Aren't you happy to see me, Xavier?" Lara asked softly, her fingers brushing against his hand. Her eyes held a pitiful gleam, almost pleading for something he could no longer give.
Xavier drew in a quiet breath and gently pulled his hand away. " That's not the point, Lara. I can't be seen with you right now. I just got married. If anyone sees us together, it could ruin everything. The media's already watching me." His voice was low, controlled, but the tension beneath it was unmistakable.
You could've told me," he added, his tone hardening. "You can't just show up like this."
"I wanted to surprise you," she said with a weak smile. "Aren't you surprised?"
"No," he replied, shaking his head. "This is too much, Lara. You're only making things harder for me." He exhaled, trying to steady himself. Let's do this instead. Send me your address. When I'm done with work, I'll come by your place. My driver will pick you up, already? Just... don't come to the office. No one can see us together. Do you understand me?"
Her lips trembled slightly before she nodded "okay. I'll do as you say. But promise you'll come."
"I promise," he said firmly. "We'll talk then. I have to go - my driver's waiting."
Without another glance, Xavier turned and walked away with Jason. Jason gave Lara a polite wave, which she returned faintly before standing still, watching them leave.
For a long moment, she didn't move. The reality of it all sank in- he was married now. And no matter how hard she tried to convince herself otherwise, something between them had already changed forever.
But Lara wasn't going to let that happen. She refused to.
Her hands clenched at her sides as she whispered under her breath, I'll get you back, Xavier. No matter what it takes. Whatever it costs. You're mine."
Heily's friends came over that afternoon, filling the quiet house with laughter and chatter, she had prepared snacks for them, and soon the the living room was alive with the sounds of their voices as they talked, teased, and caught up on everything they'd missed.
The girls wandered around, admiring every corner of the house. "Wow, Heily, this place is amazing," Casey said, running her hand along the edge of the marble counter. "You're seriously lucky "
Lucky?" Heily muttered under her breath, trying not to roll her eyes.
"Heily," casey continued, turning toward her with a grin, "l know Xavier's behavior is sometimes.... a bit much But do you realize how many women out there would kill to be Xavier's wife? Girl. You're one lucky woman."
Heily stared at her, annoyance flashing in her eyes. "No way, Casey. Not me. You have no idea what it's like. Do you know what he asked me to do? I can't even stand it!"
Becky learned forward with a teasing smirk "what, did he ask you to be his toy?"
"Becky I'm serious ' Heily snapped. "I want to end this soul- caged marriage. I can't waste my life on the rascal... that scumbag,"
Becky sighed, shaking her head. "But there's nothing you can do now, Heily. You're already married to him. You have to- stay for your family's reputation. Remember, you promised your mom you wouldn't do anything stupid."
"Come on, Heily," Casey said with a mischievous grin. "Here's my idea -give him a child. Tthen, boom! Divorce him after that, You'll be free and done."
Heily nearly choked. "Hell no! What kind of idea is that? I would never - ever - bring a child into this mess. I can't even imagine sharing a bed with him. No intimacy, no anything!" She paused, her tone softening. "Besides, you both know how much I still love Ethan. My feelings for him.... They never went away. I can't stop thinking about him. I need to get out of this hell before he comes back from this your."
"Ohh yeah," Becky said with a smirk. "Your lover boy from college. Ethan Castillo."
Both girls giggled knowingly, while Heily's lips curved into a small, wistful smile.
Ethan Castillo has been her sweetheart - handsome, charming , and the star of the football team. They'd broken up when he joined a professional football academy", Heily couldn't handle a long- distance relationship. still, they remained close friends. Now, he was one of the best player in the Venezuela club, the team that had just won the premier league. He'd scored nearly all the goals and had even been awarded the Golden Boot.
"Heiley," Becky said softly, I'm sure a time will come when Xavier takes over the company officially. When that happens, he'll probably find someone else - and that might be your chance to file for divorce."
Heiley leaned back against the couch, lost in thought. "Maybe," she murmured, her eyes distant. "Maybe that's exactly what I'll do," Heily said, voice quite but steady. "The moment I find out he cheated, I'll file for divorce and walk out of the ruined marriage. I'll make sure everything's handled - settlement, statement, whatever it takes - so no one can drag my family's name through the mud". She let the words hang between them, then smiled; not with her mouth, but with something brighter in her eyes.
The conference room was filled with tension and murmurs as the board members took their seats. It was a crucial meeting - one that included the chairman, mr Rodriguez, and his grandsons. Everyone knew how important today's discussion was for the company's future.
A large screen displayed the video summary of the latest market report. When it ended, at eyes turned to Xavier Rodriguez, who stood confident at the head of the table ready to present.
"I believe," Xavier began, his tone composed, that our new product, the life sails should be exported to the southern region. It would help us gain broader recognition and strengthen our market presence. Also, I suggest we form a partnership with levanti's legacy. Their reputation could help us aim higher and expand faster.
A few murmurs spread across the table before Justin, Xavier's stepbrother, leaned back in his chair with a mocking smirk. "And how exactly do you plan to export our goods to the south. Xavier? Everyone here knows that region is riddled with corruption. And let's not forget - levanti's legacy won't sign a deal with us after the scandal you caused, you took their daughter for nothing but a plaything."
The room went silent. The air grew heavy.
Xavier's jaw tightened, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the edge of the table. Before he could respond, Jason stood up and snapped, "Justin, that's enough. You don't need to drag Xavier's personal life into this."
Justin turned toward him sharply. "Personal life? He hasn't even become CEO yet, and his reputation's already dragging this company down. What do you think, Board members? Are we supposed to trust him with everything after this mess?
The tension exploded. Xavier shot to his feet. "My personal life has nothing to do with this company, Justin," he said, his voice cold and controlled, though his eyes burned. "And for your information, I'm a married man now. So how about you shut your mouth and let me finish my presentation?"
Justin scoffed," A married man, yet you can't even show your wife to the public - just so you can keep up your worldly lifestyle that everyone despises. Come on, Xavier, spare us the quotes. We all know you were forced into this marriage; you never wanted to settle down. And as next heir to the rodriguez legacy, your reputation already speaks for itself - a scandal waiting to ruin the company before you even become CEO."