bChapter /bb107 /b

The movie’s flickering light cast soft hues across Nivers face, but she wasn’t watching. Her eyes were fired on the screen, unfocused, her lips pred into a slight pout.

Alejandro, who arrived homete, passed in the doorway, quietly shutting the door behind him. His fingers loosened the knot of his the as he stepped bin/bb, /band he shrugged off his jacket.

The mansion was dim, silent save for the low hum of dialde from the television.

Who was in the living room? He wondered as he made his way over there.

It was Nivera.

He took a moment to study her. Her legs were folded under her, a nket tossed over herp. One hand held the remote loosely, and her phone was clutched in the other.

From the frown on her face, he knew she wasn’t really watching the movie that was ying on the scree

Her eyes were on it, but they were hollow, lost in thought. He could tell by the slight wrinkle between her brows and the asional twitch of her fingers. She hadn’t even noticed him walk in.

Quietly tossing the jacket over the nearest armchair, Alejandro walked over to the back of the couch where she sat.

He bent down, close enough bto /bsmell the soft Horal scent of her shampoob, /band leaned in beside her ear,

“Boc.”

“Argh!” Nivera jolted up, the nket slipping off as she leapt to her feet.

Alejandro’s chuckle rumbled low in his chest as he straightened. “You should’ve seen byour /bfaceb.” /b

Her hand pressed to her heart as she red at him with wide eyes. “You psychopath! Are byou /binsane?!”

“A little bit,” Alejandro responded.

b“/bYou’re ridiculous!” she hissed, cing a hand over her chest,” could’ve died.”

“And that would’ve been my fault, how?”

“You startled me! Of course, it would have been your fault”

“Yeah, sure,” he threw his hand up casually as he then turned to leave.

“Alejandro.” He stopped in his tracks, and when he turned back to face bher/b, he found her ring bat /bhim as she held up her phone.

The screen was glowing with a string of unanswered texts.

“bYou /bseem

mad.”

“This. This is what I’m mad about. You didn’t respond to a single one, I texted multiple times asking where you were.

Alejandro nced at the messages, the corners of his mouth twitching. She’d sent multiple, thest one reading Seriously, Alejandro, it’s past eightb. /bbYou /b

better not be deadb. /b

He looked back at her, gyes soft with amusement. “I was with Antonio. We had a few things to handle, and I didn’t check my phone. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

Nivera’s eyes narrowed as she sat back into the couch. “That’s it? No, sorry?

He stepped around the couch and sank beside her. “I’m sony,” he apologized, voice quietes, “I should’ve called.”

She huffed but said nothing, and her gazo moved back to the TV

Hist

sgaze scanned her bface/b, and the more annoyed she looked, the cuter she seemed. She had this way of furrowing her brows and pressing her lips together like she was trying hard not to pout

Her eyes were

bwere /bslightly glossy, her lips full, and she looked far too kissable for someone scolding him. But he pushed the thoughts aside.

It was almost unfair how adorable she looked when she was furious.

“Have you eaten?” he asked, peering at the untouched bowl of popcorn on the coffee table.

She shrugged. “No, I wasn’t hungry.” More blike /bto worried to eat anything because he decided to be a jerk and not check his phone.

Alejandro’s entire demeanour shifted as his brows dipped with displeasure.

“bNivera/b… You haven’t eaten at all?”

“I just said I wasn’t hungry.”

“That’s not an excuse,” he retorted, frowning now. “You can’t just skip meals.”

She sighed and folded her arms. “What about you? Have you eaten?”

He hesitated.“No.”

“Exactly,” she stated, poking his chest with a finger. “So don’t lecture me when you’re doing the same thing.““We’re different,” he countered quickly.

“We’re not.”

He tried to argueb, /blifting a hand. “That’s different-

“No, it’s not. Food is food. Hunger is hunger.”

She stood, brushing the nket aside. “Fine. I’ll get us

Alejandib stood too. “Till help.”

warey

something

She turned and raised a brow. “Why are you following me?”

“I’m not allowed in the kitchen now?”

“You’re hardly ever in the kitchen.”

“Maybe,” he shrugged. “I don’t trust you not to burn the ce down.”

Nivera muttered a string of curses under her breath, all of which were inaudible as she strode ahead.

He grinned and followed her anyway.

Minutester, they were curled up on the couch again, tes of reheated pasta and grilled chicken bnced on theirps.

The movie continued ying some forgettable rom Nivers barely remembered choosing.

Nivera was trying hard to focus on her meal and not the man beside her, but she couldn’t help it.

She bnced /bat Alejandro from the corner of her eye as he scooped a fotkful of food into his mouth, and her mind betrayed bher /b

Her throat tightened, recalling the way that same mouth had moved across her the night before, the way he devoured her like he was starving. look in his eyes as she came undone for him again and again.

The memory shed hot–his tongue, the low groin of approval, her fingers in his hair.

She swallowed hard and blooked /b

Focus. Stop thinking like that

away.

Alejandro noticed her squirm slightly beside him. “You okay?”

“Fine,” she said quickly. Too quickly.

He gave her ba /bside nce, amused but didn’t press, and she was thankful for that,

“How was your d

rday?” he asked instead, his tone softer now

Nivera shifted the te on herp. “Tiring, I went for the contract signing in the afternoon.”

“The endorsement bdeal/b?

“Yeah. And it went fine–except She paused, her expression dimming,

Alejandro frowned. “What happened?”

-Just bas /bbI /bwas about to leave the building, I bsaw /bmy father and sister,” she told him.

“Did they cause trouble for you?” Alejandro probed

b“/bNo, they didn’t. We didn’t even speak as I ran back binto /bthe building and used, another exit. However, as I came back out on the street, one of the bguards /bfrom my father’s estate–bhe /bwas there. I saw him watching me.”

She paused before continuing. “What if he tells my father, and they investigate why I was there? bI’m /bscared they’ll try to ruin this too.” Her voice cracked slightly at the end

She wanted to say more, but she didn’t want to tell bAlejandro /babout the fact that she band /bher father had made a deal that if she didn’t do well in the career within two yearsb, /bbshe /bwoulde back home and marry a fan of his choice.

The two years just had a few months left.

Alejandro was possessive and very unpredictable–there was no telling what he would do

Before he could bspeak/b, his phone vibrated on the coffee table.

He leaned forward and grabbed it, but the moment his eyesnded on the screen, his entire face hardened.

Nivera’s heart dropped. “Who is it?”

His jaw clenched. “Matthew Elton.”

She sat up straighter, rmed. “Don’t answer it

He looked at her, band /bbas /bshe did, she saw he had a wife look in his eyes, one that told her he was going to do the opposite

“Alejandro, please.”

He shook his head… and pressed ept, wanting to know what the arsehole had to say.

Nivera’s stomach flipped as she cursed Alejandro in her head,

Matthew, Alejandro greeted coolly

The voice on the other end was too muffled for Nivera to hear clearly, and it irritated her. “Put it on speaker,” she pinched him.”

He red at her, but he did so

this I’m calling because tomorrow is a family dinner. I expect you and Nivers to attend, as she is family. It’s non–negotiable,”

No. Nivera mouthed as she shook her head vigorously.

“Yes,” Alejandro said finally. “We’ll be there.”

Nivera’s eyes widened: “What?!

As he ended the call and set the phone down, she smacked his arm–bhand/b.

“bAre /byou insane?” she shouted. “Why would byou /bsay yes?”

“Because he invited us to dinner. As in, you and me.”

“Oh, please,” she scoffed. “That man doesn’t invite. He schemes.”

“What was I supposed to say?” he muttered, reaching for his food again.

“Say not” she yelled, punching his arm again. “Say we bhave /bbns/b, or that we’re dead, or that we’re eloping to Pluto! Anything

Heughed despite her fury. “You punch like a kitten.”

“Ahh!” She groaned.

Rubbing the spot where she hit him, he spoke. “I wasn’t going to decline a family dinner, Nivera. That’s more suspicious.

“I don’t care!” She exploded, jumping up from the couch. “You should’ve told him we were busy. That we were sick. That we fell off a cliff–anything but

He bstood /btoo, hands raised. “It’s just dinner.”“”

“No, it’s trap wrapped in napkins and take smiles!”

Alejandro tried not tough, but the corner bof /bhis mouth twitched.

“I’m serious, Alejandro!” she ranted, pacing now. “My father doesn’t do nice. He doesn’t host dinners for peace. If he’s calling you, it’s because he’s nning something!”

“And if we don’t show, we’ll be giving him the upper hand,” Alejandro said calmly. “He’ll bsay /bwe’re hiding. Afraid.”

She turned to him, eyes zing “I am afraid.”

The quiet that followed bmade /bboth of them still.

Alejandro stepped forward. “Then I sit beside you the whole time. I won’t let anyone touch you, talk down to you, or even look at you wrong. bBut /bwe’re going.”

Nivera’s shoulders sagged as her fire dimmed. Okay, Alejandro being there was going to bhelp /bba /blot, but he still could have refused

“You’re so annoying

“Come on, the dinner will be fun,” he grinned.

“Fuck byou/b, I’m going to bad.”

“Want me to tuck you in?” he teased as she stormed off,

He watched her retreating figure with a small smile… but it quickly faded when he nced back at his phone, and a cold look reced it.

Dinner with the Eltons.

He knew Nivera was right. Matthew was reaching out now?

It wasn’t because he had epted them, with what Nivera said about seeing him. It wasn’t a coincidence that he decided to invite them to dinner.

Matthew wasying a battlefield. It’d be rude not to by /balong

‘This should be fun! He bgrinned /bevilly.