Giselle didn't remember how long they stayed that way. She felt at peace so she didn't pull back, but neither did he.
Chris sniffed and pulled back. "Elle..." he whispered.
She opened her eyes and looked at his red ones, close enough for her to lean forward and kiss them. His hand was still at the back of her neck, burning her skin with his touch. "Yeah?"
He just stared, his eyes saying a thousand words. She wished to know every single one.
She stared back, her heart beating faster. "I love you," she said.
It was as if that broke the trance. He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "Ditto."
Chapter 26
Xavier was certain that Giselle would forgive him if he told her the truth. After all, he didn't kill her father on purpose.
His boots echoed against the wet footpath that had recently been rained upon. From time to time unbothered vehicles drove by, and out of habit, Xavier kept hiding his face. It took him a few minutes to realize that this wasn't Petrichor, that nobody here knew him, and that he didn't need to hide himself every time someone passed by.
Phoenix looked beautiful. The trees were on his left and the road on his right. He could see the peak of the famous Rake Hills ahead and wondered why this part of the world wasn't already destroyed.
He walked aimlessly. The bag of valuables he'd taken from his home dangled in his hand, the frames stuffed in along with other possessions.
Fishing out his phone from the back pocket of his pants, he dialed Giselle's number and watched the screen longingly that displayed her contact photo. He'd taken that picture last year to remind himself of his blessings that weren't tainted by his bad luck—so much for that.
As usual, the number was switched off. He sighed, slipping the phone back into his pocket, and pondered over his decision. Could he really tell her that he'd killed Abbott? Would she have a heart big enough to forgive him, or even to look at him the same way anymore?
He couldn't risk it. He had to keep it a secret. He couldn't lose the only person left in this world worth dying for. No one knew what she meant to him. No one in this world could match the kind of love he had for her. No one could die for her except him.
And yet she went with Chris and left him alone.
His jaw clenched.
Chris.
Why did he get to live the perfect life? He envied Chris for the closeness and the level of trust he had with her, for the life he'd been blessed with, and for the tragedies he hadn't seen.
Xavier ran a hand through his hair. This was not the time to think about these things. This was the time to find out where Giselle was. He'd been wandering the streets of Phoenix for two days and had successfully avoided calling Chris. He'd told himself that he didn't need his help. But things were shaping up to look very bad for him.
He pulled out the phone from his pocket again and searched for Chris's contact. His hand shook, but he refused to acknowledge it. He dialed the number and put the phone against his ear.
Switched off.
His breaths came short as he realized that the final string of hope had been snapped. The panic finally settled in.
Am I ever going to see her again?
He stopped walking, dark spots dotting his vision. He'd been trying to get in touch with them for two days. He had only a few bucks left in his pocket, had spent the night on the street, was still recovering from his fever, and was beyond exhausted. His body ached all over.
And now that his last hope had also been shattered, it dawned on him that he might never be able to reunite with the love of his life. His breaths quickened and the exhaustion took over. Feeling nauseated, he knelt to the ground and took in three deep breaths.
His throat burned. He looked up and all he could see were trees, hills, and cars passing by. There was a small grocery shop a few feet away, so he pushed himself up with whatever strength he had and stumbled toward it.
Once inside the warmth of the shop, Xavier asked for water and gulped down the whole bottle in an instant. He bought another one, took a few sips, and his breaths steadied eventually.
He looked at the pimpled counter boy, paid for the water, and headed for the door, only to be stopped by an advertisement on the television behind the counter.
Beaumont Enterprises had launched their marketing campaign and encouraged small to big businesses to approach them if they wanted their work to flourish. There was a contact number.
Xavier smiled. He knew that Beaumont was Giselle's surname, that the business was Giselle's father's, now hers. He stared at the screen as if it was pouring life into him. Light twinkled in his eyes. He'd found her.