Chapter 93: Chapter 93 A sister’s betrayal.
In a long narrow passage, a figure strolled deeper until he stopped at a door. Reaching it, he used a key to open it before stepping inside and locking it back.
Xylander’s deepest secrets and darkest world were all hidden in this room. Turning to a switch, the room brightened, revealing a stunning hall filled with cameras and countless gadgets he used to monitor both the inside of the Golden Palace and the world outside.
And right in one of the rooms, he could see Draven and Alexander arguing over something—while on the bed, the ceiling fan lay smashed into pieces, swallowing the mattress whole.
Spiking up, he growled.
"Another animal has fallen into my trap again." Xyle laughed darkly. They thought he was joking when he warned them about touching his groom—plain idiocy.
From the start of Daniel’s assault—especially the betrayal of the doctor he had personally brought to treat his groom—Xylander knew something fishy was going on behind closed doors. Now, he was going to fish them all out.
They underestimated him. The way he had lured Adrian into his territory, pretending to be weak and terrified—that was no accident. He had planned it with Alexander to bring Daniel into his hands and use him to destroy Adrian Valez.
The beast of a man who had brought misery to him and Alexander. Alexander’s infiltration had been masterminded by Xylander himself, and the framing of Daniel was orchestrated back at headquarters.
It was all to lure Adrian in. But who would have thought he would fall so deeply instead? Protecting Daniel was now his top priority—especially from enemies, those jealous freaks and predators who wanted Xylander’s wealth but couldn’t have it.
Now they were targeting his groom as the weak link. Something Xylander would rather die than allow.
Bringing his hand to a mouse, he began scrolling through the screens of the massive projector mounted on the wall. Among the cars and houses of New York City, one came sharply into focus—Dr. John Williams’ hospital, the very man who had tried to kill Daniel.
"Hmm, let’s see who you spoke to throughout the hospital’s visitor logs."
The deep search began until he froze at a familiar face.
Someone who was supposed to be dead—Matteo Valez, Adrian’s brother. Another despicable being, though not quite to Adrian’s level.
"How did you manage to slip out alive?" Xylander shouted at his computers.
This was a problem. Matteo already scheming to kill Daniel meant he knew where Daniel was. How had he come by that knowledge?
"You’ve got to be fucking kidding me." Xyle hissed in irritation. And beside Matteo stood the obsessed witch he had once thrown out of his house—Nicole Shelton.
Of course, she would try to find a partner in crime. And this strike against Daniel was just a test. No doubt Matteo had something far worse up his sleeve.
"You just wait until I wipe you off the surface of the earth. You dare touch my precious bunny?" Xyle fumed, his hands flying across the keyboard. Then he stopped, eyes narrowing.
Was that a body being dragged?
Zooming in, he confirmed it. It was a body—and the face was Matteo’s. The corpse belonged to John Williams, butchered and dumped in a pile of dirt waiting to be incinerated.
So wait—if that was John, then who did Daniel kill?
"He’s dead already, so no one will suspect," Matteo told the woman beside him. Nicole only nodded.
"Okay, now that we’re done, who will pass the message? It’s supposed to be a threat," she pressed, still not quite catching Matteo’s plan.
"My bodyguard. He’ll wear one of the masks you stole from your ex-fiancé’s hold." Matteo’s grin turned feral.
"Then he’ll pretend to be John for a while—killing off Daniel for both of us. That is, unless your informant in the house snitches." He announced with grim satisfaction.
"Don’t worry, she won’t. It’s all covered," Nicole assured him quickly.
"Fantastic. Soon your fiancé will come looking for the doctor, and the plan will be in motion." Matteo’s sardonic laughter boomed like thunder.
Nicole joined in, thrilled at finally ridding herself of the "whore" brought into her home, into her fiancé’s life. Daniel’s end would come, and she relished it.
After the projector display, Xylander’s eyes widened, his pulse thundering. Someone inside his home was involved.
God help Maxine if it was her—because she would regret ever being born. Tomorrow would end all family ties if he confirmed it. What did it mean that his groom couldn’t have peace just because he chose to marry a man? What a pathetic reason.
Still clutching his mouse, he scrolled through more footage inside the Golden Palace. And then—the ultimate revelation appeared.
Ring!!!
Maxine’s phone rang, and she hurried to the garden, away from prying ears.
"Xylander is already out looking for the doctor. Has the plan started?" Maxine asked, smiling at the reply.
"I trust you, Nicole. Don’t worry—I stand with you. Your place is with my brother. No one else deserves that position but you," she vowed, laughing with cruel delight.
Xylander’s hands clenched. His heart cracked at the sight of his own flesh and blood betraying him. If it had been anyone else, maybe he could understand. But his sister? His closest bond? Unforgivable.
The scene shifted—Maxine sneaking out of her room with scissors and pliers. She crept into Daniel’s room, her eyes glinting with malice.
"Look at this—such extravagance for someone as worthless as Daniel. Since he survived the poison, he won’t survive being killed by his ceiling fan," Maxine sneered, climbing onto a table. She loosened the fan’s bolts with deadly precision until her work was done.
"No one will ruin our family. He’ll just die, and everything will return to normal. It’s for the greater good."
Climbing down, she admired her sabotage, her resentment boiling. All the humiliation she had endured—soon to be avenged.
The footage ended.
Xylander’s face fell, crestfallen. All he had asked for was their blessing, but that was impossible. They were united against his happiness—the happiness he had finally found with Daniel.
If he didn’t act, next time his sister struck, Daniel might not survive. As for Matteo and Nicole—they would be hunted to the last corner.
His eyes drifted to a portrait: a younger him, his mother Evelyn Wolfe, his father Gregory Wolfe, and little Maxine in the corner. They all looked so happy, like a perfect family.
"Promise us that you’ll always remain close, no matter what," Evelyn had made them swear that night. None of them knew it would be the last time. The next morning, her plane crashed. Her body was never recovered. Xylander’s life had never been the same since.
"I just wish you and Dad were here. Maybe you would have loved Daniel," Xylander whispered, switching off the light and sealing the door.
He needed someone to tell him it was okay. Tomorrow, he would end his family’s stay here. Tonight, he just needed to be with Daniel.
In his bedroom, as expected, Alexander had already brought Daniel in and laid him on the bed.
"I suppose you saw everything," Alex said.
Xylander nodded, fury and heartbreak burning in his hazel eyes.
Draven, who had followed, caught the look and felt a pang of guilt.
"I just want to lay with him tonight. I need a hug... someone to tell me it’s all well." Xylander clutched his shirt like a nervous little boy.
Without hesitation, Draven hugged him.
"It’s okay. We all have our pains. It’s what makes us grow stronger," Draven murmured.
Xylander brushed away the tear threatening to fall. He couldn’t cry here. Not now.
"Come, boys, let’s sleep. The bed’s large enough for seven people. Let’s all just... cuddle," Xylander suggested softly.
Alexander frowned. It felt strange, especially with Draven there. With Xylander, it was special—but Draven was just an intruder.
"I don’t know..." Alex muttered uncomfortably.
Xylander turned to him.
"Are you telling me no?" he asked firmly.
Reluctantly, Alexander agreed. They climbed into bed—Daniel as always in the middle, Xylander on the left, Alexander and Draven on the right.
They embraced each other, sinking into the mattress. Their mingled scents filled the air, heavy enough to stir someone awake—but Daniel was far too deep in sleep to care.