"You useless thing! I should have drowned you in the toilet!
"I thought being a son would make the Torres family care about you! But you're so worthless they won't even look at you!"
Summoning all my courage, I rushed over and stood in front of him.
"Ma'am, you can't talk to him like that. Everyone has their own strengths!"
Xavier pushed me away from behind and kicked me twice, his blows vicious and desperate.
"Go away! I don't need your pity!"
Afterward, he tossed all the snacks I brought him into the trash and shredded the notes I had painstakingly prepared for him after staying up all night.
My friends all told me I was crazy for wasting my time on someone like him.
But it was also Xavier who, without hesitation, jumped in to save me when I fell into the water.
He used every ounce of his strength to pull me to shore, holding me tightly as I shivered uncontrollably.
For once, his usually arrogant face was filled with fear.
He buried his head in my neck and sobbed.
"Serena, I'm sorry. I just can't say it out loud. You mean so much to me!
"I don't want to lose you. Can you let me protect you from now on?"
He stayed by my side in the ambulance, gripping my hand all the way to the hospital.