<b>Chapter </b><b>32 </b>
The moment Alejandro walked away, Nivera let out a slow breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding Finally! Peace. Or something close to it.
The noise of the wedding reception swelled around her sses clinking,ughter rising, music humming gently in the background.
The newly manied couple <b>had </b>made their way to the center and were slow dancing with each other.
And she was just in time to see it finish. The couple was immediately hit with a roaring round of apuse, all smiles, and champagne Botes held high.
Nivera pped along like everyone else, but her mind wasn’t on them. Not really
She was still fuming. Alejandro Garcia was infuriating.
Charming, dangerously maic, butpletely infuriating.
She stared into her wine ss, watching the bubbles rise to the surface, her thoughts churning just as much.
She wanted to gulp it down, but she couldn’t, as she had a facade to keep up.
Girlfriend
He’d said it like it was the most natural thing in the world, Like it wasn’t <b>a </b>lie.
Like it wasn’t a bomb he dropped in the middle <b>of </b><b>a </b>delicate, messy situation she hadn’t even agreed to be a part of
Why the hell had he done that?! Didn’t he think of the effect it would <b>have</b>? They both hated each other, and with the way his mother had been <b>handling </b>the wedding, she <b>was </b>just a whiff of beginning to n another one.
“Smile,” she muttered to herself in his voice. “Mireina. Ugh!”
What did that even mean? She knew he had said something in hisnguage, <b>and </b>most importantly, why was the way he <b>said </b>it so seductive?
<b>a </b>clearer mind.
At the time, she was pissed about what happened. She was still pissed, but she was with a <b>c </b>
And of course, she’d yed along. What choice did she have, with Marceline Garcia looking at her like she was some puzzle piece that didn’t fit?
Plus, she didn’t forget she was still at Alejandro’s mercy
The way the older woman had clocked her–sharp eyes, smooth words.
She didn’t believe his mom had been fooled, not even for a second. And still, she <b>hadn’t </b>been rude. That was the worst part.
Her being rude would have meant she’d know, but the woman thought of her, so she could stop trying to impress her
But no, Marceline had been cordial.
Suspicious of the whole thing, yes, but polite.
She took another sip of wine and <b>nced </b>around, Instinctively scanning the crowd.
There were still eyes on her. Some subtle. Some bold. All questioning. Judging.
The moment they walked into the wedding reception, it had been a whirlwind of stares, whispers, subtle smirks, and worse: attention where eyes undressed her, judged her, and questioned her <b>presence </b>beside him
Weren’t they tired of <b>ring</b><b>? </b>
Nivera sighed. She didn’t belong here. Not in this world of old money, polished chandeliers, power drunk smiles, and fake affection Certainly not be Alejandro Garcia–poster boy of charm and scandal.
<b>She </b>didn’t need one.
Nivera broke out of her thoughts when she heard her phone vibrate in her purse.
She quickly brought it out to see that it was Alejandro who hail texted her. Her eyes immediately searched for him before reading his text.
“Get over here and get these women off me! This was what his text read, and she turned to look for him again.
She found him momentster, and he was caught between a particr woman–tall, stunning, in a deep red gown—and her friends. The woman’s smile was wicked. Calcting.
She immediately recognised them as the women whom she had told to back off earlier.
Seriously? Now they were really pissing her off? They didn’t know that she wasn’t dating Alejandro, which meant they were doing what they were doing with the intention of snatching him away.
Nivera’s spine straightened.
Nope. Not today.
She stood and glided across the room like she belonged there–like she’d always belonged.
The soft hum of the conversation seemed to hush as she neared them. Alejandro looked ahead, and when he saw <b>her </bing, something flickered behind his eyes.
ef? No, it couldn’t be.
Relief?
“Hey,” she said sweetly, looping her arm around his like she’d done it a thousand times.
*Mind if I steal him for a second?” she asked the woman in red, even though it wasn’t a question
The woman’s lips thinned. “Of course not.”
“Oh, and seriously,” she started as they turned to leave. “You look really pitiful trying to do this to a man who is taken. Try this again, and I’m throwing
hands.
<b>a </b>response. She turned Alejandro away from there, and led him back to the table she had been sitting at
Nivera didn’t <b>wait </b>for the woman to find a resp
When she turned to look <b>at </b>him, she saw him staring at her with a smile on his face.
“You’re enjoying this way too much,” she muttered once they were out of earshot.
“Yes, I am,” he replied smoothly, letting her hold onto him.
“This isn’t funny, Alejandro and…
<b>“</b><b>Why </b>are you getting riled up?” Alejandro interrupted her. “You’re the one acting like my jealous girlfriend.”
<b>“</b><b>I </b>am not jealous and don’t call me your girlfriend.”
His lips curled into that damn smirk again. “You’re doing a great job regardless.”
Nivera rolled her eyes, then–because they were
re still being watched, <b>she </b>schooled her expression as they both book their seats.
mother,” <b>she </b>said.
ou know, you’re lucky I didn’t deny you in front of your
“<b>You </b>
20:40 Wed<b>, </b>23 Jul G ·
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“Seriously Alejandro, what were you thinking introducing me as your girlfriend? That wasn’t part of the n”
“You know, my mother likes you,” Alejandro remarked, ignoring her question.
-She doesn’t like me.” Nivera retorted. “Now answer the question and stop deflecting
Alejandroughed, the sound rich and low. “You really must know, Mireina<b>.</b><b>” </b>
She ignored the nickname again, because she had bigger things to worry about–like the fact that she twisted little drama with his family.
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