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CHAPTER 11

last update Last Updated: 2025-04-26 19:42:27

Ximena stepped out of her black car into the soft golden glow of the evening lights. The grand hotel hosting the exclusive industry event shimmered under the moonlight, filled with Mexico City’s most powerful executives, designers, and investors.

Flashes went off the moment she arrived—paparazzi hadn’t been invited, but they always found a way.

She ignored the noise, chin high, her cream silk dress hugging her figure. It didn’t matter that the media storm was still burning outside. She wasn’t going to hide.

Inside the ballroom, conversations hummed like bees in a hive. Waiters floated past with flutes of champagne and hors d’oeuvres. The air was heavy with perfume, ambition, and secrets.

“Miss Antonio,” someone greeted her, smiling politely. “Didn’t think you’d show tonight.”

She returned the smile with practised ease. “And miss all the whispers? Never.”

She moved through the room like a queen, shoulders back, her presence magnetic. But it wasn’t long before someone stopped her in her
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    Ximena paced back and forth in her office, heels tapping against the polished floor like a ticking clock. The city lights outside blinked through the tall windows, but her mind wasn’t on the skyline.Her mind was on **Leandro Cruz**.His voice echoed in her memory: *“Either we make history—or you go back to being a memory in his shadow.”*“Damn it, how such am I that this isn’t some sort of joke or probably a set up?” She muttered with a loud sigh as she stopped in front of her desk and stared at the black folder he’d left. It was still unopened.The knock at the door made her turn.Rafael stepped in, cautious. “You didn’t sleep last night, did you?”Ximena shook her head. “There’s no time for sleep.”He walked further in, eyeing the folder. “So… are you really considering it?”She finally opened it. Dozens of pages of plans. Names. Lawyers. Shareholder routes. All mapped out. A legal path to take over **Ricardo Enterprises**—piece by piece.“If you do this,” Rafael said slowly, “Migu

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  • WANTING MY BILLIONAIRE EX-WIFE   CHAPTER 13

    Ximena didn’t wait.The next morning, she drove straight to her father’s estate. The sun had barely risen, but her thoughts hadn’t let her sleep. Her fingers clutched the photo and the letter as the car pulled up to the familiar gates.The housekeeper opened the door. “He’s in the study,” she whispered, sensing the storm in Ximena’s eyes.Ximena didn’t knock. She pushed the door open.Her father looked up from his desk, surprised. “Ximena?”She tossed the photograph onto the wood surface.The black-and-white image of a smiling young woman stared up at him.And then the folded letter landed beside it.“Camila Antonio,” Ximena said sharply. “Tell me the truth.”Mr Antonio’s face went pale.“I don’t know what this is—”“Don’t lie to me,” she snapped, slamming her hand on the desk. “She was your niece. She died. And you erased her.”Her father stood slowly. “Camila’s death was… tragic. But it wasn’t my doing.”“She was going to expose something. That’s what this letter says. That’s why sh

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  • WANTING MY BILLIONAIRE EX-WIFE   CHAPTER 14

    Ximena sat in her private meeting room at Antonio Enterprises, the morning light filtering through the blinds. Her hands were folded neatly on the table, but her eyes were sharp, burning with quiet fury.She had arrived early—too early—and hadn’t touched her coffee.On the polished glass table sat a small USB drive.The one that held the truth.She didn’t move when the door opened.Rafael stepped in, holding a folder, smiling faintly. “Morning, Miss Antonio. I brought—”She didn’t greet him. She didn’t even look up.Instead, she slid the USB drive across the table toward him.It stopped just inches from his hand.Rafael’s smile dropped. “What’s this?”“Why don’t you plug it in?” she said calmly.He hesitated. Then, slowly, he sat down and inserted the USB into the laptop. The footage played.Ximena didn’t blink.She watched as Rafael—her most trusted advisor—appeared onscreen, entered the design vault, and pulled out a USB of his own.When the video ended, the silence between them was

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  • WANTING MY BILLIONAIRE EX-WIFE   CHAPTER 15

    Ximena stepped off the small jet into the warm air of Monterrey. The coordinates from Camila’s final letter had led her here—far from the city, far from the spotlight.She wasn’t sure what she would find.The car waiting for her took her through quiet streets until they stopped in front of a modest, older building. A brass plaque read:**Gutiérrez & Morales – Legal Advisors.**Inside, an elderly receptionist looked up and gave her a small smile.“Miss Antonio?” the woman asked.Ximena nodded, her heart pounding.The woman pulled open a drawer and handed over a small, rusted key and a sealed white envelope. It was marked in neat handwriting:**For X.A. only.**Ximena took it with both hands.A few minutes later, inside a private room in the back of the law firm, a safety deposit box was slid onto the table in front of her.She used the key. It clicked open with a soft snap.Inside, wrapped in a velvet cloth, were several items.A folder filled with old legal documents.A small, leather

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  • WANTING MY BILLIONAIRE EX-WIFE   CHAPTER 16

    Back in Mexico City, Ximena sat in the backseat of her tinted car, a manila envelope gripped tightly in her lap. Her heart pounded as the city skyline flew past her window. The DNA results had arrived—quietly and without her real name—just as she’d arranged.She hadn’t gone to the main lab.Instead, she’d hired a private technician in a trusted clinic outside the city and used a false identity to avoid leaks.Now, the results were in her hands, and all she had to do was open it.But, she didn’t open them in the car. She waited until she was back in her private office, the door locked behind her.With trembling fingers, she peeled open the envelope.**99.8% sibling match.**Her hand clutched the edge of the desk.It was true.Camila hadn’t been guessing.She and Ximena were half-sisters.But that wasn’t the real shock.It was what followed in the next file—a confidential birth certificate tucked among the documents Camila had left behind.Baby’s Name: **Isabela Antonio**Mother: Camila

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  • WANTING MY BILLIONAIRE EX-WIFE   CHAPTER 17

    The envelope lay on Ximena’s desk like a loaded weapon.Its golden seal shimmered beneath the morning light seeping through her office windows. She hadn’t touched her coffee. She hadn’t moved since her assistant set the envelope down thirty minutes ago.She stared at it, letting the weight of it press into her chest.Finally, she peeled it open with a letter opener and unfolded the contents.The letterhead bore the official crest of Antonio Enterprises’ legal board.**SUBJECT: Special Hearing Regarding Claim to Antonio Group Shares – Petitioner: Isabela Reyes.****Claim basis: Direct biological lineage to the late Camila Antonio and documentation of a previously undisclosed will.**Ximena’s pulse picked up speed.She barely heard the knock before Rafael entered the office.“Did you get it?” he asked. His voice was low, guarded.Ximena nodded once, her expression unreadable. She handed him the letter without a word.Rafael scanned the document, then exhaled sharply. “They’re actually d

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  • WANTING MY BILLIONAIRE EX-WIFE   CHAPTER 18

    Ximena stormed into the penthouse without knocking.Her heels echoed against the marble floor, but she barely noticed. Rage coursed through her like fire, hot and sharp, rising higher with every step.She found her mother seated by the window, calm and poised, a glass of white wine in hand.“You left me for a man,” Ximena said, her voice trembling from emotion. “And now you’ve come back… for another daughter?”Her mother didn’t flinch.She took a slow sip from her glass before setting it down delicately.“I left,” she said, “because your father made me choose between my dignity and his control. Camila’s death was my wake-up call. Isabela was… a second chance.”Ximena’s jaw clenched. “You’re saying you left me behind because you lost Camila?”“No,” her mother replied softly, almost with a touch of amusement. “I left you because you were always too much like your father.”There was silence.Thick. Unbearable.Ximena’s hands balled into fists.“You didn’t leave because of pain,” she whis

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  • WANTING MY BILLIONAIRE EX-WIFE   CHAPTER 19

    Miguel sat alone in his study, the glow of the screencasting a cold light on his face.The video had gone viral.Ximena and Tania’s on-air fight was playing for the third time. He watched Ximena stand her ground, eyes blazing, voice sharp, unfazed by Tania’s tantrum. The world called it iconic. He called it a storm.She was different now.Sharper. Louder. More dangerous.“She’s untouchable,” he muttered, almost with admiration… almost with regret.He paused just as she leaned forward into the camera and declared, *“That’s why I keep winning.”*Pride swelled in his chest—and fury followed it.He had known she was strong.He just didn’t know she could become this.Miguel sighed, then glanced at his phone.A new message lit the screen—his investigator had just uploaded a file.**Subject: Isabela Reyes. Background Summary.**He opened it quickly, skimming line after line—basic education records, early employment, financial notes…Then one small detail stopped him cold.**A single transfer

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  • WANTING MY BILLIONAIRE EX-WIFE   CHAPTER 27

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  • WANTING MY BILLIONAIRE EX-WIFE   CHAPTER 26

    The office was still dark when Ximena arrived.She rarely came in before sunrise, but today, she needed the silence.The moment her heels echoed against the polished marble floor, she realized she’d hoped the emptiness would help her forget. But the silence was cruel. It made the kiss louder.She unlocked her door, turned on the lights, and set her bag down like everything was normal.But nothing felt normal.Her lips still burned—not from passion, but from memory. They still remembered the weight of Miguel’s mouth, the pull, the ache, the years compressed into a single, devastating kiss.She sat down behind her desk and opened her laptop, but the screen blurred as her thoughts circled.The knock on the door startled her.Rafael entered, already scrolling through his tablet.“We need to prep for the market response once Ricardo Tech issues their statement,” he said. “I spoke to legal this morning. If Leandro pushes the pivot clause, it will trigger a forced re-evaluation of—”“Rafael.

  • WANTING MY BILLIONAIRE EX-WIFE   CHAPTER 25

    Ximena’s phone rang before sunrise.The shrill tone cut through her sleep like a blade. She rolled over, groaning softly, and squinted at the screen. It was her legal advisor, calling from the firm’s secure line.She sat up instantly.“Hello?”“Ms. Antonio, sorry to wake you,” her attorney said, voice taut. “You need to see this. Leandro Cruz just fast-tracked a hostile buyout offer for Ricardo Tech. The paperwork went out at midnight.”Ximena blinked. “What?”“The offer was prepared under one of your jointly-owned investment groups. It will go public in less than 48 hours unless you intervene.”“I didn’t authorize that,” she snapped.“I know. But on paper, it looks like you did.”Her heart pounded. “Email me everything. Right now.”“Already sent.”She hung up, threw off the covers, and went straight to her laptop. Her inbox was overflowing—but there it was. The buyout paperwork. Contracts. Internal memos. Leandro’s signature on every page. Her name at the top of each holding group.H

  • WANTING MY BILLIONAIRE EX-WIFE   CHAPTER 24

    The elevator opened with a soft chime, but the moment Ximena stepped onto her private penthouse floor, her body tensed.Something was off.Too quiet.Too still.Her fingers hovered over her clutch as she stepped slowly down the hallway. The faintest hum of the central AC buzzed in the silence, but nothing else moved.Then she saw the light spilling from the living room.She hadn’t left any lights on.Her heels clicked once. Twice.She turned the corner.And there he was.Miguel.Standing by her window like he belonged there. Like time hadn’t passed. Like hearts hadn’t been broken between then and now.He held the painting in his hands—the one from Paris. The one he once commissioned of her. She hadn’t even hung it. It had leaned against the wall since the day it arrived, untouched, unopened, unwanted.Now it was exposed under soft lamplight, and he was staring at it like it still meant something.He didn’t look up when she entered.“You bypassed my elevator security,” she said coolly,

  • WANTING MY BILLIONAIRE EX-WIFE   CHAPTER 23

    Ximena sat at her desk, phone in hand, Miguel’s message glowing on the screen like it had for the past twelve hours. *Tell me how to fix this. Or tell me how to forget you. I can’t do both.*Her fingers hovered over the screen. She could feel the weight of the words. The honesty. The quiet desperation.But still—she didn’t reply.And she didn’t delete it either.That silence was its own message.The painting from the auction leaned against the far wall of her office, half-shrouded in its linen cover. She hadn’t asked anyone to hang it. She hadn’t moved it. But it stayed like a ghost refusing to leave.Sometimes, when she wasn’t thinking, she found herself glancing at it.Remembering.Paris.Laughter.A version of her that didn’t need to build empires to feel worthy. She kind of wondered how she managed to keep loving a man who was obviously in love with her step-sister all through their three years of marriage.A knock pulled her back to the present.Rafael entered, holding a tablet.

  • WANTING MY BILLIONAIRE EX-WIFE   CHAPTER 22

    The envelope was heavy. Elegant.Ximena turned it over in her hands, her fingers brushing the black matte finish and gold detailing. Her name was handwritten in calligraphy across the front. She recognized the seal pressed into the wax immediately.**LC.** Leandro Cruz.She sighed.“Another game,” she muttered.She opened it anyway.Inside was an invitation to a prestigious art auction—an elite fundraiser known for attracting Mexico’s most powerful families, politicians, and international investors. The venue was a modern rooftop gallery overlooking the city skyline.Tucked into the envelope was a post-it note. Simple. Almost playful.**You might want to look at piece #37. It’s… sentimental. —L**Ximena rolled her eyes.Leandro always played with baited hooks. But curiosity had a cruel way of winning, even when pride tried to resist.Lisa, who had entered with a schedule update, raised an eyebrow when she spotted the envelope.“Don’t tell me he’s sending you wax-sealed invitations now

  • WANTING MY BILLIONAIRE EX-WIFE   CHAPTER 21

    Ximena stepped into the luxury restaurant, heels clicking against marble floors, every step confident and unhurried. She was dressed in black, her silk blouse tucked into a high-waisted skirt, her hair pulled into a low chignon. She looked every bit the woman who couldn’t be rattled.She gave her name to the hostess and was led through the candle-lit dining room to a corner booth.But when she reached the table, she stopped.Leandro Cruz was already seated there, wine glass in hand, the curve of a smirk dancing across his lips.“Investor had to cancel,” he said smoothly, raising his glass. “So I figured I’d save your night.”Ximena’s eyes narrowed.“You set this up,” she said.“Only partly,” Leandro replied. “He did cancel. I just happened to be in the area. Thought I’d take his seat.”She turned to leave.“Ximena,” he said, setting the glass down, “you’re too sharp to run. Sit. Let’s talk business… or enemies. Dealer’s choice.”Her heels hovered a second longer, then she slowly slid

  • WANTING MY BILLIONAIRE EX-WIFE   CHAPTER 20

    Ximena sat in the quiet of her private conference room, the city stretching behind her in shimmering silver towers. On the long glass table in front of her were a series of folders—marked, signed, finalized.Twelve per cent.Her team had done it.Twelve percent of **Ricardo Enterprises**, now quietly in her control through shell companies, dummy accounts, and shadowed investors. She didn’t need to shout about it.She only needed Miguel to feel it.Rafael stood near the screen, arms crossed, expression tense.“This is going to provoke him,” he said.Ximena didn’t look up from the contract she was reviewing.“It’s not provocation,” she replied calmly. “It’s strategy.”Rafael stepped closer. “You know what I mean. He’s going to hit back harder. Miguel doesn’t let go quietly.”“He started this war,” she said, finally looking at him. “I’m just finishing it.”He watched her for a moment, then asked, “What’s the next move?”She stood, walked to the whiteboard, and circled a name.**RicardoTe

  • WANTING MY BILLIONAIRE EX-WIFE   CHAPTER 19

    Miguel sat alone in his study, the glow of the screencasting a cold light on his face.The video had gone viral.Ximena and Tania’s on-air fight was playing for the third time. He watched Ximena stand her ground, eyes blazing, voice sharp, unfazed by Tania’s tantrum. The world called it iconic. He called it a storm.She was different now.Sharper. Louder. More dangerous.“She’s untouchable,” he muttered, almost with admiration… almost with regret.He paused just as she leaned forward into the camera and declared, *“That’s why I keep winning.”*Pride swelled in his chest—and fury followed it.He had known she was strong.He just didn’t know she could become this.Miguel sighed, then glanced at his phone.A new message lit the screen—his investigator had just uploaded a file.**Subject: Isabela Reyes. Background Summary.**He opened it quickly, skimming line after line—basic education records, early employment, financial notes…Then one small detail stopped him cold.**A single transfer

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