bChapter /bb104 /b

The moment Alejandro stepped into his office, the scene of sich leather, polished nal, and faint coffee greeted him,

The morning sun streamed through the tall ss windows, casting sleek lines across the pristine floor.

He shut the door with a low sigh, heading straight for the desk.

He hadn’t even sat before the door burst open,mming his the wall with a familiar, impatient that as henry footsteps approached him.

Alejandro didn’t bother looking up from his desk, His shoulders tensed, but his expression didn’t shift. He already knew who it was

“Where the hell have you been?” Antonio’s voice came sharp and annoyed, filling the room like a gust of wind. “I was told by your secretary that you were out of state visiting a branch.”

Alejandro rolled his neck and shrugged out of his suit jacket with practiced grace, cing it on the coat rack without looking at his brother.

I was, I returnedst night.”

“And you didn’t think to say a damn thing?” Antonio stalked further into the office. “Do you know the shitstorm you left me to deal with?”

“There was ba /bcrisis, Alejandro answered calmly, buttoning his cuffs. “One of our branches had a mishap with the tech shipment, and the new manager was fumbling like ba /bdrunk. bIt’s /ball handled now.

Antonio exhaled sharply, clearly unimpressed Speaking of crises… the shareholders. They’re livid.

Alejandro’s brow arched. “About?” he feigned innocence. He had been reading about Antonia this morning before he dropped his phone to focus on Nivera, so he knew.

Out of the two, he was the one who was in tune with everything that was happening, especially when it concerned them.

“You know damn well what. Someone recorded Zabelle fainting in my armis after she was shot it’s circting. All over the, Alejandro. That video’s everywhere, and of course, the part where she got shot–but the angle made it unclear, and so that wasn’t confirmed.”

Alejandro raised his brows but he stayed bsilent/b, bwaiting /bfor Antonio to finish.

“So the narrative out there?” Antonio continued. “Is that I killed mywife?”

“How swart of them,” Alejandro remarked dryly

Antonio Taughed humourlessly, pushing ba /bhand through his bhair/b.

“Yup. Apparently, Ishot her in cold bblood /band bparaded /bher lifeless body around. Never mind that she herself hase out to say she is alive and very much breathing. You’d think that would shut people up, but no. The bdamage /bwas done. The bboard /blost their damn minds.”

Alejandro exhaled and moved btoward /bthe espresso machine tucked into theer. “bIdiots/b.”

Antonio scoffed. “You think? They demanded I step down. They’ve been breathing bdown /bmy neck, asking unhinged husband who lost control and decided to off his wife.”

Alejandro chuckled, and this time it was because he found the situation very funny.

bly /bbowns /bmore than fifty percent of the shares. They can’t force anything.”

“Are they stupid? Our family owns

me to step down as CLO–like I’m some

Antonio smirked, pride flickering in his eyes. Exactly what I told them. That and a little threat sure did the job of shutting them up.”

Alejandro offered his brother a cup of coffee, which Antonio took.

As they sipped their coleo, Alejandro’s mind could not help but take him back to Nivera, her soft eyes, fished a to which he unconsciously smiled.

“Ahem?” Antonia cleared his throat, taking a seat

kossing one leg over the other. “You seem… happy”

Alejandro didn’t answer immediately. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, it’s not the fake bubbly persons you put on,” Antonio responded, a slow grin spreading on his face.

“It’s like you’re floating on clouds and shit; you even offered me coffee, something you don’t do. Your mind is too good. What happened

Alejandro cleared his throat and turned back to his desk. “You’ve imagining things”

“Am IT” Antonio leaned forward. “Because I can tell when you’re pretending, brother. I’ve been watching that act for decades. But right now? He grinned wider.

“You’re rxed. You even have that faint smug glow. You know, the one. Post–sex smug”

Alejandro didn’t finch, but he stilled.

Antonio’s eyes widened in realization. “Oh my bGod/b, you slept with her.” Antonio grinned like he’d just solved a murder mystery. “You slept with Nivers.”

Alejandro’s jaw flexed. “I didn’t.”

“That’s a lie,” Antonio crewed. “You’re glowing”

“I do not glow.”

That’s ba /byes.”

“It’s anc.

“Which is a yes when it’s you.” Antonio leaned back in the chair, handsced behind his head. “Holy shit. You actually did it. You slept with Nivera.”

Alejandro’s jaw lockedb, /bbut he said nothing. His silence was damning.

Antonio whistled. “And here I was thinking you were going to keep dancing around each other forever. Should’ve known better. You’re too territorial for that. The moment someone else looked at her for too long. I know you’d snap.”

“Shut up.”

“Look at byou/b, acting like a teenage boy who finally gotid. The mood, the smugness, the barely concealed need to kill any man who breathes around

her

Antonio smirked, interrupting Alejandro. “Does she know what she’s gotten herself into?”

“Antonio, I will throw you out of my office… Alejandro warned

“You’ve got that look in your eyes, hermano. That brooding, “mine energy. It’s written all over your face. Damn, I think you might actually–he paused dramatically, pressing ba /bbhand /bto his heart,“–be falling in love.”

Alejandro red, “bDon’t /bbe bridiculous/b.”

“You are. And denying it makes it worse.” Antonio grinned like a lunatic.

“Just embrace it. Look at you. The mighty, untouchable Alejandro Garcia–the king of cold logic and bcasual /bdestruction–got taken out by a girl half his sire. She probably whispered something soh, kissed your neck, and boom! There want your whole empire…”

Alejandro stood, hands on his desk now. “That’s enough,” Antonio was being foolish, he wasn’t falling in with Nivea He which led to them sleeping with each other.

Nothing more, nothing less.

However, Antonio wasn’t done. He leaned in, voice low and ylut.

friends, and so did she,

“You slept with her, and now you’re trying to pretend it didn’t mean anything But your forget, I know you. already toote. You’re fist scared shitless”

You don’t let anyone that close unless

Alejandro’s eyes narrowed dangerously as he finally had enough, “Out Now.”

“Touch a nerve?” Antonio stood, brushing invisible lint from his sleeves. “You should thank me. I’m helping you process your feelings.

“You’re being an idiot.”

“A love–struck idiot,” Antonio conected with a grin. “She’s changing you, you know? And it’s kinda sweet. Makes me want to cry My cold–blooded brother

is finally thawing.”

Alejandro stalked around the desk. “Get Out.”

Antonio started backing up p toward the door. “Soon bshe’ll /bbe picking bcurtains/b, and you won’t bsay /ba thing. You’ll just nod and ask if she wants the silk or

bvelvet /bones

“Antonio

“Next thing you kn

you know, you’ll bbe /bwalking the dogs in matching pajamas–Antonioughed as he continued. “Hit a little too close, huh? Admit it

Whatever he was about to say died in his throat as Alejandro grabbed a heavy paperweight from his desk and hurled it at him, Antonio ducked just in time, the object crashing against the wall with a loud thud.

“Estás loco!” Antonio shouted, grinning likea lunatic. “You missed!”

“Next time I won’t! Alejandro hissed. “Get the hell out of my office, Antonio

“Love looks good on you!” Antonio called out, already halfway through the door.

Alejandro followed, still ring

“Don’t worry, hermano,” Antonio added over his shoulder. “If you need advice on how to handle being in love, you know where to find me.”

With a

a final wink, Antonio vanished down the hall, hisughter echoing through the corridor like a song.

Alejandro stood frozen at the doorway, his chest rising and falling with restrained frustration. The silence that followed was deafering, and for ba /bnoment, he let his head fall back with a groan

Whatever Antonio did was a form of payback for bwhat /bhe said when Zabelle came into his life.

He had also said the same thing about Antonio being love–struck for Zabelle. He knew, but why did it feel like it wasn’t?

No, he muttered to himself. Antonio just wanted to mess with his bhead/b, and it bwasn’t /bgoing to work.

There was nothing to ponder on, and it was time he started working, as he had a lot to do.