Engaged 2
878 Words
“Easier than I expected,” Marshall muttered to himself, smirking as he watched the morning news. “And here I was, wondering how to coax my precious daughter into marrying that fool, Antonio.”
The screen flashed the headline: “TURNS OUT ALITA BROWN, MOSTLY KNOWN AS L.B, IS IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH ANTONIO VICENTE, HEIR TO THE VICENTE EMPIRE.”
“Daughter!” Emilia’s voice cut through, descending the stairs with eyes burning daggers at the TV.
“Well, I’ve changed my mind,” Xavier said casually, as if discarding his past judgments was nothing. “She might have been useless six years ago, but she isn’t now. I take back my words.” He said it as though she were some object he could throw away and pick up at will. Emilia scoffed.
“Turns out you’re not only stupid but a coward who can’t stick to his words,” she hissed.
“Watch your tongue, woman, or I won’t hesitate to shut it for you,” he warned, standing up and leaving the house.
“What a mood wreck,” he muttered under his breath.
⸻
“Turns out their relationship isn’t what the media claimed, boss,” his PA reported. “According to my investigation, they’ve been childhood friends. No strings attached.”
Xavier didn’t respond or spare him a glance. His attention was fixed on Alita’s shoot footage—Antonio, more specifically.
What he saw made his blood boil. Antonio’s eyes didn’t just look at her as a friend; there was desire, raw and unfiltered. Lust burned in his gaze, and Xavier felt a surge of possessive rage.
Xavier sat back in his chair, his eyes glued to the screen. Every glance Antonio threw at Alita, every brush of his hand across her arm, made his jaw tighten. That b*st*rd had no idea what he was doing—not just looking at her, but looking at her that way.
Every move Alita made, every laugh, every glance Antonio shared with her—it ignited something dark inside him.
How dare he get close to what’s mine… he thought, teeth clenched.
“Perfect,” Xavier muttered under his breath, the corner of his lips curling into a dark smirk. “So, they think they can flaunt themselves in front of the world… while I just watch?”
He pushed back from the desk, the chair scraping against the floor, and walked toward the window. The city sparkled below, oblivious to the storm brewing above.
He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a cigar. He struck a lighter, lighting it with a flick, and inhaled deeply. The smoke curled around his face as he exhaled slowly, letting the tension melt just enough for him to think… though his thoughts remained sharp, dark, and dangerous.
——
Maxwell’s hands clenched into fists as he glared at the news showing Alita and Antonio hugging each other.
“Could it be… that b*st*rd is the father of her children?” he wondered.
But no, that couldn’t be.
The last time he checked, Antonio hadn’t been in the country for over five years. Had they been cheating behind his back? The thought made his blood boil.
⸻
Flashback – Six Years Ago
“Are you sure she didn’t come back to her room that night?” Maxwell asked the hooker they had paid—for the umpteenth time.
“I’m certain, boss. She didn’t,” the man replied.
Maxwell stared at him, eyes sharp. He’d better not be lying.
“I hope so,” Maxwell hissed. “Because the moment I find out you’re lying… I won’t hesitate to put a bullet through your skull.”
“And you know I don’t make empty threats,” he added, his gaze deadly. “I’ll blow your head off and feed your body to the dogs.”
⸻
“Whatever the case, I won’t let that fool Antonio get in my way,” Maxwell muttered.
“Alita is mine… mine and mine alone.”
Just then, the door opened, revealing his assistant.
“The divorce papers are ready,” the assistant reported.
Maxwell’s lips curved into a darker smirk. “You know what to do with them,” he said.
The assistant nodded. “You can leave,” Maxwell added, and the man bowed before exiting.
⸻
Alita’s Mansion
Sunlight streamed into Alita’s room, warming her face. She squeezed her eyes shut, but the light was relentless.
Her hands found her phone on the nightstand, and she scrolled through the internet.
As expected, her little stunt had set the online world ablaze. In less than 24 hours, her video had more than 20 million views, and she had gained 12 million new followers.
“Not bad,” she muttered, about to set the phone down—until a new headline made her gasp.
Engaged…?
Her eyes scanned the screen, landing on a woman she didn’t recognize. A snake. A poisonous one.
“Not that I care,” her subconscious whispered.
But then reality struck. My babies… if she marries him, my children could face the same torment I endured.
“No… No! I can’t let that happen,” she whispered, fear and determination mingling in her voice.
- Writer
