Xavier's POV 

I arrived at my parents' mansion at exactly 5:30p.m. I got out of my car and walked to the front door. I took in deep breaths. After a few minutes, I  finally summoned the courage to knock the door.

I hesitantly knocked the door and for a few minutes, no reply came. I suddenly felt like turning around, bolting straight to my car and driving away.

I was not ready for the accusing look that was permanently etched on my father's face towards me. Since that tragic day, I had always felt guilty about what happened, regardless of people telling me it was no fault of mine.

They would always say it was fate and nothing could have been done to alter it. That, in any way, didn't stop my conscience from being guilty at all. I had always thought that if I had done a particular thing differently, then it wouldn't end up like this.

I was brought out of the memory of my painful past by the door being opened. I looked up and met my mom's happy face. Ever since that incident, she had been trying to distract herself with different things.

Her smiles before the tragedy occurred were not the same as now. I knew she was really hurting inside, but she was just trying to be strong.

Her smile faltered as she examined my face

"Xavi, honey, are you ok? Is something wrong? You look sad".

"Mom?".

"Yes honey".

"Do you hate me?". Her eyes widened in shock at my question.

"What?! Xavier honey, why would you say that?". She stepped closer to me and cupped my face in her hands.

"Because of what happened fifteen years ago". Immediately she heard me say that, she hugged me tightly.

"Honey, I don't hate you. I could never hate you".

"Well, you should. No one likes a murderer". She pulled away and looked me in the eyes.

"No I shouldn't and I don't. You're my son and I love you so much. Xavier, what happened wasn't your fault and you shouldn't have to feel guilty about it. Now listen to me very well, Xavier Percy King, you are not a murderer, you are my son and I love you very much".

"But--".

"No buts. That's final, Xavier. End of discussion. Now come on! Dinner's getting cold". I smiled at my mom. She always knew how to make me feel better. I felt a ray of hope, I might heal after all. I might be able to get through this dinner.

"Come on, Xavi. Your father's waiting".

My smile dropped instantly and my ray of hope shattered into million pieces. At the mention of my dad, my heart started thumping wildly in my chest, threatening to break free.

I needed a moment to regain my composure, but it was already too late.  My mom was already dragging me inside towards the living room.

I hesitantly stepped into the living room and saw my father's back facing me. He was watching the news. My father had always liked watching the news and he would always tell Javier and I to do so as well because we needed to know what was going on around us and in other places too.

"Sweetie, Xavier's here". My mom spoke, gaining my dad's attention.

"I need to go set the table. Met you there". She said and walked into the kitchen.

The thought of being alone with my dad scared me. My dad was not a cruel man, he loved his family very much and he was not the type to abuse his children. Ever since the incident, his attitude towards me had been cold. 

He stopped acknowledging my presence and I knew if it were up to him, he would never have passed the company to me. He was getting too old for the job and I was the only one left, so he had no choice but to pass it over to me.

I had been working hard all these years so as to impress my dad, but no matter how successful and richer I became or bigger the company got, my father neither acknowledged me nor even spared me the shadow of a smile.

He didn't say anything and kept watching tv. After a few minutes, he turned it off and stood up. I tensed up immediately. He turned around and our eyes met. That look in his eyes had always haunted me since the tragedy occurred.

Just one look and the guilt came flooding back in. The sirens of the ambulances, my mom's wails, my screams, the panicked shouts of the paramedics and Javier's blood-stained body against mine. Everything I had been trying so hard to forget, all it took was one look from my dad and it all came back.

We stared at each other for what felt like hours but it was only for a few minutes. I looked away from him because I couldn't stand it.

He started walking towards me and as usual, he just ignored me. He brushed past me and stepped into the dining room. I sighed and just stood there, staring into space.

"Xavi? Xavi, sweetie. Is everything alright?".

"Yes mom. Everything's fine,why?".

"I came to inform you that dinner is ready and the table has been set. Come on, honey. Let's go eat". She said and pulled me into the dining room.

When we got there, we met my dad already eating. My mom was angry at him "Ron, why didn't you wait for us to get here before eating? We're supposed to eat as a family".

"You organised this...whatever this is. I never agreed to it, so I see no reason to play along". He replied.

"I don't know what to do anymore. I'm only trying to fix this family, so I called for this family dinner in order to work out our differences. But if you're not willing to try, how are we ever going to return to the way we were before- happy, and peaceful!".

My mom said, already on the verge of tears.

"Mom, calm down". I hugged her and started patting her back gently, trying to soothe her.

"We can never go back to the way we were! Never! And do you know why? I'll tell you why. It's because of your son. He brought this upon this family!". My dad shouted.

"Dad, calm do--".

"Stay out of this, you. All of this is your fault. YOU are the cause of this, YOU ARE!" He shouted at me.

"Don't you dare blame Xavier for what happened. It's not his fault. Can't you see how much he's suffering already. We're supposed to be here for him, comfort him and not blame him instead!".

My mom was crying uncontrollably. My heart was breaking, completely shattering at the sight of my mom, crying. I was the cause of all this– Javier's death, the rift between my parents and my broken family.

"I will never accept him into this family ever again! Why? Because he's a MURDERER!" My dad said and stormed out of the house.

My mom fell on her knees and sobbed bitterly. I just stood there, trying to process what just happened. I knelt beside my mom and hugged her tightly. I stroke her hair gently and soothed her.

She held my hand and looked me in the eyes.

"Xavi, Xavi, listen to me. You are not a murderer. You are not to be blamed for any of this, ok?".

I looked down, unable to meet her eyes. My dad, my very own biological father just called me a murderer. That must be what he saw me as, a murderer and the one that broke his happy family.

My mom placed her hands on both sides of my face and lifted my face to look at her.

"Honey, please don't think about it. Your father just misses Javier, that's all. He may appear strong but he's still hurt by what happened. He didn't mean any of that, ok?".

My mom said, trying to make me feel better, but I knew very well that was not true. My dad meant every bit of what he said, the look of hatred directed towards me in his eyes, proved it.

I looked at her and hugged her tightly. I stroke her hair gently and she rubbed different patterns on my back. After some time, I heard her snore quietly and her hand on my back dropped to the side.

She was finally asleep. I carried her to her room and laid her on the bed, using the blanket to cover her. I placed a small kiss on her forehead and muttered a "good night, mom".

I left her room and saw one of their helpers.

"She's asleep. Please take good care of her. I'm leaving".

"Ok sir. I will".

I nodded, looked back at my parents' room and head towards the door. I entered my car and started driving back home. 

During the drive back home, the only thing that kept playing in my head were my dad's words.

"He's a MURDERER". And I came to a conclusion "I am to be blamed for everything".