Chapter 84She couldn't move, couldn't shift her gaze away from the name on his screen: Alejandro Vega. And then it was clear to her – the wave descended in her mind, leaving her trembling. Vega Investment was not only a threat from outside the company but also inside the company with a mole yet unknown.And Tania? The plan is part of Alejandro, nothing more than that.Miguel was standing next to her and he seemed to be even more pale than he usually is. She saw the shock and the anger in his eyes and there was guilt in them. They were paying the price for Tania; she had been his mistake.Just when they could go on with the conversation, Carlos made a dry cough to remind them of the reality. "This is big, Ximena. If we could only attribute this to Vega, then, we might just have a shot at taking them down.”Ximena smiled although inside her head she was thinking. "But for that, we’ll have to have more than emails alone. We require solid proof that the board cannot wave aside.”“We’v
Chapter 85Ximena took the car back to her apartment and her hands clutched the wheel more than before. The thoughts of last with Miguel still clouded her mind as she tried to shove it off to concentrate on the pressing problem.The rapidly spinning wheels made the outskirts of the city seem as if they where melting away and her mind was racing with thoughts. ‘Tania knew.’ She had guessed what they were going to do and now they had no more time in their hands. It had taken Ximena all of her strength just to get out of Miguel’s apartment. The passion of their kiss, the proximity to the state of losing control; it had disoriented her.But there was no time for such thoughts at the moment. Not while Tania is busy threatening to destroy everything they have built.Finally, when Ximena arrived at her apartment, she was able to barely slip into her apartment and open the door before her phone rang. It was Carlos. She was taken aback for a moment, and then regained herself to respond to
Chapter 86New Discovery The quietness that had descended the room was almost oppressive, this decision resting on her as something that was almost physically possible to bear and which could make her flat. She sat at the desk to look at the contract that Vega Investment Company had forwarded her with. Here it lay, in front of her, daring her, challenging her, promising a solution - the promise of saving Antonio’s Group.But at what cost?She would be agreeing to Alejandro Vega’s terms - taking her family’s company with him, the man who was indeed responsible for its ruin. That was a fairly bitter pill to swallow. She had worked so hard to struggle for this company, and now the only way she found to save it was to surrender.She looked at the time; soon Miguel would come. They were to discuss the plan of their next action, but Ximena could not get rid of that oppressive feeling in her breast. This wasn't only about the company now; it was all about everything: her life, her love
Chapter 87 Her office was still, too still. The calm before the storm, Ximena told herself as she settled back in her chair and glanced down at the files on the desk. The betrayal by Richard was still fresh and it seemed to be tearing a canal through her heart.The man who she thought was her family had been working with Vega all along and tearing down all her family had worked for. And now the board meeting was not far off. In two days, she would have to assure the board that Antonio’s Group was not the company that everyone thought was on its way down.It left no chance for pause. Not anymore.The sudden buzzing of her phone in her hand snapped her back from her thoughts. "I need to see you. I have something important."With a mere, fast, and almost inaudible breath, she complied to his demand, to meet him in his office. With every second that elapsed they were propelled either to victory or to the very edges of defeat where nothing at all remained. As Ximena picked up her belo
Chapter 88 Miguel saw Ximena turn and leave his office, her hand coming off his hand. His chest raced, and the remnants of their kiss still burned him, as though he craved the flames of the fire he pursued. He wished to run after her, grab her by the arm, turn her around and have his way with her. But she was right. It was too much to lose and if they did not concentrate then everything that they had strived for would crumble.However, he felt a twinge of pain in his chest whenever she told him they would sort things out at some other time. He had already lost her once; he couldn’t afford to do it again. He still remembered the feel of their lips on each other and that was enough to convince him that there was still something between them that would help to turn things around.But first they had to contend with Tania.Miguel’s phone rang on the desk and he looked at it and sighed when he saw that it was Tania. She was calling again. He despised this game; he knew he still had to b
Chapter 89The wall clock seemed to tick louder than usual, each passing second a grim reminder that for all intents and purposes, time was running out. Ximena sat at her desk, going over notes she had compiled in preparation for the upcoming board meeting. The tension was thick in the air, and Ximena could hardly focus on what she was reading. Her mind kept drifting back to Miguel and his confrontation with Tania.He had been somewhat tight-lipped about the particulars over the phone. Just that Tania had threatened them both and dropped intimations that there were further players.Who else would be against them now?A sudden rap at her door sent her jumping. She snapped herself together quickly enough to call out, "Come in."The door opened and Robert stepped inside, grimmer than usual. "We need to talk."Ximena felt the knot in her stomach tighten. She nodded and gestured to him to take a seat. Robert was her strongest supporter on the board, the one person she had trusted during
Chapter 90Miguel was standing outside Tania’s penthouse, the wind blew harsh against his skin. The discomfort in his chest rose since the time Ximena called him, her voice trembling saying someone has been stalking her after leaving Gregor’s office. He did not like it, no way. Tania was getting desperate, and desperate people were dangerous.He rang the bell and tried to control his anxiety. This meeting was crucial. There were more players in this game, and Tania knew more than she cared to reveal, and before he played this game anymore he had to find out who the other players were.The door opened and there was Tania standing in the doorway with a wicked smile on her lips. “Miguel,” she slid across the door frame and stood to one side to let him into the house. “I didn’t think you’d still be awake at this time.”Miguel entered the room and just upon entering he started looking around the room. It was the same grande environment that he had become accustomed to; paintings on the wa
Chapter 91Searching for the TruthXimena nervously walked back and forth in her living room. Her head was still reeling from the thought of being followed earlier that day. She had not yet shared with Miguel all the details with him; she didn’t want to add to his worries. But now, after their call, she could not free herself from the thought that something much larger was coming. There was something Tania hadn’t said, something more dangerous than either of them had anticipated.She looked down at her phone that buzzed on the coffee table and began to adjust her thoughts. It was a message from Miguel.“I’m on my way. Stay put.”She breathed out, and then typed a short message for reply. When there was so much to do, patiently waiting for Miguel seemed like waiting for forever. Her mind whirled back to the time when she was meeting Gregor and the others board members. She so wished Gregor would have followed through on his word and have spoken to Martinez and Reeves. Tania and his c
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