"Then you need to come off this guilt. You're too overgrown to keep on dwelling on something you didn't have any control over. You couldn't have told that Diane would leave the car and be run over. It was simply not your fault," he shook his head, a sad smile on his face "You asked what I stand to gain from all of this? I'm also hoping that you both can just let go and live. Tyler too blames himself for what had happened. He had been responsible for driving Diane home after all but he had been with some now faceless blonde chick."
Xavier averted his gaze from him, "Blaming you have been Tyler's only way to get through his sister's death and it had been easy, filled him with a purpose to destroy you and I'd supported him for a while because I didn't want to hurt my best friend, but now this is unhealthy and his obsession to hurt you is becoming scary. I might not want to take Maya from you but she would slip through your fingers if you don't act wise and fast. The ball is in your court, I hope you do the right thing by Maya. You need to give this love thing a chance and even though you don't believe you are not responsible for Diane's death. Don't just decide for Maya if she wants to be with a murderer or not, let her make that decision herself."
Tyler brought out his wallet and dropped a wad of dollar bills he didn't count but is aware was more than enough to tip the waitress nicely and cover the cost of the room temperature water on their table he didn't drink, then he was leaving Xavier alone in the cafe, allowing his thoughts to be his only companion and troubler.
***
Maya stared blankly at the wall as Tyler's words resonated in her head again and again.
Xavier was proud, a seemingly unrepentant player, a perfectionist at work but never had she thought him capable of murder.
Was it possible that the Xavier she had spent months with under the same roof, that she is attracted to and In love with is a murderer? The very man who had watched cheesy soap operas with her while doing a poor imitation of some of her characters just to make her laugh most times after the show?
It didn't seem possible or true but then she remembered the events and how he had reacted anytime and wherever words that connected with Diane's name were brought up.
Melissa's word when she had seen Anne Gracie from afar and had told her that she wasn't family but Xavier felt guilt-ridden that's why he keeps on inviting her came right back to her head and how he had reacted when she had tried hearing from him what was going on.
She remembered just how many chances she had given him, to tell the truth, but he had been persistent on being mute about the whole thing, so wasn't there a possibility that he was hiding something that big? Besides what would Tyler stand to benefit by lying?
She crouched down on the floor as she tried to muffle her tears with her hand as the conversation she had with Tyler played in her head yet again.
"Today was my sister's death anniversary. I'd gone to see her." Somehow, he was the one who seemed to be grieving but yet he offered her a pitying stare.
"Diane?" She whispered.
He nodded and smiled sadly, "You know she was in love with Xavier before her death."
Maya's brow was furrowed in confusion as she wondered what he was driving at with his words, "I knew she was his best friend. Didn't know she was in love with him. Besides wasn't Diane your sister and you're Xavier's half-brother. Isn't that like wrong?"
He frowned, "We weren't blood-related though she was the closest thing I had to a family. Anne Gracie adopted me. I never got to meet my biological mother, Mr. Dominic's mistress," he grimaced, " Anne Gracie had adopted me as a charity case to be flaunted and she had felt too__"
"Uptight, modern, rude?" She offered quickly not able to hide her dislike for the arrogant woman though apologetic she was Tyler's foster mother. She had just learned recently that they were even related in some kind of way in her defense and now with this new Revelation of his sister being in love with Xavier, a man who she had been engaged to. She didn't know how to address the situation or what to say.
"I know it might seem wrong I'm burdening you with this but you are the first person that came to my mind after I tried Jared's line and it wasn't going."
She offered him a tight smile, sipping her latte, "Of course, it'd be no problem hearing you out, Why would you even think that?" She hadn't expected an answer since her question was rhetoric but he had an answer and though his voice was calm and his face sullen, it made her instantly pale as she prayed she had heard wrongly.
"Huh?"
"Xavier is Diane's murderer." She had done a spit take of the latte still in her lips, her eyes bulging.
"Why the heck would you say that?" She had shouted.
He looked at her sadly and averted his gaze, "Because it is the truth," he closed his eyes, "I know you thought you knew Xavier and this seems far-fetched, but think about it, why did you think he was so against you around me, he was scared that I'll expose him to you. That's why I'd told you I didn't hate Xavier when we newly met because I don't. He is just scared of me and his truth I'm aware of."
Her voice was hoarse and barely coherent, "Why would Xavier even want to kill your sister, he seemed to have adored her."
He shrugged a raw painful smile on his face, "Maybe he had but in a fucked up way. He is just like his father Mr. Dominic, he is a sadist though he tries to hide his true nature well until you are most vulnerable just like my sister had been." He has sighed then closed his eyes, "I know you won't believe me anyway, nobody did. Besides, you are in love with him and at the end of the day, it is his words against mine."