Chapter 97 After the Storm The cabin was peaceful, nestled in a forest, free from the vibrations of the town, and the constant roar of Antonio’s Group. Quietness welcomed her like the much needed comfort after the storm of the previous few months.The board vote was two days ago, two days ago when she fought Richard and Vega, the media hurricane that almost engulfed her. The vote had been in her favor; Antonio’s Group was secure for now, but victory was not what she had expected it to be. She had done it for her family, and has lost so much in the process!Richard had betrayed her and it still felt fresh like an open sore but it was deeper than that. It was the tiredness, the struggle, the burden that was thrown upon her. She had won the war but now she wondered where to turn; she was all wet and did not know where to go. So she had taken time for herself – a break, a withdrawal in order to gain some perspective.It had been in her family for generations, it was her father’s san
Chapter 98 Charles Returns The glass doors of Antonio’s Group opened and Ximena had the exact second to draw a breath before being assaulted by the sounds of glasses clinking and happy voices. Her vacation to take a break had been over. It was time to return to work.She stopped, opening her eyes wide in shock as all the employees who had been dispersed throughout the lobby, lifted their glasses of wine and cheered. Their glasses hit the table in unison, and then cheers erupted all at once, congratulating her.“Well done, Ximena!” some shouted as they looked at her with joy and admiration on their faces. The pressure of the past weeks appeared to be shed off momentarily by the support that they were receiving.The vote on the board had been in her favor. They were safe, at least for now and the feeling of getting out of a fix that was starting to dawn on Antonio.Ximena smiled, she felt happy and even thanked them for their help. “Thank you, everyone,” she said, her voice confiden
Chapter 99Ximena was still trying to comprehend what Charles had said with her throat feeling constricted. Vega was busy with their schemes, behind the scenes, unknown to Ximena, planning the attack on Antonio’s Group. The win from the board vote seemed like it was in another life now, and fear was slowly creeping into her system. “How did you get to know all this?” Ximena asked, her voice sounded harsher than she wanted it to be. She needed answers. She needed the truth.Charles looked at her but he was momentarily lost for words, his eyes shifted away from her line of sight. He looked confused, and it only made her even more angry. “Charles,” she repeated softly, approaching him, her pulse quickening. "I’m talking about having to know everything if one wants to protect the company. You know you can’t pull me into a conversation like that and then start withholding information.”He took a deep breath and raked his fingers through his hair, frowning a little. “I have… sources.”
Chapter 100Miguel drove through the city, his mind consumed with thoughts of Ximena and all that had happened over the last couple of weeks.The tension between them still lingered in the air, and while things finally seemed to go in the right direction, something just felt off. Charles's sudden appearance still kept gnawing at him. Ximena hadn't told him much about it, and to think that she was going to confide in Charles before him didn't sit right.He clutched the steering wheel and fought traffic that evening, setting a course for Ximena's apartment straightaway.He wasn't going to wait anymore. Whatever it was she wasn't telling him, he needed to know.Reaching her building, Miguel parked and went up to her apartment, feeling both anticipation and a knot in his stomach.He wanted answers, but he was also seeking assurances that whatever was brewing with Vega wasn't about to blow up in their faces. Ximena had mentioned a new legal threat, and the not-knowing was keeping him on
Chapter 101Torn Between Two WorldsXimena just couldn't get her head to focus. Business strategies and mixed unresolved feelings seemed to swirl in her head.The bomb that Charles laid on her about Vega's surreptitious legal maneuverings shook her, though not just the threat to Antonio's Group that left her feeling all on the edge.It was Charles himself. He had been drilling his way back into her life, and with each call, every sustained glance, the pull had grown stronger.She let out a sigh, staring at her reflection in the office bathroom mirror, racing heartbeats, clammy palms as she pulled herself together.She had, in a few hours, to meet with the legal team and figure out how they were going to handle this newest wave of lawsuits Vega had filed against them. The stakes were higher than ever, and she needed to stay focused. But how could she when Charles clouded her mind?Miguel, too, had grown distant. It wasn't intentional to either of them but they both felt it.She had kn
Chapter 102Miguel could tell by the denseness of air the moment he stepped into the conference room. The legal team had already assembled;papers and files scattered along the length of the table but neither were these where his attention was directed. His eyes went straight to Ximena, seated at the head of the table, distant with her gaze into a stack of documents.She hadn't been acting like herself lately; she was physically there, yet felt like her mind was a thousand miles away. He'd been noticing this often over the past few weeks; how distant she kept herself, the way she dodged his questions when things became personal. Then there was Charles.Miguel hated to admit it, but something was off. He wasn't sure whether his jealousy was talking or whether Ximena was actually slipping away from him. Having Charles back into the picture didn't help matters either. "Let's get started," Ximena said, her voice dragging Miguel from his thoughts. She didn't look up from the papers in
Chapter 103 Collided FeelingsAnticipation hummed in his veins as Charles stepped into O'Malley's. This time, he had promised to meet Ximena here and was determined this time to push the conversation past the usual business topics. For far too long, she had been drawing away from him, hesitating at every step despite the undeniable connection still there.Tonight, he wouldn't let her hide behind her work at Antonio's Group.Tonight, he would make her face the reality that was them.He found her in an instant seated in their booth, her fingers wrapped around a glass of wine.She was beautiful, but tonight something was off about how she looked.Her body tense, her stare not quite focused, like a war was going on inside of her."Hey," Charles said, sliding onto the seat opposite hers, his tone casual but his heart racing.Ximena looked up at him, tugging a small smile onto her lips, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Hey."A moment ticked by in silence. He could feel that she was o
Chapter 104Charles didn't flinch; he never said a word. He did absolutely nothing but stared deep into her eyes, knowing full well whatever she did next would change it all.Miguel fought to breathe as he stormed out of O'Malley's. His heart racing in his ears, his mind reeled from all he had just seen and heard.His instincts told him his companionship with Ximena had gone all wrong, but seeing her with Charles like that made everything so real in such a painful way. Outside, the cold did nothing to calm the fire burning inside. He clenched his fists and kept down the street, trying to get as much distance as possible from that damned bar.He wasn't sure what was worse, either the fact that she hadn't told him about seeing Charles or the way that she'd looked at him, like there still was something between them.Miguel stopped abruptly as his chest heaved with frustration. He wanted to hit something, anything; just that wasn't going to solve anything. He needed to think. He needed
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