Chapter 105Miguel stared at the message, his heart pounding in his chest. 'We need to talk. Meet me tomorrow morning.' He had read those words like a million times, each time trying to predict what they'd be saying. His thumb toyed with the screen, weighing whether he should reply right away, but something kept him back. Probably it was for the fear of what that conversation might bring.He knew tomorrow, Ximena was going to make her choice-a choice in which she would tell him what she had been avoiding for weeks now. But was he ready to hear it?He'd lost his temper once, and he didn't want to do it again. Not when so much hung in the balance.---The next morning, Miguel showed up in the park way too much before expected. He sat down on a bench running alongside the fountain, observing ripples of water reflect early sunlight. His stomach was wrapped in knots of nervousness, yet he managed to show poise. Today was the day when finally some real answers would be coming his way. T
Chapter 106Ximena was sitting in the conference room, head spinning, as the lawyers drone on over Vega's latest maneuver. She tried to concentrate on the strategy, but her mind kept wandering back to the conversation with Miguel in the park. The words that had hit her hard, harder than she wanted to admit.She knew he was right-the fact that she lived in denial, using the chaos of the company as a curtain to get away from the mess of her emotions.But she couldn't hide anymore. Miguel had given her an ultimatum, though he hadn't said it in so many words. She could see it in his eyes; he would not wait forever. And she didn't blame him.How was he not to act, when she was vacillating between him and Charles, between love and the past?"Ximena, did you hear what I said?" Miguel's voice cut through her inner space.She blinked, finally came to her senses, looking up to realize the whole room was looking at her. Her cheeks colored in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, what was that?"Miguel's j
Chapter 107Ximena couldn’t help the feeling of relief that washed over her as she read the documents in front of her. They had found Vega’s weakness, the key to bringing them down. The offshore accounts would expose everything, and Antonio’s Group would finally have the upper hand. But as much as this victory loomed, a sinking feeling stayed lodged in her chest.She looked up at Miguel, standing across from her, that familiar intensity in his eyes. He was waiting for her to say something, waiting for a response that would acknowledge the monumental moment they were standing in. “We did it,” Ximena whispered, the words barely audible, but the weight of them hung in the air.Miguel nodded, his eyes not leaving hers. “Yeah, we did.”But there was something in his tone, something that told her he wasn’t just talking about Vega. This moment, this success, had become entwined with the unresolved tension between them. They were celebrating a professional victory, but the personal batt
Chapter 108Charles' SecretMiguel stood outside the courtroom, the weight of everything still heavy on his shoulders. The trial had gone better than expected, and they had Vega on the ropes. Exposing those offshore accounts had been a game-changer, and the satisfaction of watching Vega’s legal team scramble to salvage their case was almost enough to make him forget about everything else.Almost.He glanced at Ximena, who stood a few feet away, staring down at her phone. Her brow was furrowed, her lips pressed into a thin line. She hadn’t said much since the recess was called, and Miguel knew something was bothering her. He’d seen the text she’d received earlier, the one that had shifted the mood. The message from an investigator, something about Charles.Miguel had known for a while now that Charles was more involved with Vega than he let on. He had been digging around in the background, quietly gathering information, and the pieces were finally starting to fall into place. Bu
Chapter 109A Mistake?Ximena watched Miguel leave her office, the door closing softly behind him, and felt her heart drop. She had never been more confused, torn between her feelings for two men, each of whom had impacted her life in ways she hadn’t expected. But right now, all she wanted was for this heavy weight to lift from her chest, for the pressure of her emotions to loosen its grip, if only for a little while.She slumped into her chair, staring blankly at the papers spread across her desk. The legal battle with Vega was almost over. They were on the verge of a win, and yet, her personal life felt like it was spiraling out of control. Charles had lied to her, whether out of fear or selfishness, it didn’t matter. She had trusted him, and he had kept something huge from her. And Miguel? He had been the one to stand by her, to support her through all of it. But even now, with his unwavering presence, she couldn’t shake the confusion clouding her heart.Her phone buzzed, an
Chapter 110 The Makeup DinnerBy morning, Ximena woke up restless, her heart racing. The night with Miguel was truly passionate, strong; she let go of herself towards his desires at that very hot moment. Now, in the sun streams going through the window of her apartment, she couldn't help but wonder whether that was what should have been done.It had seemed such a cowardly thing to do, leaving Miguel's apartment while he was still asleep, but it had been a needed thing; space to clear her mind and unravel the tangled mess her emotions had become.She'd felt squeezed by the weight of the Vega case and strained relationships with both Miguel and Charles, like she was drowning.She let out a deep sigh and pulled the blankets away, sitting up in bed.The fight against Vega was about over-the one that plagued her heart was about to begin.And every moment with one or the other just always seemed to drop her deeper into confusion.Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, pulling her from her t
Chapter 111The next day, Ximena sat at her office desk with this Vega lawsuit hanging over her head, as if dark clouds were following her everywhere. She had just gotten off the phone with the legal team and had verified indeed that Vega had filed another lawsuit attacking the financial stability of Antonio's Group. Because they are relentless, push after push, trying to destabilize everything she had so strongly worked to protect.It was not just Vega's attack that had undone her.She remembered her morning conversation with Miguel; how he trapped her in the conference room and asked for an answer she did not yet have. She could still hear the ache in his voice, the silent despair, when he said, choose now to commit fully or let him go. His words still swirled in her head and haunted her.But as much as Miguel's ultimatum had shaken her, it had also clarified her. She couldn't keep stringing him along, couldn't keep bouncing between him and Charles, hoping she'd eventually figu
Chapter 112He sat alone in the office, leaning back in the chair with thoughts of Ximena occupying his mind. Days had gone by since Miguel gave her the ultimatum, and this silence weighed heavier with every passing hour.Suddenly, his phone buzzed on the table, cutting him through his thoughts, and he looked down to see that he had a message notification from Ximena."Miguel, can we meet? I need to talk to you."The message hit him like a torrent as he read it-his heart in a leap, a rush of emotion surging through. She wanted to talk.After weeks of tension, of uncertainty, she was finally reaching out.He could feel the anticipation start to build inside him, the pulse quickening as his fingers flew across the keyboard in response."Name the place and time. I'll be there."Hers came quick enough-a quiet café they had once gone to after a particularly long day in the office. It was a place of memories, a neutral place where she must have felt comfortable enough to go. He pocketed h
Chapter 137: Shadows in the DarkEvery word in the email's subject was a promise of retribution, spelling out in detail what was envisioned to happen if Antonio's Group continued to resist the influence of Vega.Miguel's hands clamped down on his desk as if to restrain himself. But his gut was screaming at him, to act now.He strode toward Ximena's office in rapid, determined steps. She was still hunched over her desk going over files under the muted office lights."Ximena," he said low but urgent.She looked up; instant concern flickered in her eyes as she took in his tense expression. "What's wrong?"He showed her the email, watching her face change from shock to steely determination. "So Vega's threatening me now?" she muttered, her tone barely containing the anger. Miguel nodded, his voice equally strained. "It would appear he is becoming desperate. I do not want you here alone-not with these threats hanging over us. We are increasing your security detail immediately."She shook h
Chapter 136: Lines of DeceptionMiguel sat at his desk, his mind heavy with tension since the beginning of the day. First, it was the threatening messages to Ximena, which were unsettling; now he had another angle to contemplate-a batch of documents from Henry.The subject line had read:"For the Protection of Ximena," an unsolicited move by a man who had long kept himself aloof from the politics of business.Miguel passed the documents along to Ximena with a simple message: "Take a look at these when you have a minute."Within minutes, Ximena knocked on his door frame; her eyes were already filled with incredulity. She came in and closed the door behind her, looking at his expression for explanation. "You just sent me those documents from Henry?" she asked, brow furrowed while holding up her phone.Miguel nodded, gesturing her to his desk. "Yes. He says they contain critical details about Vega's takeover strategy, supposedly information he thinks we'll need to counter Vega's next mo
Chapter 135: Lines of TrustMiguel and Ximena worked tirelessly in the days leading up to Antonio Group’s quarterly report. They knew if Vega had any plans to strike, this report's release was the avenue to spread chaos. They made sure they were not going to allow that to happen by revisiting every single security protocol there was: access to sensitive files was tightened, background checks of all their team members were reviewed again, and access lists of all personnel that would be in contact with the report were reassessed.Miguel leaned over a stack of security files, his face tense as he scanned the list of employees with access to the report. "We need to ensure that nobody outside of that list sees anything of the report before it is released. One misplaced file or leak and it's going to spread faster than we will ever be able to contain it.Ximena nodded, her intensity level matching his. "Agreed. We're in the spotlight more than ever right now. Vega's just waiting for us to
Chapter 134: A Suspicious AllyBack at the office, Miguel sat at his desk, the recent conversation with the unknown number weighing heavy on his mind. The interest of Vega for his support sounded disconcerting, unethical and not good enough to act upon. They needed hard evidence, concrete plans that could stop Vega's influence from dribbling any further into Antonio's Group. Just as he reached for his coffee, a knock came from his door."Miguel, may I have a minute?" the voice of Henry, one of the oldest board members, filtered through.He had always been present, the man who had shared work with Ximena's father in the past.Miguel nodded to let him in. "Of course, Mr. Henry. What seems to be the problem?"Henry shut the door behind him and for the first time, his face was somber.He sat down facing Miguel and wrung his hands."I'm coming to you because I feel this is the time I need to say something important. Vega… he contacted me recently and proposed a deal to work against Anto
Chapter 133: Bound by Trust Most of the day had been taken up at Antonio's Group, poring over the security protocols. They went over every recent interaction and activity by each board member with fine-tooth combs. Trust was even more fragile now since the confluence with Salazar. "We can't afford to miss anything," Ximena whispered, her eyes running down the latest reports. "I want to believe the rest of our board is loyal, but after what Salazar pulled, I won't take any chances." Miguel nodded, his eyes unflinching. "We are on the same page. And if anyone else gives any indication of being disloyal, the same thing that happened with Salazar will happen to them." They exchanged a glance; the weight of the day crowded in upon them suddenly. As the hours wore on, tiredness crept in to let them know they had reached their limit for today. Miguel looked at his timepiece and let the breath out. "Let's head back. We can pick this up tomorrow with fresh eyes," he said, giving her
Chapter 132: Breaking the SilenceMiguel continued pacing his office, the echo of Ximena's words from last night still reverberating in his head. She had asked him not to let her go, and he felt the weight of her trust settling deep inside. Their fragile but growing bond with each passing moment had become his source of motivation. But for that, he knew they had to bring an end to Vega's shadow over Antonio's Group and fast.Ximena entered the room, a determined look on her face. "I went over more of Salazar's records this morning," she said, handing him a folder. "The pattern is there, Miguel. Encrypted messages, confidential files shared outside our firewall, all leading back to him."Miguel took the folder, scanning over the documents she'd gone through and meticulously marked."So it is true. He's been feeding Vega with all that he needs to keep fanning doubt inside the company. The timing of these leaks, it has been deliberate. But we will have to make our approach with him su
Chapter 131: Crossed WiresAcross the ballroom, Miguel watched Tania and Salazar speak in hushed tones with an arguing suspension in his stomach. It was so easily done to distrust her. She showed up completely out of the blue, her history with Vega coming to mind first.But before he could dwell deeper on it, she noticed him watching her, flashed a familiar, flirtatious smile, and started making her way over."Miguel," she said, greeting him playfully. "I didn't think I'd see you here tonight. It's been a while, hasn't it?"He remained polite, cautious in his distances. "It has, Tania. I didn't expect you to show up here either.""Oh, I'm sure you didn't," she returned, laughing softly. "But sometimes it is nice to catch up, especially with old friends."She cocked her head; her eyes glinting with something that made Miguel wary. "I hope you don't mind if I interrupt your evening for just a moment?"Before Miguel could utter a reply, he saw Ximena's eyes dart over from across the way
Chapter 130: Shadows in Plain SightAntonio's Group sat in silence, the air thick with tension, as Miguel and Ximena pored over the latest reports. Certainly a rumor had reached them about possible involvement by Vega, but nothing sounded as ominous as the threads that they were unraveling now."Salazar's actions just don't quite add up," Ximena whispered, scanning through yet another set of transactions. "He's missed three board meetings in the last month. And each time he's absent, something critical either leaks to the press or falls into Vega's hands. It feels almost like a timing precision too good to be true."Miguel nodded, his eyes razor-sharp with focus. "I've had a strange feeling about him, too. He's evasive every time we bring up the financial discrepancies, almost as if he is covering up for someone or himself."Ximena looked up, her face aflame. "Tonight's fundraiser will have the whole board, Salazar included. We need to confront him there, in a public setting where h
Chapter 129: Shadows and SecretsMiguel arrived at the headquarters of Antonio's Group, his mind still fresh with Ximena's urgent message that morning. He went into her office to find her already at her desk, with papers all over, her face knitted with worry. She looked up as he came in, and he could see the stress shadowing her usually steady gaze."Thanks for coming so quickly," she said, gesturing to the stack of papers."What's going on?" Miguel asked, stepping forward to reach for the documents."Caden Holdings," Ximena replied, huffing. "After everything we did to reassure them, they're going cold feet on their position with us."Miguel's eyebrows furrowed as he flipped through the papers. "They're second-guessing us again? After all we did to stabilize this place?"Ximena nodded. Anger was taut in her tone. "They're still anxious. It's like every reassurance we give them only keeps them steady a minute before something else rattles them."She crossed her arms, leaning back s