<b>Chapter </b><b>14 </b>
The door mmed in her face with a finality that made Mira’s jaw clench so tight it ached.
He had seriously shut the door in her face alter ignoring her question
“Bastardi” she <b>hissed</b>, her voice shaking with thery bottled in her chest,
Her knuckles curled into tight fists as she stood there, motionless for a few seconds, the echo of the dose stiti ringing in her ears.
How dare hell
Nivera backed away, heart pounding with rage. The sheer helplessness she felt–it was suffocating. Too familiar.
She’d dawed her way out of <b>this </b>kind of prison once before, <b>back </b>when she lived under her family’s thumbs
Her father’s strict rules, her mother’s silence, the watchful eyes of the Elton name pressing down on her like a curse
Sho’d broken those chains
But this? <b>Alejandro’s </b>version was proving to be more sinister Slicker. The walls weren’t visible<b>, </b>but she could feel them closingin.
She didn’t care if it was a long shot–hell, she knew it was–but she <b>had </b>to at least try to get out. Anything was better than sitting around like a caged
animal<b>. </b>
With that thought in mind<b>, </b><b>she </b>pulled open the front door and stepped out into the crisp night.
She barely took two steps further when she came to a dead halt as she noticed a man. Upon a closer look, she realized that it was a guard.
However, it wasn’t just any guard. He <b>was </b>a towering man with sharp <b>eyes </b>and a rifle strapped across his chest and he turned at the sound of the door and their <b>eyes </b>locked
Nivera’s breath caught in her throat. He didn’t move. But he didn’t need to
The message was clear in his eyes <b>and </b>it was telling her that he wasn’t going to let her go past him. She definitely didn’t see the guard when they arrived
at the mansion.
Did Alejandro put the <b>guard </b>to stop her from trying to <b>run </b>away!
Without thinking, Nivera spun on her heal and hurried back inside, mming the door behind her with trembling hands.
As soon as she was sure that she was sale, she <b>pressed </b>a palm against her chest, feeling the frantic rhythm of her heartbeat beneath her ribs.
So that was a no. Leaving wasn’t just unlikely–it was impossible. Unless she had a death wish.
Walking back to the living room, she slumped into the couch with a huff and pulled out her phone
ckscr
<b>screen</b>.
“No<b>, </b>no, no<b>,</b><b>” </b>she muttered, jabbing the power button. Nothing.
It was dead. Of course it was, she didn’t charge if the night before.
“Great,” she snapped bitterly, tossing it beside her. “Just freaking <b>perfect</b>.
<b>Now </b><b>she </b>had nothing. No way out, no distractions, not even a damn game to pass the time.
Having nothing else to do and not knowing when Alejandro would get back, she leaned back into the <b>sata </b><b>and </b>shut her eyes.
<b>1/5 </b>
16:33 Wed, 28 JUI
Just for a second. She muttered to herself. She wasn’t trying to sleep. She just needed…to breathe.
Her body, however, had other ns…
Minutes passed. Maybe more
Then–BANG<b>! </b>
The sound of <b>the </b>living room door mming jolted her upright.
Her pulse skyrocketed as she scrambled pill the couch, expecting to see Alejandro and cure him out for…
It wasn’t him! The realization made Nivera pause in her steps.
The <b>man </b>who walked in however had the same sharp jawline, the same dark hair, blue eyes, the same dangerous confidenceced into ho gat
But it wasn’t Alejandro
His eyes widened the moment he spotted her, and he paused mid–step.
She knew who the was
was before he even spoke
“Who are you?” The man asked in a gold voice
Nivera blinked, throat tightening as she didn’t know what to say.
That voice. That face. The resemnce was <b>uncanny</b>.
He had to be Antonio. Alejandro’s cousin–or “brother” as everyone seemed to call him
They were born on the same day. The resemnce, the bond… it fooled people all the time into thinking that they were twins
And standing in front of him now, she understood why
He had asked <b>a </b>question but she didn’t know how to answer
What was the supposed to say?
“Hi, I’m the woman who stabbed your cousin in the neck. Or maybe the one he’s holding hostage out of spite
Yeah, that would do nothing more than get on his bad side as there <b>was </b>one thing she learnt was that while the brothers fought when they were together, they didn’t y when it came to having each other’s <b>back</b><b>. </b>
“Tm… <b>Nivers</b>,” she said, forcing her voice to stay calm w
Antonio tilted his head. “Okay. What are you doing here?”
I’m here because your insane brother has decided to ruin my life!”
That’s what she wanted to say
But she couldn’t risk it. One Garcia was enough. Two That might actually kill her.
“don’t think I can exin it in away that you understand. Maybe… maybe wait for Alejandro toe back and let him tell <b>you</b>?”
It <b>was </b>the safest thing she coulde up with.
Antonio stared at her, suspicion clear in <b>his </b>eyes
Then Growll
Her stomach betrayed
Why did her stomach
stay her everytina
“Morry,” she muttered
in’s brow rose in amusement and the thought he was going to sold day, “Come (at’s put you something is aut
That shocked her mot
her mote thar
ingalia had that day Why
sy was ha atting so nice?
She stared at him. Was this a tock? Some Garcia game of good.cop.hadoop?
“No, I’m fine,” she said quickly “Really”
“You’re dearl
Antonio said. He didn’t ask ag?n. He just tumed and star
wking
Nivera beutated, her feet rooted to the floor, Alejandro had refused her food. Hell, he’d all but threatened
But the way Antonia looked at her–calm, firm–told her there wouldn’t be a second
So the followed
The dining table was already set. Antonio poured himself a ss of wine and g
“Serve yourself and eat.”
gured to the food
She nodded and sat down, wary and stiff. The silence stretched between them like ss as he observed her
Finally, the picked up the cutlery and served herself after which she took a c
Sho hadn’t realized how hungry the was until the first taste hit her tongue
Still, she didn’t let her guard down
“You know the food isn’t poisoned right?” She heard him say her minutes passed and when the locked down, she realized that she saw the
had made with her te
“Yes <b>I </b>know,” she answered.
Then you should eat especially as you’re starving.” Antonio said and Nivera wondered for the umpteenth time what Antonio’s game n wa
ording to the reports, he wasn’t a nice person and she highly doubted he has a case like Alejandro’s, hard outside but really a nice person
<b>No </b>that couldn’t be it.
Nivera’s spine straightened when she heard footsteps. She didn’t need to look. She knew it was Alejandro
the mom, the tension thickening
She could feel the shift in the ro
A few minutester, he came into view and his eyes fell on her
There you are. About time.” She heard Antony say to him
Alejandro didn’t look happy to see his cousin as his eyes flickered to the after which theynded on Antonio once again
“What are you doing here?” he asked, voice low. Yes, he definitely wasn’t happy to see Antonio, she concluded.
16:33 Wed<b>, </b>23 Jul
231%
“You weren’t answering your phone, I figured I’d stop by. And when I got here, the was alone, looking like a hostage I had to offer her something to drink before she chewed through the furniture”.
Wit what?! Nivera asked as she turned to re at Antonio. Finally, his true face was gradually beginning to show “I wasn’t going to chew anything,”
responded.
“Vet, Antonio quipped.”
Yep, definitely Alejandro’s brother;
Alejandro didn’t respond and she watched as he walked into the room and sat across from them, his eyes were locked on Antonio.
ver looked at Antonio and Alejandro and the two were shooting looks at each other. Why did it feel like the only mason they were not at achter’s throats was because she was here?
She immediately shot up from her seat think I go back to the living room,” she said and didn’t wait for permission before botting out of her suffocating environment
She had barely made it to the living room when Mejandro appeared behind making her pause in her footsteps.
“Come with me,” he said as he turned and began to lead the way He led her to a room which was upstairs, and he opened the door
“Stay here. Don’te out,” he simply said and Nivera stepped <b>inside </b>without a word
She didn’t need to be told twice as that was what she wanted
Alejandro then closed the door and he headed straight for his <b>study</b>.
Antonio was already there, wine in hand, leaning against the window like he owned the <b>ce</b>.
Where the hell <b>have </b>you been?!” Antonio asked, voice sharp<b>, </b>and the mask he had been putting on finally sipped. “And why didn’t you answer my
Alejandro walked over to the table and poured himself a drink. “Because didn’t want to.”
“How emotionally mature,” Arthur hissed sarcastically
Alejandro turned, eyes cold. “Don’t you have a wedding to n?”
<b>“</b><b>So </b>you!
remember Antonio raised a brow
“Zabello<b>, </b><b>huh</b>?” Ale
Alejandro sipped his drink. “Didn’t think you’d be the one to break the pact”
Antonio’s pstwitched. “It’s not about marriage. It’s about revenge. You, of all people, should understand that.”
Alejandro’s jaw tightened. He did understand. Too well
But it didn’t make sense. They both had said they wouldn’t get married no matter what <b>as </b>love was a hassle <b>they </b>weren’t ready to go through
There were many waysh
she could have gotten revenge on Zabelle. Why did it have to be through marriage?
You’re marrying her to get back at Gabriel?” he asked, voice low. “That’s the n?”
Antonio didn’t answer.
Instead, he stepped forward, eyes narrowing “You still haven’t told me. Who is she?
“That’s none of your business. “Alejandro’s expression darkened.
wed<b>, </b>23 JUI
Antonio smirked. “Tit say it is, considering I just found her sitting on your couch, starving.”
“She’s fine now,” Alejandro snapped.
“you’re acting reckless.”
“Maybe” Alejandro stepped closer, meeting his cousin’s gare. “But this is my game, Ant
onio. Don’t get in my way.”
Their eyes locked, tension crackling like a live whe between them as neither of them moved