The Billionaire's Dangerous Obsession (Nivera) novel Chapter 116

Chapter 116

The drive to Antonio’s estate was quiet, save for the hum of the engine and the occasional flick of Alejandro’s fingers on the steering wheel.

Alejandro glanced her way briefly, then turned his attention back to the road.

“Are you still reading it?” he asked, his tone low.

Nivera sat in the passenger seat, her eyes glued to her phone as she scrolled through the media frenzy.

“This is insane,” she muttered, shaking her head. “They’re really trying to say Antonio cheated on Zabelle? There’s even a video. Look.”

Alejandro spared the screen a glance before returning his eyes to the road. “I saw it,” he said. “But it’s bullshit. Antonio wouldn’t do that to her. He may be a lot of things, but being unfaithful isn’t one of them.”

“But he isn’t saying anything.”

“Exactly why, we’re going to find out what really happened.”

Nivera let out a breath and put her phone down in her lap. “Zabelle must be devastated.”

“I doubt she’s buying any of this media garbage,” Alejandro replied, then added under his breath, “But that doesn’t mean it won’t affect her.”

Alejandro’s voice was calm, but Nivera could tell from the way he gripped the wheel that he was just as furious as she was. It’s not just about the scandal, but about being blindsided by it.

By the time they arrived at Antonio’s estate, Nivera could sense the tension hanging in the air like a thick fog.

The staff greeted them at the entrance, but Alejandro barely acknowledged them. His mind was already ahead–already with his

cousin.

The front door opened before they could even knock. Antonio was already at the top of the stairs, descending rapidly with a storm behind his eyes.

They didn’t exchange pleasantries.

The two men simply made eye contact, and without a word, they veered toward the study, leaving Nivera and Zabelle alone in the spacious living room.

Nivera glanced over at Zabelle, who sat curled into herself, her hands tightly clasped in her lap. The tension in her shoulders was visible even from across the room.

Meanwhile, Alejandro followed Antonio into the study, quietly closing the door behind them.

The silence was thick, and Alejandro leaned against the edge of Antonio’s desk, arms crossed, his expression hard to read- somewhere between fury and worry.

Antonio, more relaxed than expected/slumped onto the sofa like a man who had already fought a dozen battles this morning.

The fact that Antonio was calm said a lot, and it made him calm.

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Chapter 116

“Antonio,” Alejandro started, his voice low but firm, “what the hell happened?*

Antonio met his cousin’s eyes with a calmness that almost annoyed Alejandro. “You didn’t answer my calls,” he continet did I have to find out from the damn tabloids that you’re at the center of some cheating scandal?”

“I didn’t think it was worth explaining over the phone,” Antonio replied evenly.

Alejandro’s brow rose. The nerve of the idiot he was looking at.

If it had been only Antonio involved in the scandal, he wouldn’t have cared, as he knew his brother would handle his mess.

However, he was married, and that meant whatever he did would reflect badly on Zabelle, and that wasn’t okay

The memories he had locked up threatened to spill out as the situation felt similar, but he shook his head so he could focus on Antonio.

“Not worth it?” he echoed. “They’re dragging your name through the mud–and hers, too. You need to fix this.”

“I am fixing it,” Antonio replied sharply. “I’ve already contacted my PR team. They’re shutting the story down, clearing Zabelle’s name, and a statement has already gone out.”

Alejandro sighed, shaking his head. “You should’ve told me. We’re brothers, Antonio. You don’t have to handle everything on your

own.”

His voice was softer as he realized that even though Antonio appeared calm, he was on edge, and scolding him wouldn’t do any good.

Antonio’s shoulders dropped a fraction, but he didn’t respond.

Alejandro pushed himself away from the desk and walked over to the window, watching the light dance across the polished floor. “I get it. You want to protect Zabelle. But isolating yourself isn’t the way. We’re in this together. We always have been.”

Antonio sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I know. I just didn’t want to drag you into more drama, especially after your dinner with Nivera’s family.”

He wasn’t even going to ask how Antonio knew he had dinner with Nivera’s family.

“How was it, by the way?!”

Alejandro grimaced. “Terrible!”

More like it ending with a fist connecting with a very deserving face, but alas, he digressed.

Antonio chuckled despite himself. “Sounds about right.’

“But I’m not the subject of discussion,” Alejandro said, turning back.

“It’s not your mess. Someone’s clearly out to ruin you. The question is -Who?”

Him asking was just a formality, as he knew Antonio already figured out who was behind it.

“Vanessa,” Antonio said darkly.

Ah. Zabelle’s sister. Alejandro thought to himself. Nivera and Zabelle did have a lot in common, and one of such was that they both

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Chapter 116

had terrible families.

Alejandro blinked. “Vanessa? I don’t get it. Why would she”

“I was drugged at the gala,” Antonio interrupted. “By her.”

Alejandro straightened. “Drugged?” he repeated, stunned. “Why the hell didn’t you start with that?”

“You didn’t exactly give me the chance,” Antonio muttered, and Alejandro smacked him on the arm.

“You’re insufferable!” He remarked. “But go on.”

“Vanessa drugged me at the party, and when I went to the bathroom to splash water on my face, she cornered me and tried to seduce me. When I put her in her place, she kissed me as she saw Zabelle approaching.”

“First she took Jeremy, and now she’s trying to get you. It’s not a matter of her catching feelings; it’s a matter of her not being able to stand Zabelle being happy.”

Just like Vivian.

Antonio gave a sharp nod. “You’re right.”

“I get that Zabelle is a nice and forgiving person, but this one shouldn’t slide.” Alejandro gritted his teeth.

Letting people off the hook would just give them another chance to strike, and that was like he liked to destroy his enemies as soon as they came.

The same way he was going to destroy Silas and the rest of Nivera’s family.

What she wanted wouldn’t matter, just the way she didn’t matter to them.

She was holding on to that string of thread that they were her family and one day they would come around.

But he knew they wouldn’t, and he was speaking from personal experience. No one who meant well would ever treat their child in such a way.

It was better he took care of them before they would

take care of her.

“Luckily for me, she has already given permission to take care of Vanessa.”

“Good, so what’s the plan?”

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