After the Trial
The courtroom buzz had finally settled, and with Ana and Felicia sentenced, Rebecca felt lighter than ever. Justice had truly prevailed. She clung to that sense of victory like a child to a warm blanket.
"Hey… you hungry?" Xavier asked gently, noticing the exhaustion painted across her face.
Rebecca managed a small smile. "Starving."
Xavier chuckled. "Alright, we'll stop at the next decent restaurant we find." He wrapped an arm around her and led her out of the courthouse. Outside, the media was still in a frenzy, but Xavier's security handled it smoothly.
They slipped into his sleek black Ferrari, and as his driver pulled away from the court, Xavier pulled Rebecca close, kissing the side of her neck tenderly.
"We're finally free," he murmured.
"Mmhmm," she replied softly, leaning into his warmth.
After ten minutes, the car pulled up in front of a cozy, modern restaurant. It wasn't high-end, but the atmosphere was warm, with soft lighting and pleasant music humming in the background. Xavier stepped out first and opened Rebecca's door like a gentleman. She stepped out with a bright smile.
A waiter greeted them immediately. "Table for two?"
"Yes," Xavier replied.
Inside, they were seated at a quiet corner table. The waiter handed them menus, and Rebecca's eyes lit up as she skimmed the options.
"I want rice with beef stew," she said. "Add broccoli, fish, and for toppings—shrimps, meat, and coleslaw."
Xavier laughed softly, clearly entertained by her excitement. "All that? You really were starving."
"Hey, don't judge me," she said, giggling.
He ordered something simpler for himself, and soon the food arrived steaming hot.
Xavier peeled the shrimp carefully and fed Rebecca. "Here, try this," he said, bringing a forkful of fish to her lips.
"Mmm… yummy," she replied, savoring it.
The way her lips moved as she chewed mesmerized him. He leaned in, almost ready to kiss her—but then her phone rang loudly.
She checked the screen. "Azuka? What?" Her eyes widened. "You're in New York already? Okay—we're coming to get you now!"
"What's going on?" Xavier asked.
"My brother's at the New York mini airport," she said quickly.
"Alright, let's wrap up and head over," Xavier said, sneaking in a quick peck before she could protest.
They ordered pizza and a thick, creamy ice cream to take along for Azuka. Xavier instructed his men to head straight to the airport.
---
At the Airport
Azuka stood at the arrivals area of the airport, scanning the crowd. All around him, people hugged loved ones, laughter echoing through the space. He sighed.
"Maybe I should call her…" he muttered.
"Hey… you don't have anyone picking you up?" came a sweet voice.
He turned to see a girl smiling at him, pulling a small luggage case. "I'm Grace," she said.
Azuka offered a polite smile. "Actually, yeah. My sister's picking me up."
Grace glanced in the direction Azuka was looking and gasped softly. "Wait… is that Xavier Chen? The Korean-American CEO of Chen Industries?"
Azuka nodded slowly, now understanding the awe in her voice.
"Your sister is so lucky," she said with a dreamy sigh.
Before he could respond, Rebecca hurried over and threw a playful slap on his arm. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" she scolded.
"We wanted to surprise you," Azuka said, smirking. "By the way… who's this guy?"
Before Rebecca could respond, Xavier smoothly stepped in, wrapping an arm around her waist. "I'm her boyfriend," he said.
Grace, standing nearby, blushed and quickly stepped back, sensing their relationship was very real. Azuka turned back—but the girl was already gone.
"Weird," he muttered.
"What's weird?" Rebecca asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Nothing," Azuka lied.
"Let's not create a scene here," Xavier said calmly. "Time to head out."
Azuka rolled his eyes. "No way I'm fitting in that Ferrari."
"Yes way," Xavier grinned. "Come on."
Xavier helped load Azuka's luggage into one of the security cars. The three of them got into the back seat of the Ferrari, and Rebecca handed her brother the pizza and slightly melted ice cream.
"Thanks… I was actually starving," Azuka said, digging in without hesitation.
Rebecca smiled, warmth blooming in her chest. She was happy her brother was here. But she also knew that his visit meant questions were coming—and this time, she couldn't avoid the answers.