Alex's POV
Seeing her in Noah's arms made me furious as hell. I was on the verge of hitting him, but then Sarah came running to me, crying, and I was even more furious at him.
If that person had hurt her in any way, I would have killed him right there. But then he told me what happened. I would have killed that scoundrel who dared to touch my wife.
But when she returned to 'thank' him, she hugged him. My mind couldn't stop doubting everything.
Am I making the same mistake of trusting someone with my feelings? Am I too quick to ignore the clear signs of betrayal? Is this all an act of innocence? Am I just a means of power and money once again? Can I handle all of it once more? I remembered my days after all that happened and how difficult it was for Dan to handle me back then. I don't think I would be able to go through all that again this time when I'm in even deeper mud.
But then I saw her eyes light up when she saw the Christmas lights. This can't be fake, right? She can't be like her, can she? I pushed my doubts far away into a corner so that I could enjoy the beauty sitting beside me, just like a kid who smiled at the sight of Christmas lights and was excited for her winter break.
But then her smile faltered. Is she thinking about that person who hurt her? I'm going to deal with him in my own way later.
When she said she had never celebrated Christmas, I made it my mission to make her Christmas special. It was special for me too because it was our first Christmas together and her very first one. I'm going to plan something very special for her to make her smile. I can't stand to see her sad.
I dropped Sarah off at home and made sure she rested. She fell asleep immediately; I think she was exhausted from all the crying and how scared she was.
I called Daniel while Sarah peacefully slept in our room as we had a situation to handle.
"Daniel, we've got a little situation on our hands."
"What's up, trouble magnet? Something interesting on the horizon? What's the adventure today?" He knew I don't call him Daniel unless it's something serious. And by 'situation,' he exactly knows what I was hinting at.
"It appears we have a rascal in hand who thought it was a good idea to mess with Sarah."
Daniel chuckles, "Ah, the ever so misguided souls who underestimate the power of your wrath, my friend."
"Precisely. So, are you in for a little field trip to teach this individual some manners?" I said, grinning into the phone, knowing well that Dan would also enjoy our little trip.
Daniel spoke enthusiastically, "Count me in! But, Alex, let's try not to completely crush the poor fellow. We wouldn't want to get a bad reputation for being overly aggressive, would we?"
I laugh, "Agreed, we'll just give him a gentle reminder of why it's a bad idea to mess with the people we care about."
Daniel said, and I could hear the smirk in his voice, "Oh, it's going to be one of those nights, isn't it? I'm looking forward to it. Let's go, partner in crime."
I drove to Daniel's house and explained the whole situation; it was already evening. Then he did God knows what on his phone and said, "Found them," showing me his phone with a location.
We reached the location in no time. There was a group of boys playing basketball. We got out of our cars, rolling up our sleeves for easy movement.
Entering the court, we held the ball that by chance came in our direction. I guess the ball's in our court now.
All the boys looked at us, and one of them spoke, "Hey, return the ball; we're playing."
Ignoring him, Daniel questioned me, eyeing everyone in front of us, "So which one is the rascal?"
Then, as if on cue, the rascal came forward and opened his mouth. "Oh, Alex, what happened? Did your wife finally realize that you can't satisfy her and ask you to fetch me?" The other person who was with him earlier laughed, while the others watched us curiously.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, you should have kept that dirty mouth shut. I could have saved you five minutes of torture," I said calmly, still rolling up my sleeves.
Daniel looked behind him and spoke to the others. "So, boys, things here are going to turn ugly. I would warn you all to leave before getting hurt in the process because we are only here for him," he said, gesturing towards the rascal who had spoken and dared to touch my wife.
"And why do you think we would let you do anything here to our friend?" one of them spoke.
Daniel then spotted a familiar face and said, "Ahh, Henry, long time no see. Would you like to tell your friends that it's in their interest to leave now before we start? Or do you agree with your friend?"
I saw Henry boy visibly gulp; I think he knew what Daniel was hinting at. Henry quickly whispered something in his friend's ear, and most of them fled the scene, leaving only the two rascals we were here for and three stubborn asses behind.
The bastard who had tried to hurt Sarah had a grin, thinking they could overpower us because they had greater numbers. But what he didn't know is that Daniel and I loved dealing with these types of individuals, and we were known as a formidable duo. Today, we would be extra aggressive as we were fuelled by determination to confront the perpetrators.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that Daniel used to be a professional boxer in college.
I looked at Daniel, and he nodded as we took slow, predatory steps toward the rascals. The atmosphere had changed with anger and determination.
Karen stood there with a sinister grin, confident that he could harm Sarah with impunity, and that I would let him off easy. But I was lightning-quick. With a furious shout, I lunged at him, unleashing a torrent of punches. A brutal right cross-connected with his jaw, sending a sharp, cracking sound through the air. A swift left jab followed, catching the man by surprise. As he staggered backward, I delivered a powerful roundhouse kick that sent him sprawling to the ground, effectively neutralising the threat.
Daniel confronted the man who had spoken ill of Sarah, and he had no intention of holding back. He sidestepped an incoming punch with grace, countering with a barrage of hooks and jabs. Each blow was imbued with raw, intense energy. The offender reeled under the onslaught, unable to believe the intensity of the attack. Finally, a thunderous uppercut left him dazed, and collapsed on the ground, regretting the moment he had crossed Sarah's name.
While Daniel and I tackled our primary adversaries, the three accomplices sought to overpower us. But our duo's synergy was undeniable. As I fended off one attacker with an elbow strike to the chest, Daniel had already incapacitated another with a perfectly executed leg sweep.
The third accomplice met a relentless combination of punches and kicks from both Daniel and me. We had done it together so many times that we could predict each other's moves. We flowed seamlessly, as if choreographed, punishing the accomplice for his reckless involvement.
The alley, once echoing with aggression, had transformed into a scene of retribution. With the attackers lying battered and beaten, Daniel and I had successfully made it clear that no one would dare harm our loved ones and escape unscathed.
After leaving the court, Daniel and I grinned and went for a drink to celebrate. I cleaned up at Daniel's place since I didn't want Sarah to know what happened. Then I went back home to my sweet wife.
The rest of the evening went by smoothly. At night, Sarah had a nightmare of that incident again, but I was with her. I hugged her tightly and consoled her.
***
There's only a week left for Christmas, and I still have to plan things for Sarah. I haven't bought any presents yet.
I barged into his office. "Dan, let's go to our mall. I need to buy presents, and I have no idea what to buy."
"So the great Alexie can't even buy Christmas presents without the help of his best friend?" I rolled my eyes at him.
"Dan, you are not getting any presents this year, and I will also hide the presents Mom and Dad will get for you." I teased him.
"No, you would not," he warned me, but he had an expression that showed he was scared I might actually do as I said. I raised one brow to warn him.
I knew he wouldn't want his presents gone. He's such a child when it comes to presents and food. He may be a big man who protects his family, but he has the softest heart.
"Fine, I'll help you, Alexie. Let's go. But it's already late; will the shops be open?"
"You forgot we own some malls. And I have already called the private section to stay open for us."
"You are always ready and a good businessman."
"Since it came from you, I am taking pride in this compliment." I winked at him, and he rolled his eyes at me.
As we sat in my car, I asked him in a serious tone, "Is it done?"
"Yes," he knew what I was talking about.
I had a devilish smile on my face because nobody hurt my family and got away with it.
"That guy had it coming; he thought he would get away with what he did to her. He didn't know who he was messing with," he said with a dangerous smile.
The rascal who tried to hurt Sarah was facing the consequences of his actions. We also informed the authorities, and they took the necessary actions. I don't know how Daniel came up with all the footage, but he did. He even told me that Noah kicked them both out of the basketball team, which ended their careers in the game.
Strolling through the bustling mall with Dan, my thoughts were consumed by one person: Sarah. It was our first Christmas together, and I was determined to make it unforgettable for her. We navigated through the sea of holiday shoppers, the spirit of Christmas enveloping the air.
My first stop was a quaint jewelry store, where I found the perfect necklace for Sarah – a delicate silver chain with a heart-shaped pendant. It would look stunning on her and symbolize my growing affection. I couldn't help but notice Dan sneakily eyeing a watch he liked. I made a mental note to surprise him later.
Next, we ventured into a charming boutique, where I found a beautiful scarf with intricate patterns and colors reminiscent of Mia's elegance. I knew she'd appreciate the gift. But I decided to buy it later, along with gift for Dan.
We continued our shopping spree, with Dan and me taking turns slipping away to secretly purchase gifts for each other. I couldn't resist picking up the watch for him and the scarf for Mia, suspecting he had something special in mind for me as well. Finally, it was time to choose gifts for our parents.
I came back home and hid the presents in my closet, confident that Sarah wouldn't stumble upon them. She is an incredibly shy and innocent girl, never goes through my stuff, making me feel fortunate to have found her.
Later that evening, Sarah and I embarked on a quest to find the perfect Christmas tree, keeping our destination a secret from her. She asked questions throughout the ride, her curiosity endearing, my cute little curious Dove. But I kept ignoring her curious questions, she eventually dropped her questions and gazed at the city's festive lights, her love for Christmas evident.
When we arrived at our destination, Sarah looked at the place and seemed concerned. It appeared like a junkyard from the front, with a barely visible sign above its rusty iron gates due to the darkness.
"Are you sure we're at the right place?" she asked, expressing her doubts.
"Just trust me," I reassured her, extending my hand. She smiled and took it.
As we entered the place, the inside was a complete contrast to its exterior. It was illuminated with Christmas lights and beautifully decorated. When we approached the counter, I introduced myself and asked about the tree I had called about. The manager provided us with an axe and the necessary tools.
Excitement lit up Sarah's face when she saw the tools, knowing it was her first-time tree shopping.
The crisp December air brushed against our cheeks as we entered the enchanting world of Christmas trees. Sarah's eyes sparkled with delight, and she clung to my arm like an excited child.
"Alex, this is amazing! I've never been Christmas tree shopping before," she exclaimed, her voice filled with wonder.
I couldn't help but chuckle at her infectious enthusiasm. "I'm glad I could be the one to share this with you." I felt lucky to be her first in this.
We wandered through rows of evergreens, each tree adorned. The scent of pine filled the air, mingling with the laughter of families and the distant sound of carols.
Sarah stopped in front of a particularly majestic tree, its branches reaching out as if to embrace the world. "This one, Alex, it's perfect!"
I couldn't agree more. "It's a beauty, just like you," I replied, my voice soft.
She blushed, a rosy hue spreading across her cheeks. "You always know the right thing to say."
I reached out to touch the tree's needles, its texture rough beneath my fingers. "This tree will be the centerpiece of our home this Christmas. Let's get it."
As we waited for the tree to be wrapped and prepared for transport, Sarah leaned against me, her head resting on my shoulder. Her eyes were fixed on the twinkling lights, and I could tell she was lost in thought.
"You know," she began, her voice low and contemplative, "This Christmas is different. It's special. It's the first time I'm celebrating it, and with someone who cares about me."
I gently tilted her chin up to meet my gaze. "And it won't be the last. I want to make every Christmas with you special."
A small smile played on her lips. "I'm looking forward to that."
I held Sarah close, feeling the warmth of her presence like a cozy blanket on a winter's night. With her, I was discovering emotions I had never felt before, and it was both exhilarating and terrifying. But one thing was clear: I wanted to make Sarah smile, not just during Christmas, but every day. She had ignited a flame in my heart, and I was eager to see where it would lead us. I knew then that she meant more to me than I had ever imagined.
****
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