Chapter 299
Just when he was about to pick her up, he noticed something glimmering where her hair was sprawled. He picked up the object, studying it before his gaze landed on Xavier with blood shot eyes.
“This is your ring, isn’t it?” He questioned.
Xavier stared at the ring in Xander’s hands, then his finger because he didn’t remember wearing a ring while he was coming out of the house earlier.
He recognized the ring. It had been a birthday gift from his father on their sixteenth birthday.
“That’s my ring, b-but, how did it get there?” He asked.
Xander’s fists clenched at his sides, his knuckles whitening as he fought back the urge to punch Xavier. The sting of betrayal hit him like a knife to the chest, sharp and unrelenting, leaving his breath tight with anger.
He quickly pulled out his phone to call an ambulance.
“I’ve already called the ambulance,” Xavier said, stopping him.
Arabella’s stab was too deep, and although they already knew she was no more, they still hoped there was something that could be done.
A second later, they heard the siren coming from nearby. They called out for help, leading the medics to where they were.
When they were found, they quickly put Arabella in a stroller and took her back to the ambulance. Xander hopped in with them as they headed towards the hospital, while Xavier followed behind them with his car, his mind still wondering how his ring could have gotten there.
Although they were out of the bush, the pungent smell of blood was still strong on him since he’d been there, staring at Arabella’s dead body for almost half an hour.
As soon as they arrived at the hospital, the medics took Arabella to the operating room.
Xavier strode slowly towards the ward when he saw Xander pulling his hair with a frustrated grip.
He was sobbing, and Xavier couldn’t help but feel the same way as well.
“You killed her.” Xander suddenly accused, slowly making eye contact with Xavier. “You murdered her in cold blood p>
“That’s a ridiculous accusation, Xander,” said Xavier.
He and Xander hadn’t settled their differences yet, but he didn’t expect his very own brother to accuse him of killing his girlfriend.
“If this is about the ring you saw there, it could be a coincidence the killer has the same ring. Do you think I could kill someone, Xander? I’m your brother for goodness sake p>
“Brother my foot!” Xander barked back, on his feet now. “You’ve always had better things since we were children, and everyone’s attention has always been on you. But now that I’ve finally found someone I could call mine, you decided to take her away from me. You’re very despicable p>
Xander’s voice dripped with venom, each word laced with a hatred so fierce it bordered on deadly. Fury blazed in his eyes, the urge to kill pulsing just beneath the surface. Only the sliver of hope that Arabella might still be alive restrained him—barely. The medics had said nothing on their way to the hospital, leaving him clinging to that fragile 1 p>
“You took away the only one who ever loved me.” Tears were now streaming down his face, his fist clenched by his side as he resisted the urge to strangle Xavier at that moment. “You’re a murderer!” He said, deadpan.
Xavier would also be lying if he denied he wasn’t hurt by Xander’s accusation. He wanted to believe it was due to the rage from the past that caused Xander to accuse him of such a crime. However, from how things were looking, he doubted Xander was ever going to come back to his senses and realize he wasn’t the killer.
When he’d gotten back up from falling while he was still searching for Arabella, he’d seen her and, just like Xander, he’d been shocked to find her in such a condition.
He didn’t find any footprints while he was searching for her. There was also no CCTV camera stationed in the streets so there was no way to find out her true killer. The realization of the depth of Arabella’s case only made his stomach churn. And worst of it all, Xander believed he was the one that killed her.
Xavier decided to keep his mouth shut. Besides, nothing would make Xander believe anything that came out of his mouth. He could only wipe the tears that pooled in his eyes as he found himself a seat while Xander’s glare monitored him.
A few minutes later, the doctor came out from the operating room.
Xander wanted to ask how Arabella was doing, if she survived, and if she would be alright.
But the expression the doctor had on discouraged him. Although the doctor hasn’t said anything yet, he already knew what the man wanted to say.
“She couldn’t make it p>
That one sentence felt like a death sentence that made Xander suddenly feel he was getting executed.
“I’m sorry,” the doctor apologized, tapping Xander on the shoulder with a sigh before he left.
Xavier wanted to console Xander, but he doubted he wanted him close to him.
He wasn’t shocked by the news the doctor had given them. They’d seen it coming since she’d stopped breathing while they were still in the bush.
“Xander!!” They suddenly heard someone call. It was Arabella’s mother, together with her husband and Maxwell running behind them. “Where’s Arabella?” The woman cried.
Xander gave Xavier a questionable look, but the latter turned his head away.
While they were on their way to the hospital, Xavier called Arabella’s parents to inform them about what was going on. It was already late at night, and without a doubt, they would start to look for her.
“Answer me, where is she?!” She demanded, filling the ward with her sobbing.
Xander was speechless, but he needed to be strong.
He quickly wiped off his tears, as he stared at the woman, her husband, and Maxwell who was silently waiting for him to talk.
Maxwell glanced at Xavier, the silence between them making his heart skip a beat in fright.
“She’s dead,” Xander replied.