<b>Chapter </b><b>117 </b>
Meanwhile, in the living room, Nivera leaned forward, watching Zabelle with a mixture of sympathy and <b>curiosity </b>
The other woman looked like she’d just run a marathon–her eyes tired and her posture tense.
“You seem… tense,” Nivera pointed out.
Zabelle gave a tight, anxiousugh. “You’d be tense too if your name was trending for all the wrong reasons.”
Nivera offered a soft smile. “For what it’s worth, I knew Antonio didn’t cheat on you. Whatever they’re saying, it’s not <b>true</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>that’s what the media thrives on. Besides, he’s too obsessed with you to even look at anyone else.”
“I know he didn’t cheat. But it doesn’t matter what’s true. People believe what they want to believe,” Zabelle asserted.
Having been on the wrong side of the inte, she knew how it felt and it was sad someone else was going through it
“That’s true,” Nivera agreed, voice quieter now. “But you’re stronger than nonsense.”
“I try to be,” Zabelle muttered, looking away. “Did you say Antonio is obsessed with me?”
Nivera’s brows rose in surprise. Was Zabelle being serious, or was she purposely pretending?
“Duh. Have you seen the way he looks at you?”
“Like how every normal person would look at me,” Zabelle responded, and Nivera rolled her eyes.
“Please, everyone with eyes could see the way he looked at you on the red carpet yesterday. Beautiful dress, by the way,” sheplimented Zabelle.
Zabelle chuckled, blushing faintly. “Thanks, and you’re exaggerating.”
“Then exin this.” Nivera pulled up her phone, flipping through photos of the g. She turned the screen toward Zabelle. “Exin this look then.”
“He’s my husband. I guess I’m so used to him looking at me like that, I don’t realize how it looks to others.”
“Wow” that’s so cute,” Nivera said. To be loved so much by someone was something she wanted, and as she thought about it, only one person came to mind.
Alejandro.
But as soon as he came to mind, his words also did. “I don’t do love.”
with Zabelle and not alone in her room.
Just with
“Wow, that is so cute. By the way, your sister didn’t have her boyfriend with her; are they going through a breakup?”
Zabelle’s expression darkened at the mention of her sister’s name. “I have no idea, and frankly, I try to stay out of Vanessa’s business.”
Nivera nodded in understanding as she also stayed out of Vivian’s business. “Fair enough.”
She paused, then added, “But seriously, I hope you don’t let the media get into your head. They are good <b>at </b><b>twisting </b><b>things</b><b>.</b>”
<b>1/4 </b>
<b>14:42 </b><b>Fri</b>, 1 <b>Aug </b>Go
<b>“</b><b>I </b>know, and it’s so annoying. Don’t they have anything better to do?”
“No, they don’t, but Antonio should be handling them like I heard he always does, and I know <b>you’re </b>not <b>a </b><b>gold</b><b>–</b>digger, so fuck then opinions.”
“Now I see why you’re always getting cancelled.”
“I find it very tiring to pretend about something,” Nivera shrugged.
“But seriously, thank you. You’re the first friend I’ve had in forever.”
Nivera smiled, but in her head she was jubting, as she finally had a friend.
Leaning back in her chair, she responded.
“The feeling’s mutual. Besides, don’t mention it. Having been in the spotlight all my life, I know how those arseholes <b>work</b>.<b>” </b>
“You’re not wrong about them being arseholes.”
Their conversation drifted until Zabelle eventually asked, “So… how did the family dinner go?”
“By the way, how did the family dinner gost night?” She and Nivera groaned as she was reminded of <b>it</b>.
“Terrible. Alejandro went with me, and it ended with him punching one of my family members.”
“He did that?” Zabelle gasped, and she nodded.
“But he’s not the type to go around punching someone if they don’t deserve it.”
That was true.
“Well,” Nivera began, as a grin appeared on her face. “You’re right about that. It was my sister’s husband who misbehaved with me. He insinuated that I was a slut, and Alejandro punched him.”
If only he had punched him some more. Nivera thought to herself.
“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that,<i>” </i>Zabelle apologized and she raised a brow.
“Why are you apologizing, you’re not the one who called me a slut.” Nivera shook her head in amusement.
“Still. Didn’t your sister say anything in your defence?”
“We have a lot inmon, and one of those things includes having shitty sisters,” Nivera shrugged casually, which was why they would make the best of friends.
They would be able to sit and talk about their shitty sisters and wouldn’t run out of stories to tell. They should do that one <b>of </b>these days.
“She’s a fool,” Zabelle hissed, and Nivera chuckled as she agreed.
“It’s cute when you try<i>,</i><i>” </i>she told Zabelle.
Zabelle was the nicest person she knew and frer attempt to look mean just made her look even more beautiful,
<b>14:43 </b>Fri, 1 <b>Aug </b>GO &
“But speaking of shitty sisters, yours is probably loving the whole scandal, She looks like someone <b>who’s </b>always waiting <b>for </b><b>you </b>to fall apart.”
“She is. She thrives on it.”
“Well, screw her.”
“And screw your sister!” Zabelle repeated which made the two women burst intoughter.
Exactly what she mea
They would bond over their shitty sisters and plus one if Zabelle also had a shitty family.
the sound of footsteps approaching them.
They stoppedughing when they heard
And in seconds, Anand Alejandro appeared in the living room, their expressions moreposed than before.
“Everything all good?” Nivera asked.
“Everything’s fine,” Antonio responded, his voice steady as he nced briefly at Nivera before turning his attention to Zabelle.
And Nivera couldn’t help but smile over how he looked at his wife..
“Good,” Nivera remarked, standing and stretching, as she had been in the same position for too long.
“Then I can rx and stop worrying about you two.”
“You? Worrying? That’s a first. I thought you were cold and uncaring. She heard Alejandro say.
“Very funny,” Nivera shot back.
Seeing how Antonio refused to take his eyes off his wife, she knew it was time to leave.
“Anyway, I’ll leave you two lovebirds to continue your activities, seeing as you have arge hickey on your neck,” she finally pointed out, and she saw Zabelle go red with embarrassment as she touched her neck.
It was something she had noticed since she saw Zabelle, and she had been itching to point it out, but the situation hadn’t been right.
“Nivera!” Zabelle sighed, exasperated.
Nivera’s words made Alejandro’s eyes immediately go to Zabelle’s neck, and upon seeing the hickey, his eyes widened as a mischievous smile appeared on his lips.
‘You dirty dog!‘ He said in his head. Antonio had mocked him over the same thing. The fucking hypocrite.
“I call it as I see it,” Nivera shrugged.
As Alejandro opened his <i>mouth </i>to speak, Antonio beat him to it. “Not a single word from you.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that; we were just leaving,” Nivera smiled sweetly.
With that, she sauntered off, pulling Alejandro with her, despite his protests.
“Come leave the lovebirds alone,” she said as she pulled him out <i>of </i><i>the </i>mansion.
<b>3/4 </b>
Chapter <b>117 </b>
<b>As </b><b>soon </b><b>as </b><b>they </b>were at their car, Alejandro grabbed her hand and made her <b>lean </b>against the car <b>with </b><b>him </b>hovering over hat
<b>“</b>Alejandro<b>?</b>”
“What was that you did just before we got interrupted by the call?”
It was her turn to go red with embarrassment as she remembered that she had kissed him.
“N–nothing,” she stuttered.
“Hmm, “it didn’t seem like nothing.” He squinted his eyes.
“What do you say we go home and finish what you started?”
Fuck! Her core immediately clenched, as that was a fantastic idea. That was until her stomach growled.
“Let’s get you something to eat!” Alejandro said as he stepped back.