecker? I mean, you both told me you were in a relationship willingly!" I looked at Victor, my expression a mix of confusion and shock, waiting for any sign of denial or explanation from him.
"What's this notice even about?"
James leaned over, grabbed the court notice from my hand, and read it aloud.
"Wait… Are you… gay, Victor?" James looked up, startled, his eyes wide with shock as he searched Victor's face for answers.
Victor didn't respond to James. Instead, he lowered his head, his face shadowed with a mix of shame and fear, his silence speaking volumes. Social barriers and the looming threat of public scorn had kept him from sharing his truth with anyone.
Bella, however, had known all along and had used this knowledge to shield herself from me. But after I caught Victor with his partner in the hospital that day, I'd already overheard their conversation and discovered the truth.
Victor looked at the court notice, his face crumpling with the realization that it was all out now. His eyes filled with tears, which he tried in vain to hold back as he read the notice over and over again, unable to look up at anyone.
I reached out and pulled him into a hug, patting his back, hoping my support would at least ease a fraction of his shame and fear.
"Don't worry, Victor,We'll find a good lawyer to defend you." Despite the weight of the situation, a strange sense of peace filled me as I embraced him—a calm I hadn't felt in years. I realized how much I missed this connection, this bond between us that had been strained and nearly broken by everything we'd been through.
Bella's voice broke through my thoughts, trembling and full of worry.
"What will you do if Dad finds out this truth about you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Her fear was palpable, and I could sense the dread we all shared about how Dad might react to this revelation.
"No, I can't face Dad. How will I make him understand that I love a man?" Victor's fear was raw, his dread of our father's reaction as clear as the tears now staining his cheeks. His whole body was tense, and he was trying to make himself smaller, as if that would somehow lessen the pain.
The buzzing of my phone broke the somber silence. I glanced at it in surprise—no one should have my new number, and I hadn't given it out to anyone. Curiosity and caution mixed as I answered the call.
"Happy reunion, Xavier." Jordan's devilish voice filled my ears. My spine stiffened at the sound, and rage flared in me at the mocking tone he never failed to wield like a weapon.
"Jordan Lucas, what do you want from me now?" I clenched my fists, the urge to unleash my anger on him almost too strong to hold back.
"This is only the beginning, Xavier. Save your energy for what's coming next. Your brother's going to need all the courage and comfort he can get." Jordan's laugh echoed in my mind even as he ended the call, his words a dark promise that sent a chill down my spine.
Frantically, I tried to redial his number, desperate to get him to elaborate on whatever twisted plan he had in mind. But, as expected, his phone was already unreachable. I looked at Bella and Victor, my face reflecting the unease that had settled over me like a storm cloud.
"It's Jordan Lucas behind all this," I muttered, frustration lining every word.
"Why does he always go after the people I care about?" I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to rein in the fury boiling inside me.
Just then, a familiar voice broke the tension.
"Dad, you're on television!" Alan called, bounding down the stairs, rubbing the last traces of sleep from his eyes. Bella had carried him upstairs to his room after he'd fallen asleep during the celebration, so, fortunately, he'd missed the chaos. But now, seeing him, my heart filled with a tender joy I hadn't felt in what felt like forever.
"Uncle, where did you disappear? I've missed you so much!" Alan wrapped his little arms around my legs, and I bent down, placing a kiss on his forehead before pulling him into a tight hug.
"Alan, I missed you too, buddy," I said, my heart feeling a rare moment of peace in the midst of the chaos. His warmth brought a grounding calm I desperately needed, even if just for a moment.
Meanwhile, Bella had turned up the TV volume, her face paling as she watched a familiar figure on the screen. "Victor…" she whispered, her voice cracking as the report filled the room.
"Famous singer Victor Thompson harassed a junior artist to give him a break in his new album. John Woods, a small-town man aspiring to be a Hollywood star, claims Victor Thompson demanded sexual favors in exchange for a break on his next album. Before his collaboration with Victor Thompson, Woods was happily married but filed for divorce three years ago, a move he now blames on Victor's alleged advances."
The words seemed to stab the air with a shocking brutality. Victor's entire body shook, his hands gripping the arms of the chair.
"This is a lie. I didn't do anything like that." He shook his head frantically, his voice thick with disbelief.
He turned to Bella, his voice trembling. "Trust me, Bella, he was in love with me; he proposed to me, and he willingly divorced his wife. He never wanted to be with a woman—his parents had forced him into that marriage." Victor's frantic defense spilled out, his panic clear.
"Victor, you don't need to panic," Bella said, taking his hand and looking him in the eye. "We believe you. We know you'd never do something like that." She squeezed his hand, a gesture of reassurance, as we all nodded our support.
For the past nine months, Jordan Lucas had stayed out of my life, and I'd allowed myself to hope that he'd finally let go of his vendetta. But now, I realized he'd simply been waiting, ready to strike at the worst possible moment. His choice of today was no accident—he'd picked this day to ruin any happiness I'd started to feel again.
Seeing Victor in such a vulnerable state, my heart ached. He was my younger brother, someone I loved just as fiercely as I loved Alan.
Just then, I felt the chill of our father's presence. Victor's entire body went rigid as Dad appeared at the top of the stairs, his face etched in stone. He looked composed, but his eyes, fiery with rage, told me he'd seen the news.
"I can explain, Dad," Victor stammered, his voice faltering.
Bella stepped in front of Victor, blocking Dad's path as she tried to protect him.
"Dad, please listen," she began, her voice pleading. But Dad simply motioned for her to move aside.
"Bella, stay out of this," he said, his voice hard as steel. He pushed her away, and she stumbled back. I caught her before she fell, steadying her in my arms.
"I've never interfered or stopped you from anything, Victor. I let you do everything you wanted. I wanted you to become a lawyer, but you chose music. You embarrassed me by becoming a dancer, but I stayed silent. But this—this is too much." Dad's voice, thick with disappointment, echoed through the room.
We all stood silent, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air. Alan trembled as he witnessed his grandfather's wrath, clutching my hand tightly.
"They're lying, Dad. I didn't harass him. I love him and want to marry him," Victor dared to say, his voice weak but defiant.
"Stop this nonsense." Before I could intervene, Dad slapped Victor, the sound echoing in the stunned silence.
"I'm sorry, Dad." Victor's words came out choked, tears streaming down his face.
"Get out of my house," Dad commanded, his voice hard with finality. "I never want to see your face again. I am cursed to witness my son's shameless deeds, and I wish I had died with your mother than to endure this humiliation."
The pain in his voice tore through me. I finally understood how deeply Victor had hurt him, how this scandal had shaken him.
"Dad, please calm down," Bella pleaded, reaching out, but before she could lead him to his room, he clutched his chest and collapsed onto the floor.