THE X-FAMILY Story by Faith Lucky (Octavia and the Master)
Episode 38.
Octavia returned to the field and met Khalid there, his head in his palms. It was so obvious he was boiling with anger, like he could do something drastic at that moment.
Slowly, she walked upto him and placed her hand on his shoulders.
“Khalid…” Her voice was so soothing, they made him shake a little.
He touched his jaws and turned to look at her.
“Let’s get going”‘ he mumbled and started walking away.
Hold on…he was really going for the elections??
“Khalid…” She took two steps towards him. “Are you…Are you still going for it?”
“No matter what happens Octavia, I’m never going to bow to that woman’s will” he snapped and looked at her with so much anger, Octavia flinched.
“My father built the Khalid clan and named it after me, but I established it. I raised it to the top and watched it get to where it was today. I made a lot of sacrifices, Octavia! So, after everything, she suddenly shows up and wants me to destroy it with my own hands?? That’s never gonna happen because that’d be equal to death for someone like me!”
His voice echoed with so much anger and hatred, making Octavia burst into more tears.
“I’m sorry” she whimpered with her head bent.
“I just… I just don’t want to lose you”
If she said those words unconsciously, she probably didn’t realize what they meant.
Khalid gave a deep stare at her, then turned around with a sigh.
“We don’t have time. Let’s go” he mumbled and continued walking away and this time around, Octavia had to follow despite her tears.
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As they approached the hall, she tried to control her tears and luckily, she did. That was when it dawned more on her that she was going to face the Masters – the Masters she was so scared of.
She hastened up her steps so she’d be walking next to Khalid and looking at Khalid, he didn’t look like one who had been so broken a while ago. Well except for that dark look in his eyes, one that made him seem so dangerous.
There were guards at the entrance of the hall and they bowed as Khalid walked in – with Octavia.
Octavia’s eyes were already dimming as they walked into the hall which looked like a mini-club. Hold on, how many can Masters did the X-family have in total because the population there was quite much.
Not really much tho, but it was more than the figures she had been expecting.
Well… maybe it was because each Master had a female there with him.
Most of them were standing around different tables, drinking and chatting in merriment.
“Khalid” one of them suddenly called as soon as Khalid’s entrance was noticed.
He looked older and held a glass of wine in his hand.
“Hey boss” Khalid said gruffly as he got to the table with Octavia and the old man chuckled and gave him a side hug.
“How have you been, little son? Can’t believe this is the first time I’m getting to see you in five years”.
“Yeah, things has been a little stuck and all….”
As the two Masters spoke, Octavia narrowed her eyes to the lady beside the older man who was obviously his woman.
“Hello” the lady waved at her with a smile.
“I love your eyes’.
Octavia’s cheeks flushed a little.
“Thank you” she mumbled and lowered her gaze to the floor.
Gosh! She had too many things to think of than thinking of a compliment.
“So, she’s your new b!tch now?” The older man asked and Octavia looked up at him, wondering if he was seriously referring to her as a b!tch.
“What happened to Becca huh?”
“Becca’s out of my life. Girl is not to be trusted” Khalid replied as he poured himself some drink – two actually.
He decanted the drinks into the two glasses and handed one to Octavia while he took one for himself.
Octavia wanted to protest because she didn’t like drinking, but the coded look she had gotten from Khalid made her understand it was necessary. So, she quietly collected it and took some gulps.
“She’s beautiful, you know?” The man broke the little silence. “You’ve always had eyes for good things, Khalid”.
Khalid chuckled and sipped from his glass.
“I couldn’t agree less, boss” he said. “I always pick the best”.
Octavia could feel her cheeks hitting up, knowing they were actually complimenting her.
Gosh! And it made her a little nervous. Khalid was also complimenting her.
She lookee around, taking in the figures of the other people in the room and she felt her heart skip when her eyes suddenly ran into Master Zack.
He was sitting at a dark corner, his eyes pinned on her and it was obvious Khalid hadn’t seen him yet.
As Octavia stared at her, the fear she always felt was suddenly drifting away. She could feel every trace of it leaving her heart and turning into anger.
Yes, anger.
She felt a deep hatred and anger for this guy was the reason for Khalid’s predicament. The reason she couldn’t be happy. Him alone was the reason and something in her guts wanted him to pay so badly.
Zack continued staring at her, hardly paying attention to the lady beside him, running her hands around his chest, romantically.
And somehow, he felt surprised that Octavia didn’t take her gaze away from him like she used to. He felt surprised that she had the guts to glare back at him without blinking.
*
*
Few minutes later and the hall became quiet when 3 prominent – looking men walked in.
All eyes rotated around them and without being told, Octavia knew they were among the Leaders.
They walked and stopped right in the middle of the hall where everyone could look at them.
“Esteemed Masters of The X-family” one of them began.
“It’s finally time for the elections”.
To Be Continued… . . .