FRIDAY.
Xander left the office at noon to visit his parents, bearing a special gift from Aurora - the Fruit Punch Champagne. As he entered, his parents' faces brightened with warm smiles.
"Look who decided to visit his aged parents after seven centuries," Old Mrs. Scott teased, setting aside her crochet.
Xander chuckled, taking her hands. "Didn't know you kept count, Mama." He pressed her knuckles to his forehead before planting a soft kiss on them.
Though the old lady had tried to feign anger, she couldn't hold back the joy of seeing her last-born child in the end.
"I'm happy to see you, Papa." Xander greeted his father similarly and gently released his hands.
"Welcome, son," Old Mr. Scott smiled proudly, patting his shoulder. "You've been busy."
Xander nodded as he settled into a two-sitter sofa. "Yes, but I decided to make time for you both today."
Old Mrs. Scott scoffed, her brow raised, "Are we worth your attention?"
Xander chuckled, throwing his head back. "Someone threatened to visit me if I didn't come," he retorted, meeting her heated gaze.
Xander chatted warmly with his parents before presenting the champagne. "A friend of mine crafted this, considering your health concerns after I mentioned it to her, so she sent a bottle for you to try."
As the butler arrived with three champagne glasses, he added, "She wants you to enjoy social gatherings without missing out on the fun."
"Oh! That is so thoughtful of her," old Mrs. Scott was touched by the warm gesture and couldn't stop mentioning how grateful she was. And she wanted her appreciation to be extended.
Xander popped the bottle, pouring the champagne into each glass. Just then, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and excused himself to answer the call from Liam.
"Sir, the men have been captured," Liam reported.
"Good. I'll be out soon," Xander replied, a satisfied smirk spreading across his face.
Old Mr. Scott noticed his distraction. "You have another commitment?"
"Yes," Xander replied, putting his phone away as he refocused his gaze on them. "Would you like to attend the champagne launch on Tuesday?" He inquired as he handed each of them a glass.
Old Mrs. Scott took a sip of the champagne and liked the friendly and bubbly taste. Immediately, she took another sip, savouring the rich taste, completely leaving her husband to answer the question.
"We have a prior engagement, but we'll make time since this champagne suits us," Old Mr. Scott responded.
Xander clinked glasses with them and downed the remainder. "I'll pick you up at 4 PM on Tuesday."
As he stood to leave, his mother requested, "Send more champagne our way."
"I will. Take care, I will come back soon," he promised as he bowed respectfully before heading for the door.
---
In preparation for the 'Fruit Punch Champagne' launch, Aurora had a meeting with her team members and got feedback on the tasks she assigned to them.
They also added more names to their guestlist and sent out invitation cards along with a bottle of the Fruit Punch Champagne.
Towards noon, Aurora left to check on the venue and conclude a few things with the planner before returning home.
When she freshened up and came down for a late lunch, she learned that Xander had gone to visit his parents at the old house and immediately, she slid off her chair.
"I will come back for the food later," she said to the servant and hurried away. She figured that she could explore the hidden path since Xander and Liam weren't around.
Aurora stood before the bookshelf in Xander's study, her fingers tracing the bronze sculpture. With a soft click, the secret path swung open, revealing a passage. She took a deep breath, steeling herself, before stepping into the unknown.
The curved path unfolded before Aurora, flanked by three sleek silver doors, their scanners and keypads a testament to the secrets they guarded. Her gaze lingered, curiosity piqued by the mysteries hidden behind each secured door.
As she ventured deeper, a muffled groan echoed through the corridor, slowing her pace. The sound sent shivers down her spine. She froze for a minute, listening intently.
The groan grew louder, followed by a man's scream. Instantly, fear gripped her.
Aurora waited until the scream had died down before proceeding with careful steps toward the tall double doors that unfolded before her. And as she crept in, she heard inaudible voices.
She carefully pressed herself against the gigantic doors and peeped through the small gap between them. Instantly, her eyes grew wide in shock. She clasped her mouth, inhaling sharply at the sight before her.
Three men knelt at the centre of the room with heads lowered. Their bare upper body was filled with fresh bloodied scars. And each rise and fall of their chest elicited a painful moan.
Aurora's eyes locked onto Liam, then Xander, who loomed over the kneeling men, his handgun glinting menacingly.
"Answer correctly, or your brother's dead," Xander growled at the first man, his voice dripping with malice as he pointed the gun at the second man.
The first man trembled, "Y-Yes."
Xander nodded, his expression unyielding. "What did you do wrong?"
The first man stuttered, pleading desperately, "W-We A-Are sorry, we won't go near her again—"
Xander's face twisted into a snarl. "Wrong answer!" He snapped and pulled the trigger on the second man and immediately, the gun's report echoed through the basement.
"Ahh!!!" Aurora's scream pierced through the air as she stumbled backwards, her eyes wide with terror as the body of the second man dropped with a thud right before her eyes.
She had never seen anything like that since her birth. She was so afraid of the man she had married. She couldn't recognize him anymore and couldn't stand watching the horrific scene in front of her.
Immediately, Xander's gaze snapped to the door, his eyes narrowing into slits as Aurora turned and fled, her heart thumping profusely in her chest.
"It seems like we've got a huge problem." Liam's expression darkened.
Xander executed the remaining men with cold precision and turned around. He swept his hair to the side, his face completely devoid of emotion. "Don't let her escape."
Liam nodded, his voice urgent on the walkie-talkie in his hand as he left the basement, "Seal the gates. Find the Boss's wife and bring her to him right now!"