<b>Chapter </b><b>115 </b>


    “Ss<b>… </b>He–he…” She paused, her throat tightening as the words struggled to escape.


    She found Alejandro’s gaze. He wasn’t looking at her with anger–no, there was something colder than that. He was waiting. Patient. Expectant.


    “I was seventeen,” she began softly. “It was before I got into modeling. Before I started going out on my own.”


    Alejandro said nothing, giving her the space to continue.


    “My father sent me to an event,” she said. “Some charity thing. Ss was there. He had just moved back to the country. I didn’t know him well, but our parents had been talking. I thought…<i>” </i>She shook her head, the memory tasting bitter now.


    “I thought he was just being friendly. He offered me a drink. I was naive. I drank it.”


    Her hands clenched in herp.


    “I don’t remember most of what happened that night. But I remember waking up in his car. I was half–dressed. My head was spinning, and I couldn’t move properly. He kept saying nothing happened. That I passed out, and he was just trying to help. But 1-” Her voice cracked. “I think something happened.”


    Alejandro’s jaw was tight, his fists clenched at his sides.


    “I’m not sure because it seemed like something distracted him before I passed out, and I didn’t feel any pain.”


    “And I never told anyone because I couldn’t prove it. And because my parents wouldn’t believe me. They’d just say I embarrassed the family.”


    “Iter found out my parents arranged for my sister to marry him. I avoided him as much as I could, but I wasn’t oblivious to the way he stared at me. It made my skin crawl.”


    Nivera paused to catch her breath as she was close to crying.


    “When I gathered the courage to confront him about what he did. He denied it, and unfortunately for me, Vivian walked in while we were having the conversation.”


    “What happened next?” Alejandro asked when she stopped talking, her fists clenched as if the memory was painful.


    “He twisted it and said I was trying to seduce him. Of course Vivian, being who Vivian is, made a huge deal out of it and went to my father to cause a huge scene.”


    “My mom and brother surprisingly stood up for me and said Ss must have misunderstood the situation. It was all thanks to them that he didn’t punish me.”


    This was another time Aria and Liam shocked him. They had acted differently from what one would have expected.


    “However, after that, it was Ss‘ turn to corner me, and he rubbed it in that no one would ever believe me, which he used against me. From touching me inappropriately to trying to get me all alone. He fucking made my life a miserable hell whenever <b>he </b><b>was </b>alone.”


    “I FUCKING HATE HIM!” She screamed as the tears which she had been trying so desperately to <b>hold</b><b>, </b><b>came </b><b>gushing </b><b>down </b><b>her </b><b>face </b>


    The silence between them was thunderous.


    Alejandro took a deep breath and then crouched in <b>front </b>of her as he used his thumb to wipe the tears from her face. You should have told me.”


    It was the first time he was wiping the tears off a woman that wasn’t his mother<b>, </b>and he thought it’d feel weird<b>, </b><b>but </b>it didn’t mother,


    All he wanted to do was ensure she didn’t have a reason to cry anymore.


    “I didn’t know you<b>,</b>” she whispered as she let out a small chuckle.


    “You’ve known me now for months,” he said. “And I’ll kill him.” There was no point in hiding what he was going to do.


    “Alejandro-”


    He stood up abruptly, his eyes burning with fury. “I knew something was off about him. I could smell <b>it </b>on him. And <b><i>your </i></b>behaviourst night? You were terrified, Nivera. That wasn’t just nerves. That was trauma.”


    She didn’t respond. What was there to say? He was right.


    “However terrible he is, he is still Vivian’s husband!” She sighed.


    “The hell does that have to do with anything?!” Alejandro snapped. Was this what Antonio went through with his wife and family?


    “He hurt you. He drugged you. And you’re telling me I’m supposed to sit back and pretend like that didn’t happen?”


    “just want to forget.”


    “Well, I won’t let you,” he growled. “Because forgetting won’t stop him. But I will.”


    The finality in his voice made her chest tighten.


    For the first time in years, she felt a strange mix of fear and,safety.


    He terrified her, but he also made her feel safe, and it was terrifying.


    His thumb brushed against her cheeks once again, and she gulped as she felt the air change.


    He stared at her, his blue eyes boring deep into her soul. Fuck, why did he have to look so good?


    It wasn’t good for her soul. Day after day, she found herself getting sucked more and more into his web.


    At first, she fought it, but she didn’t want to fight it anymore. All she wanted to do was to give in, despite the voice at the back of her head screaming for her not to.


    And that was what she did. She gave in. Leaning in, she pressed her lips against Alejandro’s.


    It was the first time she was doing such a thing, and it felt so good to do so.


    Consequences be damned!


    Alejandro seemed to freeze for a moment before he responded. cing his hand on her cheek, he immediately deepened <b>the </b><b>kiss </b>while Nivera opened up like a flower to a bee, and he didn’t waste any time in slipping in.


    This felt so right, and she didn’t even want to think about how wrong i


    She could happily die right here and now, knowing that it was in his hands.


    The one who hade barging into her life and the one who was now the bane of her existence


    “Hmm,” he hummed as she was running out of breath, and Alejandro let her go so they could catch their breath


    Resting her head on his, she smiled. What had he done to her?!


    RING!


    She jumped back as Alejandro’s phone rang, breaking the silence. He quickly got up to answer it.


    Nivera used that to gather herself. Did she have any regrets? No.


    Would she do it again? Hell yes.


    She was tired of having to think about everything, and all she wanted to do was live in the moment. Even though it would kill her.


    “That bastard isn’t answering my call,” she snapped out of her thoughts when she heard his voice.


    She was reminded of the fact that he had been in a bad mood before she came out. What happened? She wondered.


    “I’ll go see him,” she heard him say, after which he ended the call.


    “Alejandro, did something happen?”


    “Yes. Antonio has been involved in a scandal. I’m going to see him,” he told her.


    “Can Ie along?” She asked.


    “Hmm, Zabelle would need a friend. Go take a shower.” He said, and she nodded immediately, getting up and heading into the


    bathroom.