"So it was you?!"
Although he had already expected this answer, hearing Celia admit it out loud still made Christan feel a deep sense of pain and disappointment.
Her voice was choked with tears. "Ever since I confessed to Xavier, he hasn't given me any response. All the pressure from public opinion fell on me-I could barely breathe."
"Even though I canceled all my work and hid at home every day, I still saw all sorts of nasty rumors about me online. I was about to break down... If I didn't do something, I really wouldn't have been able to hang on any longer!"
Christan sighed, "I understand the pressure you're under, but no matter what, you shouldn't have done something like this!"
"You don't know Xavier well, you don't understand his personality! If he finds solid evidence proving that this whole thing was orchestrated by you, he won't let it go easily!"
Only now did Celia begin to feel truly afraid.
Sniffling, she asked, "Then what should I do now? Christan, you have to help me!"
"Ugh!" He sighed heavily. Faced with her tears, Christan's heart finally softened. "Stop crying. Tell me everything-exactly what happened."
"Okay, I will. I'll tell you everything!"
Half an hour later, after spilling the entire truth to Christan, she asked cautiously, "So... now that you know everything, do you think he will forgive me?"
Christan frowned deeply, his expression grave. "What do you think? After being set up like that-if you were him, would you forgive it?"
"I... I didn't think that far. I just thought, maybe this way I could put some pressure on him... maybe give myself a chance."
"Foolish. You were really foolish! This kind of trick might work on some ordinary rich kids, but with Xavier? Not only is it useless, it's bound to backfire!"
"He may seem carefree on the surface, like nothing really gets to him. But once you cross his bottom line, the consequences are far worse than you can imagine."
Celia trembled from fear, sobbing harder. "Then what should I do?! Doesn't this mean he'll never like me now?!"
Christan's heart ached. "Celia, of all the people in the world, why did you have to fall for him?"
"I... I don't know either! I fell for him the moment I saw him-I just... couldn't help myself!"
"Then why didn't you confess earlier?! You waited until things blew up, now no one can come out of this clean."
"Back then, I lacked confidence. I always felt like I wasn't good enough for him..." Celia sniffled.
"He was always so dazzling, always the most eye-catching one in any crowd."
"And me? Back then, I was just your little tagalong. He never even looked at me properly-how could I have dared to confess?"
"It wasn't until I got older, made a name for myself in the entertainment industry with your help... that I started to feel like I was getting closer to him."
"Oh, you..." Christan sighed helplessly. "Listen to me. Don't ever do something like this again. And from now on, do not go after Xavier anymore. That man... is far more dangerous than you realize."
"But... I still like him..."
"Let's not talk about that right now. First, let me figure out how to clean up the mess you made."
"Okay then," Celia replied reluctantly. "I'm counting on you."
...
The Blazes residence. Second-floor bedroom.
Just as Xavier dozed off again after hanging up on Christan, his phone rang once more.
His anger ignited instantly. His eyes snapped open as he grabbed the phone-didn't even check the caller ID before answering.
"Who is it?!" His tone was sharp and extremely irritable, on the verge of bursting with rage.
There was a pause on the other end before the person responded. "It's me again."
Upon hearing the voice, Xavier's expression eased a bit, though he was still clearly annoyed.
"I swear, Christan Ryder, when did you become the kind of guy who likes to harass people?! That's a bad habit-you'd better fix it before someone beats you up!"
"Harass?!" Christan rubbed his forehead helplessly. "I'm always busy as hell-if it weren't for my sister, I wouldn't even bother with you..."
"Her again?" Xavier's brows furrowed. "Didn't I already make myself clear on the last call? Are you deaf or just forgetful? I don't repeat myself."
All signs of his usual laid-back demeanor vanished-in its place was the cold authority of a true power player.
"I didn't forget."
"Then you just don't believe me, huh?" He gave a crooked smile, voice tinged with mischief. "Out of consideration for our years of friendship, I've already been patient with you. Believe it or not, just stop bothering me. Otherwise, I don't care who you are-even if you're the damn King of Heaven, I'll still make you kneel and call me daddy."
With that, he raised his hand to hang up.
"Bro!"
Suddenly, Christan called him 'bro' from the other side.
Xavier froze.
This guy...
Ever since Celia's public confession, it had been a long time since he'd heard him call him like that. Every conversation since had been filled with anger, accusations, or straight-up cursing.
Xavier paused, his hand hovering midair. "What now?"
"I... I have something I want to tell you..."
The hesitation in Christan's voice made Xavier more suspicious.
"Then say it! What's with all the dramatics?"
"I'll tell you..." Christan pursed his lips, carefully weighing each word. "But before I do, you have to promise me-don't get angry, and don't act impulsively."
"???"
In the past few days, Christan had been full of anger and accusations, but now suddenly he was this cautious?
Xavier's eyes narrowed-he had a bad feeling about this.
"Don't you have filming to do, media to attend, shows to appear on?" he teased. "How come you have time to play guessing games with me now?"
"Just promise me first," Christan said, frowning.
Xavier raised his arm and rested it behind his head. "Say it or don't. Honestly, I'd rather go back to sleep than listen to your nonsense."
Then, his voice dropped, low and threatening. "One thing you need to understand-I, Xavier Blaze, don't take kindly to threats or negotiations."
The words hit like a hammer, making even Christan's heart tremble.
"Alright!" Christan sighed deeply, his voice subdued. "I... I just wanted to apologize to you first."
***