Chapter 51Ximena's POVWhen Charles and I came out of the airport, I felt a mix of feelings inside of me. The fact that he was alive overwhelmed me but at the same time I felt the confusion and the guilt raging inside me.Miguel walked out with us to the car park and I could feel the tension building up. Sometimes, I felt that it was just me and often wondered if the rest of the world shared the same feeling.Charles held my hand for a moment before walking up to his car. “Let me drive you home Ximena,” he said softly. “It has been a long day for you.”I simply nodded, not able to fight for the words that I wanted to say anymore. I looked at Miguel who was standing near his car, hands in his pockets. I looked into his eyes and could still see the worry lines on his face.“Thank you, Miguel,” I whispered. “For everything. ”He only managed to look at me and give a small nod in response. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call. ”I stared at him for a moment longer, and felt so
Chapter 52Ximena's POVThe thoughts of losing Charles to that plane crash was still overwhelming. I was still struggling to go back to my normal life while at the same time trying to process the feelings that were still lingering. Charles was very caring, he kept on asking me how I was feeling. But no matter how hard I attempted to return to our usual routines, there was always something that bothered me - the feeling that something was off. Miguel and I went on conducting work on the collaboration project and it was during one of the business meetings that I realized something off about him. First, I tried not to pay attention to it. He was a professional, so I was convinced that he would not allow his problems to affect the job. But the longer I was with him, the more I noticed it - the stiffness in his shoulders, the shifting in his gaze as if he was thinking something I never would. We were going over some papers, and I was just sitting there waiting. “Miguel,” I called hi
Chapter 53Ximena was standing in front of the window in her office, her gaze fixed on the moving cars and people far below, in the City. The gravity of the decision she was about to make bore so much weight on her young shoulders. Taking a big sigh, she swung around to grab her phone and typed two texts to Miguel and Charles informing them to get to her office right away. While waiting, she tried to recall all she had seen during the past few weeks. It was the emotional ride, the near loss of Charles, the rising animosity between her and Miguel – all of it was a storm in her head. She understood that something had to be done, for the sake of her own sanity as well as for the future of business of both companies. A knock at the door brought her back to reality. “Come in,” she said a bit more confidently and adjusted her sitting position and her skirt. Miguel came in first, looking at her face with curiosity and concern in his dark eyes. Charles was not too far behind him, he too l
Chapter 54Market TurbulenceXimena walked briskly towards the main conference room, the sound of her heels on the floor echoing in the hallway. The sound of ringing phones along with the hasty tone of the voices was the reality check of the situation that they were in. They were followed by Miguel and Charles, both of whom looked worried. Upon their arrival into the room, all the people looked worried with their faces turned towards them. Ximena inhaled sharply, preparing herself for what the future held in store for her. "Okay people," she said, her voice confident and commanding. ‘'I understand that our company’s market value has drastically dropped shortly. Let us analyze what we have and what we are going to do."The next few hours, Ximena took the team through a series of debates and planning. She turned her head slightly to the right and was immediately conscious of Miguel’s frown as he scrutinized some figures. To her left, Charles was busy on phone, calling their internat
Chapter 55Simmering TensionsThe morning sunlight fell on the windows of Miguel’s office and stretched on the table. He sat in front of his laptop, looking at the numbers on the financial reports with worries on his face.What had happened yesterday – the market crisis, Ximena’s decision, Charles’ leaving – all remained in his mind, as if his brain was an insidious flame that refused to go out. His eyes opened wide when he heard a sharp knock on the door. “Come in,” he said, sitting up from the chair. Tania entered with such a look of concern on her face. “Miguel, darling, I’ve been so worried, you know I came here yesterday, but they told me that you've already left.” Miguel swallowed hard and only nodded, not allowing any emotions to show on his face. “Yes, it was a long day. But we had some... issues which were not planned for.” Tania sat on the edge of the desk staring at him intently. “And how are you doing? You look so tired. ” “I am alright,” Miguel said. He got up, stepp
Chapter 56Dinner and DiscoveriesMiguel straightened his tie uncomfortably, standing in the elevator going up to the main floor of one of Mexico City’s most private restaurants. He had tortured himself as to whether to invite Ximena to this crucial business meal, aware that Tania will be there. All in all, professionalism triumphed. That is why the knowledge of Ximena would be critical in the achievement of this deal. When the doors opened he saw Ximena standing in the lobby. It was a black dress which fitted her slim figure perfectly and her hair was styled in a classy manner. For a moment there, Miguel even forgot to breathe. “You look… professional,” he mutely said, ensuring that the distance she put between them was not crossed. Ximena only blinked and just nodded her head without showing any sort of emotion on her face. "Thank you. Shall we?" They walked into the restaurant hand in hand, and from the corner of their eyes. Tania was easily noticeable sitting across the tabl
Chapter 57Ximena felt her heart racing as Tania approached her and the look in her eyes a combination of anger and desperation. Miguel moved swiftly between them and speaking with both women in a calming manner, raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. “Tania, what is happening?” He said softly but there was tension in the room. Tania’s eyes became small as she looked at Ximena with a lot of anger on her face.Ximena looked at Miguel, then turned to Tania; her throat felt dry and she was thinking fast. “Tania, if you have something you want to tell us you should do it now. ” Ximena’s voice was calm, but inside she could feel her heart beating fast. Tania laughed in bitterness. “Come clean? Oh, honey, you don’t have to worry about me doing any confessing around here.” She then turned to face Miguel, her face now a picture of pure virtue. “Miguel, my love, please trust me, Ximena is out to get us, she’s out to destroy us and all that we have built here.” Miguel’s eyebrows dre
Chapter 58The atmosphere in the office was tense especially for Ximena and Miguel who had to deal with the betrayal of Tania. The company had been put on a temporary lock down and the board of directors was still investigating the matter, thus, the two were managing the crisis with one hand tied behind their backs. Ximena paced up and down her office, with a deep frown on her face. She used to spend days and nights going through financial statements in an attempt to uncover the entire scope of Tania’s fraud. The task was quite challenging, and she was beginning to have a feeling that there was something that they had not noticed. A knock at the door brought her back from her reverie. “Come in,” she said in a voice that was actively anticipating the figure of Miguel. It was her assistant and her face was full of worry when she looked at her. “Ms. Antonio, I am sorry to inform you of this, but there is a reporter from the Diario de Mexico on the line saying that he has received s
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
Chapter 128: A Night to RememberThe aftermath of the break-in had Miguel and Ximena edgy, Antonio's Group silence heavier than usual. Despite security searching, nothing showed up; whoever had come for the company's secrets vanished into thin air. That uncertainty ticked them off, building fear about Vega's reach and intent.The cool night air brushed against their faces as Miguel walked Ximena to her car. The adrenaline of the break-in still sang in their veins, making their movements tight and cautious, but it was more than caution that had Miguel walking beside her. "Let me take you home," he said, his tone quiet but firm in its determination.It was then that Ximena turned to him, her eyes clouded with fatigue, but her appreciation shone through: "Gracias, Miguel. Me gustaría." The drive to her place was silent; each of them had his or her own thoughts. Miguel felt that the events of the night must have stirred memories and concerns, and he needed to take some of that load
Chapter 127: A Strategy Forged in TrustSometimes, sharing your burdens is the first step toward finding strength.Miguel turned his head and glanced across the table to Ximena, deep in a series of partnership reports spread before her. The soft hum of the office was soothing even as the challenges spread before them remained daunting. Antonio's Group had its share of threats, but Vega's incessant interference had taken that to a whole new level.They both knew the next moves they made would determine the future of the company, perhaps even their own relationship.Miguel spoke first. "I believe the time has come for us to whittle our focus down to those who prove to be our strongest partners. If we consolidate those alliances, it will make it harder for Vega to chip away at our base."Ximena nodded contemplatively, tapping a pen against her notebook. "Agreed. If we can cement those relationships, the weaker partners will see our strength and stability and be more apt to stay with us
Chapter 126: A Risky AllianceToday, though, he couldn’t let himself be distracted. Ximena had lined up her next series of client meetings, the aim of which was to keep Antonio's Group stable in light of Vega's continuing presence .He trod in the direction of Ximena's office, gathering himself for the battle that would take place during the day. She was already at her desk, eyes scanning over documents, her focus intense. Miguel admired her dedication, but he could see the weight of recent events in the slight shadows beneath her eyes. She looked up, giving him a nod as he took a seat."Good morning," he greeted her."Morning, Miguel," she said, giving him a slight smile. "Our top priority today is securing the last of our reluctant clients. If they remain on, it shows that Antonio's Group is steadfast, no matter how much Vega tries to shake us."Miguel nodded, his voice serious. "And if this goes through, this should also keep the confidence of the board up. We're close, Ximena.