CHAPTER NINE

Xander's heart continued to race. From the way that Lina looked at them, he could tell that the alcohol was beginning to wear off completely.

She could at least sense exactly what was going on.

Mrs. Jane was one that she was tasked with right after the death of her parents. Her Uncle's wife, James.

Even though Mr. Jane never liked her, there was nothing that could be done about it since right after the death of her parents, her grandfather, the Patron of the family, had tasked them with her care.

And this ripped Mrs. Jones's heart even more, she was more loved and carried more air of grace than all her other children, fueling her hate and anger even more.

"Lina? Do you just decide to go about into the slum picking up people and bringing them into the family's Villa?" Her words were likened to the sharp edges of a sword piercing through the heart.

The frown that appeared on Lina's face afterward was inevitable.

Lina knew that it was her fault and could not allow only Xander to take the blame. She strolled off from her seat with a little stagger.

"I won't have you talk to my visitor in such a manner Mom." It was only out of respect that her voice was calm, her hands clutched to control the anger that was rising deep in the inside of her.

Soon the door made a cracking sound and someone walked in. Even without looking up, Lina could already tell that it was her uncle. The one that used to treat her worse than a dog when she was little until her grandfather finally stepped in.

The hatred that harbored in her heart for him was so extreme and knew no bounds. She could equate him with a dog, or even more.

The sense of his presence brought a really deep frown to her face. Those are some of the faces that she wished she never knew. But they were family after all

Mr. James paired up at the set of Lina and Xander standing together and his face twitched into a frown.

"What's going on here?" His face wilted down into a frown.

"I caught them making out." Jane quickly jumped on the question before Lina could get to say anything.

"What? So it's true?" He fired back his anger extremely inflamed.

But this was solely not out of goodwill. Instead, he was angry because going out with someone else at this point was only going to ruin the plans that he already had and that was something that he could not afford.

Hearts raced. The anger in his heart alone increased, seeing that the boy that his niece brought home was also clothed with rags.

But on the bright side, it was only going to make things easier for him. A few cash and he was sure that the fool would be scrambling away at a high speed.

"Let's get this over with already." He muttered to himself, shifting his gaze back to Lina and waiting for a response as soon as possible.

Lina could not believe that she had a close-call kiss making out. But she wouldn't have been expecting more from her anyway, thinking about how hard she had been right from childhood.

Lina's breath was sucked deep into her windpipe to control herself, making her turn towards Mr. James and she went ahead to say.

"It was my fault." She finally let out, not having the strength to explain to anyone. Besides, not like they were going to believe a word of what she said.

"I can't believe that out of everyone in the world, this is the trash can that you choose, do you even have respect for our family?" He thundered at her, making Lina lift her brow.

"It's my life. I don't remember when I started sharing." She replied calmly but the words only seemed to increase his anger.

The velocity of it was strange. She could tell that there was something more to it but she just couldn't place her hands on it.

"Have you suddenly gone mad Lina or did he cast some spell on you or did your brain suddenly molten into a rock?

Because I don't see the reason why you would be dating such a low life. Even though you aren't thinking about yourself, what about the rest of the family? Whose reputation are you going to stain?" He thundered

But that was Lina's last stray. She would not cope with the attitude that he was giving anymore and she leaned forward.

Staring right into his eyes without pepping, she said.

"When the same family doesn't care about me? I am only a small fray, meddling in the business of my one company.

And for the last time, I won't have you call my visitor such names again." The anger that she was trying to bottle up was beginning to show off in her voice.

"Visitor? Why aren't you telling the truth, Lina? He is your boyfriend right?" He replied quickly.

"What?"

"You were seen with him at the Hopkin's hotel. Don't even try to lie to me."

So it had gotten to the state that she was being monitored. But she would have them believe whatever it was that they wanted to. Not that their opinion mattered in the first place.

"Believe what you want to." She replied nonchalantly.

"You.." Mr. James blotted out, returning his hands to its place

The face of her uncle soon twisted into a stiff form. Taking a good look at Xander, he could sense that he was just a Swindler who was going to take her money.

"Even if you don't respect our family name, Do you realize that you are already engaged to someone else?" Lina's father added.

Her eyes shot up, even though Xander didn't know what they were talking about, she was engaged.

Mark was the invisible boyfriend that she had been threaded to right from birth. A member of a wealthy family.

But she didn't care.

From the few times that they had spent together, he was sure that was someone that she didn't want to spend the rest of her life with and never liked him.

Her uncle could see the lines that were written all over her face.

"Don't bring that up here Father." She replied.

Her uncle had always seen her like someone who was stubborn and would not listen to her so he decided that he was going to take the shorter route instead.

He turned over to Xander with a flinch in his facial expression and said.

"Never see my niece again for a million dollars which will be paid into your account right away."

The amount was enough to make Xander bulge as he had never held one-third of that amount of money before.

His heart raced and thoughts ran through his head and he could not help but gulp.

"Father?" Lina fired angrily but it seemed as though someone was not even standing there as all his attention was focused on Xander.

"That amount is going to change your life forever. I am sure you know the right thing to do." There was a smirk on his face as he spoke.