Chapter 418: A Promise
Xavier’s posture stiffened instantly. His grip on the phone tightened, and his heart pounded against his ribs. "Where?" he asked, his voice sharp and commanding.
Maxwell hesitated for a second before responding, "Near the docks. It was a quick flash, but we got a clear image of him entering one of the abandoned warehouses."
Xavier clenched his jaw. Of course, Xander wouldn’t stay hidden forever. If he had shown his face, that meant he was up to something. Something dangerous.
Anastasia, sensing the shift in Xavier’s energy, stepped closer, her fingers grazing his free hand. "What’s wrong?" she whispered.
Xavier locked eyes with her, debating whether to tell her immediately. He knew she would insist on going with him, and after everything she had endured, he wasn’t ready to risk her safety.
Maxwell’s voice cut through the silence. "Do you want me to go check it out?"
"No," Xavier responded quickly. "I’ll handle it myself."
He ended the call before Maxwell could argue and turned back to Anastasia. "Something came up," he said vaguely.
Anastasia’s brows furrow
Realization dawned on Xavier. No wonder he thought Julian looked familiar—he was the one who had shot him in the leg the other time. But that wasn’t all. Xavier still believed he had seen him somewhere else before.
The night wind picked up, making Anastasia shiver in the cold. Without hesitation, Xavier pulled off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.
"Thank you," she murmured, her fingers gripping the warm fabric. After a moment, she hesitated before bringing up something that had been bothering her since their return to the mansion. "You said you wouldn’t mind adopting a child since..." She trailed off, unable to complete the sentence.