"A word before you leave Xian," Xerxes stated from behind her.
She turned around with a furrow in her brows.
"I thought you left." She said.
"I did, but something does not just add up. Not that I am expecting you to tell me but I needed to ask, for my peace of mind. What the hell is your deal?"
Zena crossed her hands across her chest. "It should be pretty obvious by now Xerxes. I simply want to be by my children."
Xerxes let out a huff. "Yeah, ofcourse you wouldn't tell me the truth."
Zena scoffed. "What is so hard to believe? I am a mother, ofcourse I would want to be with my children."
His face was just a picture of complete disbelief and Zena could not understand the reaction. She was making sense, right?
"So you really think giving birth makes you a mother? The woman who forced herself into labour and went through a c-section to get seven month old babies out because she was tired of being pregnant. You call yourself a mother?"
"What?" Zena did not know this information. She did not know any information and the more she found out about this woman Xian, it just made believe that she was genuinely a bad person.
'Oh my gosh, this is the villainess. I transmigrated into the body of the villainess. Xerxes is a victim, not Xian.'
"It doesn't matter, anyway. You won. Again. But you and I both know that bit about loving me was a lie. You're incapable of the emotion. I just wanted to make sure you know that I will not acknowledge you as my wife, so it would be in your best interest to stay the hell away from me. The only thing that links us together is those boys. Whatever relationship existed between you and me is over. Am I clear?"
Zena nodded.
"Good." He said, walking away.
This woman is not a good person. If she is not a good person, then there is no need to protect her. Why give her what she wants? She could not stay away from the boys, because Xian would physically retaliate. Zena did not want to feel that kind of pain again. But she could do something else.
"Xerxes, wait." She called out to him and he stopped walking.
"What now?"
"I will divorce you."
"What?"
"I will sign the divorce papers on one condition. You let me be a part of my sons' lives. Don't worry, I'll also return the money back to you."
"After what happened, you think Grandfather would let us get divorced?"
"He doesn't have to know, no one has to know." She said.
"If the world does not know, then what good would it be?"
"All your ties to this woman, except for the children get severed. You can date other people."
Xerxes let out a low chuckle. "You think I am interested in dating? Marrying you is all the relationship I can take in one lifetime."
If she was the villain, then she was sure Xerxes was the main lead. It only made sense he would be, which means there would be a female lead somewhere, sometime. She knew that rodeo it was almost suicide to stand in the way of the ml and fl. So she would step aside. She plans to find a way to remove Xian's influence and leave the boys and their world behind.
"Well, should the need arise? You would have a clear conscience, knowing you are simply a divorced dad, not a husband."
"Like that sounds better in a dating pool," he retorted.
"Oh, you and I both know none of that would stop you from getting who you want," she snorted. "Do we have a deal?" She asked, extending her hand so they would shake on it. He didn't return her handshake, he didn't answer her question.
"Think about it then. You know where to find me when you do. Goodbye Xerxes." She said, walking away.
***
Xerxes sat in his office with a blank look on his face. His gaze was directed towards his screen but he was most definitely not paying any attention to it.
He could not stop thinking about Xian. With everything that had happened today, he was now more confused. If you asked him before, he would swear that she was pretending. But now -when she claimed she was indeed pretending- some part of him thought she was telling the truth. That she really wasn't Xian.
The way her eyes would widened when he brought up her past indiscretions, her relief when the Doctor confirmed he was the father. This sudden passion for her children, those reactions were as raw as they come but they weren't Xian.
What's more, her eyes, the way she looked at him. That disdain was gone.
'I love my husband.'
Xerxes knew -even before she told him- that she was lying when she said that but why did his heart skip a beat when he heard her say she loved him?
"Damn, I'm definitely running mad." He sighed.
"Sir, there is a call for you." His secretary said, interrupting his thoughts.
"Did I have a call scheduled for this time?" He asked.
"No. But it's Miss Mina."
Xerxes brows furrowed and he leaned forward in his seat. 'Why is she calling again? Does she want to change her mind about the divorce?'
"Miss Ningning Mina." The secretary specified and Xerxes expression darkened.
"Why is she calling me?" He asked and the secretary gave him a blank look. How was he supposed to know why his wife's cousin was calling?
"Should I put her through?"
Xerxes frowned as the last conversation he had with his mother concerning Ningning suddenly came back to memory.
FLASHBACK
Xerxes stared at the pictures on the table that stood between him and his mother. There were pictures, like headshots of three women. "What is this supposed to be?" He asked.
"Prospective brides. This one," she pointed to the picture at the far right. "This is Sheena, her family owns Zartech, I hear she is a very good girl. This one," the far left now. "She has a PhD in Astrophysics, her family owns the national science university. The best university in the country but I have to be lenient towards our dear Ningning. She is my pick," his mother picked the picture in the middle.
"If only you had gotten married to her instead of her useless cousin, your life would have been so much better now." His mother said and Xerxes shook his head as he rubbed between his eyes. "Remember how you and Ningning used to be so close as children? I can still remember how she followed you around."