33"That would be all for today, thank you all for making it here," Alejandro greeted his clients and investors as they wrapped up their meeting.Stepping out of the boardroom, he bumped into a female employee who looked terrified."Mr. Ruiz," her voice shook as she called his name. "Mrs. Ruiz is..."Alejandro's eyes darkened before she could finish. "What happened to my wife, and where is she?" he cut her off, his expression a mix of anger and worry."In the office clinic," the employee replied. Alejandro didn't ask any more questions and rushed to the clinic.Camila lay on the bed, a bandage wrapped around her wrist where the snake had bitten her. The doctor checked her vitals, jotting them down in a book.Alejandro entered, and everyone stopped what they were doing to greet him. He wasn't phased; his eyes were on Camila, who was sleeping on the bed with her bandaged hand.He walked toward her, sitting on a small stool and touching her forehead."What happened, Thomas? Why is she he
34BRIARWOOD SCHOOLIsabella arrived and opened her locker to find a chocolate. There was a letter attached to the package, and she opened it.Sorry I didn't reply to your messages yesterday, my phone went off. Chocolate to brighten up your day. - Brett.Isabella smiled and took a bite of the chocolate. She never tired of its sweetness."Isa!" Someone called sharply. Isabella looked up to see Valeria looking dangerous, her expression deadly."I know it's you, Isabella. Take it down!" she demanded angrily, her veins popping.Isabella looked confused. "Take what down?""Don't play with me, Isabella. You sent me that video!" Valeria looked like she was going mad."What video? I don't know what you're talking about," Isabella still looked confused."You're messing with me, but that's not gonna happen." Valeria moved closer, grabbing Isabella's arms firmly. "I give you 24 hours, or you won't like the outcome. Don't play with me, Isabella. You don't know what I'm capable of," she threatened
35RUIZ ROYAL ESTATE ••••Alejandro was working on his laptop and reviewing some documents when Diego entered the office."The files contain the person behind the snake," Diego informed him, dropping some files on Alejandro's desk.Alejandro paused his work to open the pictures. It was a blonde woman who didn't look familiar to him."Her name is Ximena Leon, Rafael's ex-girlfriend," Diego added. Alejandro's grip on the file tightened.After a moment of silent anger, he dropped the file and stood up. "Come with me," he ordered Diego, leaving the office."Where are we going, boss?" Diego asked, running after him."To Marcus Ventures. He needs to learn how to keep his properties off mine," Alejandro replied. Before Diego could reason with him, he had already reached his car.Diego helplessly shook his head and followed him.••••••••••••••••••••••••••••MARCUS GLOBAL VENTURES **Diego parked the car, and Alejandro didn't wait for him to get the door. He stepped out himself, hands in his p
36"How does that concern you? She's not even yours," Ximena forced out, and Rafael released her. She began coughing for her life."Yet" he corrected. "She's not mine yet and this is the last time I'll hear about this, or you'll regret ever knowing me!" He flashed her a warning look. Ximena swore she didn't recognize the man before her."This isn't the Rafael I know," she muttered, but it was loud enough for him to hear."Maybe you don't really know me," he said with a dark look before pulling her aside so he could leave the office.Ximena clutched her chest in fright. She turned back to watch his retreating figure and pictured him with Camila. The thought pierced her heart like an arrow. She would never allow it."It won't end until I say so," she said hatefully, clenching her fist.••••••••••••••••••••••••••••RUIZ ROYAL ESTATE •••••"You're much better. You'll be released this evening, but you need lots of rest and don't overwork yourself," Thomas said to Camila, but she just nodde
37A tense staring contest ensued between Alejandro, Camila, and Sofia. Alejandro sat on the couch, legs crossed comfortably, his expression dry."Is anyone going to explain?" Sofia broke the silence."Well...I...he..." Camila scratched her legs nervously, unsure where to start."Your daughter fell ill today. She just got discharged from the hospital and didn’t eat anything last night. As if that wasn’t enough, she wants to starve herself again this morning," Alejandro reported."Hey!" Camila threw him a glare before turning to her mom. "He didn’t return home last night. I couldn’t eat because I was worried about him. I think you should ask your son-in-law what he was doing late at night in the company. Maybe he wasn’t even there."Alejandro's gaze darkened. "What do you mean by that?""I don’t know, you should ask yourself," Camila rolled her eyes and crossed her legs, maintaining a stubborn look.Sofia was lost in what was happening, but one thing that bothered her was hearing that
38After a few minutes of awkward silence, Camila cleared her throat, being the one to start."I’m very sorry about my mom. She gets too extra when she’s worried. I hope you didn’t take what she said to heart," she mumbled."I already told you it’s fine. I should have done enough," Alejandro simply replied."But I’m fine now, aren’t I?" Camila bit her lips.Alejandro turned to face her, looking at her intensely. "Believe me, Camila, no one will ever harass you again. Any package you receive, show it to me before anything else," he said seriously.Camila stared at him for a while and nodded."Good girl," he patted her head. "Now can you eat for me?" He asked, and without waiting for her reply, he called Lucy."Take the flask from her and transfer the food to a plate," he ordered."Transfer the food to two plates," Camila corrected him."Why?" Alejandro raised one of his brows."If you don’t eat, then I won’t eat either," she gave him a daring look."No one has ever done this to me," Al
39BRIARWOOD SCHOOL ****Brett had just finished arranging his books in his locker and was on his way to the classroom when someone grabbed him, covering his mouth and pulling him aside.Before Brett could comprehend anything, lips landed on his, kissing him madly. He struggled to break free from Elijah's arms before slapping him across the face."I'm sorry," Elijah mumbled. "You were driving me crazy out there; I can't seem to control myself anymore," he sighed.Brett wiped his lips. Elijah had dragged him to the male restroom, so he went to the basin to wash his mouth."I'm sorry, Brett," Elijah said again."Can you just leave me alone, Elijah? If you really want me, then what's stopping you from having me anytime you want? Instead, you prefer to act like we are a crime. Then so be it, Elijah! So be it!" Brett complained before leaving the male restroom.Elijah angrily kicked the trash can before looking at himself in the mirror. He thought for a while before going out, but unknown
40 Alejandro hugged her from behind, playing with her nipples. His other hand moved downward to touch her flower."You're no longer on your period. I'm not holding back anymore," he whispered in her ear while touching her, moving his fingers slowly."Alex," Camila sighed and threw her head backward."You have no idea how much I've been holding back these past days. Let's change the plan. Forget the spa; I want you. I'll feel better," he bit her earlobe."But I already spent lots of money," Camila reminded him and herself. He was trying to tempt her, but nothing was changing the fact that she would take care of him today."I can send them back to you," he licked her neck, and one of his fingers entered her. He began moving in and out, not stopping until she splashed her cum."Alex," Camila held his hands, but she didn't know if she wanted to push him off or make him keep going."Just cum for me, wifey. I just need to taste it again," he pleaded.Things were going out of plan, but she
99 (Final)SOME DAYS LATER: RUIZ ROYAL ESTATE**Alejandro sat at his desk, engrossed in his work, ignoring the persistent knocking on his office door. Finally, Diego stepped in."Good afternoon, boss. I hope you had a good night," Diego greeted, holding an envelope in his hand. "I won’t take up much of your time. I just came to drop this."Diego placed the letter on Alejandro’s desk."I promised that once I helped take Rafael down, I’d leave right away. Now that I’m finally reunited with my family, I—""Look at these three dining options and tell me which one looks best," Alejandro interrupted, turning his laptop toward Diego.Diego blinked in confusion. Was Alejandro not even listening to him? He leaned closer to inspect the screen."They all look great, but this one in the middle stands out," Diego replied, pointing."Good. I want you to book it for tonight," Alejandro ordered, his tone dismissive."But, sir—" Diego started to protest, but Alejandro cut him off with a stern look."Y
98Alejandro paced back and forth in the hospital hallway, his anxiety growing with each passing second as he waited for the doctor to emerge from Camila's ward."You should sit, Alejandro. She's going to be fine," Sofia said softly, her voice filled with reassurance.He glanced at her but didn’t reply. Just then, the door creaked open, and the doctor stepped out. Alejandro’s face lit up with a mix of worry and hope."Mr. Alejandro Ruiz," the doctor called."What's wrong with Camila, Doctor?" Alejandro asked, his voice laced with panic."She's going to be a mother, and you're going to be a father. She's four and a half weeks pregnant," the doctor announced with a warm smile.Alejandro froze."What? Can we see her?" Isabella asked eagerly."She's sleeping right now, but you can visit her once she wakes up," the doctor replied before walking away.Isabella and Sofia hugged each other joyfully, their faces glowing with happiness. They turned to Alejandro, who still looked stunned."Come
97SOME DAYS LATERThe alarm blared endlessly, and to Camila, it sounded like wedding bells. But instead of excitement, it brought a heavy sense of dread—a nightmare she wished she could wake up from.“Miss, it’s time,” the maid said softly, gently tapping her shoulder.Camila groggily opened her eyes. A wedding gown stood prominently on a mannequin, and hairstylists and makeup artists were already bustling in the room, preparing for the day.“Congratulations, ma’am, you’re getting married today,” they greeted her in unison. She forced a smile in response, though her heart weighed heavily.Dragging herself to the shower, Camila let the water cascade over her. She tried to gather her thoughts but couldn’t stop the questions swirling in her mind. How did it come to this? How did everything go so wrong?Realizing she had been in the bathroom longer than expected, she quickly turned off the shower and wrapped herself in a robe. As she stepped out, the room was empty—the dressers had gone.
96"Yes, I’m pregnant, and I came here to see George’s family. It’s a long story, Mom. Please, let me explain later," Lucia replied, cutting the call despite her mother’s protests.She met George, who was chatting with his mother."Lucia, my dear, you’ve been standing for a while. Would you like to sit?" Juliana asked with her attractive Polish accent."I’m good," Lucia replied."No, dear, please sit," Juliana insisted, guiding Lucia to a chair. "Pani Karolina, please bring Lucia some tea," she instructed, and Karolina appeared moments later with a steaming cup of tea."Hang in there, Mrs. Lucia Williams. The food will be ready in a moment," Karolina said kindly."Thank you," Lucia smiled and turned to face George."Darling, can I talk to you for a second?" she asked."Sure, I’ll excuse you both," Juliana said, stepping away.George sat beside Lucia. "Honey, what’s the matter?" he asked."My friend Camila isn’t doing well. Her family is being held captive by Rafael Marcus, and she’s g
95FEW DAYS LATER**A few days had passed, and a lot had happened. Alejandro left Camila with Rafael and returned to his company. The place was desolate; nearly everyone had resigned, and he had lost most of his contracts but couldn't do anything about it.It was the usual, uneventful day. Alejandro stood in front of his window, staring into nothingness. The company was empty. He had no idea where to start or how to convince anyone to return, but that wasn't what was truly bothering him.He still couldn't believe he wasn't with Camila. He had signed the divorce papers and left her with Rafael. Even now, he still questioned whether he had made the right decision. He wasn't a fool; he knew why she said what she did. Rafael probably had her family under his control in some way, and Alejandro wouldn't be selfish enough to let him hurt them."Boss," a familiar voice called. Alejandro didn’t bother turning to look at the person."You should be lucky I haven’t had you arrested yet you still
94"Is she really worth it, Alejandro? Everything you’ve worked so hard for—your company—does it mean more to you than her?"Alejandro glanced at Camila, then at the documents, torn between two impossible choices."You're wrong, Rafael! I didn’t just think about it—I worked hard for that company. I deserve everything. Every damn thing!" Alejandro yelled, his eyes reddening with rage."No, you didn’t, you bastard! Everything belongs to me! Grandpa was supposed to give it all to me, but I don’t know why you came along and ruined everything!" Rafael shouted, then turned to Camila."He didn’t tell you much, did he? He never told you how he barged into my life, stole the affection of my family, and convinced them to change the will," Rafael said angrily."I didn’t have anyone change anything!" Alejandro shot back. "Everything happened because apparently, everyone was okay with it. I did more good for your family than you’ll ever admit."Even though Camila was gagged, her confused and curio
93Camila felt her head pounding as she struggled to open her eyes. She realized she couldn’t move her hands or legs and felt an overwhelming sense of discomfort. Her eyes finally fluttered open, and her heart nearly stopped.She was tied to a chair, positioned dangerously close to the edge of a steep cliff. Before her, several men knelt on the ground, their faces familiar from earlier."Baby, you're awake," Rafael said, stepping closer to her. He gently touched her face, his fingers brushing the bruise beneath her eye."Does it hurt?" he asked softly.Camila remained silent, too terrified to respond, her mind racing to guess what Rafael had planned."Which one of these men hit you?" Rafael asked, his tone icy as his gaze shifted to the men.Camila hesitated, her eyes slowly scanning the group. The man in the middle looked petrified, but she reluctantly pointed at him.Rafael smiled, ruffling her hair affectionately before grabbing the man by his collar and yanking him to his feet."W
92 George turned, his face lighting up with a mixture of joy and worry.“Baby,” he greeted, walking over and giving her a quick peck on the lips.Perri scoffed audibly and looked away.“Why are you up so early?” George asked, concern lacing his voice.“I’m not that early,” Lucia said, pouting slightly.“You should still be in bed, resting like the princess you are,” he said, touching her stomach gently. “Are you hungry?”“You’ve been feeding me so much lately, George. I might lose myself,” she teased.George smiled. “You could never lose yourself in my eyes. Look at your skin—you’re glowing already,” he said, leading her to the kitchen.“So, what are you up to?” Lucia asked as they entered.George sighed, setting water to boil. “I’ve been thinking about what your dad said—about whether I can provide for you and the baby—and I’ve made a decision.”“What decision?” she asked curiously.“I’ve always wanted to be a chef, and I’ve been saving for years. I’m planning to open a small roads
91 THERESA'S HOUSE***“Careful,” George said, holding Lucia’s hand as she stepped out of the taxi.“I’m fine, George. I can manage,” Lucia replied, smiling softly. Since discovering her pregnancy, George had been overly protective, not even letting her handle simple tasks.As they entered the house, George began, “Mom, we’re—” but stopped abruptly when he saw Lucia’s father seated on the couch. Instinctively, he positioned himself in front of her.Mr. Landon smirked. “Hiding my daughter from me, George? You didn’t think I’d find you?”“I’m not going anywhere with you, Dad. I’m surviving just fine without you,” Lucia said through clenched teeth.“Surviving? Look at yourself, Lucia! Your clothes, your skin—you’re barely holding on,” Mr. Landon retorted, disgusted.“I don’t care! I look better than ever, and I’m staying here,” Lucia snapped, standing her ground.“You don’t belong here, Lucia. It’s not too late to come back home—where you belong,” Mr. Landon insisted.“If she believes st