Alejandro squinted ever so slightly at the
woman who was in the Iving room with Nivera, his dark eyes narrowing in a sh of something unreadable
But then, with a practiced ease, his face shifted and his lips curved into <b>a </b>smile–warm on the surface, yet Niver couldn’t help but notice how stiff his shoulders remained.
“Mom,” he greeted smoothly, stepping forward to press a light kiss to Marceline’s cheek.
“My dear boy,” Marceline beamed, touching his face with both hands affectionately before pulling him into a hug
Alejandro let her, but Nivers noticed the dy–barely a second, yet telling. He didn’t melt into her touch the way most sons would.
There was a resistance in him, one that lingered like a silent question.
As Marceline pulled back and turned her attention to Nivera again, Nivera couldn’t help but study the two of them Marceline was elegant, poised, <b>and </b>carried herself with a maternal warmth that made her instantly likable,
Yet Alejandro, for all his charm, <b>hadn’t </b>softened around her. Not even for a moment.
He wasn’t just guarded with her he was contained. Controlled. Calcted. Did Marceline not see that fact, or was she only seeing it because he had <b>shed </b>his mask around her and made her <b>see </b>the real him?
Even his own mother <b>wasn’t </b>spared
The realization sent a shiver down Nivera’s spine. What kind of man didn’t trust his own mother? What had happened to make him build walls that high
around his bear
She had seen how easily <b>he </b><b>slipped </b>into the role of protector when it suited him, how hemanded fear and loyalty in equal measure–but what haunted him so deeply that not even a woman like Marceline could touch it?
Whatever it was… it hadn’t made him strong, it <b>had </b>made him cold, and that would ultimately be his downfall
“I’ll prepare something for dinner, Marceline announced, brushing invisible lint from her blouse <b>as </b>she looked between the two.
“Something light and warm. It’s been a while since I cooked for you, and Nivera will be able to taste my <b>cooking</b>”
Afrown immediately appeared on <b>Alejandro’s </b><b>face </b>over his mother’s words, and it was obvious he didn’t want her to stay. “Mother, that’s not necessary.
Wel
“Nonsense,” she interrupted, waving a hand at <b>him </b>like she had when he was still a boy.
“I know my way around your kitchen better than you do, Alejandro. <b>And </b>besides, it’ll give <b>you </b>and Nivera time to catch <b>up</b><b>.</b>”
He opened his mouth to <b>argue </b>again<b>, </b>but Marceline was already making her way to the kitchen with a cheerful hum, as though the very idea of refusal was absurd.
Alejandro watched her retreat with a clenched jaw before sighing through his nose and turning his gaze to Nivera.
He then followed his mother and Nivera was left <b>standing </b>awkwardly. Just as <b>she </b>decided to join them, Alejandro returned with a bottle of wine and a
<b>ss </b>in his hands
“<b>So</b>,” he muttered<b>, </b>as he began to pour himself <b>ss </b>of wine, one he gulped down in one go suppose this is the part where you kiss me and ask me how my day was<b>?</b><b>” </b>
Nivera’s eyes narrowed at his words. “No,” she <b>shook </b>her head, her voice calm but firm. “This is the part where I ask why you filed thosewsuits.”
Alejandro paused, his back to her, the bottle of wine hovering in midair. Slowly, <b>he </b>poured a generous amount, then set the battle down <b>with </b><b>a </b>faint <b>click </b>
He didn’t turn around immediately, as if letting the question hang hetween them like smoke,
When he finally faced her, his expression was unreadable
“Well, because I had to,” he answered vaguely, futher confusing Hivera.
“No, you told me you didn’t care about the tumours,” Nivern countered. “You said it didn’t bother you what people thought, so why go that far
He took a sip of the wine, then walked past her to the couch, lounging like he owned not just the space, but the very air almost mocking “Because I can.”
se she breathed. His tone was light,
Nivera blinked. “I know you can, but why?”
He smirked. “I love crushing people, and I’ve had my eye on a particr new agency. A few well ced calls, a team of rabidwyers, and suddenly the little rats start running for their lives, Such a glorious sight.”
Her jaw tensed. “So you used me as an excuse for a power y?”
Alejandro tilted his head, eyes glinting. “Don’t tter yourself. You were just the trigger. The rest was already overdue.”
Anger coiled in her chest like <b>a </b>snake. “You made it about me. You filedwsuits in my name. You put my face on those statements. You said I was defamed. That was innocent.
“And weren’t you?” he asked, voice suddenly sharp. “Or do you regret that I made <b>people </b>shut up about what happened between you and Nathaniel?”
Her voice rose, despite herself “That’s not the point, Alejandro
He didn’t finch. <b>Didn’t </b>even blink. “Then what is?”
Nivera stood there, her fists clenched at her sides. “The point is, you took control of something that <b>wasn’t </b>yours to control. You didn’t even ask me if wanted that. You just… bulldozed over my life again like it belonged to you.”
Silence.
Alejandro looked at her for a long moment, then chuckled under his breath. “You sound awfully ungrateful.”
“Ungrateful?” Her voice cracked with disbelief, and she turned to the direction of the kitchen to ensure that Marceline wouldn’t walk in on them
“I cleaned up your reputation,” he said, standing now. “I buried the man who tried to ruin you. And what doll get in return? res. usations. As if I’m the <b>viin </b>in your little story.”
“You are the viin, Alejandro” she snapped. “Because you think protecting someone gives you the right to own them!”
The words echoed off the walls like <b>a </b>p. Alejandro’s expression shifted. Something darker flickered behind his eyes.
He stepped closer<b>, </b>slowly, like a predator measuring the distance between itself and its prey<b>. </b>
“You really don’t get it,” he <b>said </b>quietly. “You never did.”
“Then exin it to me,” she challenged. “Tell me why you’re like this. Tell me why you push everyone away, even your own mother. Why do you act like no one deserves to know the real you”
He stopped just in front of her. Their faces were inches apart, and she could feel the heat radiating off him
His jaw twitched, but he said nothing <b>for </b>a moment. Just stared at her with something between fury and fascination.
“My my, who would have thought you to by an observant little bird, Caberota he grinned.
“Answer the question, Alejandro. If I’m going to be trapped in your world, I should know some things about you.
<b>2/3 </b>
68%
“People like <b>me</b>,” he <b>said </b>atst, voice low and cold, “don’t get the luxury of softness. We don’t get to trust We don’t get to hope. Because if we do, someone uses it to carve us open
There it was. The crack in the mask.
Nivera’s anger faltered, if only slightly. “Who hurt you like that?”
Alejandro scoffed
cffed and turned away, downing the rest of his wine like water. “That’s none of your business
“But I’m living in your prison, Alejandro” she said quietly. “I think that makes it my business.”
His back stiffened.
For the first time, he looked genuinely shaken just for a breath of a second–before his walls snapped back up like steel gates mming shut
<b>“</b><b>I </b><b>gave </b>you shelter. I gave you protection. That should be mough. Don’t go digging for what doesn’t need to be dug up.”
“I’m not,” Nivera retorted. “I don’t want a protector who wears a leash around my neck<b>,</b>”
From the kitchen, Marceline’s voice could be heard as she was singing, <b>unaware </b>of the chaos happening night under her nose.
Nivera didn’t move. Neither did Alejandro
They stood in silence–her heart pounding, his fists clenched, the air thick with tension.
It was unfair that he knew so much about her<b>, </b>and <b>she </b>barely knew anything about him.
df finding out the backstory to Alejandro was thest thing she needed <b>to </b><b>do</b>, she would and when she finally found a weakness, she would make him
AD
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