<b>Chapter </b>114
<b>Chapter </b><b>114 </b>
Alejandroy across Nivera’s bed, his long legs crossed at the ankle, a slight frown shadowing his face as the bright screen of <b>his </bptop illuminated his features.
attention.
He scrolled through a news blog wadedly
half–listening to the music ying here 217 21
様々な
A red breaking news banner slid
across
ioscreen
ying his pods, until <b>caught </b><b>his </b>
the
“Is There Trouble in Paradise for Antonio and Zabelle Garcia?”
The headline was enough to grab his full attention.
Clicking on the article, Alejandro’s jaw tightened as a video autoyed–a grainy but incriminating clip from the g the night
before.
The footage showed Antonio standing outside the restroom hallway, talking closely with a woman whose face was conveniently turned away from the camera.
Alejandro tilted his head, trying to see if he could tell who the woman was, but he couldn’t.
Her posture, the tilt of her head, and the fact that she briefly touched Antonio’s arm were enough to spark a wildfire of assumptions.
The article spected with ease, even includingmentary about the suspicious timing and the bodynguage.
Then came the pictures–Antonio and Zabelle leaving the event, his expression clearly annoyed, but her arm linked in his as if nothing was amiss.
“Fucking media vultures,” Alejandro muttered as he opened his contacts, his fingers already flying over the keys of his phone.
He called Antonio. No answer. He tried again. Still nothing.
Alejandro sat up straighter and redialed, this time with a growing sense of agitation. Three more times. No response, with each call going straight to voicemail.
<i>“</i>Antonio, pick the hell up,” he muttered under his breath.
Frustrated, he finally fired off a short but sharp text.
You’re not answering your calls. Call me back.
He barely finished pressing send when he felt the slight shift of weight behind him as Nivera stirred.
Alejandro turned his head toward the bed, watching her slowly blink her way back to consciousness. Hershes fluttered before her eyes opened, a mix of confusion and grogginess clouding her gaze.
She blinked once–then again. When she fully registered him, her brows furrowed slightly.
“Wee back,” he said coolly, still staring at her with a faint frown lingering on his face.
Nivera sat up<b>, </b>stretching with a quiet yawn before rubbing at her eyes. “What time is <b>it</b><b>?</b>” she <b>asked</b><b>, </b>her <b>voice </b><b>husky </b><b>from </b><b>sleep</b>.
<b>Chapter </b>114
“Way past noon,” Alejandro replied, his tone still t from the news.
She blinked again. “You’re not going to the office?”
“It’s the weekend. I don’t have to go to work today,” he reminded her without skipping a beat.
“Oh…” she mumbled, slowly swinging her legs off the bed. “Right.”
Without another word, she made her way to the bathroom. The dull ache in her dder reminded her why she’d woken <b>up </b><b>in </b><b>the </b>first ce.
Once done, she washed her face and paused in front of the mirror.
She froze when she realized she was still inst night’s dress.
The rich emerald green fabric was now slightly wrinkled.
Thest thing she remembered was falling asleep in the car, her head <i>too </i>heavy, her body too tired.
Which meant… Alejandro carried her up.
The realization stirred something deep in her chest. A reluctant smile tugged at her lips before she turned on the faucet and sshed cold water on her face once again.
She quickly brushed her teeth, trying to ignore the fluttering in her stomach as the image of him lifting her which she had conjured crept into her mind again.
When she returned to the room, she found Alejandro pacing.
He was no longer on the bed, but he was now pacing the room<b>, </b>his phone pressed to his ear, but from the way he was speaking<b>, </b><b>it </b>was clear no one was picking up.
“No, of course you’re not answering now,<i>” </i>he said in a low voice, before pulling the device away from his ear and ending the call with a grunt.
She tilted her head slightly. “Is everything okay?<i>” </i>
His gaze snapped to her. He tossed the phone onto the bed, the tension in his face unmistakable. “Take a seat.”
She heard him say, and it made her heart drop as he was talking to her in a serious tone.
“What happened?” she asked, taking a cautious step forward.
“Is everything okay?” she asked, unable to help the worry that crept into her voice. “Did something happenst night?”
His eyes darkened slightly as he looked at her, his expression unreadable. “Sit down<b>,</b>” he repeated. His tone was sharper now, almostmanding. There was <i>no </i>room for argument.
Slowly, she sat down on the edge of the bed, her feet tapping nervously against the floor.
Alejandro’s eyes locked on her with an intensity that made her heart race. His next words sent a cold chill through her veins.
“Ss Monroe,<i>” </i>he said slowly, each word deliberate.
Chapter <b>114 </b>
<b>“</b>Tell me what he <b>did </b><b>to </b><b>you</b><b>. </b>You were nervousst <b>night</b><b>, </b>and that wasn’t about <b>your </b>family–It was <b>about </b><b>him </b>
Nivera’s breath caught in her throat as she stared at him, wide–eyed, the colour draining <b>from </b>her face<b>. </b>
<b>His </b>question cut right to the heart of what had happened.
She hadn’t thought he’d noticed. She prayed he hadn’t<b>, </b>but then again<b>, </b>who was she kidding<b>? </b>
It was Alejandro. He knew! He always knew.
“I” she started, her voice an unnatural pitch as she sprang to her feet. “It’s nothing.”
That only made his eyes narrow. Her voice sounded too high–pitched, <i>too </i>strained. The lie was as clear as day.
Alejandro didn’t move. He didn’t blink. His eyes stayed focused on her, unwavering. “You know that’s a lie.”
He gestured toward the bed again. “Sit back down. We’re going to do this again.”
“I was nervous,” she said slowly as she sat back down. “But it was because of my family.”
He gave a humourlessugh, as there was no amusement in his expression. “Do you really think I can’t tell when you’re lying <b>to </b>me?”
Her stomach twisted. She was caught. There was no denying it anymore. Alejandro’s patience was wearing thin, and the anger
behind his calm exterior was more than evident.
“You’re only making this harder for both of us,” he said softly, leaning forward, his voice quieter now but every bit as menacing. “Just tell me what Ss did. You’re not going anywhere until you do.”
Nivera looked down at her hands. They trembled.
She hadn’t told anyone. Not her family. Not her friends. She’d buried it deep, pretending it never happened, pretending that Ss Monroe was just a ghost from her past.
But Alejandro had cornered her. And judging by the look in his eyes, he really wasn’t letting her go until he had the truth.
Nivera swallowed hard, her throat dry. The thought of confessing everything terrified her.
What would Alejandro do when he found out? Would he want revenge? Would he hurt Ss? She didn’t know.
Of course, she knew. He would very much hurt Ss, and it wouldn’t be out of ce if she said he deserved it.
“Would it be too much to ask you to just let it go?” She whispered, her voice fragile. There was no harm in trying her luck.
“I never told anyone about what happened,”
said softly. “I don’t want anyone to know.”
Alejandro’s face hardened. “I don’t let things go. Especially not when they concern you. So start talking, Nivera. And I’m not anyone. Last chance.”
His tone left no room for negotiation.
Nivera’s eyes glistened as she tried to hold back the rising tide of panic in her chest.
She felt the pressure of his gaze and themand in his posture. She wanted to scream. She wanted <b>to </b><b>run</b><b>. </b><b>But </b><b>she </b><b>did </b><b>neither</b>.
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Instead, she stared at herp and took a shaky breath.