Red Rhythm: His Sweet Obsession

3

● AUTHOR'S POV

"Ask, and you'll get it." Xanthos politely said noticing Ava's clear despair, only to have her look at him through her watery brimed eyes.

She didn't know what he meant, so she kept staring at him through her tear blurred vision.

"Help." Xanthos replied realising Ava's confusion.

Ava couldn't help but be in shock at his words, even though she wanted to doubt and think of it as a trick, she just couldn't. Somehow the tone of his voice had some genuineness, to which Ava thought if she had been hallucinating all this time.

"W-Why? Why so kind all of a sudden?" Ava questioned, as she had been betrayed by life too many times to not be cautious, and fear falling into its traps, even though she had learnt she could never avoid them, but she still tried.

"Ava, I'm not an entirely awful man." Xanthos replied as he sat up straight, uncrossing his legs he let his hands hang down between them, his fingers entwined with each other.

"You captured me for something my father did." Ava retorted, staring right back at the man seated before her, and the tears; long gone.

"I said 'entirely'." Xanthos was quick to reply. Noticing how Ava wasn't in the mood for any sort of vague responses, and he himself didn't have the whole day to solely devote for this issue, he quickly stood up and walked towards the bed Ava was sitting on, her eyes followed as Xanthos paced closer to her.

Xanthos stood by the edge of the king-sized bed, that seemed like something out of a royal suite, infact the whole room seemed like something that belonged to a 5-star hotel; which offered a vast range of amenities, and a variety of sophisticated accommodations.

"The nature of the work and the people I deal with on a daily basis, well, let's just say letting you go just like that wasn't an option. You see Ava, despite me being not so awful and unfair as many believe me to be, I still have a reputation to maintain." he said crossing his arms and Ava now instead of rebelling, was trying to understand and make sense of everything, hopefully finding a way out of all this, if possible. As no matter how many times one loses hope, struggle for survival comes as a natural instinct to humans.

"The amount of money isn't the issue. The fact, that something of mine was taken, and I haven't yet retrieved it is the bone in the throat here, and your father suddenly passing away, made the situation somewhat messed up. But it's nothing that cannot be taken care of." Xanthos said as he raised his hand and brushed his fingers across his chin.

"Taking you instead of the real culprit wasn't my intention at all, but the real culprit is dead, leaving no one but a daughter behind. I cannot allow myself to be a man who couldn't get his money back, hence to maintain my name the way it has been all this time, I must get what was taken from me, even if I need to bend the finger a little." he further added raising his index finger, and bending it a little infront of Ava.

"But nothing to fear, since I'm not 'entirely' awful, I've decided to help you." Xanthos stated giving a lopsided grin.

"How? Nothing you just said sounded even remotely helpful." Ava said earing a chuckle from Xanthos.

"You'll work for me." Xanthos gave a simple reply, making Ava's eyes go wide in fear.

Drawing circles between his eyebrows using his thumb and index finger, Xanthos heaved a deep sigh and added, "Breathe Ava, I have no interest in human trafficking or turning people into sex slaves."

Hearing this Ava somehow sighed in relief, as no matter how much she disliked it, but it was true that his words were the only thing she could rely on, for now atleast.