The Billionaire's Dangerous Obsession (Nivera) novel Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Antonio didn’t miss a beat as he responded to Alejandro.

“How am I supposed to prepare for my wedding without my best man?”

Alejandro’s jaw immediately ticked and Nivera watched the subtle tension in his expression, how his knuckles flexed at his sides even as he plastered on that charming, practiced smile.

She didn’t know him well, but she could tell–mentioning the wedding had hit a nerve.

Antonio had noticed too. “And here I was, thinking you at least cleared your schedule to help me prepare,” he continued, his tone light but laced

with deliberate provocation.

Alejandro recognized Antonio’s game and he decided to play along. It was going to take more than that to get him to lose his temper and they both knew

that.

“I’ve had a busy week,” he muttered.

“Wow, I’m hurt,” Antonio said.

Nivera lifted an eyebrow as she turned to face Antonio. “Didn’t peg you for the sentimental type.”

Her words made him smile faintly. “I’m not. But it would be a shame if my best man didn’t show up. Bad luck, even.”

“If you’re here to pester me about wedding logistics, Antonio, you’re wasting your time.”

“I came looking for you,” Antonio responded, as if that explained everything. Then he glanced at Nivera, offering a small nod. “But I’m glad I got to talk to Nivera.”

Alejandro’s eyes darkened and he squinted his eyes at her.

Nivera tried to hide her smirk. She hadn’t pegged Antonio for the type to provoke, but he was doing it so effortlessly that even she found it admirable.

“Anything else you need?” Alejandro’s voice was a warning wrapped in velvet.

Antonio took the hint and he pushed away from the bookshelf with ease, straightening his suit. “No, I think I got what I came for.”

Then, without another word, he walked to the door.

But just before he opened it, he paused and looked back at Nivera. “It was nice talking to you. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of each other.”

That was the final straw. “Out,” Alejandro snapped, his voice sharp.

Antonio offered a slight grin, barely there. Then he exited, letting the door close behind him with a soft click that somehow felt louder in the silence.

“Stay here, I’m going to go murder him,” Alejandro told her and he went after Antonio.

As soon as the door closed, she rushed back to her phone right on time as it began buzzing.

She blinked and glanced down and the name on the screen turned her blood to ice.

It was her sister.

The air thickened. Her hands trembled slightly as she reached for the phone, dread pooling in her gut like cement.

They never called for good things. Not hey father. Not her sister. And definitely not both.

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17:00 Wed, 23 Jul

Chapter 22

She stared at the screen, hoping it would top, but it kept vibrating. Persistent. Demanding. Like it always had been,

She debated letting it ring out. Pretending she didn’t see it. Pretending she wasn’t who she used to be. But she knew better.

If she didn’t pick up, it would only

worse.

With a resigned sigh and the sting of

she had no intention of revisiting, she answered.

“Hello?”

The voice on the other end was sharp, Icy. Perfectly poised, as always.

“Finally. Do you not keep your phone on you anymore? Or do you enjoy ignoring your family?”

Nivera gritted her teeth. “Nice to hear from you too, Vivian.”

“Don’t be snide. You’re already in enough trouble as it is.”

Her chest tightened. That voice always made her feel small. Like the version of her she fought so hard to kill off every day was still very much alive in the background.

Vivian continued, her words like lashes. “What the hell were you thinking? Posing with a man like that–in public, no less. Have you seen the internet? Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

“I didn’t pose with anyone,” Nivera said, her voice a little too soft.”

“Your pictures are everywhere, Nivera. Everywhere. Dad is furious. You know what that means.‘

Goosebumps erupted over her skin. Her fingers clenched the phone tighter.

“Vivian, I-”

“No,” her sister cut in. “Save it. He wants to see you. You’re expected back. Immediately.”

“Back? You mean-”

“There’s a car waiting for you outside the Garcia company.”

“1

The words hit her like a slap and her knees nearly buckled. She grabbed the edge of Alejandro’s desk to steady herself.

Not again. She couldn’t go back there. That house. That man. That version of herself.

Would it help if she asked Vivian to bail her out? No that wouldn’t work, she didn’t care. She never did.

“suggest you don’t make him wait,” her sister said, voice colder now, clipped. “Unless you want to provoke him again.”

Nivera didn’t respond and Vivian hung up.

She stood there, phone still against her ear long after the call had ended, as if hoping–praying–that something would change.

Maybe Alejandro would come in through the door and stop her. Tell her she didn’t have to go. Lock the door again. Just… something.

She waited, but nothing happened. Quietly, carefully, she grabbed her bag and began to move towards the door, every step was heavier than the last.

Her fingers curled around the doorknob and she turned it praying it would be locked but this time, it opened.

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