<b>Chapter </b><b>50 </b>
<b>Nivera’s </b>gaze was still lost in the memory of Alejandro’s almost.
when the sound of the front door clicking open snapped her out of her treguts
Footsteps echoed down the hall–measured, authoritative and Alejandro’s brows drew together as he recognized those footsteps
“What the hell?” he muttered, as he turned.
Mivera turned just <b>as </b>a tall, distinguished man stepped into the living room, his salt and pepper hair immactelybed hack
the d
<b>dark </b>trench coat he wore only added to his dangerous aura, and his piercing gare swept the room with the ease of someone who belonged in it. The man looked strikingly like Alejandro but even more like Antonio. The sharp jawline. The cold, calcting game. There was no mistaking it now. Recognition clicked in Nivera’s mind like a puzzle piece falling into ce. The wedding. She had seen him there, even though he was in the shadows. He was Antonio’s father and Alejandro’s uncle. William <b>Garcia</b>, the patriarch of the Garcia family.
Alejandro stepped forward, confusion etched across his face. “Uncle? What are you doing here?”
ce in a while?
A faint smirk tugged at the older man’s lips. “Can’t I <b>visit </b>my other son once
That earned a blink from Nivera as Alejandro chuckled dryly. “No, you absolutely cannot.”
Other son? Nivera’s brows furrowed. She nced between the two men. Uncle… son? <b>She </b>had heard the news outlets mention William before and knew him to be a patriarchal <b>figure </b>
And she was sure he was Antonio’s father. Where was Alejandro’s father? She had never heard him speak about the <b>man</b>. Not even in passing, and neither did Marceline.
For someone who seemed to enjoy sharing memories, it was weird that she had never mentioned her husband
William’s gazended on her then, sharp but not unkind. “You must be Nivera,” he said, extending a hand. “His <ol><li>d. “His girlfriend, right?” </li></ol>
Nivera hesitated, but manners kicked in<b>, </b>and she took his hand, her smile stiff and polite. “<b>It’s </b><b>a </b>pleasure to meet you, Mr. Garcia.”
“William“, he corrected smoothly. <b>“</b><b>Call </b>me William.”
<b>There </b><b>was </b>something about him that made her stomach coll <b>Not </b>overt hostility–but power. Raw, unflinching power Patriarchs always had that scent of cruelty about them,
Her father had taught her well: men like William were not to be underestimated or trusted.
<b>Plus</b>, that was apart from all the things he had said about William and how he was an asshole,
Before anything else could be said, Alejandro slid beside her.
“Cabezota, we just got back. Why don’t you go up and freshen up?”
She looked at him, mildly surprised by the <b>sudden </b>shift, but more than grateful for the exit. “Ok“, she said softly.
“I look forward to getting to know you,” William smiled, and she nodded with a smile of her own before turning and heading towards the stairs.
The moment she disappeared from view, Alejandro faced William, expression hardening
“Why are you really here, Uncle?” he asked bluntly.
<b>“</b><b>I </b>told you. I came to see you.”
Alejandro scoffed. <b>“</b><b>You’ve </b>raised me since I was ten. I know that look. You didn’t drive all the way here just to have a father son bonding thorant
William chuckled, the sound low and gravelly. “Let’s take this to your sturly,” he said. “I’d rather not have your girlfriend identally walk in and <b>han </b>what I’m about to say.”
Without waiting for a response, William made his way toward the study at the end of the hall, and Alejandro followed.
The room was dimly lit, its walls lined with tall bookshelves and rich, polished wood.
Alejandro headed
straight to his table and poured two sses of vodka–noice. “Here you go,” he stretched his hands towards his uncle.
William took his and raised a brow before gulping it in one go. “Straight to the point, huh?”
“Always, just like you taught me,” Alejandro chuckled, downing his in one smooth motion.
William sipped his slowly, then ced the ss down with a soft clink.
“<b>What </b>are you doing?” William sald atst, “and with the daughter of Matthew Elton?”
Alejandro’s face didn’t twitch. “We’re in a rtionship.”
William’s eyes narrowed. “Do look like a fool to you?”
Alejandro’s lips curved in a cold smile. “I would never take you for one,” he responded sarcastically, and a smack came swiftly across the back of his
head.
“Don’t get smart with me, or I’ll have no problem ripping out your tongue,” William warned.
“Matthew Elton hates the Garcias. He’d <b>rather </b>hand his daughter to a pack of hyenas than to us. How did you manage to charm her?”
Alejandro put on his usual fa?ade, jovial and yful. “Well, it’s the curse of being this charming, Uncle. Irresistible, really.”
But William wasn’t <b>amused</b>. “I’ve known you since you were born. Took you under my roof when you were ten. Don’t put up that mask with me, Alejandro. Do it in front of others”
And just like that, the switch flipped and Alejandro’s entire expression shifted–gone was the grin, reced with a calcting coldness that chilled the air between them.
“If you’re asking,” he said quietly,
ly, “then you must already know”
He was no fool not to know that his uncle kept tabs on him just like he did on Antonio, and it was infuriating, to say the <b>least</b>.
“I do,” William confirmed. “You’re just like your
brother.”
Alejandro’s jaw tensed, but he said nothing as he wanted for his uncle to go on
“What is it with the two of you? William continued, frustration slipping into his voice. “You both force yourselves into rtionships like they’re business
deals.”
“Not entirely true,” Alejandro murmured, stealing William’s untouched <b>ss </b>and finishing the contents in a long gulp.
“Unlike Antonio, my situation is differ
At least I’m not forcing her to get married to me,” he grinned.
“I don’t even want to know the details,” William sighed. “Just make sure you don’t cross the line.
Alejandro’s eyes <b>sharpened </b>as William’s words hit a nerve. “I’m not him. I won’t.”
“Good,” William replied. “Now the man who confessed… the one who cleared Nivera’s his death wasn’t a suicide?”
me…Navin or whatever his name was, why do I got the feeling
GSChapter 50
Alejandro met his gaze without blinking, “Decause it wasn’L”
William leaned back, not surprised. “You were behind it.”
“He deserved to die for what he did to her. And he did.”
William stared at his nephew as he hummed, slow and thoughtful, before proceeding to pour himself another drink
What neither man noticed was the thin sliver of the study door left slightly ajar.
Just outside, standing perfectly still in her <b>bare </b>feet, was Niveta.
Her hand clutched her shirt, and her body rigid.
She had gone up to freshen up, but as <b>she </b>got to her room, she realized she <b>was </b>thirsty and came down for a bottle of water
Not finding any of the men, she went on a search and found herself <b>standing </b>in front of the door to the study.
She would have left had she not heard her name. Curiosity had pulled her toward the source. And now, she couldn’t move
Her world had shifted in a single breath.
She was right; Alejandro was behind Nathaniel’s confession and had lied to her about not being behind it.
Nivera’s breath trembled. Her mind screamed at her to walk away. <b>But </b>she stayed.
Frozen in the silence that followed, as she wanted to hear what he would say again.
In the study, Alejandro’s voice dropped again.
“I did it because he touched her,” he said, calm and measured. “No one <bys </b><b>a </b>finger on what’s mine and walks <b>away </b>breathing.”
Mine
Nivera pressed her lips togethe
lips together, blinking rapidly.
William hummed again. “Your brother said the same thing about <b>Zabelle</b>, and now <b>he’s </b>married to <b>her</b>.<b>” </b>
“I’m not my brother. Marriage is off the table,” Alejandro stated.
“No,” William said slowly, “You’re much worse because you think you can control yourself, but you’re just bottling your emotions.”
Alejandro said nothing and instead drowned down another ss of vodka.
The silence stretched, and Nivers took one step back.
Her heart pounded so loud she <b>feared </b>they’d hear it.
She turned, climbing the stairs with silent urgency. She needed to think. To breathe.
As soon as
s she got back to her room, <b>she </b>copsed onto the floor.
Why was Alejandro ying with her feelings? And why didn’t he want her to know that he was behind what happened?
It would have been better if he had just admitted it from the start, as if he had, she wouldn’t be having such <b>an </b>outburst of emotions.
His uncle knew they weren’t real, so there was no need to pretend, <b>yet </b>he had <b>called </b>her <b>his</b>.
“Mine” <b>His </b>voice echoed in her head, and it did nothing to help her racing heart.