X&J EMPIRE, NEW YORK.Nina glanced tiredly at the building. Her hands shook hard as she held on tightly to the steering wheel. The last two weeks have been nothing short of hellish. Dawn stuck to her decision to cut their budget short, and Nina had to work twice as hard, especially with the marketing team.Her heart raced in anxiety as she stepped out of the car and made her way to the building. The weekend would be all about paperwork and work and nothing more. Her meals were only on time due to Carla’s presence. She is the one thing from Xander. Nina can’t cut off knowing how good she is at what she does.Stepping into the elevator, she mumbled a good morning to the three ladies, but they appeared to be busy whispering in each other’s ears. Nina stood with her back to them, and even at that, she could tell their whispers might have something to do with her. It prompted her to check her back in case there might be any embarrassing stain. Sure that she wasn’t looking out of place. She
Chapter 56 Topic Of GossipX&J EMPIRE, NEW YORK.Nina flipped through the documents helplessly. Since she arrived at work, everything has been in disarray. Nina can’t seem to get a grip on herself, making her very frustrated. The rumors she had thought might die out in two days appear to have gotten more robust, and she is met with judgmental glares everywhere she goes. With her pregnancy out in the open, it makes her feel very exposed.She couldn’t help but blame Dani for the rumor because she was the one who had seen Xander kissing her on the forehead. And at the thought of Xander being the sole cause of everything happening, her anger heightened. She ruffled her hair restlessly.The product promotion was due by the end of the week, and her initial proposal had to be tweaked to make it work with the new budget. It had given her sleepless nights to bring everything together. Unfortunately, her hard work wasn’t enough. They need another idea, and none is coming forth at the moment. To
Chapter 57 Gossip MillNINA’S HOME, NEW YORK.Carla observed Nina’s every move. She was surprised when Nina returned home and headed straight to her room again, which she had been doing for some days. Every time she takes dinner to Nina, she hears quiet sobs from inside. It had put Carla on the edge for a while, worried that something terrible might happen.Morning came, and Nina was awake at the usual time. However, Carla didn’t fail to notice the stressed lines on her face. She exhaled slowly and walked towards the dining with the food bowl in her hand.“Good morning, Miss Nina. How are you doing today?” She asked, holding up her motherly smile.Nina’s voice sounded coarse as she spoke. “Fine, thank you.”Carla didn’t believe a word she said. The woman sat opposite her with a concerned look on her face. “I know you were crying last night. I didn’t mean to evade your privacy, but I had brought you food when I heard you sobbing, and from the look of things, you didn’t eat last night.
Chapter 58 Pestering BeingBON RESTAURANT, NEW YORK.“I thought you would stop by the house,” Carla said as she sat down opposite Jace with a huff.Jace shook his head. “I wasn’t sure of Nina’s movement. I didn’t want her to come home and find me with you. It might raise suspicions.”She nodded in agreement. “It would truly. So what did you find?”His face fell. “It's quite serious, Carla. I do not know who started the cruel discussion. But I feel so sorry for Nina. There have been rumors spreading around about her. They said she is sleeping with Xander to maintain her place in the company.”“What? Why would anyone say something like that?”He sighed and tapped on his phone to show her the screenshot of the messages he found on the group page, just in case someone intended to delete it. “Check this out.”Carla blinked in disbelief as she read through the content. She clasped a hand over her mouth. “None of this is true. Don’t they have jobs to do?”“I wonder myself so that I will send
Chapter 59 Two SistersDAWN’S HOME, NEW YORK.Dawn gritted her teeth angrily as she stared at her laptop screen. She can’t seem to understand what is going on. Dawn would like to believe someone manipulated the charts. When the marketing department sent the report to her, she didn’t think about it until she called a board member to affirm it.X&J Foods has broken its record, making massive sales in less than forty-eight hours of product promotion. She shut her eyes tightly and screamed at the top of her voice. The more she tries to ruin Nina, the stronger she gets. Not even the scandal has deterred her.Standing up, Dawn paced the room back and forth, thinking about what to do. She snapped her finger at the thought that crossed her mind. She would need to put in more pressure. Also, the first plot is still very much intact. That alone should be enough to serve as a compensation.Minny pushed her room door to enter while carrying a bowl of popcorn. “Did you scream a minute ago?”Dawn
Chapter 60 Dismissal, Fired!REMINGTON HOSPITAL, NEW YORK.“Is there anyone here for the pregnant lady?” A nurse walked towards the reception to ask.Xander hurried forward to respond. “Yes, please. I am her friend. How is she doing?.”“I can’t tell you it would be best if her husband, boyfriend, or mother is here.” The nurse said.“She is an orphan and a divorcee. Where do you expect her to get all of those listed attributes?” He raised his voice at her.Carla rubbed at his back. “Calm down, Xander. The young lady is only doing her job.”“Then she should do it bloody right.” He growled.The older woman turned to the nurse, who looked pale. “I am sorry, my dear. Just as he said, she does not have a direct family. Xander here is the closest family she has. Let him see the doctor.”“Yes, ma’am.” The nurse replied meekly and urged Xander to come with her.“Hello, doctor,” Xander said in a calmer voice when he entered the office. “I am Xander Jackson, Nina Ruiz’s guardian.” He said.“Welc
Chapter 61 Out she goesREMINGTON HOSPITAL, NEW YORK.Carla furrowed her brows a bit after getting off the phone call she was on. Her eyes lingered on Nina, who seemed engrossed by her phone. Without warning, she snatched it off her hand.“My phone!” Nina protested.“No, young lady. What did the doctor tell you? You must rest. Why are you so adamant? Work can wait.”“It can’t. There is a lot I should be doing.” She groaned inwardly at a slight discomfort in her back.“Do you think the work wouldn’t remain if your condition becomes critical? At least for the sake of your child. Don’t you want them alive?”Nina bowed her head slightly, feeling embarrassed. “As much as I need my child to stay alive. I need this job for our future. It is the only thing we have to help us through this world of chaos.”“Well, you are in luck. Your boss is someone who would find every means to protect you, and from what I know, you work very hard.”She sneered at the mention of Xander. The sight of him yeste
Chapter 62 Who did itXANDER’S HOME, NEW YORK“Will you stop tormenting that phone already,” Jace said with a groan. “You were the same person who gave her a break. Yet you keep calling like she is in some trouble.”Xander rolled his eyes and dropped the phone. “She just got discharged. I am just trying to know how she is doing.”“Let her be for just a day, bro. I promise it won’t kill you. Stop making yourself appear so desperate.”“Why don’t you just say to my face that I am desperate.”“Well, you said it yourself.”Xander picked up the throw pillow next to him and tossed it at him. Jace dodged it, smirking. “Best bet I will have your neck broken.”Jace cackled, rubbing at his nose. “I must say, how you acted recently had me wondering where my actual brother is. I have never seen you so livid.”Xander shook his head. “I was expecting you to be like that. How can you be comfortable with the company going into flames like that? Do you know letting it hold on for too long could have pu
BONUS CHAPTER“Are you ready for tonight, Mia?!” Xander smirked as he sat beside Nina, watching a movie on Netflix and chewing on popcorn. “What’s happening tonight?” She asked, looking at him and pretending not to understand.“Well, why did we ask my mom to care for our baby?” He grinned sheepishly.“Did we plan to do that?” Nina grinned, too.“Well, put this aside.” He took the popcorn from her thighs and placed it on the table. Nina rolled my eyes, hiding her smile. “Oh, not today,” she tried to escape, but Xander quickly grabbed her. “Don’t you dare!” He laughed, tickling her that she laughed so hard. His hand reached for her bare thighs. And before she knew it, Xander grabbed her and pushed her down on the couch. It was fast! He pulled her legs apart and gave her breasts a rough squeeze. He positioned Nina just like he wanted. He yanked off his belt and tied her hand above her head. “Nasty, isn’t it?” Nina giggled.“Wait till I’m in full mood!” Xander removed her pants and sh
Chapter 95 Sex With XanderEPILOGUE: ONE YEAR LATERXANDER’S HOME“Are you sure I look okay?” Nina asked Tania again while analyzing the dress she had on. She had come in to change after Winter doused the other dress with candy juice as they were due to take pictures. Tania huffed tiredly. “How else do you want the dress to look on you, Nina? You look beautiful enough. Come on now, Winter would be waiting, wondering what her dearest mama is still doing hidden away.” Venus peeked into the room. “We are waiting for you. Nina, Winter is eager to cut her cake.” She called out. “Yes, Mum, I am coming.” She replied. Nina’s face fell as she stared at herself intensely. Tania walked up to her and rubbed her back slowly. “I wish he was here.” “You know he would have loved to be here. It would help if you stayed strong for you two. I believe better days are closer than expected.” Tania comforted. Nina smiled, glancing at Tania’s bulging belly. “Jace looks elated these days.” She laughed l
Chapter 94 The MotorcycleREMINGTON HOSPITAL, NEW YORK.The hospital building almost felt strange to Nina, even though she had been by the place a few months back. The section she is heading to must be the reason why. However, Nina has decided, knowing she is doing what suits a great cause, that she doesn’t mind whatever she has to do. “Hello.” She greeted the receptionist. “Hi, ma’am. Welcome. Who would you like to see?” “Uncle J.R. Oh, pardon me, I mean Dr Jason. Is he in? He is expecting me.” “You must be Miss Nina Ruiz?” “Yes, please.” “Alright, please come with me.” Jason was on a call when they walked into the office. At the sight of Nina, he smiled heartily. “Let me call you back, Dr Smith. My daughter just walked in.” He mumbled and hung up. Nina blushed at his referral. “Hello, Uncle J.R.” “How are you, my darling? Feels like ages.” He laughed, embracing her. “I am good. How are you, too?” “Great. Please sit.” He motioned towards the couch. “Thank you. So, I am yo
Chapter 93 Two peas in a pudXANDER’S HOME, NEW YORK.Nina saw how nervous he was and felt bothered that she might have said something she shouldn’t. Relaxing her shoulder, she sat on the couch and faced him. Xander held up a weak smile. “Why don’t you tell me what you must say first?” He urged. She exhaled slowly and took his hand in hers. “We are not kids, Xander. Neither are we immature. Even though my first marriage was a wreck, I believe life continues. Being heartbroken does not mean one's life has to come to an end. Ever since you came into my life, I have been able to see things differently. I am learning to love and embrace life as it should. One thing I promised myself after being betrayed by Asher and Andrea was never to trust anyone. Also, I vowed off men, telling myself all I needed to do was work hard and get back on top. What mattered was getting back at the people who made my life a living hell.” Nina chuckled, still caressing his hand, “But I was wrong. I couldn’t
Chapter 92 Court OrderXANDER’S HOME, NEW YORK.“It doesn’t feel right for me to stay home,” Nina whined behind Xander as he dressed. He turned to her, stopping halfway with his shirt button. “Why not?” “Because it's been two days. I need to get to work.” “Do it from home. Also, Tania would be coming today. Aren’t you excited to see her?” “I am, but…” She pouted, exiting the bed and wrapping her arm around him seductively. “Come on now, what happened last time will never happen again. I will defend myself no matter what.” “That right there is the problem. I don’t want you defending yourself no matter what. I have it covered. Please stay put here until Asher signs the court order, Nina.” Nina huffed in resolve, knowing there was no way out anymore. “Fine, I will just stay back.” She yawned loudly and sat at the edge of the bed, staring at his broad back. For the past few days, she has laid in Xander’s bed. He works until late at night, and she finds his arm wrapped around her wh
Chapter 91 Terrible FatherNINA’S HOME, NEW YORK. Gripping the phone tightly, Nina let out a long hiss. Xander does have a wrong side to him. Despite his promise to meet with her two days back to celebrate her unexpected promotion, he didn’t show up and gave an excuse for being busy. She thought he would reach out afterward, but he still hasn’t called. Her hand trailed Winter’s sleepy face absentmindedly. She brought her to the office to take her around the place like the little one would understand what was happening. Regarding Xander, her inability to get angry at him is the most annoying thing for her. Instead, she is worried that something might be wrong; at the same time, her ego prevents her from calling him. Her eyes roamed her new office space, and it felt surreal. They made the immediate move of X&J Foods into the M&M building. Nina occupied the same office Asher had sat in as the CEO but with a significant redesign. She was more than happy to see Asher and Andrea beneath
Chapter 90 The SwindlerTAYLOR’S HOME, NEW YORK.Asher struggled to sit up from the couch drowsily. He had gotten drunk and slept lazily without a bother in the world. In his distorted state, Asher noticed Andrea rushing out to her car. He let out a hiss, wondering what spa she had an appointment with again. He still can’t get over the fact that Nina holds the rein of a company he had dreamt of for years. She walked in without doing anything to reap where she didn’t sow. He let out a wince at the ache that struck his head. Suddenly, the door opened, letting in an angry-looking Leila. “Have you seen what your stupidness has caused?” She hollered. He held his aching head down. “What is it this time?” Leila screamed into her palm. “I told you to control yourself and not do anything stupid. But I don't remember you listening. Now everyone knows we have been humiliated by Nina. Everything that happened was written in the tabloids, every bloody thing.” Asher let out a slight cough. “Ca
Chapter 89 Why won’t you make love to meX&J EMPIRE, NEW YORK.“I can’t believe this. So, M&M Foods is all yours now?” Jace asked for the umpteenth time.Xander laughed amidst the celebration going on in the lobby. “Yes, Jace. X&J foods will only get bigger and better from here on.”“Nina must be so happy.”“I am sure she is.” He mused while staring at her sweetly among the crowd. “That reminds me, Dawn should be here to celebrate with us. Where is she?”Jace shifted on his legs; Xander hadn’t checked his mail. “She must have informed someone of her absence.”“That is strange,” Xander said, checking his phone for any message she must have dropped.“Why not check your mail?”“Mail? Dawn hardly uses her mail unless it is for work. But then, let me check.” His brows furrowed when he indeed found a message from Dawn. It happened to be a resignation letter. “Take a look, Jace. She resigned. How am I just getting to know about this now? We still spoke a while back, and she didn’t mention an
Chapter 88 The Naive OneM&M FOODS, NEW YORK.Nina stared anxiously at the building and suddenly felt an intense pressure in her bowel. She thought about what might be going through Xander’s head for the rest of the weekend. He had constantly evaded any means of them getting intimate beyond foreplay, and Nina was beginning to think he might not have as much interest in her as she did. Either that, or she is pushing too fast.Thinking about that alone had her on the edge, now returning to the same place where she had experienced so much humiliation it made her feel suffocated.Inhaling sharply, she gripped Xander by the arm. He turned to see her pale face.“Hey baby, are you okay?” He asked in a worried tone.Nina managed to put up a smile. “Yes, I am. I need to get to the restroom. I will join you soon.”“I will wait for you then.”“No, don’t do that. I know my way around here, remember?”Xander looked skeptical, but he chose to respect her privacy. “Alright, just call me if you need